audio

how do you submit audio?

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Thanks Mikesafilmer. I sould have been more clear. I'm new to this and I'm wondering what is the best way, or what equipment is needed to record sounds? Microphones, taperecorders, etc? Thanks.

Many people use the Zoom H2 recorder for beginning field recordings, but I use the Olympus LS-10 stereo recorder paired with Sony MDR-7506 Monitor Headphones and a tripod, which are great for field recordings of ambience (ex. street noise, crowds, nature sounds, etc), but it also has a 1/8" Line-In (So do most recorders like the H2) so I can use my other Audio Technica AT2035 microphone plugged into my mackie VLZ1202 mixer using an XLR cable, and then use my dual 1/4" cables out of the mixer and into the Olympus LS-10 1/8" Line-In.
I'm sure you haven't heard of any of the above mentioned equipment, but thats okay, there is A LOT of audio gear out there and to know it all is nearly impossible.
Just keep the following in mind when recording SFX:
1. Always use headphones to accurately monitor your recordings unless it is dangerous (ex. recording guns and other similiar loud noises).
2. Get close to the source of the sound if you want a more "focused" sound void of background noise (preffered for 99.9% of SFX), or get farther away for a more "ambient" sound (preffered for ambient recordings of city noise, birds, crowds, etc.)
3. Never use auto gain or auto level, as this will yield poor recordings that sound like they are "pumping" in volume. Also, because recorders are digital these days, make sure to test the sound or ambience before recording to make sure your recording won't "peak" since there is no fixing this in post later.
4. There is usually a "low cut" switch on mikes and recorders, which cuts/greatly-reduces low frequencies from the audio. "Low" frequencies are usually classified by the sound of AC units, distant freeway noise, and other seemingly "invisible" or "inaudible" noises that the human ear tends to ignore, however in a theatre or a set of headphones these low frequencies "muddy" the track or add unwanted sound. I tend to not use the low cut switch during recording and fix the audio frequencies in post since I have greater control and monitoring capabilities, but if I want to keep things simple or I know I don't want any low frequencies in my recording, I will turn this on. (Ex. Generally the low cut can always be used if the audio recording is just comprised of the human voice for something like an interview. Some might argue that lower harmonic frequencies are lost, but this differs from listener to listener).
5. Audio CD's are meant to play audio that is 44.1khz (typically music CD's). Audio for film and video uses audio that is meant to play at 48khz. I always record at 48khz because my audio is meant to be used for video and film.

6>.Okay I can't really list any more since there are too many rules to list, but if your are really interested in recording SFX I highly recommend the following book I got last year by Ric Viers called "The Sound Effects Bible" :

http://www.soundeffectsbible.com/sfx/node/90

It lists a wide range of sound effects and how one can record them using specific equipment, materials, recording techniques, and more. Also, I am sure you can find articles online for recording SFX or ambient noises. If you have any specific questions you can ask me and I'll do my best to answer your questions.

Oh, one more note. Always check reviews for equipment before you buy it. Look for the pros and cons of equipment, listen to samples, maybe borrow from people or test at the store. Don't just go by what's on paper/the web as far as technical specifications. Generally, as with video, the more money you put into your equipment the better your results will be, but with today's technology you can find great equipment on a limited budget.

Hope this helps!

Wow, great. Lot's of info here and you're right, I have no idea what the equipment you listed is. Which leads me to the next question, where do I go and find these things? Is there a store you would recommend, electronic store perhaps? Also, I'm wondering how successful you have been with Pond5, as far as people downloading your work?
Thanks so much for your help. I'll also look into the book you suggested.

B&H has a lot of good audio equipment and they ship worldwide.

I got my Olympus LS-10 recorder on Amazon since it was cheaper than B&H at the time, but Varius is right, go with B&H for they have a wealth of audio equipment, not to mention anything else you could ever need for a production.

Pond5 is my first stock site, and I started recording/selling audio here around December. So far I have 95 SFX on here and I for sure sell more sfx than video, probably because there is a lot of video competition and a lot less audio competition, but the prices for are audio are low, so I have been improving the quality of my work and pricing it higher and it's been selling well. I sold 15 SFX in the past month, and each month has gradually gotten better as far as my numbers of sales go. This might be due to the fact I started recently compared to most members (this past november) and my keywords are finally finding their place on google (apparently the longer clips are online the easier they are able to be searched on mega search engines like google.)

Here are the last 4 sfx I sold on Pond5 to give you an idea what sells:

Varius, thank you for the information. Truly appreciate it. I'll check them out.

Mikesafilmer, those are great sounds. I appreciate all the information you have provided me. I'm moved by your generousity to share, thank you.

Well, I'm going to give this thing a try, it would be great to generate a little extra income, and I'm sure it'll take awhile to get up and running and to understand the intricacies of sound recording. I may come back and ask more questions as I progress.
Thanks again and I wish you the best.

No problem! I learn more from teaching others since I better understand the logic and techniques of creating better sound. Take care and listen well.