Microphone for post ADR

M

Maheel

Active member
I would like to have the advise from the experienced regarding a good mike for ADR. (Not the most expensive one pl) Also Mixer / Sound Card requirements. I run Nuvendo on PC.

Thanks.
 
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As Richard said ... There's a difference between ADR and voice-over. ADR is dialog replacement, lines that will intercut with lines recorded on location, and needs to match the same timbre as the original dialog. It occurs in the psychological space of the scene on the screen. As Richard said, part of this process is to record it using the same mics the other location dialog was recorded with. Voice-over and narration is outside the screen space. It is a direct communication with the viewer and needs a more direct and intimate sound.
 
I have heard the same mic statement used a lot on indi forums but in my experience that is not at all a rule with high budget film ADR. The ADR supervisor for Titanic, among many other big films, carries around a RE20 as his main ADR mic. None of the other ADR folks I have worked with paid much attention to trying to match the production mic either.

While matching mics make some sense on paper, and wouldn't hurt, the fact is that there are so many other things that are different in an ADR session from the on set recordings that the mic is pretty insignificant. I think the "rule" of using the same mic shows up on indi discussions because they are not planning on having anyone to really edit it so it's one step closer to fitting in.

So if your not planning on a real sound post then maybe it's an advantage. If your going to work on it (if you don't it's not going to sound real anyway) then any good mic with out a big "personality" should work fine.

The logic on the RE20 was that it worked well on pretty much everything from individual lines to walla and was near unclipable so people could scream into it. I use a Heil PR40. It's very similar to the RE20 but has I think a nicer evener sound. It also sells for around 1/2 of the price.
 
Thanks for all for their advise.

Edwin,
Thanks.
Looking for a PR40. Nice price also.

Has any one experience with Shure SM7?
 
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Mmmmmmm. An RE20..... I have used them in the past, though don't have one now in the locker. I love that mic.
 
Maheel said:
Has any one experience with Shure SM7?
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They're very well rated and for the price, you simply can't go wrong. Problem is when you mix boomed sound with ADR.
Other than this, one mic I liked for the price was an Audio-Technica ATM-650, which I've used both for ADR and boomed (using a preamp) and in both conditions it gave decent results. Sells for ~100$ compared to the SM7 which is roughly 60$ as far as I know.
 
The sm7b is often compaired to the re20 but does not cost 60$, more around 360$. I still prefer the re20 on almost all uses to the sm7b.
 
In my experience doing ADR work, the client will request the mic when booking the session.
The only time they don't, Is low budget indie films where they don't have a clue.
While I do have an RE20 in the locker, it has never been requested for ADR work.
Microphone pre-amps also come into play when doing ADR. The two I use most for ADR are Sound Devices and John Hardy.
 
It is for my work. Not for rental. So it seems either PR 40 or SM7 would fit for Vocals. If needed for ADR I could use the mikes used for original recording or use these.

Any advise re: Sound card/Miser etc. I use Nuendo on PC.

Thanks all for their valuable input.
 
My point wasn't that you should use an RE20 for ADR but that going out of your way to match the production mic is probably a waste of effort. The more work you are going to do on the ADR the less it matters ,providing that the ADR mic has at least as good a spectrum as the production mic.

So for instance if some crazy person with a body builder boom op used a large diaphragm condenser for production you are not going to get away with a small thin sounding mic for ADR. But the reverse can work fine IF you really edit/ mix the sound in post.
 
Sorry but that makes no sense to me.
Using the same mic/pre combo instantly gets you into the same ballpark when matching dialogue.
 
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The dialogue recorded from the produxtion mic/pre will be worked with to get the right sound needed for the shot. It's about getting the cleanest full spectrum recording possible. This doesn't work with a lot of indies because the hired soundies are amatuer. In this case it makes sense to just use what was on set... But bring that to an actual studio and the options open to what works best for the client. An re20 may work well on the guy that does Jack Nicholson but a u87 might work better with the guy doing Jesus on South Park.
 
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I can only speak for my experience but I've been contacted a few times through the years by post (non local) about what mic I used on a particular set.

The one that comes to mind is a post house that was also currently doing all the ADR work for an HBO show.

The job I did was a commercial. The client wanted to add a line and the post house took the time to call and find out what mic I used so they could use the same.
I remember I told them it was a schoeps mk41 and they even asked if I was using a CUT-1 or not.

On the other side, a local company I do a lot of work for did some ADR work for a major movie (1 actor that happened to be in town working on a different movie)
and they used a large diaphram neumann and supposedly the "movie people" were fine with it.

So I think it really just depends on how far someone wants to go with it.
The same voice through 2 different high quality mic's isn't going to be THAT much different, especially to the final viewer, but if you can
do it there is no reason not to.
 
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David W. Jones said:
Sorry but that makes no sense to me.
Using the same mic/pre combo instantly gets you into the same ballpark when matching dialog.
Click to expand...

Unless you are booming that mic in a similar environment it doesn't get you close at all.

You get a relatively close miced performance in a relatively dead room. If you want to get a head start record the ADR in a similar environment, that will get you in the ballpark, that I do all the time on no budget films.
 
Rippie said:
The same voice through 2 different high quality mic's isn't going to be THAT much different, especially to the final viewer, but if you can
do it there is no reason not to.
Click to expand...

I completely agree, no reason not to if you can.
 
drapeama said:
My bad, I misread it, I was sure it was the SM57, which is a cheap but quite good mic for vocal.
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Ennnnnnnn.

The 57 is a great "utility" dynamic. Can't figure out what to throw in front of a source? Grab a 57 as a start. But beyond that, it is the Walmart version of any high quality dynamic. And it is highly distinctive.
 
Interesting arguments. According to the discussion, what I need is an additional mic for vocals.

Re Sound Card , Doc mentioned Motu 828 MkII. I understand this unit is no longer available. Any idea about Motu Audio Express. What I need is to get good quality vocals in to the computer. I am not mixing Music. But I want compatibility with apps like Nuendo since my need is to record Diolouge/VO for features.

Thanks all for their valuable input.
 
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