Audio Video Recording And Editing 4(1+3)

Lesson 04: Different sound equipments and their parts

Using Microphones and Accessories

Since mics are used both in studio and outdoor situations, their placement decides the quality of audio we will be able to record.
Guide­lines for Using Microphones and Accessories
mastering placement and perfect positioning in a given situation.

• Always point the mic to the source of the sound
• Every mic has a critical distance to get the right audio. If you take the mic too close to the source, the audio will be distorted and result in pops. On the other hand, taking it far away from the sound source is likely to result in hollow sound. Eg. Mics are like lenses. If you take a lens very close to the object, the picture will distort. If you take it very far away, you will see no details. Similar is the case with mics.
• Never use the built-in mic on your camera for interviews. You may just want to use them to record ambience sound.
• If you are using handheld mics, always talk across them. The mic is best placed at the chest position. However, if you are using a uni­directional mic, keep it close to the mouth.
• Sit down when interviewing children. This way you can place the mic at a comfortable position and also achieve good composition.
• When using a boom mic, you may use a boom pole, particularly for fiction shoots, to ensure that you keep the mic out of the frame. Shot-gun mics are highly directional and keep out noises. Therefore, it is perfectly okay to use them in such situations.
• Use mic stands as far as possible or pin the lapel mic to clothes.
• If the talent has to move, go in for an appropriately placed wireless mic. Obviously you cannot use wireless mics when shooting fiction. Use a shotgun but move along with the talent even while maintaining distance such that it does not get into the frame.
• When using multiple mics for a talk show, place them to avoid phase cancellation. For example, if you place one mic at a distance of l' from two talents, place the next mic at least 2' to 3' away from the first one. This helps prevent phase cancellation.
• Do not point the mic when the subject is in front of a noisy environ­ment (roads, machines, etc.). Figure 7. 7 gives you an idea of where not, to place the subject and the mic.
• Use directional mics wherever necessary.
• Pin a lapel mic at least 6" below the person's chin.
• Switches off/fade out mics when not in use.
• Use mic windshields, when recording outdoors and pop filters (Fig. 7.8) when indoors.
• Always use headphones/speakers when recording sound outdoors / in­doors. Fig. 7.9 shows a closed head­phone.
• Never allow the audio to consistently touch the 'red' on your recording ma­chine (camera or audio recorder).
• Record sound on tape (SoT) without fail. SoT or ambience sound lends character to your film. You can always remove it on the edit suite.