2 XLR Microphones

W

Wayne2

Member
Ok. I have 2 XLR microhpones that I want to plug into the input 1 and input 2 jacks. Will plugging them in be enough or will I have to switch the selects to line? I assume that is for a mixer and not a mic. Then will I have to make any changes to any of the menu settings once plugging a mic into each input?

I will most likely place these mics in such a way that one will be on the left and one will be on the right and would like to capture the video into a software package so that these two signals do not each capture to both channels making everything monotone. If I was using something like Vegas Video 4 or 5 or even Premiere 6.02 is there a setting I need to change so that the channles will be captured on their own side.

Also, which side was input recorded to the channel which would be the "left" side during the playback? It was input 1 wasn't it?
 
Re: 2 XLR Microphones

Yep, mic, not line. If you're trying to achieve a stereo effect--it takes more than just plugging a mic into each input. The positioning and type of mics is a big factor. You might want to do some research on stereo recording techniques. If you're not doing it effectively, you're better off recording in mono. Once you bring the two channels into your NLE, you can easily pan each channel to the right, left, center, or anywhere in between.
 
Re: 2 XLR Microphones

Well I was going to put the left mic on the left side and the right on the right. Seems to me panning a mono signal is going to leave me in mono still, just in both speakers (like the original dvd release of "The Howling"...god that was horrid..and mono). If I have a person on the left side of the screen and one on the right I would prefer them to sound like they are more in their appropriate audio position according to the placing of my ears on my head. I certainly don't want to have to try to isoloate each actor's voice and move it a bit to their side of the track.

This is not meant to be a drastic "the guy on the left is only speaking with his voice coming out the left speaker" type of thing. The right microphone is obviously also going to hear him speak. I would simply rather things be captured in stereo as I film them over having to worry about fiddling with audio in post. Then again I am just now starting out and would rather get a better grip on the visual aspects of using the camera and editing first. The two microphones will not be that far apart from one another. Of course, how far away the "dialogue" is will determine where I place the mics but for the most part they will probably be on mic stands about 1 foot to either side of the camera...both pointing at the action of course (mics are shotgun/super cardiods both="Azden sgm-1x").

So this wasn't intended to be revolutionary or change any accepted ideas but was just wanted to make sure input one record to the left track. I would really hate to get the mics on the wrong side. I also wanted to know how to capture the video without the channels losing their identity and smooshing together. Would that be with "panning off" on Vegas Video?
 
Re: 2 XLR Microphones

All stereo (and 5.1, etc) effects are done in the editor...or should be.

It is doubtful that anyone uses stereo (as such) while filming. There's no need, and you'd end up having to tweak it in post, anyway.

All the spatial positioning of the sound can be done in Vegas. (And should be, as far as I'm concerned)

Dan
 
Re: 2 XLR Microphones

Wayne--I applaud your desire to have good sound in your indie film. You're already ahead of the 80% of indie filmmakers that think film sound is unimportant and low priority. Now, you need to shed some misconceptions about dialogue recording and learn some good recording techniques.

Dan is correct in the fact that the vast majority of theatrically released films record dialogue in mono. The truth is that dialogue is usually panned to the center channel and it's mostly music and effects that are in stereo (or multichannel).

That being said, your recording plan of placing two shotgun mics on stands, one foot on either side of the camera is just plain bad recording technique. A shotgun mic should be boomed and no further than 2 feet from the talent. So let's say your mics are 8 feet from the talent. By the inverse sqauare law your sound will be 1/16 of the level it should be. So, naturally you'll crank up the gain which will add plenty of self-noise from the mics, ambient noise, and room reflections. Since your mics will be on stationary stands as the actors move around the sound levels will fluctuate wildly. As for stereo, at best your configuration will yield poor to non-existent stereo separation, and at worst--phase cancellation problems.

A much better plan is to use a single mic and have a boom operator keep that mic close to the talent. If you are hell bent on some sort of stereo dialogue effect it is much more effective and easier to do in Vegas--even for a beginner. BTW, no need to worry about Vegas "smooshing" anything--it imports both channels and keeps them separate. It's absolutely trivial to switch them between left and right output channels as needed.
 
Re: 2 XLR Microphones

Thanks guys for the info. Unfortunately at the moment I do not have a boom :(. I guess I should have gotten a boom instead of a second mic. Oh well. I'll have a spare in case the other one catches fire in the car chase scene. j/k :)
 
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