how many mics do you have ?

I just have one microphone, but it's really really big! :laugh:



Run&Gun said:
A few years ago we were running around a college campus during football season doing live shots from various locations with talent, players, coaches, etc. We asked the producer going in, how many people max would ever need to be wired up at once. We were told 2-3. So we decided to travel as light as possible since we would be running around and only brought the 3-channel mixer(SD302, before I bought a 633 as the Run & Gun mixer). About half-way through the producer says we're going into the coaches office for a "tour" with him. We need four people mic'd up. We ran four channels of wireless into a three channel mixer and mixed it down to two channels that were sent to me wirelessly. Oh, yeah, and this was all live. My audio guy was glad when that shot was over.
Click to expand...


This kind of crap happens all the time!

College campus, scripts ahead of time, knew we would be working with only 3 people mic'd at once, doing 3 30 second spots.

Got there and their media person in charge came up with her own concept, which involved 14 students walking the campus in sub-zero weather while freight trains passed near by, each student telling why they chose school X. I had never seen someone stomp their feet and throw a fit like she did when we told her that we were not only unprepared for her concept, but it was also over 4 minutes long, and her airbuy was for 30 second spots.
 
David W. Jones said:
I just have one microphone, but it's really really big! :laugh:
Click to expand...

Yeah, yeah... brag about it...

David W. Jones said:
College campus, scripts ahead of time, knew we would be working with only 3 people mic'd at once, doing 3 30 second spots.

Got there and their media person in charge came up with her own concept, which involved 14 students walking the campus in sub-zero weather while freight trains passed near by, each student telling why they chose school X. I had never seen someone stomp their feet and throw a fit like she did when we told her that we were not only unprepared for her concept, but it was also over 4 minutes long, and her airbuy was for 30 second spots.
Click to expand...

I refer back to the mantra from my days in broadcast news: “Communication is our business; it’s not what we do.”
 
The original op/poster probably isn't looking for 30 mics in his collection, so hopefully those first few replies didn't send him running for the hills. For interviews, corp video, and short narrative shoots, I've gotten by on basically four mics over the past decade: 2 countryman lavs for interviews, a Rode NTG3 for outdoor booming, and an Audix SCX1 hyper for indoor booming, which is probably what I use the most. I also invested in a decent Rode boom pole, mic stand, 30 foot XLR cables, and a deadcat. I've found this combination to be very reliable.

On a shoot that requires wireless lavs or really any level of complexity beyond what a two or three man crew can juggle, I hire a sound professional, and of course they usually bring their own medley to the mix.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: jcs
Noiz2 said:
I have great sympathy for location recordists. I have hardly ever been on location where they gave an accurate assessment of needs ahead of time. And on a couple of occasions where we specced certain items to be available they were not there when I arrived, or were not what was asked for. In one location it took three tries before they got a mixer that came close enough to what was specced. We needed the live mixer to feed direct outs to the recording set up. First mixer didn't have direct outs, second mixer didn't even function!
Click to expand...

That is why you don't use production's gear!
 
IronFilm said:
That is why you don't use production's gear!
Click to expand...

Not really an option in that case. It was a live presentation and there were five mics on the principals and four simultaneous translators. Double micing was not an option so taking the venues feed was the only choice.

But as a rule I agree 100%. Bring everything you need and a lot of extras and stay clear of anything you don't own/control.
 
I'm not even a "sound guy" and I've collected quite a few. This kit can cover a wide variety of situations for a one man band like myself. I have thus far avoided really high end mics as my level of production doesn't warrant more expensive gear. The next step up in quality would be about double what I've spent and the increased investment would hardly be worth it to my ears.

AT875 shotgun because everyone should have one for the price
AT897 shotgun since it is battery powered (great for plug-on gear) and also my first off cam mic
NTG3 shotgun since it sounds great and hits above its weight in price
RE50 N/D x2 reporters mic
4053b x2 SDC great boom mic which need to be in pairs for interviews
4050 x2 LDC for music. A large mic but very versatile with great sound
ME2 x2 lav came with my wireless kits. Mostly used as sacrificial anodes
EMW x2 lav for Senn wireless
EMW x2 lav for phantom power
Rode VideoMicro in case I have to
CAD M37 x3 LDC a gift from my bro that sound surprisingly good for cheap mics

My want list:
RE20 for VO and vocals
CS3e pure lust

Sold:
PR40 dynamic it hated me
Mk012 x2 good but not nearly as good as the 4053b
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top