Need a sound solution setup for a documentary doing nightclub shooting & interviews

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produce12

Active member
Need a sound solution setup for a documentary doing nightclub shooting & interviews

Im using a 7D DSLR and need to maximize my sound quality using a external setup. The project consist of a documentary of rappers nightclubing and interviews. I will be in a noisy environment and sometimes in quite environment . Currently I have the Sennhieser G3 ME4 Cardioid Lav (566-608Mghz) thats to be worn on the person Im interviewing. The receiver is attached to Zoom H4N to record the sound. However when I get the audio playback I keep hearing static it appears that way when moving. Someone mentioned I needed to get a omnidirectional mic instead of the cardioid. Is this true ? Also what about my frequency ? Should I get A or B band ? Zoom H4N is this sufficient ? Or Should I get the Tascam DR-100 ? I want the best sound I can get. Please advise me which route to take. Thanks
 
Well I spent about $900 on the equipment I have now the Zoom H4N and Senny G3 wireless lav system. My budget is either exchanging what I have for better equipment so basically $900 is my budget.
 
The type of mic will have no affect on static or other noises - unless there is a problem/defect with the mic itself.

Does the static sound like a bad cable, digital distortion, clothing rub or RF interference? Each one will have a different solution.

You should also check on the output of the Senny G3 and the input of the Zoom. Are you pushing anything too hard or not hard enough?

Audio troubleshooting is a real PITA; there can be a multitude of sometimes interlocking causes and solutions.
 
Produce,

Can you post a sound clip?

You did mention that it happens when moving, so I would start with batteries and lav placement.


Try replicating the problem. Does it only happen on this location, or is it all the time. First thing with any wireless is change the batteries all round. If it is on location only, it could be external interference like a light ballast, a ground loop in the building or who knows. Try turning stuff off and on in the room, change frequencies on the wireless, ferreting this out can be really difficult. You don't want to hear this, but a wired mic will always perform better and in particular where there is interference. If it happens all the time, try placing the lav differently, swap out or test cables, test everything beforehand for good operation. Good luck.

Grant
 
In my opinion, rather than going out and purchasing other gear in the same price range, it sounds to me that you need to get better aquatinted with the gear you already own.

Good Luck!
 
With your wireless system, even if your issue isn't interference, you should take two minutes to scan for available frequencies at a new location. Once the scan is done, pick one of those.

It's easy with the G3 (or most wireless). In your case on the receiver, go to "Easy Setup" -> Scan New List. Pick a preset.

Then just use the "sync" function to get the transmitter and receiver talking (battery covers open, facing each other).

Now this, by no means, will guarantee interference-free operation; you can't know when some new transmission device (using the same frequency or spread of frequencies that yours happens to be in the middle of) comes online. But it's a start.

Hope that helps.
 
Let's face a few facts, be carefull I'm not going to be "kind" but "straight to the point":-p

- external sound --> sync is needed --> clap is needed; so are you going to clap everytime ? I think not ? I'm sure you will forget it 80% of the time.
It's just like that...it's with everyone...


- I would record on a camera like Sony, Panasonic. With sound directly on cam. And then having someone to handle the camera and you asking questions
Handheld microphone connected to the camera (XLR input). There's no one on earth paying attention if the image is D7 quality or not. No one cares.

- And if possible someone doing sound (maybe a student doing sound at school or who has just finished school), I suppose it's an unpayed thing you're doing ?
If you find that person, then you'll have better sound for sure. And of course then you use an external mixer (a 2 channel mixer would be enough)

- Handheld is best in "loud music, club, shouting" situation. You could also use the G3 in more quite places.
 
Still not answering my question people. Am I using the correct wireless setup with the frequency and cardioid mic for what Im tryna do ?
 
produce12 said:
Still not answering my question people. Am I using the correct wireless setup with the frequency and cardioid mic for what Im tryna do ?
Click to expand...

While an omni lav is generally preferred for film/video work your cardioid should be fine. The problem with a cardioid is the timbre of the voice changes as the subject moves their head but in an interview situation that's not a critical issue. As for whether you should use units in the A or B frrequency range, it doesn't matter as long as both receiver and transmitter are in the same band. The different ranges are so you can purchase units that can more easily work around the fixed transmitters such as TV stations that are also on the air in your geographic area. It's not that one is better functionally than the other. If there were a lot of other (non-wireless mic) users operating on frequencies lying in the A range in your city, you'd want to buy B range units, and vice versa. Since you haven't told us where you are located, we can't have a clue whether A or B would be better for you. Go to the Senny website and look at their Frequency Finder. You plug in your location and it'll help you decide what frequency range is optimal for you.

You haven't really given us much info that we need to help you. You ask if the "static" was caused by your setup but what exactly do you mean by "static" and exactly what can trigger it? There are a lot of things that could loosely be described as a staticy noise, from cable rubs to RF dropouts to cell phone interference to multipath issues to overdriving the recorder input and without more knowldge of the details of what you're doing now and a sample recording of the sound we don't have anything to go on in diagnosing the issue. It like calling up a doctor and saying "I feel sick, what is it I've got?" without even telling him your symptoms.
 
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