mic speakers

[Randy Johnson]

ok on my weddings I relized I want to get better sound when they are doing toasts and such. I used to just use the on camera mic but id like to mic the DJs speaker. Any suggestions on which mic or a way to mount it without using a tall mic stand?

[Taky Cheung]

I put together all the methods I know to capture good audio at event. Hope it would be helpful,

Different Methods in Capturing Good Audio at Live Event | L.A. Color Pros Blog

[Don Bloom]

For a good number of years I've used 2 mic's. This is a system I've refined over the years, and has worked for me with virtually 100% results. YMMV!

First, for weddings I've always had a wireless receiver on board my camera regardless of form factor, large or small and I've always had a plug in transmitter. So after much experimentation, shotguns---long, short-different patterns, placement in front of the speaker, behind the speaker, pointed up, pointed down you name it... lavs draped over the speaker, even tried an SM58, I finally boght and tried a Sennheiser Drum mic and I haven't looked back. the one I use is the E-604 which I think might have been replaced now but regardless a drum mic is ideal for music thru a DJs speaker. First it can take the high SPLs, Second, it's small so it doesn't take up a big footprint in the bag or on the stand and Third, it's tough as nails. So here's how I set it up. I have been using Audio Technica wireless for a long time and the plug in transmitter has the ability to adjust the level down to minus 6 db which is where I set it. I put the mic with the plugin on a stand and set the stand in front of the speaker with the screen of the mic between the tweeter and the midrange. that way it picks up both. Most DJs around here don't use the big old bass cabinet anymore but even if they do the sound will hit one of my mics. I keep the mic pretty close to the speaker cabinet...about a fist sizefrom little finger to thumb or about 5 or 6 inches. I can adjust the level by simply moving the mic a little closer of farther away. I use a cheap mic boom stand (I paid about $20 for it) so I can just move the boom in or out a bit.
Now for the 2nd mic I use. I use an AKG Blueline Hypercaroid for just about every inside job I do. I like how it sounds and how it picks up so that mic is going to one channel and the drum mic is going to the other channel on the camera.
The hyper gives me music and room noise, people noise, dishes clanking all that while the drum mic gives me a nice clean music track. Mix them together and BAM! Good stuff!
I use both in post. First I separate the channels to allow me to adjust the levels if needed which in about 95% of the time isn't. I can sweeten each channel as needed but frankly for receptions there isn't much needed. It also allows me to use one or the other tracks or both especially when people are making speeches. 99% of people that speak at a wedding don't know how to use a mic and since most DJs use a mic like the SM58 or something similar it needs to be close to the source meaning the persons mouth. People of course hold the mic by their stomach or at arms length or wherever but by using the 2 mic system I'm getting them no matter what. Also around here the people doing speeches are using the DJs mic so I'm getting the audio thru his speakers and from my hyper on the camera.
Like I said I've been using this system for a long time and it has proven to be just about as foolproof as can be. I know a lot of folks like to pull a feed from the board...I don't. Not for wedding since a lot of wedding DJs don't have a clue as to how to really use the board. This way it's on me. If the sound is no good, it's my fault but in the years I've been using this system, the sound has be at least good if not way better than that.
HTHs

[Randy Johnson]

Thanks thats just what I was looking for,plug a plug-in transmitter on that baby and im good!

[Marlon Martins]

i use a recorder on rec-out on the mixer, and on editing i set the mix between cam audio/recorder audio as needed. always keeping a little of ambient to give more "ambient" to the recorded audio on the mixer

[Don Bloom]

Randy, you still need to watch your levels but the drum mic is made to take the high SPL and loud sounds. Use some sort of stand to get the mic up in the air in front of the speaker and adjust as needed. Make sure to monitor with headphones. They also save your hearing.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Randy

I can vouch for Don's drum mics but just remember you are at the mercy of the DJ's crappy sound system PLUS you have no control over the handheld mic the person speaking is using. Some will hold it far away and some will almost swallow it resulting in very varied audio quality. I will record the DJ PA purely as a backup at weddings but for primary audio I have a mic near the person talking. Luckily we have our speeches mainly from lecterns so I will just pop a lav somewhere near the lectern. Otherwise if they talk from the bridal/guest table I have a desk mic with a gooseneck and I just shift that around the table with it's transmitter so I get decent audio. I also use a couple of boundary mics into transmitters and they work really well too.

Chris

[Don Bloom]

Chris, around my area they never use a podium for speeches. I wish they did. One of the reasons I use the 2 mic system. I can't tell you how many time the hypercaroid on the camera has saved my bacon during speeches when the Maid of Honor or Best Man can't follow a simple instruction like "hold the mic at chin level" and they hold by their belly button or out to the side when they go to make a point. Anyway I love the 2 mic system and the drum mic is great for music, with proper placement.
I so don't miss not doing weddings anymore! ;-)

[Peter Rush]

To be safe I normally put a small mp3 recorder and lav mic on each person speaking, many venues here in the UK have no PA whatsoever so this is a must. If time is tight I sprinkle a few Zoom H1 recorders (I have 3 white ones so they don't stand out too much) along the top table but then run the risk of one of the speakers pacing all over the room - then it's my trusty shotgun to the rescue.

Has anyone done a comparison with the stock EA50 mic and say the Rode NTG2?

Pete

[Chris Harding]

Not the NG2 but the Sony mic performs as good if not better than the Rode VideoMics I used to have. I love the fact that I can adjust the mic sensitivity on the EA-50 in increments..that's really useful!!

Chris

[Taky Cheung]

Its always best to mic the person. But in many times, there are impromptu speakers or group speaking. Thus I also place a voice recorder H2n near the DJ speaker to pick up sound. I also Velcro a small sony voice recorder to the handheld mic too. Its not always easy as some DJ don't like it. I can understand that too. So either tap to the DJ sound board or place a voice recorder to loud speakers work for me.

Some also suggest supplying a mic stand with an H1 attached. In that case, the speaker won't walk around and sound would be great too.

[Warren Kawamoto]

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

I also use a couple of boundary mics into transmitters and they work really well too.

Chris

Chris, if you don't mind me asking, which boundary mic and transmitter are you using? How does your transmitter supply phantom power to the mic?

[Steven Digges]

Originally Posted by Peter Rush

Has anyone done a comparison with the stock EA50 mic and say the Rode NTG2?

Pete

Not the Rode. I have the Sennheiser ME 66. Had it for years and love it. If it is not in use on my boom pole and I am run and gun alone I replace the Sony mic with the ME 66 on camera. A huge improvement over the Sony mic, as it should be.

Even though it is against standard practice for shotguns, I use it as a back up mic indoors on some interviews. The subjects have lav mics. I put the ME 66 on a fishing pole rig and record to a separate track for back up. Depending on the rooms reflections it can be a halfway decent track if I have to use it. Other times it is crap. But I will do anything to avoid having to use on camera anything (except for R&G as above).

Steve

[Don Bloom]

I had a few of the Sony "shotgun" mics laying around but then I got rid of them.Tthey were never used. I mean never! Either I used an AT897 or an ME66 but my on camera mic of choice for all things indoors was and still is my AKG Blueline SE300/CK93 Hypercaroid. I've done run and gun interviews with it as a 2nd source on camera, I've done hundreds if not more of sit down type interviews with it on a boom, I've used it on so many different cameras I lost count and it has never and I mean never failed me under any circumstances. The stock Sony mic is a nice Xmas gift to the little kids in your family. they can play to their hearts content and you don't have to worry about losing anything valuable. (kidding, they might lose an eye from the pigtail). IMO they are a waste of good plastic.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Warren

I have two AKG CL400's ..they are really neat as they are tiny!! look like a minute computer mouse shape and are about 1.5" long and 1" wide !! I plug straight into my Azden transmitter with automatically supplies bias to the mic ..yes they DO need phantom power basically anything from 1.5v to 48v! My Azdens supply 9v and work very well.

Sadly I don't think they are made by AKG anymore !!

Chris