?Why so much Background noise on many TV shows?

I've noticed several TV shows that have lots of background noise in their sound.  A current example is Blue Bloods on CBS.  The series is set in New York City but I don't know how much of it is actually shot there.  In any case, in the background there is almost always traffic noise, sometimes very loud, even when the actors are shown inside a building.  Even when the shot is supposed to be in a high up office the traffic noise is bad.  Often sounds like large trucks.

Are these inside shots taken in a studio with paper thin walls so that traffic noise is so loud?
Maybe the producers think the traffic noise makes the setting seem more real?

I don't know but it is very distracting to me and sometimes makes it hard to hear the actors speaking.

Comments?

--Larry

mike_mccue

I have not seen the show but you seem to be highlighting an example of a legacy of an aesthetic.

best regards,
mike

What?  I have no idea what "legacy of an aesthetic" means !!  


In the meantime I'll do so searching on Robert Altman and Sound Design.  At least I know what those are!!!


--Larry

Interesting observation. One of those things that can be right in front of our faces but we sometimes don't readily notice. Like the music that occasional plays in the background to these reality shows about auctions, pawn shops, house repairs, etc. (Some of that music is actually quite good when you notice it).

But regarding your observation, it is purely my speculation that the director and audio mixer want the viewer to aurally feel like they are in the city.  Face it, big cities are noisy. Even inside many buildings.

Now you perked my interest. I will listen for this. Maybe it is just bad mixing. A lot of the new shows are mixed for 5.1 surround. If you are listening in stereo or mono, perhaps the mix is way off. Just a thought.

Subliminal government propaganda.... combined with backwards masking of satanic messages....


You watch that stuff? 


Better get a tinfoil hat for protection ..... just saying...

It is the idiots who are doing the post audio mixing. It must be something hip like lets keep the dialogue way down and push the music and effects up. I am hearing it in some English productions as well. They are (sometimes)  following stupid American trends instead of doing their own thing and doing it properly.

As soon as you start having trouble hearing the dialogue some dumb ass has done a bad mix, simple as that. They are probably pushing it too fast and not double checking. One should be checking low down on a small mono speaker to make sure everything is still clear, nice dialogue, music and effects just sitting where they should be. It can be done well because something else comes on again and all the components eg dialogue music and effects are all back in the right proportion. Nice post mixer. 

It is a bit like all the hand held camera stuff. People think it looks great but a lot of the time it looks like crap. That started I think with NYPD Blue back in 1993 and it has been going on ever since.

Well, I guess I'm not the only one bugged by inappropriate or too loud background noise or music! Like Steve StrummerUK  I'm also bugged by the ducking used to tame too loud background music/noise.  The impact of the ducking is dramatic and distracting.  Maybe just a little ducking would be OK but that would take less background noise.  

I remember the TV show "Brothers and Sisters" from the mid-2000's that was situated in the middle of a wine growing area.  It had a lot of traffic noise in the background and there was no traffic out there in the winery area.  How did that make sense?

Cheers,
--Larry

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one that notices poor audio quality on so many TV shows. I've always assumed it's because of tight production schedules and the fact that non-dialog sound comes last in the process.

Another gripe: every channel on my cable service is a different volume. I think it may have to do with overloading distribution amplifiers with too many drops per amp. Whatever the reason, it's annoying and should have a simple technological solution, like a leveling amplifier built in to the cable box.

 I mainly notice the big changes in volume like bitflipper. Not just the variation on the channels but the commercials. There should be a rule  that insists a commercial can't be any louder than the program material.

 It is really aggravating when someone in the next room is sound asleep and I have the volume set perfectly so I can hear it but it isn't waking anyone up...then the commercial comes on and before I have time to mute it BAM! 

 I am very glad to hear that. Thanks Larry.

 I think there will probably be a level in hell where all of the mixers for commercials will be made to sit and listen to their own commercials at full volume;)

Starise,  It took effect in December 2012.  Read about it here:

http://articles.latimes.c...s-into-effect-20121212

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/w...oudness_Mitigation_Act

Google will find other articles too.  Look for "TV volume law"

--Larry

I'm watching the latest episode of Blue Bloods right now.

It seems to me like it is mixed tastefully with generous use of back ground ambiance and well recorded dialog.


It's the sound of production mics rather than ADR.




best regards,
mike