Working on a project with a scene in a middle eastern marketplace. I've attempted to record a conversations between me and 2 other people standing far away from the mic, and then layering, but it doesn't sound quite right. Has anybody managed to achieve a similar sound using this technique? Any other techniques I could try?
Perhaps grab a recorder and make a trip to a few outdoor markets and layer those. Can't beat actually going out and getting the recordings! I know it won't be much like the markets in the middle east but it might give you a start. You could also go through sound websites and see if there are elements that you could use.
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Definitely look to mask language with vehicular traffic, handling foley, or other sound sources that might obscure the language used in the background. – NoiseJockey Mar 27 '12 at 18:06
Definitely recording the real thing or using a recording of the real thing or something that's convincing enough. If it has to sound realistic, it could be difficult to make it sound convincing even with a recording from for example a western marketplace.
Experiment and have fun with it. What comes to my mind are three specific layers. Go record a crowd layer. This could be say, a talkative crowd waiting for a seminar to begin or after a choir concert is over. Then record yourself + friends letting out the occasional shout of something "middle-eastern" sounding, as if you are all peddling your wares. Then, find some "middle eastern" music appropriate to the locale, and place that in the distance to add a more festive feel and to reinforce the setting.
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You may also want to record a Foley track of baskets/trays/goods being spilled and tossed around occasionally. – Miles B. Mar 27 '12 at 11:32
I'd agree with the other posts in saying that recording an actual market place could be the way to go. Not sure where you're from but if you're near a big city there might be some ethnic areas where you could get some realistic crowd walla type stuff even though you're not in the Middle East!
Try Audioease Speakerphone.
