Live audio recording experts. Please help.

I'm NOT an expert in live audio, but I have also paid attention over the last five or six years to the phenomenon that you described. What I THINK is going on is that you have the audience mics on to capture their applause and so on, and when the announcer starts to speak, the engineer probably crossfades the two signals.

What I'm unclear on is whether this is automated (or automatable) or whether it is done manually. It could also be done with a ducking device, and this is probably what is going on. However, anyone who can clear this up with authority will get my attention as well.

- Sammy

Good night, and good luck.
http://www.sammyjames.com

Most likely it's using the sidechain function of a compressor on the main vocal mic. This effect is most commonly used on radio-spot voiceovers, where there is a background jingle and a voiceover track on top. When the voiceover speaks, the background track seems to drop in volume accordingly, and reappears when there are pauses in the voiceover. This is how the sidechain function works and is completely automated.

-Matt

I'm not convinced. I see it happen with only one mic available. This isn't sidechain or fading out audience mics.




http://adampianoman.googlepages.com

This will happen to an extent with a compressor / limiter on a single mic. Suppose that the background noise is at 10dB (i.e., below the threshold of the limiter), and the announcer's voice is at 80dB, and that a limiter is set to limit the the voice to an apparent loudness of 60dB. This will have the effect of reducing the background noise by 20dB when the announcer is talking.

-illiac

now THAT makes sense.

I think you have it. Gonna go experiment now.

Regards

Adam




http://adampianoman.googlepages.com

Isn't a sidechain compressor/limiter called a "ducking" device...?

Just wondering.

- Sammy

Good night, and good luck.
http://www.sammyjames.com

In essence, yes. That's what it does.

-Matt