Lapel mic placement at DVinfo.net

Steve Bleasdale · November 26th, 2013, 07:40 AM

Wedding Saturday, the groom does not want a lapel mic on, I have forced him to have one on as I need the clear audio i am used to!
So now because of this, its awkward as he does not want anything showing at all. I use the zoom h1s, so inside pocket run the cable up the back of his shirt then come out at the button nearest the top of shirt and place behind his tie. Any problems with this or anyone else got a better idea. I do not want the tie rubbing on the mic? So used to just the zoom in the pocket then come out normal at the lapel under flower. Anyone? Cheers Steve

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Tim Kolb · November 26th, 2013, 08:07 AM

Lavalier mic placement is a constant debate, and I do NOT envy Wedding videographers in this area...

The only alternative placement I've found other than actually spirit glue to mount a very small Tram or something actually IN the hairline (good for actors, probably not an option for fidgety grooms), is to try to fix it to the collar, but as I suspect you know, the closer it gets to the neck and under the chin, the less you get the high end sound that makes speech more understandable.

Peter Riding · November 26th, 2013, 08:35 AM

Tape it to his skin or to the inside of the shirt? I have a white lav for these sorts of dramas.You may be able to camoflage a black one using white electrical tape if the black would show through his shirt.

Pete

Robert Benda · November 26th, 2013, 08:58 AM

There are four places to hide a microphone, depending on what you have available. When using fabric tape we tape in two places, one to hold the actual mic in place, and a 2nd, a few inches down, to hold the cable in place, which reduces overall movement and noise.

Run it through the collar. Great for us because we use a matchstick head microphone which is tiny and near invisible.

No TIE, put it behind the shirt. I just posted a wedding where that is how we got ALL the ceremony audio and it was great. (Brad+Carman video, skip to 9 minute mark to hear it)

With a suit coat, put the recorder in the coat pocket and use fabric tape to put the microphone on the inside of the coat, near the edge, and up.

On or behind the tie. Not great since a tie is pretty thick.

David Richardson · November 26th, 2013, 09:51 AM

Have you considered putting your mic on the officiant instead?

Steve Bleasdale · November 26th, 2013, 01:30 PM

Thanks guys I think will go for Petes inside the shirt on skin taped up or maybe better Roberts suggestion in the suit pocket but tape it all up near the top of the inside lapel. Robert will it not come loose?

Robert Benda · November 26th, 2013, 01:40 PM

Not if you do it right. All the cord slack has to be in the pocket, then put tape in two or three places, only a little apart. One piece keeps the actual microphone where you want it, then the 2nd piece 1-3 inches down helps keep the cord straight, which reduces pull on the microphone.

It helps that our groom's mic is so tiny, so there is little risk of a snag. The recorder is small so there isn't much pocket bulge.

And just to clarify about the collar, the mic head stays in the collar, but JUST comes to the edge and stops before it would be sticking out.

Check out what Joe Simon has to say on the subject. That's where I learned:
http://the-delivery-men.com/quick-ti...tal-recorders/

Steve Bleasdale · November 26th, 2013, 01:48 PM

Nice one Robert cheers mate... steve

Mike Kujbida · November 29th, 2013, 06:58 AM

I grabbed this Rigging lavs n wireless mics.pdf guide some time ago and saved it to my Dropbox site. I hope it helps.

http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2...ess%20mics.pdf

Steve Bleasdale · November 29th, 2013, 09:32 AM

Mike it is saying error on the pdf to open, it will not open. steve

Roger Van Duyn · November 29th, 2013, 10:35 AM

When I right click in Acrobat reader, it says the document is a PowerPoint file, not a PDF document. All the pages are blank.

Don Bloom · November 29th, 2013, 11:34 AM

it opened for me as a PDF. Maybe something to do with going across the pond. ????? I know it shouldn't but it is computers and we all know how reliable they can be at times.

Steve Bleasdale · November 29th, 2013, 11:59 AM

No problem Don, found the link cheers

Matthias Claflin · November 29th, 2013, 03:39 PM

I saw an interesting video on this a couple weeks ago.

In the video they suggest placing a lav under the collar of the groom, which, if using some sort of padding (to avoid noise) is not a half bad idea.

Steve Bleasdale · November 29th, 2013, 04:30 PM

Nice one Mathias seen it cheers and its looks good...

November 26th, 2013, 07:40 AM	#1
Steve Bleasdale Trustee Join Date: May 2010 Location: England liverpool Posts: 1,343	Lapel mic placement Wedding Saturday, the groom does not want a lapel mic on, I have forced him to have one on as I need the clear audio i am used to! So now because of this, its awkward as he does not want anything showing at all. I use the zoom h1s, so inside pocket run the cable up the back of his shirt then come out at the button nearest the top of shirt and place behind his tie. Any problems with this or anyone else got a better idea. I do not want the tie rubbing on the mic? So used to just the zoom in the pocket then come out normal at the lapel under flower. Anyone? Cheers Steve Wedding Videography & Photography Cheshire Liverpool \| Capture Your Moments Weddings \| Home

November 26th, 2013, 08:07 AM	#2
Tim Kolb Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Neenah, WI Posts: 547	Re: Lapel mic placement Lavalier mic placement is a constant debate, and I do NOT envy Wedding videographers in this area... The only alternative placement I've found other than actually spirit glue to mount a very small Tram or something actually IN the hairline (good for actors, probably not an option for fidgety grooms), is to try to fix it to the collar, but as I suspect you know, the closer it gets to the neck and under the chin, the less you get the high end sound that makes speech more understandable. __________________ TimK Kolb Productions

November 26th, 2013, 08:35 AM	#3
Peter Riding Major Player Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Reading Berkshire UK Posts: 872	Re: Lapel mic placement Tape it to his skin or to the inside of the shirt? I have a white lav for these sorts of dramas.You may be able to camoflage a black one using white electrical tape if the black would show through his shirt. Pete

November 26th, 2013, 08:58 AM	#4
Robert Benda Trustee Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Crookston, MN Posts: 1,353	Re: Lapel mic placement There are four places to hide a microphone, depending on what you have available. When using fabric tape we tape in two places, one to hold the actual mic in place, and a 2nd, a few inches down, to hold the cable in place, which reduces overall movement and noise. Run it through the collar. Great for us because we use a matchstick head microphone which is tiny and near invisible. No TIE, put it behind the shirt. I just posted a wedding where that is how we got ALL the ceremony audio and it was great. (Brad+Carman video, skip to 9 minute mark to hear it) With a suit coat, put the recorder in the coat pocket and use fabric tape to put the microphone on the inside of the coat, near the edge, and up. On or behind the tie. Not great since a tie is pretty thick.

November 26th, 2013, 09:51 AM	#5
David Richardson Tourist Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 4	Re: Lapel mic placement Have you considered putting your mic on the officiant instead?

November 26th, 2013, 01:30 PM	#6
Steve Bleasdale Trustee Join Date: May 2010 Location: England liverpool Posts: 1,343	Re: Lapel mic placement Thanks guys I think will go for Petes inside the shirt on skin taped up or maybe better Roberts suggestion in the suit pocket but tape it all up near the top of the inside lapel. Robert will it not come loose?

November 26th, 2013, 01:40 PM	#7
Robert Benda Trustee Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Crookston, MN Posts: 1,353	Re: Lapel mic placement Not if you do it right. All the cord slack has to be in the pocket, then put tape in two or three places, only a little apart. One piece keeps the actual microphone where you want it, then the 2nd piece 1-3 inches down helps keep the cord straight, which reduces pull on the microphone. It helps that our groom's mic is so tiny, so there is little risk of a snag. The recorder is small so there isn't much pocket bulge. And just to clarify about the collar, the mic head stays in the collar, but JUST comes to the edge and stops before it would be sticking out. Check out what Joe Simon has to say on the subject. That's where I learned: http://the-delivery-men.com/quick-ti...tal-recorders/

November 26th, 2013, 01:48 PM	#8
Steve Bleasdale Trustee Join Date: May 2010 Location: England liverpool Posts: 1,343	Re: Lapel mic placement Nice one Robert cheers mate... steve

November 29th, 2013, 06:58 AM	#9
Mike Kujbida Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Windsor, ON Canada Posts: 2,770	Re: Lapel mic placement I grabbed this Rigging lavs n wireless mics.pdf guide some time ago and saved it to my Dropbox site. I hope it helps. http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2...ess%20mics.pdf

November 29th, 2013, 09:32 AM	#10
Steve Bleasdale Trustee Join Date: May 2010 Location: England liverpool Posts: 1,343	Re: Lapel mic placement Mike it is saying error on the pdf to open, it will not open. steve

November 29th, 2013, 10:35 AM	#11
Roger Van Duyn Major Player Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Lakeland Florida Posts: 692	Re: Lapel mic placement When I right click in Acrobat reader, it says the document is a PowerPoint file, not a PDF document. All the pages are blank. __________________ Roger My YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAp...2AHr_pHFID5LDA

November 29th, 2013, 11:34 AM	#12
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Re: Lapel mic placement it opened for me as a PDF. Maybe something to do with going across the pond. ????? I know it shouldn't but it is computers and we all know how reliable they can be at times. __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

November 29th, 2013, 11:59 AM	#13
Steve Bleasdale Trustee Join Date: May 2010 Location: England liverpool Posts: 1,343	Re: Lapel mic placement No problem Don, found the link cheers

November 29th, 2013, 03:39 PM	#14
Matthias Claflin Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: PA, USA Posts: 87	Re: Lapel mic placement I saw an interesting video on this a couple weeks ago. SMAPP // Wireless Audio & Micing on Vimeo In the video they suggest placing a lav under the collar of the groom, which, if using some sort of padding (to avoid noise) is not a half bad idea.

November 29th, 2013, 04:30 PM	#15
Steve Bleasdale Trustee Join Date: May 2010 Location: England liverpool Posts: 1,343	Re: Lapel mic placement Nice one Mathias seen it cheers and its looks good...