How to use a Tie Microphone (Lav)

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Andy Balla

INstead of those Rycote stickies, I get moleskin at the drug store and cut it into strips. It holds well, helps prevent clothing noise, and actors love it because it doesn't hurt their skin. I had one actor tell me about a sound guy who used gaffer tape to stick on his lav...That's just kind of mean! Down side with the moleskin was the time I had to lav an actor who liked to use ALOT of lotion on his chest for some reason. Moleskin didn't stick so good on that mess! I took to carrying those little alcohol wipes to clean the lotion off before I taped the lav on.

The Rycote stickes are hypo-allergenic and are very skin friendly (they were well tested) - also, they are pre-cut to size and are very quick to use.

[Tom Morrow]

I came across this video from Countryman on how to route the wires through their B2D lav clip:

YouTube - ‪Using the Isolation Clip‬‏

They adocate the original poster's approach. Someone has got to make a lav clip that has a dedicated groove or slot for routing the wire around the back, without needing to clip it with the clothes.

[Vincent Oliver]

Originally Posted by John Willett

I


If the mic. is pointing down, it's a single loop rather than a doublke loop - but the effect is the same.



I hope this helps.

I notice that the newscasters on the BBC all have their mikes pointing down, I have never worked out why, is there a reasons or advantage for doing it this way?

[Greg Miller]

Originally Posted by Vincent Oliver

I notice that the newscasters on the BBC all have their mikes pointing down, I have never worked out why, is there a reasons or advantage for doing it this way?

See answer #7 in this thread.

[Vincent Oliver]

Thanks Greg, I missed that one.

However, the answer does seem far fetched, unless the presenter is a cross between an Anteater and an Elephant.

"You on occasions may see a lav mic "upside down" on a news reader or presenter, this is done to eliminate the wind noise of downward breathing through the nose. Being an Omni mic it works well"

:-)

[Greg Miller]

Try holding your fingers against your tie, where a mic would be located. Exhale sharply. Tilt your head down slightly, as if you were looking down at some copy located on the desk in front of you.

Then consider that a mic is much more sensitive than your fingers.

Better safe than sorry.

[Vincent Oliver]

Just tried that, maybe my nose is not that big. In order to create any downwind I would have to look at my toes, then the camera would be looking at the top of the talents head.

Maybe I will just have to try recording with the mike in both positions and let you know or even hear the results.

[Greg Miller]

Originally Posted by Vincent Oliver

maybe my nose is not that big

Size matters.

I also feel a little air movement if I produce a particularly powerful plosive. I wouldn't be surprised if this differs from person to person.

Downward-facing might also protect against coffee spills. ;)

[Karl Taylor]

All these tips are brilliant, i'm thinking of using a couple tie mics for a small upcoming interview, but i'm a complete rookie, what would be the best way of recording multiple tie mics? The only idea i have in mind is hooking each interviewee up and somehow collaborate and recorde them all and syncing them in post. But i'm still lost as to how i'd do that.

[Greg Miller]

First, use hardwired connections if possible. Wireless can never sound better than a proper wired connection, and might introduce a lot of problems.

Second, if possible use a recorder with a separate track for each person. That's easy with two people (a stereo recorder) but a lot more cumbersome with a dozen at once. By using a separate recorder, the audio tracks will stay locked to one another, so editing will be a lot easier.

Third, pay attention to acoustics of the room; be sure it's quiet to begin with, and if there's too much reverberation of echo, use carpet, moving blankets, or a combination of tricks to make the room sufficiently "dead." Once you have reverberation in your track(s) it's nearly impossible to remove.

Fourth, pay attention to recording levels. When setting levels, get each person to speak as loudly as he is likely to speak during the interview (not the average expected level, the loudest level). Set the gain so that sound level produces a recording level that's -6dB FS, or lower. Then monitor levels while recording, and if they start to creep up, turn down the gain. You want to be sure your recorded level NEVER reaches 0dB FS. (You can make relative level adjustments in post, but if your level goes too high and you end up with digital clipping, that part of your track is effectively useless.)

There are many variations on the procedure to sync up, depending on what particular equipment you use throughout the process. I'll let someone else tackle that aspect...