Recording audio from WDW

91JLovesDisney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I am going to be heading off on a WDW trip on August 1st, and there are a couple things that I wanted to record, such as the health requirement safety spiel from Space Mountain. I just wondered if anyone knew what kind of device I should use to record this - originally I was just thinking a phone would work, but now I'm wondering if I should buy an audio recorder, such as this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-ICDPX37...audio+recording+devices&qid=1594938470&sr=8-3

I guess I should test out how my phone would record this audio, but I guess I just wondered if anyone had tips/ideas for this. Thanks!
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
I am going to be heading off on a WDW trip on August 1st, and there are a couple things that I wanted to record, such as the health requirement safety spiel from Space Mountain. I just wondered if anyone knew what kind of device I should use to record this - originally I was just thinking a phone would work, but now I'm wondering if I should buy an audio recorder, such as this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-ICDPX37...audio+recording+devices&qid=1594938470&sr=8-3

I guess I should test out how my phone would record this audio, but I guess I just wondered if anyone had tips/ideas for this. Thanks!
The audio you mentioned only plays from the ceiling speakers; you would sadly only be able to get it live. There is a speaker in the tunnel but it suffers from a lot of vibration (it’s parallel to the track tunnel from dispatch to the hills)
 

91JLovesDisney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
The audio you mentioned only plays from the ceiling speakers; you would sadly only be able to get it live. There is a speaker in the tunnel but it suffers from a lot of vibration (it’s parallel to the track tunnel from dispatch to the hills)
Oh that was just an example - there's other things that need recording x)
So what device would you use (say to record area music or something)
 
Last edited:

Figments Friend

Well-Known Member
A lot of fans in the past have used portable video cameras to capture audio in the Parks, especially outside loops where you can place your small device near the ground speakers.
These were analog cameras...and then later digital models.
Today I assume most use a tablet or smart phone.

My own personal experience of recording audio in the Parks was back in 1983, when I recorded a couple of ride throughs of the Original 'Journey Into Imagination'.
It was done by having a medium sized cassette tape recorder going in my lap as I rode through a few times.
Captured everything heard...many sound effects, show audio, all music, and even the hum of the ride vehicle motors during certain segments.
I still have those tapes, and i am glad that I do as a lot of what is heard on those tapes is missing in the various video recordings I've seen of the Attraction.

I went back in 1985 and 1989 to record more audio, but those tapes couldn't match the quality of the 83's.
A bit too harsh for my ears...but clear from what I remember.

If I were to attempt recording audio now, I'd probably use cassettes again just for the fun of it.

:)

-
 

91JLovesDisney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
A lot of fans in the past have used portable video cameras to capture audio in the Parks, especially outside loops where you can place your small device near the ground speakers.
These were analog cameras...and then later digital models.
Today I assume most use a tablet or smart phone.

My own personal experience of recording audio in the Parks was back in 1983, when I recorded a couple of ride throughs of the Original 'Journey Into Imagination'.
It was done by having a medium sized cassette tape recorder going in my lap as I rode through a few times.
Captured everything heard...many sound effects, show audio, all music, and even the hum of the ride vehicle motors during certain segments.
I still have those tapes, and i am glad that I do as a lot of what is heard on those tapes is missing in the various video recordings I've seen of the Attraction.

I went back in 1985 and 1989 to record more audio, but those tapes couldn't match the quality of the 83's.
A bit too harsh for my ears...but clear from what I remember.

If I were to attempt recording audio now, I'd probably use cassettes again just for the fun of it.

:)

-
Ok! Thanks for the advice! I'm sorry to say that I think I don't have the equipment to use cassette - also I guess my question had to do with the fact that my only camera is a GoPro, and it's microphone is trashy/unreliable - do you think a handheld voice recorder would work ok? I don't need the audio quality to be 100% perfect, I just want a semi-clear recording.
 

muddyrivers

Well-Known Member
I still have those tapes, and i am glad that I do as a lot of what is heard on those tapes is missing in the various video recordings I've seen of the Attraction.

If you haven't already, please digitize the audio and provide them to marni who you know will take good care in archiving the audio as well as use it to enhance his already incredible videos :)
 

Mickey5150

Well-Known Member
If you are looking for a portable audio recorder, Zoom makes the best that I know of. They make multiple recorders so as long as your budget is $100 or higher you can find something that will work.
 

91JLovesDisney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
If you are looking for a portable audio recorder, Zoom makes the best that I know of. They make multiple recorders so as long as your budget is $100 or higher you can find something that will work.
Alrighty, thanks! I'll look into it - I was hoping to get one for <$50, but it seems there aren't any super high quality ones for that price. For my upcoming trip I'm going to use a small handheld Olympus voice recorder. I tested it last night by recording it on my speakers, and although there was definitely some quality loss, it actually turned out a lot better than I expected, with some editing in Audacity, of course. Hopefully by my next trip I can get a Zoom :D
 

Figments Friend

Well-Known Member
Ok! Thanks for the advice! I'm sorry to say that I think I don't have the equipment to use cassette - also I guess my question had to do with the fact that my only camera is a GoPro, and it's microphone is trashy/unreliable - do you think a handheld voice recorder would work ok? I don't need the audio quality to be 100% perfect, I just want a semi-clear recording.

A handheld voice recorder is worth a try....go for it!
:)

Make a few test recordings if you can...practicing how far you should hold it away from the sound source.
Too close and the sound may be too loud and hard to decipher.
Too far away and your recording may sound 'muddy' or worse, pick up other unwanted sounds in the area.

-
 

Figments Friend

Well-Known Member
If you haven't already, please digitize the audio and provide them to marni who you know will take good care in archiving the audio as well as use it to enhance his already incredible videos :)

I've been wanting to get these audio recordings up onto YouTube for years....but it's just one of those things that keeps getting put off.
One of these days....

-
 

91JLovesDisney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
A handheld voice recorder is worth a try....go for it!
:)

Make a few test recordings if you can...practicing how far you should hold it away from the sound source.
Too close and the sound may be too loud and hard to decipher.
Too far away and your recording may sound 'muddy' or worse, pick up other unwanted sounds in the area.

-
I've actually already been working on this - there are a few settings on the voice recorder that are supposed to partially eliminate background noise/hum. I think my biggest problem with it, is just that it records a LOT of bass, and it kind of overpowers the rest of the sound. Even when I turn down the bass, it still effects the rest of the audio slightly. Eh.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
I've actually already been working on this - there are a few settings on the voice recorder that are supposed to partially eliminate background noise/hum. I think my biggest problem with it, is just that it records a LOT of bass, and it kind of overpowers the rest of the sound. Even when I turn down the bass, it still effects the rest of the audio slightly. Eh.
Anything you record “live” will still sound “live”.
 

Deadly Danson

Active Member
On a similar topic has anyone ever found source audio for the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (the last couple of versions)? Plenty out there with car/background noise but it seems to be one of the few where I haven't found a clean version.
 

Magicart87

No Refunds!
Premium Member
Any ideas?

Record without guests. Then in your favorite audio editing program: You could try the old inverse isolation for centered audio if the original live recording is a stereo pair which could theoretically give you a cleaner mono audio track but results will still be less than ideal. There are also plugins or VSTs to remove reverb but a truly good one will be $$$. And again, results will likely be "fair" to "terrible". Last ditch effort could be good old EQing or some combination of all the above with the additions of a noise gate plugin. Best of luck.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
On a similar topic has anyone ever found source audio for the Tomorrowland Transit Authority
If only. The only source I’ve heard of any of them was the press snippet from version 3. And believe me I’ve looked.
There are also plugins or VSTs to remove reverb but a truly good one will be $$$
There are, but even the professional ones can’t eliminate reverb, just reduce it, and even then with limitations.
 

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