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R/E/P => Recording - Engineering & Production => Topic started by: Delete me on October 25, 2017, 10:58:11 AM

Title: Mixing for Sports TV
Post by: Delete me on October 25, 2017, 10:58:11 AM
I ran across this article on sound mixing and production for TV sports.
https://www.vox.com/2015/10/1/9428633/audio-mixer-sports
Title: Re: Mixing for Sports TV
Post by: Fletcher on October 26, 2017, 09:21:16 AM
One of my best friends from college has been a sports mixer for 35+ something years... its easily as difficult as music mixing, and even easier to fuck up.  #3 in this article is one of the places where most of these guys have the greatest potential to screw the pooch.

The moron who does the Yankees games for the YES Network here in NY over uses the "key" thing on the catchers mitt to the point where it sounds like an 80's snare drum from a Phil Collins record [seriously -- its like he's using an AMS RMX-16!!].

In talking to Phil [my college friend whose main gigs these days are NFL football and "March Madness"... and every couple years -- the Olympics... though he got his start with the Boston Red Sox in the early 80's] -- its a very common technique, but it has to be mixed in so its barely noticeable in order to have a "natural" feel... in fact, its kind of expected in a lot of ways... watching this years World Series on FOX -- I dare say they seem to have nailed it at the plate but are WAY too aggressive with plays at first [especially "pick off" plays].

Thanks for sharing a very fun article.

Peace
Title: Re: Mixing for Sports TV
Post by: Tim Halligan on October 27, 2017, 06:19:48 AM
Back when I was working at a (Australian) TV station, when we covered baseball we had a radio mic on the home plate umpire...as well as a lipstick camera in his hat. Because the league was trying to expand its fanbase, they allowed the umpires to be wired up in this way. The umpires were all in favour of it too...

So that mic got us the ball/bat/mitt sound, as well as the umpire's calls...and the heated arguments. Unsurprisingly, it was this that caused the biggest gaffe* to go to air...so much so that it made the Xmas Tape Blooper Reel of every network in the country.

We had "disposable" radio shack lav mics hardwired to 1st and 3rd bases for the ball in glove/foot on bag sound. 2nd base was covered by a Sennheiser 816 from near the home dugout.


Cheers,
Tim



* For those interested in the actual incident... Batter at the plate, has received a number of pitches. Scoreboard not keeping up, so he asks the ump what the count is. Ump isn't sure (!!!) so he asks the ump at 1st...who shrugged his shoulders. Commentators have said "let's listen in.." and then stopped yakking. Director says "pump the audio"...and the ump says (rude word alert) "No cunt's got a counter!" That hit the meters at about +3. Cue stunned silence from commentators and director. Audio director, 2nd AD, and all the AA's all proceed to piss ourselves laughing.
Title: Re: Mixing for Sports TV
Post by: Fletcher on October 27, 2017, 11:31:54 AM
Brilliant!!

The second I read "we had a radio mic on the home plate umpire" the first thing I thought was "that probably wasn't a great idea" -- LOL

Thanks for sharing!!

Peace
Title: Re: Mixing for Sports TV
Post by: Delete me on November 18, 2017, 02:31:16 PM
That is hilarious!! 
You know the real dialog at home plate ain't no cotillion  ;D
Going over the airways to millions of viewers....priceless.

sorry for the late reply, been traveling in Jamaica. Yeahmon.