Audio Advice for Man Singing and Playing Stand Up Piano

>>>>Perhaps a better phrasing would be, "a reasonable option when a one-man operation is just plugging one mic into the camera and standing so close to the stage that there's no chance of properly catching the gestalt of the sound".<<<<

Sold!

>>>>Exactly. The footage in question would be perfectly fine for a news story about the event where a reporter is going to be talking over the clip anyway but I would not consider it acceptable for a remote broadcast or a video of the concert where the music is the essence of the program. And for what it's worth I've heard lots worse<<<<

And again!

That's what I was thinking. But perhaps "remarkable" could also be in the context of "remarkable for a 57," because whoodda thunk it? It is good for what we used to call "quick & dirty," and I have actually heard much worse on broadcast television...

GJ
 
The 57 is perhaps the most popular mic on the planet because it's reliable and does a decent job in a wide range of situations… maybe "remarkable" to mic fanboys…
 
Reliable? Absolutely!

Decent job? On a lot of things, of course. Indespensible on snare and guitar cab. Would never use it on vox anymore though.
And there are lots of mikes, even in the same price range, that sound better; I certainly never would have pegged it as 1st-3rd choice for video, but that's what surprised me about the OP 2's youtube clip...

Now, if you want to drive nails with a microphone... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgwNwkejoyg

There's also a video about SM58's some European guys did (can't find it right now)-- freezing it, driving over it, actually driving nails with it, dropping it from huge heights; still working!

GJ
 
Again, I don't subscribe to the theory that the microphone choice is of primary importance for the vast majority of things. I'd much rather have a couple of 57s in the hands of a competent person than the "best" mics around in the hands of someone who doesn't know what they're doing. As this situation illustrates, the best mic for the situation starts with the situation, not the mic. Talk to me about pickup patterns, frequency response, smoothness, SPL handling, self noise (and NOT from specs!)…. But I don't generally want to hear about a model or brand until the basic needs are worked out!
 
I hope I don't sound like too much of a poopihead…. I know I'm on the borderline, but I'm just expounding mellowly… that might not come through my phone keyboard too clearly!
 
Gregg Juke said:
There's also a video about SM58's some European guys did (can't find it right now)-- freezing it, driving over it, actually driving nails with it, dropping it from huge heights; still working!
Click to expand...

I had four SM58s and a M267 mixer that I used to keep in a foam-lined aluminum Halliburton camera case and used a lot for situations like panel discussions (we used to cover a lot of local government meetings) where I needed to mic several speakers around a table and the like. It was a very practical setup in its time (mid '80s).

In the summer of 1990, there was a flood in my basement, where I kept a lot of my equipment. I had to do some triage to get things out of the way of the rising water in time and the mixer case wasn't my top priority -- after all, those cases are watertight, right?

As it turned out they aren't, and it was a couple of weeks before I finally cleaned my way to where that box had been left in the wet basement. The foam inside was completely saturated and the mics and mixer had been sitting in it for the whole time.

The mixer was gone, completely, corroded and circuit board traces eaten away. The microphones lost a lot of their paint and looked just plain disgusting.

Now what you'd like to hear now is that those SM58s survived their soaking without a whimper, but that's not what I'm going to tell you. They may be able to survive being used as a hammer or dropped off a 20-story building or whatever, but leaving them in essence wrapped in a wet sponge for a couple of weeks is, I'm afraid, beyond their limits. Of the four mics, only one made any sound at all, and it was horrendously distorted. Another one could wiggle the VU meter if you banged on it with your hand but didn't pick up anything resembling intelligible audio. They were, in a word, killed. Dead. Defunct.

It was with some sadness that I disposed of them. I still have the case, and with some new foam in it, it carries my AF100 camera today. But I'm not going to leave it in harm's way if the water ever starts rising again ... and my equipment lives on the same floor of the house as I do, now.

- Greg
 
GS-- That's a funny story, and, you're right, I had hoped for a happier ending.

U-- No poopi. It's all good. NOW IF YOU STARTED SHOUTING, that'd be something else...

GJ
 
Hey Fellas,

Unfortunately it's probably going to be a few weeks before I get around to editing the piano footage, but I promise to post here once complete, for better or worse, haha.

However, I do have one new question...

Over the course of the next several weeks I'll be shooting several "talking head" style interviews at various offices and homes in NYC. I will always have access to my Sennheiser MKH-416 shotgun mic, and will sometimes also have access to the AKG - 414B - XLS. Once again, all sound will be going directly into my Zoom H4N.

I'm just wondering, for a talking head style interview where the mic absolutely cannot be seen in the shot, would you guys recommend the AKG over the Sennheiser? Thus far I've been using the shotgun just out of frame facing the talent's mouth, usually from about two feet away.

Assuming the AKG is a better option, is there a specific pickup-pattern setting that you would recommend to cut down on exterior street noise, etc., which can be quite problematic in NYC.

Thanks in advance for any advice you may have.

Best,
Tanner
 
Shotgun outside; AKG 414 (in cardioid pattern) inside if possible...GJ
Tanner Almon said:
Hey Fellas,Unfortunately it's probably going to be a few weeks before I get around to editing the piano footage, but I promise to post here once complete, for better or worse, haha.However, I do have one new question...Over the course of the next several weeks I'll be shooting several "talking head" style interviews at various offices and homes in NYC. I will always have access to my Sennheiser MKH-416 shotgun mic, and will sometimes also have access to the AKG - 414B - XLS. Once again, all sound will be going directly into my Zoom H4N.I'm just wondering, for a talking head style interview where the mic absolutely cannot be seen in the shot, would you guys recommend the AKG over the Sennheiser? Thus far I've been using the shotgun just out of frame facing the talent's mouth, usually from about two feet away.Assuming the AKG is a better option, is there a specific pickup-pattern setting that you would recommend to cut down on exterior street noise, etc., which can be quite problematic in NYC.Thanks in advance for any advice you may have. Best,Tanner
Click to expand...
 
Tanner Almon said:
H...
I'm just wondering, for a talking head style interview where the mic absolutely cannot be seen in the shot, would you guys recommend the AKG over the Sennheiser? Thus far I've been using the shotgun just out of frame facing the talent's mouth, usually from about two feet away.

Assuming the AKG is a better option, is there a specific pickup-pattern setting that you would recommend to cut down on exterior street noise, etc., which can be quite problematic in NYC.

...
Click to expand...
Problem with the AKG is it is designed for closer working than you'll be able to obtain while keeping it out of frame. A large diaphragm cardioid is at its best about 8 to 12 inches from the speaker's mouth. Talking heads interviews good candidates for a wired lav.
 
Thanks everyone. I guess I'll just try both and see what works best.

Just out of curiosity, I also have a Rode NT1-A. Between the AKG and the Rode, which would work best being about two or three feet from a speakers mouth during a talking head interview? I realize neither is ideal, I'm just wondering if one of the two would be significantly better.

Best,
Tanner
 
They will be very similar , the AKG has a Hypercardioid option so it might be better in rejecting out surrounding noise, and technically its a nicer mic, but how well the room is treated will make the most difference. a few stands with moving blankets will make more difference than the mic choice in this situation.

Cant cheat physics.

good luck.
 
Tanner Almon said:
Just out of curiosity, I also have a Rode NT1-A. Between the AKG and the Rode, which would work best being about two or three feet from a speakers mouth during a talking head interview? I realize neither is ideal, I'm just wondering if one of the two would be significantly better.
Click to expand...
Two to three feet is too far for either one, even at 2 feet. 12 inches is about the max you should even THINK of placing them.
 
Thanks everyone. Since both options are less than ideal, I guess the question really is this...

Which sucks the least, shooting talking head interviews with Sennheiser MKH-416 shotgun mic, or shooting talking head interviews with a Rode NT1-A placed about a two feet from the talent's mouth.
I'm guessing the answer is to test both and see what sucks the least.

Just out of curiosity, is there a specific mic any of you would recommend for talking head interviews in people's homes and offices? I'm not really interested in lavs, I just don't have time to deal with them on these shoots.
Thanks,
Tanner
 
Tanner Almon said:
Just out of curiosity, is there a specific mic any of you would recommend for talking head interviews in people's homes and offices? I'm not really interested in lavs, I just don't have time to deal with them on these shoots.
Thanks,
Tanner
Click to expand...

Don't have time to deal with them?

Is it really going to take any more time to mic a talking head with a lav than setting up a C-stand and positioning a boom w/hyper???

We tend to use both on a shot like this.

All the Best!

Dave
 
Thanks Dave. I actually have a wireless Sennhesier G2 system that I actually do usually run as a backup. I just never like how it sounds. I've spent hours watching tutorials on how to properly lav someone and I just never seem to get good results. Obviously it's operator error on my part, but I can just never seem to get the damn things to work consistently during an entire shoot. Either the voice sounds funny or I can just hear mic and or clothing noise. I know it's a lame excuse, but I always prefer the shotgun recording, even when you can hear the echo.
 
Hey everyone,

A few months back several of you offered up some great advice on how to record an upright piano. Anyway, for better or worse, here's the link to the videos....

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL816B15B1F98DE57C&feature=plcp

Although obviously not perfect, I'm very happy with the sound, and more importantly, the client was thrilled with the results. Thanks so much everyone and I'm sorry for taking so long to post the link to these videos.

Thanks again for all the generous advice!!!

Happy new year!
Tanner
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top