GH2 Need some audio help...

P

Park Edwards

Veteran
Hello all --

I post here every now and then, chiming in to help others, and I hope some of you can return the favor and help me sort out my Gh2 audio. I just shot a short over the last few weeks and still found my audio to be sufficiently lacking.

Here's a quick setup.
Rode NTG-3
ART USB Dual Pre: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/USBDualPre/
Edirol R 09 recorder: http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.php?ProductId=757
I tried one time to feed the audio from the ART directly into the Gh2 and was too to hot. So I just went to shooting it separately.

Some things I've noticed is the audio is very low. When I monitor, it's very hard to hear. When it's recorder, it's very low. What's the deal? If i turn the gain up too high on the ART, I can hear background noise everywhere, and then the talent gets drowned out. What are some solutions? Should I trade in my ART and Edirol and go another route? Ugh, the one thing I have yet to learn and master is the audio aspect of filmmaking. It's so crucial, too. Anyway, go easy on me, explain things like I'm five. Help a buddy out. Thoughts please. If you need, I can upload an audio clip to help give you an idea of what I'm facing.
 
Car3o said:
Hello all --

I post here every now and then, chiming in to help others, and I hope some of you can return the favor and help me sort out my Gh2 audio. I just shot a short over the last few weeks and still found my audio to be sufficiently lacking.

Here's a quick setup.
Rode NTG-3
ART USB Dual Pre: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/USBDualPre/
Edirol R 09 recorder: http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.php?ProductId=757
I tried one time to feed the audio from the ART directly into the Gh2 and was too to hot. So I just went to shooting it separately.

Some things I've noticed is the audio is very low. When I monitor, it's very hard to hear. When it's recorder, it's very low. What's the deal? If i turn the gain up too high on the ART, I can hear background noise everywhere, and then the talent gets drowned out. What are some solutions? Should I trade in my ART and Edirol and go another route? Ugh, the one thing I have yet to learn and master is the audio aspect of filmmaking. It's so crucial, too. Anyway, go easy on me, explain things like I'm five. Help a buddy out. Thoughts please. If you need, I can upload an audio clip to help give you an idea of what I'm facing.
Click to expand...


It would probably be better to ask this question in the Audio section. I'm not familiar with either the ART USB Dual Pre, nor the Edirol R 09. I did a quick check, and did not see anything in regard to TRS input for the R 09. I don't know if that's an issue. But, if you don't know the cabling and conventions of cabling, you should read up on such things. You could have something mixed up in the signal path coming from the mic via the pre-amp to the recorder.

You should also familiarize yourself with any indicators on the Edirol, to indicate the sound level being recorded. You may have to adjust the pre-amp output such that one has a good signal, but does not clip. the max meter indication should by around -12 to -6 dB.

If you have to 'boost' the amplifier to 'hear' something, and that something is overcome by 'background' noise, you probably have the microphone too far away from the speaker. There are stickies in the audio section about this sort of thing, but often the number 18 inches from the speaker is given as a 'good' distance. Further away one will begin to hear more background, and more 'echo' from the environment of the speaker. Also a 'shotgun' is not typically recommended for 'indoor' work. The NTG-3 is listed as a shotgun.
 
Hey man...something doesn't sound right.

I am familiar with all of those products you're using and it should be giving you better results IMHO.
The fact that the audio was too hot going direct into the GH2 but way way low going into the Roland is troublesome to me.
Unfortunately this is the kind of thing that usually has to be troubleshot "hands-on".

Everyone has their own way - but I like to try to eliminate suspects first.
First thing I would want to try is going back to ART-into-GH2. But let's try to lower the incoming gain so as not to overload the GH2. How did you do it?
I would even try using the headphone out. Get a cable that can go from there into the GH2 and then lower the volume with the headphone volume controller on the back of the ART. Once you get it into a non-clipping range - how does it sound?
If it sounds good then there maybe something afoul in your longer signal path.
If you get a louder version of that same "drowned out by the background" sound - then it's your mic technique. You may find that the RODE needs to be much closer than you first thought. OR the polar pattern or "pickup pattern" of the RODE might not be narrow enough for what you're doing.

Why the recorded level is coming out so low on the Roland while that same level overloaded the GH2 is a concern to me...that doesn't sound right. Should there be a difference in level? -Yes....but not THAT much.

EDIT: I see there is only a stereo mini-input for external mics and line-in on the Edirol.
IF...IF you are using this as the input from the ART...then what hole on the ART are you coming out of? And how?
And most importantly...are you SURE that the EDIROL is really recording your RODE? A possibility from the results you described is that the EDIROL is still only recording from its own microphones and NOT your external RODE - that certainly would give you the results you described.
You need to make sure that the EDIROL is properly switching over to your external mic when it records.
 
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