View Full Version : Ceremony audio - What lengths do you go to?
Clive McLaughlin August 20th, 2013, 09:27 AM I do the standard basic of putting a mic on the grrom wired into my Tascam DR-05. This covers the vows for all three voices.
But a lot of my weddings are in old churches and chapels, often with marble interiors. Some priests choose not even to use mics. Basically my ceremony audio is atrocious. Do the rest of you guys mic up the officiator?
I know it would eliminate all issues, but I find a lot of them to be somewhat cold and intimidating. I usually only speak to them to receive my instructions about what all I'm not allowed to do and go.
Any alternatives that work well?
Katie Fasel August 20th, 2013, 10:02 AM We used to only mic the groom (and any podiums where readings are taking place) and just pick up the officiant from the groom's mic. However, I hated the disconnect there was in the amount of echo from one to the other, so we started mic'ing the officiant too. It is intimidating (They are intimidating) but I always ask our couples to mention it at rehearsal, or even before hand so there are no surprises. And since we've started doing it as a standard, we have not had anyone tell us no, even the old grumpy Catholic priests. On top of the disconnect in the actual sound...they are not always close enough to the bride and groom, especially during their homily...and there's the issue of dealing with the groom clearing his throat, or whispering to the bride, etc. that makes us not want to rely on the groom to pick up all three. I emphasize to our couples that mic'ing the officiant is not absolutely necessary, but yields the best end result (citing the examples I mentioned), and like I said, they haven't said no yet. That way if I get a priest who refuses, at least I've let them know what the audio results might be.
The only other option would be to discreetly place audio recorders as close as you can to the action. I know a lot of people on here use that option too.
Peter Riding August 20th, 2013, 10:11 AM Lav'ing the groom and celebrant is somewhat of a last resort for me rather than a first resort. I lav the groom quite often but think of it as a safety net rather than as a main source, then if the track turns out nice ..... yipee. But so often something can happen to spoil it such as noise from the movement of clothing, not to mention every sneeze or sniff is there in all its glory.
My preferred method is to hide recorders like Zoom H1's in flower arrangements or friction armed to furniture etc. If there is no way for the recorder not to look prominent such as on a lectern I may secure it hidden away and use a wired lav to it with the lav secured to the lectern using heavy duty black blutack. OK so this is not as good as a lav behaving itself next to the grooms breastbone but the resulting audio is more like that which the guests actually experienced rather than all clear like a car advert voiceover.
If the venue has a PA system I may put a recorder on auto levels on a lightstand a couple of feet from it and that can work well.
And I always have a shotgun mic on my main cam - especially useful for unscripted and unexpected events.
In the UK in my experience you're lucky if you can get access to the church's sound deck let alone have someone available who understands it. And even then they tend to be secured in cabinets and you can't get access to the appropriate sockets for a wired feed to a recorder. And of course all of this takes valuable time in those crucial minutes before kickoff.
At a wedding later this month there are various accomplished violinists playing in an Oxford College chapel at various points in the ceremony. That has the potential to be a nightmare as you know how good violinists ears can be :- (
Pete
Robert Benda August 20th, 2013, 11:14 AM We have shotgun microphones on three cameras.
We use three pocket recorders (2 tascams and an Olympus 520) to wire the groom at least, maybe the celebrant or record the output off the mixer, set at the podium, or in arrangements, like Peter. We're about to pick up a leg and back wrap so that we can mic people with no pockets, like the bride.
Shotgun mics get us the ambient sound, applause, and other general noise. Crucial if there is a laugh line.
Lavaliers get clean vows and hopefully some whispering between B&G.
Instead of using the clip on your microphone, use the tape (or whatever you want to call it) and put it under the groom's collar, behind the lapel, or even on his undershirt behind the dress shirt, firmly taped down (both the head, and the cord another inch or do down) with only the very top exposed. It will cut out the rustle of clothes and, even better, eliminate wind noise.
Only time we had a problem was when one "pastor" (who I believe drove a cab the rest of the week) told us no microphones. Why? Their vows are between them and god. No one else needs to hear them. I asked, 'Then why do the witnesses even have to be here?' She was not amused.
Daniel Latimer August 20th, 2013, 11:24 AM I try to mic the groom and the officiant if at all possible. I like the sound to be as good as possible. It's just another way to differentiate the wedding film from something that "uncle bob" could produce. I also put field recorders near as a backup.
The shotgun mics on my cameras are my last resort. Hopefully I don't need the audio going into my camera for anything other than a scratch track.
Don Bloom August 20th, 2013, 12:21 PM I mic the groom and the pulpit since the readings and gospel/homily usually take place there. I also use an AT897 shotgun on my B cam for music only. The music is generally loud enough that it works out. I use an AKG Hypercaroid on my C cam to get ambient and music (safety). So far it's worked. I've never met an officiant in a church yet that is willing to be mic'd so I haven't asked in so many years I can't remember the last time I did. Now if it's NOT in a church I will most certainly ask to mic the officiant with a lav/Tascom DR-05 while I mic the groom AND the speakers with my Sennheiser drum mic so what ever comes from the speakers, I get (speakers usually supplied by the house OR the DJ since we're not in a church-could be outside or in a hotel AND they generally supply a mic and stand back to that system)
I love the thought that in a few more weddings/months I won't be thinking about this sort of thing. Retirement is looking better and better everyday! ;-)
John Estcourt August 20th, 2013, 12:40 PM I always mic the groom, both radio mic and a back up recorder like the Yamaha c24. I also try to mic up the officiant if they allow it. Most do if you attend the rehearsal and ask nicely .
I then also place Sony digital recorders at the lectern or within flowers. you cant have too many recorders!
I don't believe you can properly capture vows if you don't mic up the groom, particularly if the Bride is nervous and whispers. I've only had one groom reluctant to wear a microphone, however he did agree to wear it once I told him that without it I did not guarantee to capture the vows.
Oren Arieli August 20th, 2013, 12:49 PM Since audio recorders are so cheap, and a lav can be had for as little as $30, there really is no good reason (other than laziness) to not spread those little buggers everywhere. One on the groom, the officiant (I'll usually give him the wireless, so I can listen in to find out when things will start), podium mic (with lav wrapped around the reader's mic), mic for the musicians (not usually necessary with loud church organs which actually benefit from the reverb ambience). Everything but the bride is my motto.
Peter Riding August 20th, 2013, 01:19 PM For those who lav mic the officiant do you meet any resistance from female ones? In the UK the majority of weddings are civil ceremonies - at least the ones in which the couple employ a photographer and videographer - and the vast majority of the officiants at these are female.
When I asked one recently, from one of the busy and progressive offices in this region, she replied that she had never ever been asked to wear a lav. I can understand why female clergy may be more forthcoming as they tend to wear copious amounts of clothing in which all manor of devices can be hidden; but female civil officiants tend to wear just tight midi skirts with smart blouses and maybe jackets.
Pete
Steve Bleasdale August 20th, 2013, 03:33 PM I no longer ask or want anything to do with the priest, vicar, registrar or who ever!! I am sick to death of their stupid narrow minded rules and most of them are down right ignorant and I have had two brides nearly crying due to ridiculous vicars the past couple of weeks. So onto the question sorry rant over. Zoom h1 grooms inside pocket, lav mic on his jacket by the top button away from the button hole for fear of rustles. Zoom h1 as near to the three of them with out seeing on camera. zoom h1 on the readers pulpit. voice recorder on the best man and dad as they are very near until dad and best man sit down but I have used them due to the groom having a cough at the wrong time. Rode vid mic on camera. Speeches similar. steve
Adrian Tan August 20th, 2013, 06:22 PM Hey Clive, I almost always mic up the officiant. If they're easygoing, I ask them to wear a second mic for backup. If there's multiple priests (Sikh, Armenian), they all get mics. This then becomes the main sound source during the long version for the ceremony, and sometimes gets used in highlights. If it's too good, too clean, then I mix in some sound from on-camera mics.
I never mic up the bride.
Peter, if the officiant is female, doesn't usually matter, but, you're right -- could mean she can't just put the transmitter in her pocket or attach it to her belt, so that could cause problems. I remember one wedding where we scrunched up the material under her armpit and clipped it there. If it's really difficult, I wouldn't insist they wear it, but fortunately haven't been in this position. Not going to tape the transmitter to their thigh.
Only been turned down by an officiant around five times in the last 50 weddings, on the grounds that they were uncomfortable. And maybe rightly so. (To be perfectly honest, yes I have recorded priests urinating.) But you don't tell them this. Instead, you lay it on thick. What you say is: "Please wear a mic, sir. You say the most important things during the service, and we want to make sure you're represented in the best way possible for all the people who watch the video." And it's a give and take thing -- you have to also make sure you're very considerate and respectful of anything they want or might want, especially if you ever plan on shooting at that church again.
In terms of random concealed mics, I don't bother with that unless I'm desperate. The sound from that usually seems to me too dirty or echoey. Your mileage will vary.
In general, I go to extremes (compared to other people here) in terms of sound, though I know I'm not the only videographer out there doing this. It used to be about backing up in case something stuffed up, but now it's just as much about trying to record cleanest sound possible. Takes me 30 minutes to set up. General method is trying to mic up every relevant sound source, have backups of backups, and have the microphone as close to source as possible. Church's sound system, soundspeakers, musicians, cantors, readers' lectern, musicians' mixer...
Whether this effort is worth it is a difficult question :). My long versions have clean sound, but couples don't notice that -- they only notice when sound is bad, not when it's good. And if it's mainly your highlights that sell weddings anyway, and the only natural sound you're using for that is vows and reception speeches, then maybe all the fuss I go to is more about personal satisfaction than anything else. But anyway...
Adrian Tan August 20th, 2013, 07:24 PM By the way, here's my setup. I know John Knight is going to take the piss out of me for the complexity, but maybe it takes the piss out of itself! I don't know. Anyway, here's a setup for a typical Catholic wedding inside a church. Repeat: don't try this unless you're willing to carry an extra bag of kit, have at least 30 minutes to spend on sound before ceremony, and preferably have a second shooter as well.
-- Groom and priest: Each gets two mics -- one wireless Sony UWP mic, one Tram TR-50 running into a Roland R-05. Transmitters from the Sony microphones run into a Tascam DR-100 with external power from a Tekkeon battery.
Reason for using wireless and wired: you can at least monitor wireless after you've attached them but before the ceremony starts.
Reason for double mics: mainly backup, but you can also set them at different levels in case of peaking. In the case of the groom, I put them at different heights on his shirt, since the bride is normally shorter, and it does make a difference to sound.
-- Lectern: one Tram TR-50, running into a Roland R-05.
-- Musicians and soundspeakers: each get a dynamic microphone placed on a microphone stand in front of them.
The sound from the soundspeakers is the main backup if the lav mics fail, or if someone starts speaking who doesn't have a lav. I usually use a Shure SM58 right against the speakers, but carry a NTG-1 shotgun in case the soundspeakers are out of reach.
If the musicians are set up close to the soundspeakers, both mics can run into a second Tascam DR-100 with external power (external power is particularly important if I'm using phantom power for a shotgun).
Musician sound I'd use during processional/recessional.
If there's no musicians, then I've got two channels to play with for the soundspeakers, and can set one a little high and one a little low in case of peaking/softness.
If you wanted to mic up the musicians really properly, you'd have a separate microphone for each instrument...
-- Church audio system: if I'm able to, I'll plug in a Yamaha C24, but usually: (a) I can't get access to the sound system in the first place; or (b) sound that I do get is crappy, for whatever reason (noise introduced by sound system or recorder, or, ironically, sound is too clean, and the lav mics are a lot more natural).
Main reason for carrying Yamaha C24s at all: they're convenient to gaffer to a microphone if necessary, which I often do during receptions, and maybe taping them to a microphone is a better backup than plugging into the sound system, but anyway...
-- Musicians' mixer: if they have one, I'll plug in a second Yamaha C24, but this is more a reception than ceremony thing.
-- On-camera Videomic Pros if all else fails (which does happen from time to time!), and to mix in audience sound if the other sources are too clean.
And that's about it.
Nigel Barker August 21st, 2013, 03:02 AM For those who lav mic the officiant do you meet any resistance from female ones? In the UK the majority of weddings are civil ceremonies - at least the ones in which the couple employ a photographer and videographer - and the vast majority of the officiants at these are female.
When I asked one recently, from one of the busy and progressive offices in this region, she replied that she had never ever been asked to wear a lav. I can understand why female clergy may be more forthcoming as they tend to wear copious amounts of clothing in which all manor of devices can be hidden; but female civil officiants tend to wear just tight midi skirts with smart blouses and maybe jackets.
PeteI have never felt the need to mic up a registrar. With civil ceremonies here in the UK the registrar stands close to the couple usually across a table. I put a lav on the groom & then hide a digital recorder in the flower arrangement on the table. They don't go wandering off to the altar or pulpit. Unlike many churches the rooms used for civil ceremonies aren't vast stone buildings full of echoes.
Clive McLaughlin August 22nd, 2013, 12:55 AM By the way, here's my setup. I know John Knight is going to take the piss out of me for the complexity, but maybe it takes the piss out of itself! I don't know. Anyway, here's a setup for a typical Catholic wedding inside a church. Repeat: don't try this unless you're willing to carry an extra bag of kit, have at least 30 minutes to spend on sound before ceremony, and preferably have a second shooter as well....
And that's about it.
Holy crap Adrian, I'd love to see one of your timelines. Must be about 15 tracks on it!
Thanks to everyone for your input. I'll definitely up my game here!
Noa Put August 22nd, 2013, 01:20 AM Main reason for carrying Yamaha C24s at all: they're convenient to gaffer to a microphone if necessary, which I often do during receptions, and maybe taping them to a microphone is a better backup than plugging into the sound system, but anyway...
I do that as well if I have no other option to get good sound, only problem I have had so far was a guy holding the mic like beatboxers do meaning he covered the recorder completely with his hand giving me muffled sound.
I used to place a mic at the lectern, the altar, on the groom and a backup at the church soundspeaker but I am changing that as it is very stressful setting that all up in a matter of a few minutes meaning mistakes are bound to be made.
Now I just supply the groom with a mic (a yamaha c24 with clipon mic) before he goes inside the church and place a tascam dr40 on a lightstand next to a church loudspeaker, I also attach a zoom h1 to that same stand as backup.
If the grooms recorder would fail I always have the tascam's recording (there is always a microphone used in our churches) and if the tascam fails I have got the zoom and if that fails it's time to go home...:)
The sound I get from the church soundspeaker is not as good as what I get with a recorder and clip on mike at the source but still a lot better then what my camera picks up, I used to have lot's of work in post making every recorder sound the same, some had lot's of echo and some sounded very clean meaning I had to add echo to make it "feel" like a church recording.
If there is live singing I try to use the tascam to tap into their system directly but if that's not possible or if there is no time I just place my zoom h1 on a mini tripod in front of their speakers.
I also have a small sony recorder that has a lav mic which I can use if necessary, but in general I try to keep it as simple as possible.
With a recording at the church soundspeaker I don't have much issues and I can edit much faster, these recording contain more echo but I actually like that because it recreates the mood since the sound you are capturing is the same as what the guests where hearing in the church, it makes it sound more real. Since I do docu style with a hint of cinematic I prefer to have as "real" sound as possible.
Adrian Tan August 22nd, 2013, 02:06 AM Hey Noa, I think I actually learned the tape-Yamaha-to-microphone trick from you! Either you or Nigel. From memory, you used to use a method involving a piece of rubber and velcro straps. I just use gaffer tape.
Main problem I've had with this system is that both my Yamahas aren't entirely reliable. They sometimes stop recording, for no apparent reason, after two minutes. If this happens, then reformatting the micro SD seems to solve the problem, but it's one more thing to worry about. The AAA doesn't always last the entire reception as well, so that needs changing halfway.
Re sound from loudspeakers, I agree with you that it often sounds great. A lot more natural than a sterile feed from a DJ, for instance. But even that has potential problems, like people speaking without using microphones or microphones failing or church's system distorting the audio. So, back to the lavaliere drawing board we go...
Totally agree that more gear = more fuss = more potential stuff-ups, though I haven't yet learned the lesson well enough to stop doing it...
Nigel Barker August 22nd, 2013, 02:35 AM Adrian, my C24s are totally reliable which I attribute to the fact that I only ever use the 2GB internal memory whereas I have heard of reliability issues when using a micro-SD card. The internal memory is easily enough to record all day at max rate MP3.
Kyle Hawthorne August 25th, 2013, 11:58 PM We mic the groom and bride using the G3 system. We really don't care about anyone else.
Noa Put August 26th, 2013, 12:06 AM We mic the groom and bride using the G3 system. We really don't care about anyone else.
Don't you record audio during a ceremony where several friends and family come to say personal things to the couple? Or don't you record evening speeches either?
About the c24's being unreliable, I didn't have any issues so far (knock on wood) but with any external recorders that don't have any live monitoring option you only know if it went wrong when you listen at it at home. I use a tascam dr40 as well which replaced a zoom h4 last year, the zoom also would not record randomly without any reason, I saw it recording and when I came home nothing was on the card, luckily I had back up audio which I think is the most important part of audio recording at a wedding; make sure you do have a backup plan. Ofcourse if a system audio system like the g3 would fail during a ceremony you will hear it in your headphones but there is not much you could do about that either at that moment, so also there backup recorders at a sound speaker for instance are crucial.
John Estcourt August 26th, 2013, 02:42 AM I used to use Sennheiser radio microphones on the groom recording to a Fostex fr-2le however the Sony mini digital recorders have been so easy and reliable to use(touch wood) that I have now decided not to bother with wireless.
As for monitoring the audio, there's nothing I can do if it starts to play up during a service ( apart from stress and feel sick !), so its better to not worry about it and concentrate on all my other worries LOL.
I just double mic the groom, mic the officiant (if allowed) and hide a couple of recorders at the lectern or elsewhere.
With regard to the C24, I very recently had an issue with mine whereby it hadn't recorded so I've kind of gone off that as well.( I will try just using the internal memory as suggested thanks )
The Sony's seem very basic but do a job, turn them on and press record. That's what I like, keep it simple but have lots of them!
I also now use the Sonys for the speeches by miking up each person. I'm building quite a collection of them.
Peter Riding August 26th, 2013, 05:14 AM the zoom also would not record randomly without any reason, I saw it recording and when I came home nothing was on the card, luckily I had back up audio which I think is the most important part of audio recording at a wedding
The Zoom H4n has a somewhat freakish operating procedure in that you have to press the record button twice to actually record. Pressing it just once brings up the Levels monitor and the red light flashes, fooling many an unfortunate operator into thinking it is recording when it is not. Its only recording when the red light is on continuously. Its easy to forget this even when you think you know it.
There is a long tutorial on a well-known photo-video site on an unrelated subject in which you can clearly see a Zoom H4n flashing away in red on the table in front of the two talking heads :- ) Fortunately for them they were also using wireless lavs as backup. Its probably happened to all of us.
The Yamaha C24 is now discontinued. Remaining stock seems quite pricey. Its successor the Pocketrak PR7 looks well specified including at last a tripod thread in the back but its mics are unprotected and it is significantly larger than the C24.
I guess we've all looked at the new Zoom H6 by now - though not with a view to putting it in the grooms pocket! But its lack of locks on the dials makes it a non-starter for me. Far to easy to inadvertently change a setting.
Pete
Roger Gunkel August 26th, 2013, 05:30 AM I like to keep it vey simple, with a Sony in the Groom's pocket with the mic clipped low down on the jacket to pick up B&G and Officiant. I have another Sony placed somewhere near to pick up the overall ambient sound just in case, and usually mix in the sound from one camera which is 5:1 digital surround, as like Noa, I like to capture the natural reverb, but with the vows enhanced by the Lav mic.
I use the inbuilt memory in the Sony recorders for reliability and like the fact that I just turn them on and press record, little chance of making a mistake. Keep it simple is always the best way for me.
As speeches in the UK are usually all on the head table, I use a Sony recorder with a split lead and two lavs hidden along the table to pick up the speakers. Again I like to hear the ambient sound of the room as well, as it adds the atmosphere, laughter etc.
As I am usually solo, working this way enables me to set up and break down very quickly.
Roger
Noa Put August 26th, 2013, 06:24 AM The Zoom H4n has a somewhat freakish operating procedure in that you have to press the record button twice to actually record. Pressing it just once brings up the Levels monitor and the red light flashes, fooling many an unfortunate operator into thinking it is recording when it is not.
That was not the case, I knew the zoom h4 too well as I have been using it since the first time it came out, the zoom was recording and I was 100% sure about that, only now and then there was nothing on the card. This started happening after a few years of use, one time the zoom was on a mini-tripod just a few cms above the floor and when I wanted to pick it up after a hour recording I accidently hit it with my hand and it fell over, the distance it fell to the ground was so small but it was enough to kich the recorder out of it's recording mode and it was in standby mode when I picked it up, again no recording saved. So then it got an early retirment :) I might have a look at it this winter and do some more testing with another card to see if I can still use it next year.
Robert Benda August 26th, 2013, 07:18 AM The Zoom H4n has a somewhat freakish operating procedure in that you have to press the record button twice to actually record.
I know our Tascam's have that as an option. The idea is supposed to be to check your levels first without actually recording.
For those who don't like pocket recorders since you can't live monitor and thus won't know if something went wrong.... with wireless you'd know something went wrong, but presumably wouldn't be able to do anything about it mid-ceremony. That just leaves levels. Though I have had issues with wireless microphone interference in one or two of our area churches who have a lot of A/V gear.
RNB Wedding Videos (http://rnbweddings.com/wedding-videography.html)
Nigel Barker August 26th, 2013, 08:08 AM The Zoom H4n has a somewhat freakish operating procedure in that you have to press the record button twice to actually record. Pressing it just once brings up the Levels monitor and the red light flashes, fooling many an unfortunate operator into thinking it is recording when it is not. Its only recording when the red light is on continuously. Its easy to forget this even when you think you know it.
The Yamaha C-24 behaves in exactly the same way so it's not exactly freakish.
Rob Cantwell August 26th, 2013, 12:27 PM happened me this weekend gone by, was setting up in a bit of a hurry and i placed a Yamaha C24 on a lectern to record the readings and i could have sworn the red light was blinking away but later when i checked there was nothing on it, kicking myself over it, nobody to blame but myself, should have studied it more, only used it once on a music night out in a pub!!
lucky enough I used a Sony ICDPX333 device on the groom - no issues with this at all, simple to use, one press and it'll record for 40 hours or something. I have the vows which is something and the hotel use a Sennheiser system which allowed my SKM handheld mic to both transmit to my receiver and also transmit to the venue's pa system, so i've got the speeches too. Alls not lost.
Robert Benda August 26th, 2013, 12:41 PM Do your players also show the time elapsed when recording? I've taught myself to look for that instead of the red light.
Peter Riding August 26th, 2013, 02:12 PM The Yamaha C-24 behaves in exactly the same way so it's not exactly freakish.
Yep the new Yamaha PR7 does that as well :- ( The Zoom H1 does not - its Levels automatically show as soon as its powered up as do my Senny G3 kits and my various cams do not require a separate step either.
I can see the point with the H4n because the Levels may be showing from its internal mics or an external plug and play mic via the rear 3.5mm socket or anything you've got plugged in to one of its two XLR sockets. But for something as simple as the C24 a two step procedure seems more danger than its worth. There are countless reports of experienced operators getting caught out with the H4n.
And Noa ..... I'm not convinced :- ) :- ) :- )
Pete
Noa Put August 26th, 2013, 02:36 PM And Noa ..... I'm not convinced :- ) :- ) :- )
I don't understand what you are trying to imply, I always double check that my recorders are actually in recording mode, it was only the h4 that randomly refused to save the audio it would record, never happened to my other 3 recorders or with my new tascam. Could be a bad cf card (was still the original one) but as I was in the middle of a wedding season I decided not to take any risk anymore and get the tascam dr40 and test the h4 when I had much more time on my hands, if it would be a bad card then I have a extra audio recorder next season but if that's not the case and if I am able to replicate the error it's going in the garbage bin.
Peter Riding August 26th, 2013, 02:59 PM Noa, perhaps the humour doesn't translate. I've missed it, as have many others, even though I always look at the timer counter as well to make sure it is running. Or at least I think I do :- ) Have you never missed setting a locked down b-cam to record even though you could have sworn you did press that damn record button?
Pete
Adrian Tan August 26th, 2013, 06:25 PM Re Zoom H4N, I've mentioned this before, but another dodgy thing I've experienced at least twice is the device taking 20-30 minutes to boot up from when the power button is pushed. I don't use them anymore, and this is one big reason why.
About the Yamaha C24, just wanted to add that my second shooter and I have sat there and watched two Yamahas as they recorded for two minutes and then switched off of their own accord, to make sure we weren't imagining things. So, if anyone is having problems with that device, it's not necessarily a case of "forgot to double press the record button".
Incidentally, Nigel, thanks for the internal memory tip! Only catch is -- I think you might have to start recording just before speeches start, rather than set-and-forget at start of reception. I've got a feeling that the internal memory is only 2gb.
Looking at the Yamaha files from my last wedding, I think we left it rolling from about 6pm to midnight, and it chewed through over 3gb of data, and we don't have it on maximum quality settings.
Nigel Barker August 27th, 2013, 06:39 AM RIncidentally, Nigel, thanks for the internal memory tip! Only catch is -- I think you might have to start recording just before speeches start, rather than set-and-forget at start of reception. I've got a feeling that the internal memory is only 2gb.
Looking at the Yamaha files from my last wedding, I think we left it rolling from about 6pm to midnight, and it chewed through over 3gb of data, and we don't have it on maximum quality settings.You must be recording to WAV. I record to 320Kbps MP3 & there is enough space for several weddings on the internal memory. It sounds plenty good enough to my ears.
BTW I have just been reviewing what I brought back from Saturday's wedding & despite having two Yamaha C-24s running for the speeches (or so I thought) there was nothing of the speeches on one of them & two clips of about a couple of seconds each in the other.. At least I had the camcorder mic & a wireless mic feeding the camcorder too but it is a little disconcerting. Maybe there is a random stopping fault with all C-24s which is why the model is discontinued
Nigel Barker August 27th, 2013, 06:42 AM Have you never missed setting a locked down b-cam to record even though you could have sworn you did press that damn record button?When this has happened it's usually because in my hurry to get it set up I have managed to press record twice & thus switched it off again.
Roger Gunkel August 27th, 2013, 07:18 AM You must be recording to WAV. I record to 320Kbps MP3 & there is enough space for several weddings on the internal memory. It sounds plenty good enough to my ears.
I'd agree with that, as I always record the voices to mp3. I can really see no point recording in wav format as it takes much more memory and the frequency range and dynamic range of the human voice just doesn't warrant it. Just about everybody listens to music on mp3 these days, and if it is good enough for that it is certainly good enough for voice.
It could well be that other people having issues with portable audio recorders might benefit by just recording in mp3.
Roger
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