Yesterday was a mix of interesting, fun and just plain tiring. The documentary production company I’m working for is doing the last round of talking head interviews for their most recent project.

I carried and set up a lot of equipment, a green screen, lighting and the such.  One moment in the day stuck out as a great and valuable lesson.

The DP asked for quiet, then said, “Recording room tone!” We all stood silently for about a minute. Then I asked “What did you just do?”

“Room Tone” is when you record the baseline ambient sound that a room has. Each room and location is structurally different. Which means sound bounces and echoes differently. “Room tone” is needed so that the editors can use it in post-production when assembling or tightening spoken words. Sometimes a person end abruptly, or the cut leads from sound to nothing. “Room Tone” is needed to construct naturally sounding pauses and spaces.

And now you know. AND KNOWING IS HALF THE BATTLE!

Warning! Life Post:

I put my MIDI controllers and my upright piano into storage before heading to New York and I’m hurting now. I’m in a temporary living situation and I wasn’t about to bring the whole calvary.

And in true Merrel fashion, I’m scattered as usual! Entrenched in multiple creative endeavors, but now I feel like I need to write some music. I have the opportunity to do some fun music for a web-tv show I’m working on. I’d like just to fire up Reason and pop-out a couple tracks – but I need a new keyboard. I was looking at the something like the M-Audio Oxygen-49 to hold me over,  but I don’t really like only having 49 keys.  I need those extra octaves when I’m playing. Still, I’m ok with having less keys, after all a while back I said I wanted a Little Phatty, along with some other “toys” - all of which I still can’t afford.

The New York City Craigslist is chock full of good deals on this type of equip, even saw a great deal on a Yamaha DX7 II. But I’ll have to wait. I’ve got to bring some of my current projects to a close before I begin buying equipment for new ones.

I’ve got to stay focused! Does anyone else have this kind-of creative scatter brain?

-M

photo credit: digital_studio_japan

Man, have I been on an 80′s synthpop kick! I recently picked up the Les Rythmes Digitales album “Darkdancer” and though it was produced in the late 1990′s it owes much of its groove to 80′s synthpop. The music echoes bands like The Human League and Yellow Magic Orchestra.

Listening to these artists got me thinking. As a keyboardist, I’ve always wanted a Yamaha DX7 (the above pictured is the DX7 II Centennial – only 100 ever made). I don’t think many people use them today, as bigger and better synths have come along, but there is an endearing quality about the DX7. It was the staple digital synth of the 80′s, and quick google search shows a treasure trove of specialty DX7 websites and some interesting youtube videos.

Alas, this item will be relegated to my wish list of audio and video gear which surprisingly is getting out of hand. Ya know, maybe it’s time I just write them out…

Keyboards/Digital and Analog Synths

• Kurzweil K2600
• Moog Little Phatty (Video)
• Clavia Nord Electro 2 (Video)

Audio Hardware

• Digidesign Mbox 2

Video Hardware

• Panasonic HDX900 – *drool*

Ok. That is enough pipe dreams for one day, lest I sit here and drool for another two hours while listing all my wants.

-M

Last month I dropped my Sony PD170. Functionally, the camera is sound, I’ve and shot several additional hours of video since the drop. Though the casing for my wide-angle lens took a beating, the brunt of the impact was absorbed by the viewfinder.

It’s a detachable piece – and I’m looking for the specific model number for a replacement. I can’t seem to find it, but I just may go with a different more comfortable viewfinder. Anyone have any suggestions?

-M