DIY Microphone Blimp - ~20.00$

[drapeama]

So, here's a quick grab (better stills will follow later this week) of my now finished deadcat. I still need to finish the blimp, even if it's working rather well for now:
IMG-20120604-00333.jpg

[Almohada]

That's HOT!

[cgbier]

So CT does your audio?

[drapeama]

So CT does your audio?

Sort of!
In fact she's learning to use the DSLR more and more now (with something else than the AF lens) but she'll probably be a good Boom Operator on my upcoming projects I guess.

[HueyNRolf]

Are you going to test and post the results?
Wait for a windy day or use an electric fan.

[drapeama]

Are you going to test and post the results?
Wait for a windy day or use an electric fan.

1) Of course I will. I only need some spare time to do it.
2) I don't know if I'll be lucky enough to have both Charlie & a windy day at the same time, but I'll certainly try with a fan.
I'll try to make a short video about it, later this week.

[Janke]

I don't know if I'll be lucky enough to have both Charlie & a windy day at the same time

Do your best!

[drapeama]

Do your best!

I already have Charlie to help me most of the time, the harder will be to have a windy day!
I'll do it with a Fan to be sure...

[HueyNRolf]

I already have Charlie to help me most of the time, the harder will be to have a windy day!

Eat a large vindaloo with extra chillies the night before. Wind guaranteed.

[drapeama]

So, here's a quick test I've done a couple minutes ago, with a fan. I'm alone until Friday night, so I'll try to make a test with someone speaking this weekend.

[BarteS]

It appears to be work pretty good. However, it is more clear if you would demonstrate it with the blimp on and without it, without changing the speed of the fan.

[drapeama]

It appears to be work pretty good. However, it is more clear if you would demonstrate it with the blimp on and without it, without changing the speed of the fan.

Yeah, that was a quick video! I'll try to put more effort on the next. I'll try outside, with and without.
But so far, it cuts 100% of the wind without sounding muffled...and that's exactly what I wanted!

[HueyNRolf]

WIthout any protection the mic would rumble like crazy so close to that fan. Can't say for sure without hearing it without the furry, but it looks like you've cracked it.

Good job!

[Almohada]

Works like a charm. ZERO wind noise!!!

[drapeama]

WIthout any protection the mic would rumble like crazy so close to that fan. Can't say for sure without hearing it without the furry, but it looks like you've cracked it. Good job!

1) Exactly. I didn't thought it was necessary to put the mic close to the fan without the DeadCat.
2) You got a point here, hence why I'll do another test...proper one, most probably outside. I'm just waiting on Charlie to return home (Friday).
3) Yeah, looks like I did a good job for the money I've invested! Thanks!

[BarteS]

Hey, don't get me wrong on this one...it sounds good! I did hear some wind noise, but totally acceptable. But some reference point would be helpful. Possibly you might want to look into some different fur to conquer those tropical storms. If I were you, drapeama, I would do the test indoors. The huge advantage of the fan is the fact it's simply a (relative) constant. By the time you've removed or added the blimp, the wind might have changed a bit.
But without a doubt this is a thing I'll look into in the near future. I'm considering a rather versatile microphone, but that one would need a blimp outdoors.

[drapeama]

So here's a quick test, with & without the deadcat. Audio has been normalized using Audacity:

[HueyNRolf]

So here's a quick test, with & without the deadcat. Audio has been normalized using Audacity:

Oh yeah!
It's working alright.

[drapeama]

Oh yeah!
It's working alright.

Good! Thanks!

[Almohada]

Holy Moly... what a difference. I heard a TINY TINY TINY bit of wind noise but it shouldn't even be mentioned. What a difference!!!! You hit a goldmine

[BarteS]

So...what's all the fuzz about? It's just a hoax, first a video without a comparison, now a music file with a comparison but normalized and no sign he wasn't standing a few feet back.
I can imagine you're more than happy with this one. One question though, why did you normalize the audio?

[Almohada]

One question though, why did you normalize the audio?

So it won't blow our eardrums apart! Thanks, Drape!

[BarteS]

Sorry, that should have been 'how did you normalize the audio'. Drapeama did solely mention normalization and I presume its on the entire track. Still leaves you with further normalization options. Anyway, the thing is, if drapeama did add normalization to sections of the track, this would have been even better to our ears, but it would be harder to make out the attenuation of the fur. I'm pretty sure drapeama did just add it to the entire track and even if not it's not that much of a deal. The attenuation won't be huge. The difference is clear, but just the extra step in a comparison. If we're nitpicking about pixels and loss of micro stops of light, we should treat audio the very same way.
Enjoy the blimp drapeama and thanks for the little log on this one. Much appreciated.

[drapeama]

So it won't blow our eardrums apart! Thanks, Drape!

Yeah.

Sorry, that should have been 'how did you normalize the audio'. [...] I'm pretty sure drapeama did just add it to the entire track and even if not it's not that much of a deal. The attenuation won't be huge. The difference is clear, but just the extra step in a comparison.

1) As the sound were both at different levels with and without, I normalized them by isolating the segments, otherwise it would have simply lowered the first half and set the sound peaking to 0dB. I've isolated the "without" part and lowered it from 6dB and then just took each segment to normalize them separately, so we hear all levels more "equally". I'm uploading the unprocessed track here.
2) If I would have normalized the whole track, it would have simply lowered it by 6dB or so, because of the peak when recording the fan without the DeadCat. Hence my method.

edit: BTW, I've cut a couple of seconds from the original file, as I had hard time removing the deadcat from the blimp! Hence why it's longer in this version.

[BarteS]

Clearly my mind is not working at this very moment. You're absolutely right about the 'it would have simply..'. I'll go offline, try to minimize any further damage.