My recording obsession extends beyond the confines of studio walls. Grown from a penchant for sitting still and listening to the world around me, I started making recordings on my phone and eventually picked up my first dedicated field recorder (a Zoom H5) in 2021. My kit has grown considerably since then.

After my artist residency at Big Bend National Park, which I primarily spent recording around the park and composing music, I typed up a monstrous email to someone who was interested in beginning their field recording journey. I figured this is good information for anyone to have, so here's more or less what I sent them (I might update periodically). Read on for considerations and gear recommendations.

ATTENDED VS UNATTENDED RECORDING

Will you be staying with your rig while you record, or will you be leaving it hidden somewhere for long periods of time (drop rigs)? There’s merit to both methods, and the decision to record one way or the other can get philosophical. There’s no rule that you have to choose one/can’t do both, but my gear recommendations will vary depending on which one you’d rather focus on. With drop rigs, you can get unaffected-by-human-presence recordings, but you need that rig to be as inconspicuous as possible, and you might not want to leave several thousands of dollars worth of equipment sitting around where you can’t see it. Conversely, you can use the very expensive (and bulkier) equipment for higher fidelity recordings with the tradeoff that the wildlife around you will be aware of your presence and adjust their behavior accordingly.

MICROPHONE CONFIGURATION

I currently record stereo soundscapes in an ORTF configuration. There are multiple stereo configurations to choose from, as well as several microphone pickup patterns to consider. With some recording rigs, you’re more or less locked into one configuration. If you want flexibility to record in multiple configurations, that’s something to think about before buying any gear.

Basic stereo - uses a set of omnidirectional or cardioid microphones. There are different ways to configure a stereo setup, and each will result in a different stereo image:

• XY creates the narrowest image, but it is the most phase-coherent basic stereo configuration when collapsed into mono because the microphone capsules are as coincident as possible. You would typically use a set of cardioid (unidirectional) mics for XY. I’d say this is the best stereo option for spot effects or specific sounds (you can also just use one mic for spot effects or specific sounds). Many recorders with built-in microphones use XY. 

• ORTF (the way I record with my large rig) positions the microphone capsules at a specific distance and angle in order to approximate the space between human ears. Fairly phase-coherent when collapsed, and a wider, more natural sounding stereo image than XY. My personal favorite stereo configuration for soundscapes.

• Spaced pair / AB uses a pair of mics at a non-specific distance from each other. This is the least strict recording method in terms of placement, and it can yield the widest image. The drawbacks are that it probably won’t collapse into mono as effectively as XY and ORTF, and the center of the stereo image might be weak. (If you’re creating a sound file for mono playback, you can just pick one mic in order to avoid the phase issues that would come from combining the two signals.) Omnidirectional mics are often used as spaced pairs (sometimes even as double spaced pairs), sometimes with a baffle to help with stereo separation since omnidirectional microphones pick up sound from all around them.

• bonus: binaural recording. Binaural microphones are usually worn like earbuds, and the goal is to capture sound like we hear it with our ears/heads. You might also come across binaural microphones that are placed in the “ears” of what looks like a mannequin head. The limitation of binaural recordings is that playback translates best with headphones, so not the best option for general recording purposes.

mid-side (more complicated and expensive) - it uses a center front mic, usually cardioid, (mid) and a figure-8 mic to pick up the left and right (side). Requires some trickery in post, but allows for control over the spread of the stereo image. Super mono-compatible because the left and right are equal-and-opposite copies of each other that cancel out when combined in mono.

double mid-side (more complicated and way more expensive) - adds another mic facing backwards, so it records the front, the back, and the sides. Allows for extreme flexibility in post because you can choose whether to make the front or the back mic the focus point and then control the width around it, but again, requires processing trickery to make it work. Did I mention expensive?

SAMPLE RATE AND BIT DEPTH

Digital field recorders, like all of these that we’re talking about here, take an analog signal and convert it to a digital one that can be stored on an SD card or what have you. In the most basic terms, sample rate determines how much frequency information you can save (which also depends on your microphone’s frequency response), and bit depth determines the dynamic range of the recording. This is kind of a complicated subject, and you can read more about it here. 

For field recording, I use a minimum sample rate of 48kHz, but I’ll go up to 96kHz if I’m trying to capture ultrasonic sounds like bats (keep in mind that not all microphones have a frequency response that gets up into the ultrasonic range). You can go higher than that still, but I personally haven’t had a reason to. That would be more for 1) sound design if you’re planning to pitch those recordings down for effect or 2) archival work concerned with maintaining the absolute highest fidelity.

Bit depth is a huge topic in field recording right now (George Vlad recently published an article about it on his website). Until recently, most field recorders topped out at 24-bit, which is usually plenty for most traditional applications. However, one of the challenges of field recording is the unpredictability of the dynamic range (think about thunderstorms), especially if you’re trying to record for a long period of time in a shifting soundscape. If you’re recording in 24-bit, you run the risk of sudden loud sounds blowing out your recording. With 32-bit, the available dynamic range is so enormous that you kind of don’t have to worry about that anymore. The main drawbacks are that the file sizes are larger and not all programs can deal with 32-bit files. Even the Sound Devices software I use to manage the recordings I make on my Sound Devices Mix Pre-6 II cannot do what I need it to do with 32-bit files, which is really annoying because one of the main reasons I bought a Mix Pre-6 II was so I could record 32-bit files!

The option to record 32-bit files is useful for certain applications, but it’s not a necessary feature. 

HANDHELD RECORDERS W/ BUILT-IN MICS

I use a Zoom H5 with the XY microphone module. Not amazing, but better than a phone recording. It was a good place to start.

I have a Rycote suspension kit to reduce handling noise + Rycote wind protection. Suspension+wind protection kits are available for a number of different recorders. I also have a goofy little JOBY GorillaPod tripod (can’t remember the exact model). 

George Vlad, who travels to extremely remote and sometimes hostile environments, recommends:

Sony PCM-D100 (discontinued and harder to find)

Sony PCM-D10

Sony PCM-A10

Marcel from Free To Use Sounds likes Sony recorders as well! He uses a PCM-D100 and a PCM-A10. He also loves his Zoom H1n, which is super affordable albeit very basic.

Zoom also makes the H4 (skip that one), H6, and H8. They’ve recently launched their “essential” line, which tbh I don’t know much about. Looks like they revamped their old handheld recorders and added 32-bit capabilities.

Tascam makes handheld recorders, but I haven’t used any. Free To Use Sounds has videos about the X8. 

EXTERNAL MICROPHONES

This can get complicated because of microphone polar patterns (omnidirectional, cardioid, and figure-8 being the most common in nature soundscape recording) and different kinds of configurations (XY, spaced pair AB, ORTF, mid-side, double mid-side). I generally use a pair of omnidirectional microphones in ORTF for phase coherency, although many people use omnidirectional pairs in AB for a wider stereo image. Cardioid mics are a more traditional choice for ORTF, but the mics I have right now for field recording happen to be omnis.

You’ll need mounts for any of these as well as a stereo bar (unless you’re planning to tape them around trees or sticks a la George Vlad).

If you want to use any of these mics, you’ll still need a recorder of some kind. A lot of the handheld ones with built-in microphones will allow you to plug in external microphones, but you need to be mindful about limitations regarding connections, phantom power, and plug-in power. Every mic listed below requires phantom power to operate except for the LOM Geofón.

what I use:

• pair of LOM Usi Pros. These are small-batch boutique omnidirectional mics and kind of impossible to find.

• AKG c411 pp (contact mic)

• LOM Geofón (contact mic, low frequency focus)

You probably don’t need to worry about contact microphones right now, especially if you’re just trying to record broad soundscapes. They’re fun for sticking onto metal structures and, in the case of the Geofón, sticking in the ground next to the river.

Other options:

Clippy EM272 comparable to LOM and easier to find. I’m thinking about getting a pair or two of these for drop rigs since they're relatively low-cost and replaceable should the elements or wildlife destroy them. George Vlad uses them in his drop rigs. 

LOM basicUcho, currently available for purchase (I’m tempted), along with wind protection. You would want two, along with a pair of the windkillers. I’m not sure how well the windkillers would do in the windiest conditions, but just looking at them I’m guessing they’re more effective than my little windbubbles.

LOM mikroUsi Pros are tiny. Like the Usi Pros, they’re very difficult to find. George Vlad uses them in his drop rigs.

Pro-level microphones with a pro-level price tag:

• Sennheiser MKH 8040 and MKH 8090 (George Vlad uses Sennheisers and says they hold up really well in adverse conditions)

• Schoeps CCM4 (sound amazing, but, from what I’ve read, less reliable in humid conditions than Sennheiser)

• DPA lavalier mics like the 6060 are tiny and do well in humid environments, but they’re very expensive. I’ve read that they’re noisier than LOM mics. George Vlad uses them in drop rigs.

WIND PROTECTION

This is specific to which microphones you choose and what configuration you want to use them in. Cinela is top-of-the-line and very expensive. Rycote ranges from good to excellent and is generally more affordable than Cinela. Radius is a newer company, and I’ve heard good things about them. Bubblebee Industries makes decent wind protection, but the basic Bubblebee windbubbles that LOM pairs with Usi Pros have not been adequate for me in some places in the park. Even the big Rycote ORTF windshield with the dead cat wasn’t enough in super windy conditions, but I’ve had much better results with it overall compared to the Bubblebee windbubbles.

My ultimate goal personally is to have either a Schoeps or Sennheiser rig with Cinela wind protection.

RECORDERS W/O BUILT-IN MICS

I use a Sound Devices MixPre-6 II. It has four excellent preamps and lots of options for sample rate and bit depth. They offer a smaller version (MixPre-3 II) with three microphone preamps. In my experience, a little complicated in terms of file management on the back end because you have to split the file out into individual channels after importing the file into your computer. Maybe there's a more straightforward way, but I haven't found it yet.

Zoom F3. Very small, very portable, good for drop rigs. ONLY records in 32-bit, which is a pro and a con. On the one hand, you don’t have to worry so much about gain staging, and sudden loud noises won’t blow out the recording. On the other hand, your file sizes will be larger than with 24-bit recordings. I haven’t used one, but people seem to like them. Uses MicroSD cards, which annoys some people.

Zoom F6. Comparable to MixPre-6 II with options for sample rate and bit depth but with six microphone preamps (although MixPre II preamps seem to be favored). I haven’t used one, but people seem to like them. George Vlad reviewed the F6 here. Not sure how the files export.

POWER

I use AA batteries or a Ravpower power bank for my Zoom H5. I use some kind of Anker power bank to power the MixPre-6 II (I bought it used and the guy included the power bank). Power banks will be the better option for drop rigs because they’ll last longer than batteries. Batteries can be easier to deal with than power banks for attended recording because they’re less bulky. Pros and cons to each, like with everything else. 

HEADPHONES

Low-priority item for me personally. I mainly use headphones to frame my stereo image, make sure my mics are working correctly, and make sure I’m not picking up any interference from my phone (use airplane mode if you’re going to be standing close to your rig while recording). You don’t need incredible headphones for these purposes. I use Sennheiser HD 280 Pro headphones now (I also use them in the studio) but have used extremely cheap earbuds that I bought for like $12. I think that the ability to monitor your recordings is important, but which headphones you use is not such a major consideration.

DRY BAGS

If you’re going to use drop rigs, you’ll want a way to protect your recorder while it’s out in the elements. I haven’t looked too much into hard-case drop rigs. George Vlad uses dry bags on his expeditions, and he recommends AquaQuest.

RECORDER BAGS

Orca and K-Tek make bags for field recorders. Not necessary, but can be nice to have depending on your rig. My MixPre-6 II came with a K-Tek bag, which is helpful if I'm in a position to leave the backpack behind and walk around with the rig set up on the tripod.

IN CONCLUSION

There’s a lot to consider when putting together a field recording rig! Think about what you ultimately want to do with these recordings, and that will inform all of your other decisions. I’m happy to discuss further / answer specific questions you might have after reading all of this! alliemakesnoise@gmail.com if you want to chat.