Best option for recording a drumline competition

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randomname

Well-known member
So i've recently been hired to shoot a drumline competition and the client is very specific in that they want high quality audio from the floor. The problem is that the camera is going to be about 75 yards away from the floor and now I'm trying to figure out what the best option is going to be (as far as both how to record it and what mic to use). My initial thought was to just set a shotgun mic on a C stand on the floor, connect it to a wireless transceiver and run the audio in to my camera, do any of you guys have any other suggestions?
 
randomname said:
So i've recently been hired to shoot a drumline competition and the client is very specific in that they want high quality audio from the floor. The problem is that the camera is going to be about 75 yards away from the floor and now I'm trying to figure out what the best option is going to be (as far as both how to record it and what mic to use). My initial thought was to just set a shotgun mic on a C stand on the floor, connect it to a wireless transceiver and run the audio in to my camera, do any of you guys have any other suggestions?
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If the client has already specified that they "want high quality audio from the floor" then the criterion for success has been established. Absolutely, hire a sound guy. No, really. I'm not kidding. Neither is your client.

Before you do that, define the parameters you have to work in, because the audio guy's going to ask. How big is "the floor" you're talking about? Is this in an enclosed space -- like a basketball arena? An orchestra practice hall? What? Or an outside space, like a football practice field? How much space do you have to cover? Will the drumline competitors be moving, like marching? Will they give you any information ahead of performance that would let you optimize your setup for each competitor? Or do you have to have exactly one setup that "works" for all competitors without changing?

No matter what, a single shotgun mic on a c-stand in the middle of "the floor" is almost certainly not the answer. Certainly not if the client actually wants stereo. Do they?
 
And go to a rehearsal to get an idea of what you are up against. Precision drumming is hard. They practice every day. Shouldn't be difficult to arrange.
 
I used to do indoor drumline. It is LOUD.

You should definitely hire a should person. I could easily make this a 6 track audio situation. Do a discrete 6 track recording and then send a 2 channel scratch track to the camera via wireless. Sync it up in FCP later.

In terms of gear, I'd use some good quality small diaphragm cardioid condensors, like KM184's, or something like that. I'd have at least two stereo pairs, if not three on mic stands that can go really high. You'll make sure you get good coverage on the battery and the pit, so you'll need floor mics for the pit. I'd run all the mics into a Zaxcom Nomad as my main audio recorder. I'd then take a stereo output and run that to a transmitter and put an ERX receiver on the camera for the stereo scratch track.

It's indoor drumline. There will be drill, so they will be moving. The space they have to perform in is a little bigger than a volleyball court with the pit in front.

But...like I said..hire a sound person. Dealing with audio and camera on something like this is too much for one person. I've seen entire crews on these things doing multi-cam with two sound people. If you fly solo you will be in way over your head.
 
OK, well, I suppose I should have translated that for everyone here. While he said "high quality audio," what he meant was "the best possible you can send straight in to the camera without spending any extra money." I realize that whatever I end up is not going to be all that great, but I'm working with a budget of $100.
 
+1 on going to a rehearsal to really see what you're dealing with - (retired band director here)
There will be groups of snare drums, bass drums, and multi-drums moving about in the main area while they perform (like marching band movements only not as active as most modern bands). Then there will be a second stationary percussion group (the "pit" Dave mentioned) at the front close to the audience that includes keyboard percussion (xylophones, marimbas, etc.), timpani, latin hand percussion things, and maybe even gongs and the like. It will all be VERY loud (at times) and the room will probably be very live with lots of echo.

It's a very tough situation - go to a rehearsal and experiment...
 
randomname: I'm working with a budget of $100.
Steve: Lots o' luck...
Yeah, I guess a pro sound mixer is out of the question.
 
At a minimum, and I guess that is what "high quality" translates to here, you need a stereo pair. This is going to loud as hell so they probably could be back a bit and so get decent coverage. You could either go center with a pair crossed or you can go wide. My general preference is wide but depending on how wide the "line" is that may be impractical. IF you can get your hands on a MixPre the limiters might well save your bacon on something like this.
 
$100? Oh man...unless you have a good amount of gear you are willing to rent out for free....I'd reconsider even doing the gig. Something isn't going to be right and you'll get the blame. But, if you are going to do it a stereo shotgun up by your camera will get the sound at least and you'll be far enough away that it won't puke out the mic, but depending on the room it could get really washy sounding and you could lose a lot of the cool bass runs and battery solos that they tend to do.
 
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