Audio Pick up - Suggestions

reamenterprises wrote on 3/4/2004, 10:09 AM

VV users,

I have an opportunity to shoot a production at a local music event. I am assuming that I am going to have to purchase some new equipment to effecienlty pick up the audio.

Does anyone have suggestions for me in product and methods?

Thanks,

Chad

Comments

DaveF wrote on 3/4/2004, 10:42 AM

When I shoot stuff like that, I always stipulate that they have to give me a feed from their mixer.

If they can't, I would bring an audio man - and probably a lot of mics. You can't effectively run audio for an orchestra and a camera simultaneously.

IMHO, that is. . . .

BrianStanding wrote on 3/4/2004, 11:02 AM

If you don't get a feed from the mixer, and you can't get a (really) good, experienced live audio engineer, your best bet is to try to get every instrument alone on a discreet track.

This means placing a microphone directly in front of (and as close as possible to) each instrument (or amplifier, if it's electric). You then may need to use splitters or mixers to send each signal to one track of a recording device. (i.e., Mic 1 into the Left channel of a minidisk, Mic 2 into the Right channel of the minidisk, Mic 3 into Left channel of your DV camera, Mic 4 into the DV Right channel, etc.)

Then, mix everything to your liking in post, when you can take your time and not worry about mixing it "live."

Not really practical for an orchestra, but you can pull it off for a quartet. I've done it with rock / jazz 4-pieces, and gotten decent results.

reamenterprises wrote on 3/4/2004, 11:42 AM

I appreciate the feedback so far, as this may become my first project requiring attention to such audio. Let me clarify that the musical performance will most likely be like a American Idol concept... the back ground music will be played through speakers and then a single performer singing the lyrics.

Any recommendations on audio mixers..or such.

Thanks again,

Chad

Zulqar-Cheema wrote on 3/4/2004, 12:04 PM

In my good old Hospital Radio days we used to use a cross Pair, this is a pair of Mic's in a cross formation above the audience facing the orchestra, used to work very well for live recordings, still need a guy to keep an eye on levels though

farss wrote on 3/4/2004, 12:41 PM

I was about to suggest the same thing, I've twice had s hoot ruined because of using 'a feed from the desk'. If you're going to use a feed make 110% certain the sound guy know you need a COMPLETE mix, not just a foldback mix or whatever.

What you might be able to do is get a copy of the background music assuming thet're not using a live band, but the X-Y pair is a good idea as you'll always get the same as what the audience heard and if you get the mic placement right then it'll have a very 'live' sound to it. Rode make I think the NT4 and it's pretty cheap for what it is.

Ive got a M-Audio Firewire 410 for recording live sound, hasn't made it out of the 'studio' as yet but with a laptop would be ideal way to record separate audio.