laving collar shirt
- Thread starter mumin
- Start date
This is a great question as I am always having the same problem and at the moment am just making it up as i go along with not very satisfactory results. I own tram mics which i have found are not good for putting in the knot of the tie. Hiding in the collar does not seem to work for me, in fact gives me the nastiest results. Perhaps i am doing it wrong?
So generally, i now attempt to hide it inbetween the buttons of the shirt where one side of the shirt overlaps the other side. This is ok sometimes but depends on the type of shirt. Its has got to the point where i dread micing up shirts on guys.
I am now thinking of purchasing mics that would suit this situation better, perhaps cos 11 or countryman, but before i do this it would be great to hear any tips you guys have.
John Willett
Veteran
This is probably because you are not decoupling the cable from the mic.
When you clip the mic. on to the shirt loop the cable up and then down behind the shirt and trap the cable between the clip and the shirt - then any cable rubbing does not transmit nois back to the mic.
I have found that the Sanken COS-11 and the Countryman B6 are the best for burying in wardrobe. Sanken even makes a little "rubber duck" especially for hiding mics. With the B6, you have to make your own. Both hide easily in the tie-knot, and the B6 can be hidden in plain sight due to its size... just tape it down inside the shirt and poke the capsule out through a button hole. Every sound professional has tricks to hiding mics that they'd rather keep as trade secrets, but there are some very basic things that you need to think about.
First, is there a t-shirt under the collared/button-down shirt? If so, how loose is the clothing? You might find that some of the rub is coming not from the mic but from the two layers of fabric underneath the mic.
Extremely hairy chests can also create problems.
Also, static can be an issue, and starch enhances the issue. It's hard to identify as it often sounds like fabric rub. I keep a small bottle of Static-Guard in my kit. A quick spray-down of the shirt can soften a starchy shirt and eliminate static.
John's loop suggestion has another valuable benefit: strain relief. The loop absorbs any pulling on the cable, which can keep it from being yanked out of place and can keep the fragile copper inside from being torn out at the capsule (a very expensive repair that usually requires buying a new mic altogether).
And the collar may or may not be the best spot. Have you tried between the overlap in the button-down front? Good spot on golf shirts as well.
First, is there a t-shirt under the collared/button-down shirt? If so, how loose is the clothing? You might find that some of the rub is coming not from the mic but from the two layers of fabric underneath the mic.
Extremely hairy chests can also create problems.
Also, static can be an issue, and starch enhances the issue. It's hard to identify as it often sounds like fabric rub. I keep a small bottle of Static-Guard in my kit. A quick spray-down of the shirt can soften a starchy shirt and eliminate static.
John's loop suggestion has another valuable benefit: strain relief. The loop absorbs any pulling on the cable, which can keep it from being yanked out of place and can keep the fragile copper inside from being torn out at the capsule (a very expensive repair that usually requires buying a new mic altogether).
And the collar may or may not be the best spot. Have you tried between the overlap in the button-down front? Good spot on golf shirts as well.
I have an option using "callus cushions" (see link) which works very well. Place the mic body the cavity in center of cushion with cord running underneath...then stick on clothing at preferred concealed location on talent. If the mic barrel protrudes above the surface of the cushion you can double them up creating a deeper "trough".
http://www.drscholls.com/drscholls/productSearch.do?method=doProductDetailsLookup&searchArg=11
what mics are you using this method with?