Two Shotgun mics or just one?

Chris Swanberg · October 28th, 2009, 06:52 PM

I didn't realize that the mic they planned to rent to you was in effect a studio mic. As such, it is as Steve (one of our accepted resident sound experts on this site) says, not ideally appropriate for your use. (Not unuseable, just not really an appropriate mic, esp on a boom pole.) Get a shotgun mic if you can. (Wondering whether these guys are more aimed at stage musicians than other users). Oh and congrats on getting on the sidelines, your potential production value just went WAY up.

Steve... thanks for the comment on a foam inside the blimp. I had been told that in he very rare case you might try that (never have personally), the HF loss would lifely be noticeable, but that the loss of airspace would more than be made up for by the foam... 'parently not. Again, thanks for pointing that out.

Thomas Moore · October 28th, 2009, 09:22 PM

Ok so we are back to my original question LOL

Should I rent two shotgun mics or just one? Running one channel hot...

Will this give me good coverage of the whole band with the shotguns?

Chris Swanberg · October 28th, 2009, 11:01 PM

Just one.... set up as described earlier.

Steve House · October 29th, 2009, 03:33 AM

I have to disagree with Chris. A shotgun aimed at the PA speakers during the ceremony would be okay but its pattern is too narrow to effectively cover a dispersed source like a marching band. Shotguns are spot mics, intended to isolate the source they're aimed at from its surroundings.

Thomas Moore · October 29th, 2009, 08:19 AM

0.o

I was thinking that about the shotguns too, at this point my best option seems to be the studio mic and a prayer :)

Chris Swanberg · October 29th, 2009, 09:53 AM

Steve... you don't think he will be at a sufficient range from the source for a shotgun to "effectively" accept the better part of the sound source? That was my thinking.

Thomas, accepting Steve's advice, the next best thing would be an end address "pencil type" microphone. (Like a short shotgun without interference tubes in appearance if you haven't seen one.) I'll again defer to Steve but a cardiod or hypercardiod pattern would to my mind be best. I think you may be in an environment with a lot of crowd noise and people talking nearby etc, and an omni to my mind would be overkill insofar as nondesirable ambient sound would be concerned.

My 2 cents.

Steve House · October 29th, 2009, 10:19 AM

I agree Chris. I'd go with a cardioid or hyper up on a stand.

Thomas Moore · October 30th, 2009, 01:58 PM

The 414 has cartoid, hyper, and wide and I just saw this and now it is to late to change...
I was thinking of using the wide, thoughts?

Late edit, apparently this thing has Cartoid, hyper, omni, and figure 8 so going with Cartoid and if I get too much or doesn't sound right I'll switch to Hyper...

I'm backing myself up with a digital recorder and a strero mic as well that I'm going to attach to the pole beneath this mic...

I shouldn't be too far from them since I'll be on the side-lines and only 5-10 yards at most from them.

Weather is nice but the wind is ~10 MPH this ought to be interesting :)

Jon Fairhurst · October 30th, 2009, 04:10 PM

Hopefully, you'll be able to monitor and control the levels. Marching bands can be REALLY loud at that distance.

Chris Swanberg · October 30th, 2009, 06:39 PM

Thomas... if the Mic is going to be stand mounted, that means your wife is available for other duties. (g)

Since you have NO windscreen for that mic, get an umbrella and hoping the wind is not coming AT you across the field, have her try and shield it from wind. A POOR way to do wind protection, but it CAN be effective.

Chris

Chris Swanberg · November 1st, 2009, 10:50 PM

Ok, we all have this much invested in your project... HOW DID IT GO?

We're anxious to hear.

Jeff Kellam · November 3rd, 2009, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Weistar

If the audio is so important to this project and the cabling is a challenge, why not consider a dedicated audio recorder?

For this exact situation, that would be the only way to go. Camera high & back, mic/recorder close as possible.

Since a band is spread out & moving constantly. Gonna need a portable recorder with stereo omni mics and X-Y adjustment.

October 29th, 2009, 03:33 AM	#34
Steve House Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Posts: 5,742	I have to disagree with Chris. A shotgun aimed at the PA speakers during the ceremony would be okay but its pattern is too narrow to effectively cover a dispersed source like a marching band. Shotguns are spot mics, intended to isolate the source they're aimed at from its surroundings. __________________ Good news, Cousins! This week's chocolate ration is 15 grams!

October 29th, 2009, 10:19 AM	#37
Steve House Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Posts: 5,742	I agree Chris. I'd go with a cardioid or hyper up on a stand. __________________ Good news, Cousins! This week's chocolate ration is 15 grams!

October 30th, 2009, 01:58 PM	#38
Thomas Moore Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Ravenna, OH Posts: 198	The 414 has cartoid, hyper, and wide and I just saw this and now it is to late to change... I was thinking of using the wide, thoughts? Late edit, apparently this thing has Cartoid, hyper, omni, and figure 8 so going with Cartoid and if I get too much or doesn't sound right I'll switch to Hyper... I'm backing myself up with a digital recorder and a strero mic as well that I'm going to attach to the pole beneath this mic... I shouldn't be too far from them since I'll be on the side-lines and only 5-10 yards at most from them. Weather is nice but the wind is ~10 MPH this ought to be interesting :) Last edited by Thomas Moore; October 30th, 2009 at 03:01 PM.

October 30th, 2009, 04:10 PM	#39
Jon Fairhurst Inner Circle Join Date: May 2006 Location: Camas, WA, USA Posts: 5,513	Hopefully, you'll be able to monitor and control the levels. Marching bands can be REALLY loud at that distance. __________________ Jon Fairhurst

October 28th, 2009, 06:52 PM	#31
Chris Swanberg Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 904	I didn't realize that the mic they planned to rent to you was in effect a studio mic. As such, it is as Steve (one of our accepted resident sound experts on this site) says, not ideally appropriate for your use. (Not unuseable, just not really an appropriate mic, esp on a boom pole.) Get a shotgun mic if you can. (Wondering whether these guys are more aimed at stage musicians than other users). Oh and congrats on getting on the sidelines, your potential production value just went WAY up. Steve... thanks for the comment on a foam inside the blimp. I had been told that in he very rare case you might try that (never have personally), the HF loss would lifely be noticeable, but that the loss of airspace would more than be made up for by the foam... 'parently not. Again, thanks for pointing that out.

October 28th, 2009, 09:22 PM	#32
Thomas Moore Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Ravenna, OH Posts: 198	Ok so we are back to my original question LOL Should I rent two shotgun mics or just one? Running one channel hot... Will this give me good coverage of the whole band with the shotguns?

October 28th, 2009, 11:01 PM	#33
Chris Swanberg Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 904	Just one.... set up as described earlier.

October 29th, 2009, 08:19 AM	#35
Thomas Moore Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Ravenna, OH Posts: 198	0.o I was thinking that about the shotguns too, at this point my best option seems to be the studio mic and a prayer :)

October 29th, 2009, 09:53 AM	#36
Chris Swanberg Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 904	Steve... you don't think he will be at a sufficient range from the source for a shotgun to "effectively" accept the better part of the sound source? That was my thinking. Thomas, accepting Steve's advice, the next best thing would be an end address "pencil type" microphone. (Like a short shotgun without interference tubes in appearance if you haven't seen one.) I'll again defer to Steve but a cardiod or hypercardiod pattern would to my mind be best. I think you may be in an environment with a lot of crowd noise and people talking nearby etc, and an omni to my mind would be overkill insofar as nondesirable ambient sound would be concerned. My 2 cents.

October 30th, 2009, 06:39 PM	#40
Chris Swanberg Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 904	Thomas... if the Mic is going to be stand mounted, that means your wife is available for other duties. (g) Since you have NO windscreen for that mic, get an umbrella and hoping the wind is not coming AT you across the field, have her try and shield it from wind. A POOR way to do wind protection, but it CAN be effective. Chris

November 1st, 2009, 10:50 PM	#41
Chris Swanberg Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 904	Ok, we all have this much invested in your project... HOW DID IT GO? We're anxious to hear.