External microphones for video recording

[Lou Schneider]

"Good" audio from the theater mixer might not be as good as you think.

If the band is pretty much filling the hall on it's own, there isn't much for the sound reinforcement to add.  Unless the sound guy is providing a separate recording mix you might wind up a feed that's heavy on the vocalists and light on the band's contribution.

 

[Tom]

Hi Lou, you might be right.

Unless the sound guy is providing a separate recording mix ...

They talked about a "2-track" recording, but I didn't understand what that meant.

Hopefully, it's redundant to what we get on the external mic' on the camera.

 

[Tom]

Interesting article on 2-track recording:

http://www.deltamedia.com/resource/live_recording2.html

 

[Tom]

My first experience with an external mic, but I was pleasantly surprised. I was almost half way back in the audience seats and could barely hear these guys talking, but they're definitely audible when I play back my brief test recordings through my new on-camera external mic.

 

[Larry N.]

That's great, Tom -- how did it sound? The real test, of course, will be when you record music. I'll be interested to see how the sound quality is.

 

[Tom]

Larry, this wasn't much of a test, given that these guys were holding a normal conversation, and two of them had their backs to the camera. I was just glad to be able to hear them and make out what they were saying during playback. A huge improvement over the Panasonic's built-in mic's. FWIW I was three rows behind the sound booth, visible adjacent to the right-of-center aisle (see attached pic).

As you say, the real test will be in the concert. My concern now is to not have "too much" volume and end up with distortion; I don't know any way to monitor that while recording video.

 

[8Muddypaws]

Does the camera have built in audio compression?  If it does and you're worried about something being extremely loud in relation to the rest of the material (say something like a kettle drum, cannon, banjo, etc) use it.  Compression is tricky.  Use too much and it sounds horrible.  Use too little and you get clipping and overflow.

It's easier to do than to explain. 

Doesn't the camera have a way to set the audio recording level?  Maybe it's done automatically?  Maybe it's magic!?!?!

 

[Tom]

Russ, you're going to make me read the manual, and I don't do manuals  :-[

 

[8Muddypaws]

Wouldn't think of it.

I'll bet there's a YouTube video.  ;D ;D

 

[8Muddypaws]

Nope.  Thousands of them!  Watch them all?

 

[wb6kwt]

Tom, I recorded right to the camera but my camera has 2 XLR inputs so I could set it to record to both channels, camera mic and mixer, or combine the inputs and record just one of the inputs. I understand your camera probably doesn't support two channels. The op who stated the mixer might not be the best choice is right, I've had that happen to me, you just need to work with the sound guy to make sure he is giving you the whole mix. It shounds like you have a workable plan and I'm sure you will be happy with the results.

Bob

 

[Tom]

Thanks Bob.

 

[Larry N.]

Tom,

I see in another thread that you got video from the concert. When you get a chance, let me know how the audio quality was with that BOYA mic.

Thanks,

 

[Tom]

Larry, I watched several numbers from the show when we got home yesterday. I have no way of properly measuring 'sound quality', but overall I was happy with the results. I had the mic' set to zero on the +/- gain, and I detected no distortion on playback via my PC with the volume cranked all the way up.

The band came out reasonably clear when playing & singing, instrumental, or a cappella singing. Solo instruments and voice also came out reasonably clear.

I have no doubt that, if I'd sprung for a Rode shotgun mic' (3X the price), the results would have been noticeably better. I might return the BOYA and buy a Rode.

 

[Larry N.]

OK, thanks Tom. I'm looking for a decent but inexpensive mic for my D7100, but close enough to a shotgun that it'll also do fine with my Canon G20. Sounds as if it's worth a shot. I appreciate the feedback.

I've looked at the Rodes and the Sennheisers and some others, but they're more than I want to spend for this, at the moment.

 

[Tom]

Larry, it sounds like you're where I was on the decision. One caveat - despite their 'shotgun' hoopla, the BOYA is not a true shotgun mic'. Although audience noise wasn't a big issue yesterday, I could occasionally hear the videographer rustling something. She really came out loud when she yelled for an encore number  ;D

 

[Larry N.]

Yes, thanks for the alert Tom -- I spotted that in their pattern, super cardiod rather than true shotgun is actually what I'm after and is one of the things that makes me consider this one.

Thanks,

 

[8Muddypaws]

Can't wait to hear the final results Tom.

I'm recording the music programs Memorial weekend.  Some will be via the built in mics on my ancient Zoom H4 and some will come off the board. 

I'm the sound man unless I'm on stage playing.  One of the systems is a Bose L1.  I can't wait to get my grubby little hands on that!

 

[Tom]

Now that I've had a chance to view/listen to all the numbers more closely/critically, I think that a mic' change (to the Rode) is in my future for this use. It looks like I need to revert to plan B and replace the audio tracks with an external source.

FWIW here's a link to the playlist on YouTube.

I haven't yet figured out the source of the 'crackling' sounds occasionally heard.

Going forward, we need more practice with the G7/mic' combination at live shows; The stage spotlights sure tax the camera's 'auto' mode. It also became apparent that the G7 is lacking a headphone jack to monitor what's being recorded from the mic'.

 

[SeilerBird]

The problem you are going to always have is that you can't play in the band, run the video camera and do the recording. That is the job of three people. You will be able to do all three jobs but you won't get the professional results you are wanting.