Micing more than two people.

Robbie Comeau

Robbie Comeau

Como's back. back again
So here's the deal. I'll be shooting a forum on Thursday, that we need to record quite a few different things. The plan so far is to have a direct feed from the soundboard and that will be the main audio used ( the mic at the podium). As a backup, we will also be using a wireless lav taped to the podium as a backup. There will also be a facilitator that we need to hear and a panel that will be sharing a microphone. I'm not sure exactly how to do this, considering the wireless lav at the podium will be going to the DVX and the soundboard feed will be going to the XH-A1. We're sort of out of channels and we need to figure out the best way to mic this would be. The facilitator needs to be heard, but the panel won't be talking much. I was thinking having a shotgun put on a stand over the panel's table and using anoter wireless lav for the facilitator but what would we use to record it?

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Robbie
 
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Sound mixer (person) using a sound mixer (hardware) is your best bet. What are the details of the scene - 4 or 5 people sitting around a table? 4 or 5 people riding in a car? 4 or 5 people, one at each coner and one in the middle of a hockey rink? Scripted dialog? Interview? Improv?

LOL - you were editing your post as I was typing mine!

You're not really out of channels quite yet from what you described - you only listed 4 mono channels. Send two to one camera, two to the other. If you need more channels you could rent a multitrack recorder for the day and go double system?
 
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Robbie Comeau said:
http://www.isarapix.org/pix10/1207520557.gif


1. wireless mic lav'd to podium
2. soundboard feed/second camera
3. ? are because the details of location of panelists are yet to be determined
4. facilitator if she decides not to use podium*
Click to expand...

Is your "facilitator" the person at the podium mic or is there one person always at the podium and a second who "floats" and may or may not be at the podium? What is house sound doing if the facilitator moves away from the podium mic?
 
No, the facilitator is going to be like the MC for the day. She's going to be introducing who talks and picking who speaks from the panel

I have to talk to house sound tomorrow, to find out how they're going to be set up. Essentially, I would prefer just to record the sound directly from their soundboard without the use of additonal mics.
 
Robbie Comeau said:
No, the facilitator is going to be like the MC for the day. She's going to be introducing who talks and picking who speaks from the panel

I have to talk to house sound tomorrow, to find out how they're going to be set up. Essentially, I would prefer just to record the sound directly from their soundboard without the use of additonal mics.
Click to expand...

What are you planning for your camera coverage assignments? I was thinking house sound may be sending their mix to left and right speakers but if all they're doing is the podium mic it's not stereo, just a mono signal being sent to two speakers. Instead of putting the wireless on the podium as well, take the podium mic from house sound as a single mono feed and send it to one channel on whichever camera is primarily covering that area. Take the wireless and put it on the facilitator, sending it to that camera's other channel (or to one of the channels on the other camera if it's going to be assigned primarily to follow her as she moves about the room). Perhaps put something like a Zoom H2 at the podium for your backup recording. The leaves you two open channels to take audience and panel mics. Shotgun on a stand for the panel would NOT be a good idea - too tight a pattern so there's no way you could aim it so all the people would be on-mic. You might put a wide cardioid on the table or perhaps a PZM mic on the table could work. Take your shotgun, put it on a pistol grip or short boom and have a sound utility working in the audience with it to cover audience questions.
 
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