Lav mic frustrations

G

grantw

Well-known member
So I got the Countryman EMW Peaked Lav Mic to run into my H4N for interviews, specially hiding it clothes. I tested it the night before using moleskin and hiding it on my shirt and got decent results. But when it came time to do the interview I just couldn't get clean audio. He was wearing a button down so I tried on the tshirt, under the buttons (which worked on my tests) even a few places under the collar. Finally I just decided to use it as a regular clip on and put on his jacket but I was still getting crazy noise from clothes.

Should I just return it and get a simple lav and forget about trying to hide it in clothes, or will things get better if I just keep at it and try different methods. I shoot alot of things by myself so it takes up so much time sometimes trying different mic placements while the talent is waiting, I almost think its just not worth it and stick with clip on even though I'm not thrilled about the look.
 
Better option might be a mic stand and a boom mic out of frame above the subjects head. Lav and the sound of rustling clothes pretty much go together. That's why Lavs are really limited utility in film making IMO.

Edit:
By that I mean Lavs are what you use when there is just no way to boom. They are never the 1st choice.
 
Did you create the strain-relief loop below the mic capsule? By looping the cable once, a couple inches below the capsule, and taping it down to the inside of the wardrobe, not only do you protect against sudden tugs and pulls but you also protect against fabric rub traveling up the mic cable. This is a must-do.

Also, the next time you're at a drug store like Walgreen's or CVS (and you might even find it at Wally World), look for a travel-sized can of Static Guard. If you find that a mic is getting noise both above and below wardrobe, and you have the loop in there, it could be static build-up. It also helps soften starchy shirts which can be problematic. Do not spray it directly on the mic! Have the subject stand with arms outstretched and do a once-over of the shirt with the spray. If the mic is buried it shouldn't be a problem, but if it's exposed be sure to cover or hide it before spraying.

For seated interviews where the subject's back will never be toward the camera, I have also taped the mic just inside the outer flap of the collar. It hides in the shadows, and is uninhibited by fabric. But if the person has a 5:00 shadow, that can cause noisy rub on the collar.

All that aside, a mic on a boom is usually a fool-proof first choice for seated interviews, especially if you're a one-man-band.
 
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I agree - you need to establish where the noise is coming from - fabric running across the flat face, or vibrations through the cable - only then can you figure out what to do!
 
I have a couple of EMWs and it isn't the best lav for stealth, though with practice, you should be able to make it work. You might want to consider something like the B6 or another tiny lav that you can polk through a button hole or use other out in the open stealth techniques. You will always have to deal with cable issues. This is a mindset - production value question: if you are doing a basic interview, is there any problem with being able to see the mic? You get to see them in many news broadcasts; is it really going to bother the viewer?

Grant
 
I've had good success with TRAM 50 lav, by using a vampire clip to clip it to the inside edge of the subject's shirt. So the lav is on the inside of the shirt ( between button holes ), and I face the lav mic capsule towards the vampire clip so that it pretty much only pics up sound from above. ( from the gap between the mic and the clip ) This combo also results in very little ambient sound being recorded. ( Yesterday I shot an interview in an office space with quite loud AC that could not be turned off or blocked, but because of the way I had the mic positioned the TRAM 50 mostly just picked up my subject as they spoke, and very little of the AC hiss got through.
 
It is funny with filming an interview. People know you are interviewing someone, and it is common to see a lavaliere mic on someone's lapel. I am not so sure why there is angst about it being obvious. People just want to hear clear audio.

I agree about the mic stand or boom. I saw a nice clip the other day that talked about good dialog using a boom mic, http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/freshdv/story/booming_audio/

Many ways to approach the problem.
 
I did a bunch of interviews for AMC a few years back and I did a lav on the lapel and a boom on a stand, and we ended up using the boom for everything.
 
the rycote undercovers can help also. And medicine tape.

and sometimes tape it on the "2nd" layer and the "1st" layer (so that it's between).

But it's hard to explain actualy without seeing... Just trie...It depends on a lot

And with woman...just go between the breasts.... Yes it's very "becoming red"-thing...But you'll get used to it. And if you do it "fast", without shaking hands and just "go for it"
they wont be "afraid". They'll know that you're just doing what you have to do. If not just ask to stick it "there" (pointing)
 
"And with woman...just go between the breasts.... Yes it's very "becoming red"-thing...But you'll get used to it. And if you do it "fast", without shaking hands and just "go for it"
they wont be "afraid". They'll know that you're just doing what you have to do. If not just ask to stick it "there" (pointing)"

Priceless!

Grant
 
"And with woman...just go between the breasts.... Yes it's very "becoming red"-thing...But you'll get used to it. And if you do it "fast", without shaking hands and just "go for it" they wont be "afraid". They'll know that you're just doing what you have to do. If not just ask to stick it "there" (pointing)"

:)

That's what she said! ::rim shot::

But seriously folks, wardrobe itself could have been your problem. Custom tailored suits and shirts fit tight to the body and cause more rub, which the mic will hear. Starched shirts and/or shirt collars are a problem. Shirts that are slightly too small at the neck cause audibly more rub.

Silk and nylon fabrics are noisier than most others.

It really is a crap shoot. For most sit down interviews, a boom mic is best, but I have had situations where uncontrollable ambient noise has made the lav the best sound.

Regards,

Ty Ford
 
I've gotten to the point with any gig where I'm doing it all... stick a blimp on a c-stand.

I have a 5/8 female stud - to - 3/8 thread adapter. Screw it into the blimp and then stick it on a sandbagged baby stand/boom setup. If it's indoors I just use the shock mount. It's cheaper than one of those boom-pole hooks and way, way easier to adjust.

I did buy an AT4053 for my main mic vs. skimping on the mic (OK, dedicated audio pros may consider that skimping!); and when it's in the blimp, I attach an on/off switch XLR barrel connector. I don't need the switch, but it gets the mic right up to the front of the blimp - and 3.5" closer to the talent. It's just a mic-barrel extender in this case.
 
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