Recording fireworks can be difficult. The dynamic of the blast is normally far more than the equipment can record in full quality. So acceptable recording level is very important, especially when sound process afterwards is not allowed.
The limiter in Sound devices 744 & 302 can work smoothly if they are not „overloaded“ too much, so again, acceptable recording level is very important.
Another big factor for good fireworks recording is the location. Any reflection or echo from nearby buildings or mountains can make the whole blasting thing as an outstanding symphony.
Culture night has been held in August in Reykjavik for twenty years and it normally ends with huge down town rock concert and a firework show. As usual I went there this year to record the fireworks. For a one year I have been thinking for better recording location, because I have never been happy with my firework recordings before. This year I spotted place nearby Harpa concert hall where two big buildings are on two sides. I was pretty excited for the outcome.
I waited there for the last song from the rock concert. Normally I would have about 5 to 10 minutes to prepare my gear after the last song, until the fireworks starts.
But suddenly the fireworks stated before the concert ended.
I panicked! I started my gear while I tried to run in the darkness to my deliberate place. I was tangled in the mic cord so I was afraid to damage something on the run. And because of the tangled cord I could not rise the boom above my head.
I was MAD! I lost about half and the best part of the show and faced some stupid troubles and mistakes, like level adjustments.
As usual it would take me one year to have another opportunity!
I did not listen to the recording when I came home. It was not until last week, when the dance artist and the author of the firework show, Sigríður Soffia Nielsdóttir asked me for the recording. She was planing to use it in a dance project show. Sadly I could not send her the whole firework show. But who knows, it will probably all, or part of it, be used in her dance project this October.
The following recording is just as it comes out of the recorder, it is just fade in/out and downgraded to mp3. So it start suddenly without warning with loud blasts. So be careful, don´t put up the volume, especially not when listening with speakers.
Quality open headphones are recommended while listening at mid/high-level.
Flugeldasýningin á menningarnótt 2015
Hér er á ferðinni upptaka frá flugeldasýningu á Menninganótt í Rykjavik 22. ágúst 2015.
Það gekk bókstaflega allt á afturfótunum þegar hún var tekin upp. Því vantar fyrri hluta sýningarinnar í upptökuna. Upptakan er gerð á milli Seðlabanka og Hörpu. En vegna staðsetningarinnar þá má heyra ýmiss konar áhugaverð hljóð sem myndast vegna endurvaps milli húsanna. Mér þótti það þess vert að setja upptökna á vefinn.
Hljóðritið byrjar mjög snögglega því ætti ekki að stilla hljómtæki hátt, sér í lagi ef hlustað er með hátölurum.
Mælt er með því að hlusta á upptökuna í góðum opnum heyrnartólum og á miðlungs/háum hljóðstyrk.
Download mp3 file (256kbps / 8Mb)
Recorder: Sound devises 744/302
Mics: Sennheiser MKH8020/8040 (Parallel ORTF)
Pix: Canon EOS M
Recording location: 64.149706, -21.933897
Weather: Around 13°C , calm, cludy.
HLJÓÐMYND - SOUNDIMAGE 