Field notes
Guides for location sound and post production
Poly WAVs, BWF metadata, timecode, sample rates, bit depth and clean audio extraction. Written by people who spend their days on set and in the edit.
16 Mar 2026 | 6 min
How to extract audio from MP4 without losing quality
The audio inside your MP4 is already compressed. The only question is whether you make it worse on the way out.
Read the article9 Mar 2026 | 5 min
Mono vs stereo recording: why dialogue stays mono
One microphone, one channel. The rule is simple, and the exceptions are where the interesting work happens.
Read the article2 Mar 2026 | 5 min
WAV vs AIFF: does the choice still matter in 2026?
Same audio, different container. The decision comes down to metadata and who receives the file.
Read the article23 Feb 2026 | 6 min
24 bit vs 32 bit float: what actually changes on set
The marketing says you can stop riding gain. The physics says something slightly more nuanced.
Read the article16 Feb 2026 | 6 min
48 kHz vs 96 kHz: which sample rate should you actually shoot at?
The honest answer for most productions is 48 kHz. The interesting part is the small set of cases where it is not.
Read the article9 Feb 2026 | 6 min
Room tone: what it is, how to record it, and why editors beg for it
Thirty seconds of nothing is the most reusable thing you will record all day. Here is how to get it right.
Read the article2 Feb 2026 | 7 min
How to sync audio and video: a practical guide for dual system sound
Three ways to sync, one right answer for each situation, and the preparation that makes all three faster.
Read the article26 Jan 2026 | 6 min
Timecode in WAV files: how it is stored and why it drifts
Most sync failures are not sync failures. They are frame rate misunderstandings, and you can spot them before the assembly starts.
Read the article19 Jan 2026 | 7 min
BWF metadata explained: bext, iXML and the data hiding in your WAV files
Every professional WAV carries a hidden layer of production data. Knowing what is in there saves hours of guesswork in post.
Read the article12 Jan 2026 | 6 min
What is a poly WAV, and why does your editor keep asking for mono files?
Boom, lavs, plants and a mix, all inside one file. Poly WAVs are the default on modern field recorders, and the first thing many post workflows reject.
Read the article