Recording the sound of walking in the snow

[RZ-1]

Ok Movie buffs,

I'm working on some sounds for a movie and I need to record the sound of people walking in the snow. I have access to limited gear.

I have a condensor mic, a shure sm58 and binaural microphones.
How would you recommend doing it?


Would it be better to do it outdoors, or somehow fake it in the studio? My studio has a direct door outside, so I could record run a cable outside to somebody walking by.

Also, does anybody have a good microphone guide that talks about the differences between performance mics and condensor mics.

[concentric]

Why don't you just try them all and see which fits the material best? Binaural would be cool if it's a POV shot, otherwise I'd use the condensor.

Jason

[Berolzheimer]

Cornstarch.

[2leod]

Wet snow, dry snow, icy snow? They sound different... have you checked FX libraries?

[rockum]

Berolzheimer... "Cornstarch"

2leod... "Wet snow, dry snow, icy snow? They sound different..."

Wet, dry and icy cornstarch.

I would rent a snow cone machine.

[joeq]

Well if you have real snow outside your door go for that first. Better hurry though, around here the last of the snow just washed away.

for faking it how about breakfast cereals?

rice krispies and corn flakes come to mind but you never know until you get going.

I sort of think of a muffled sound from walking in snow- the snow is its own absorber

[natpub]

I would rent a snow cone machine

I would seriously do this also. Or an ice shaver--just get an old ice shaver or a cheapie from Target, then do a "Foley" on it. Put your newly made "snow" on a 3x4 foot board, cover it with some dirt first though, then snow on top--I'm thinking maybe 6 inches deep?. Of course, this is all if you have no real snow to use :-)

Spray on water to taste, depending on how slushy it is supposed to sound--just use some kinda spray pump bottle so you dont accidentally melt everything :-)

Then put all yer mics on booms down near your new "foley box," throw on yer boots, and start marching. Track each mic to a diff track, and then listen back. Experiment around with that for a while, maybe throw on a fast delay, try various stereo arrangements, etc. Put an hour or two into that, then be sure to mix it so it sounds like it is walking away, past you, or whatever the scene perspective is.

Clearly, if it is multiple people walking, you will want to do several different tracks of it once you get the mic set up you want.


Cheers,

KT

[Tungsten]

either use cornstarch, or look online for hundreds of snow samples in various libraries.

But why rent an icemaker? surely there is a colisseum or ice rink around. Find out when they clean the ice and go out back where they dump the snow. Make it sound like it's for an important movie and i'm sure someone will lead you right to it.

[Bob Olhsson]

In many cases the sound of a traditional sound effect can be lots more convincing than a recording of the real thing!

[Rader Ranch]

Originally posted by Bob Olhsson
In many cases the sound of a traditional sound effect can be lots more convincing than a recording of the real thing!

except (if you're referring to using samples for foley) in a repeated performance event such as footsteps. the PITA factor of placing, pitching, and mixing steps from samples to get a passable result vs. tracking a decent performance by a foley artist is a no brainer.

and i know that through decades of conditioning and acceptance from watching movies and tv we've grown used to a certain quality of fx (meaning more sonic quality, not necessarily good/bad) but IMO it's always best to start w/the real thing when possible, then build from there.

that being said, i'll 2nd all the material suggestions already brought up here thumbsup

[Berolzheimer]

Originally posted by Rader Ranch
except (if you're referring to using samples for foley) in a repeated performance event such as footsteps. the PITA factor of placing, pitching, and mixing steps from samples to get a passable result vs. tracking a decent performance by a foley artist is a no brainer.

and i know that through decades of conditioning and acceptance from watching movies and tv we've grown used to a certain quality of fx (meaning more sonic quality, not necessarily good/bad) but IMO it's always best to start w/the real thing when possible, then build from there.

that being said, i'll 2nd all the material suggestions already brought up here thumbsup

I believe Bob was referring to the cornstarch. it's very traditional. Most of the footsteps you've heard in movies and believed to be real were not walked on the actual surfaces you think they were. Foley artists have spent many years figuring out what sorts of materials will creat convincing sounds, if you guys want to get into film sound you woiuld do well to read up on 70+ years of filmsound history.

[Rader Ranch]

actually i've done quite a bit of foley myself. as a percussionist (the foley artist of any orchestra) it came pretty natural ....i just wanted to make clear to any beginner that doing any more than a short scene w/sampled footsteps is not the way to go!

[BrianT]

I want to record the sound of not farting.

[Berolzheimer]

Originally posted by Rader Ranch
actually i've done quite a bit of foley myself. as a percussionist (the foley artist of any orchestra) it came pretty natural ....i just wanted to make clear to any beginner that doing any more than a short scene w/sampled footsteps is not the way to go!

Way.

[PlugHead]

FWIW,

I just did this exact scenario about 4 weeks ago: tho it was in real snow, and at - 40 deg. C. I used stereo (quasi-binaural) micing with DPA 4060's into a laptop (running PT 5.2)

Having a bit of experience in a northern environment, the sound of footsteps on snow varies immensely, depending on the temperature: wet snow sounds completely different than light dry snow, and also completely different at zero deg. than at -40 deg. This was the main reason for location recording at that time - the temp. made the "quality" of (snow) sound needed for the film. Where I live, snow/winter is the main reason film crews come here...

Best of luck - do you have "real" snow to work with?

[Jay Kahrs]

Originally posted by BrianT
I want to record the sound of not farting.

HAHAHAHA!!!