switching mics midway at DVinfo.net

Jim Benton · October 16th, 2006, 12:32 PM

Yes, it's me again. I've starting shooting my documentary with my onboard XL2 stereo mic mainly because of the circumstances that would not allow me to wait till I had come up with the MKH 416 that I prefer to shoot with. I'm wondering here now what will be the best measures to take to match the audio of the footage shot with the canon mic? Thanks

Allan Black · October 17th, 2006, 05:09 AM

Before the shooting started, I'd have gone to a local mic. company and rented a 416 or something similar for the duration of the shoot. Money well spent when it comes to the time spent matching the tracks in post.

However the first thing is to make sure you put plenty of level on the tape with both mics. so when you start equalising and maybe reducing the lower frequency range to match either mic. you don't wind up with tape hiss through having to raise either level in post.

In post you'll probably have to try the cam. mics. stereo tracks in mono to match the 416s recorded level.

Jim Benton · October 17th, 2006, 03:09 PM

Thanks Allen. If you get back to this thread for any reason, could you rephrase that last sentence. I'm not really sure what your saying there. My main concerns actually were with the stereo/mono issue that you were addressing I beleive.

Dan Keaton · October 17th, 2006, 03:47 PM

I believe Allan was trying to state that you could try converting the Canon XL2 mic to mono, in post, in order to better match the Sennheiser 416 which is a mono microphone.

Steve House · October 17th, 2006, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Benton

Thanks Allen. If you get back to this thread for any reason, could you rephrase that last sentence. I'm not really sure what your saying there. My main concerns actually were with the stereo/mono issue that you were addressing I beleive.

You're also going to need to experiment around with equalization to try to get the frequency response curves close to the same shape. Going to be a LOT of work.

October 16th, 2006, 12:32 PM	#1
Jim Benton Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: France Posts: 46	switching mics midway Yes, it's me again. I've starting shooting my documentary with my onboard XL2 stereo mic mainly because of the circumstances that would not allow me to wait till I had come up with the MKH 416 that I prefer to shoot with. I'm wondering here now what will be the best measures to take to match the audio of the footage shot with the canon mic? Thanks

October 17th, 2006, 03:47 PM	#4
Dan Keaton Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Augusta Georgia Posts: 5,421	I believe Allan was trying to state that you could try converting the Canon XL2 mic to mono, in post, in order to better match the Sennheiser 416 which is a mono microphone. __________________ Dan Keaton Augusta Georgia

October 17th, 2006, 05:09 AM	#2
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,928	Before the shooting started, I'd have gone to a local mic. company and rented a 416 or something similar for the duration of the shoot. Money well spent when it comes to the time spent matching the tracks in post. However the first thing is to make sure you put plenty of level on the tape with both mics. so when you start equalising and maybe reducing the lower frequency range to match either mic. you don't wind up with tape hiss through having to raise either level in post. In post you'll probably have to try the cam. mics. stereo tracks in mono to match the 416s recorded level.

October 17th, 2006, 03:09 PM	#3
Jim Benton Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: France Posts: 46	Thanks Allen. If you get back to this thread for any reason, could you rephrase that last sentence. I'm not really sure what your saying there. My main concerns actually were with the stereo/mono issue that you were addressing I beleive.