Shotguns and Lavs...Both at the same time?

S

stzasan

Member
Just getting started learning, especially when it comes to audio. I'm about to purchase a Z1U soon and I'm not sure where to go with the sound. I'm not sure if I should go shotgun style or more towards the lavs. And I was wondering since the Z1U has two XRLs' is it possible to use both a shotgun and a lav system? At the same time and whatnot, would that yield a better overall sound?
 
Depends on what you are doing. If its an interview, I will generally do both a boom and a lapel. That way to editor can pick which ever they prefer. If you are doing narrative or dramatic you may find that just the shotgun is disirable. However sometimes you gotta do what you got to do the get clean audio. They way I figure it, is that you have two channels right? Put boom on one channel and throw a lapel on your lead and go to town. If the boom is good then you are golden, just dissregard the lapel, but you never know when you may just need that lapel audio. Especially if you are doing a run and gun type setup. No sense in recording nothing to that other channel, and typically camera mic = nothing, IMHO.

So I guess my answer is, it depends. How helpful huh? Give us some more details on what you plan on doing.
 
For interviews use both, in case one of them stops working mid-way through the interview.

Wear headphones too so that you can constantly check the audio. Sounds weird to have different microphones in each ear, but you'll never have to re-do an interview this way.
 
pmark23 said:
For interviews use both, in case one of them stops working mid-way through the interview.

Wear headphones too so that you can constantly check the audio. Sounds weird to have different microphones in each ear, but you'll never have to re-do an interview this way.
Click to expand...

Lavs and boomed mics seldom sound the same for any number of reasons. If you have a sound person listening properly, you'll know if something stops working.

I'd be more concerned about tape drop out, forcing you to use whatever is on the other track. My first grab is a boom mic; hypercardioid or shotgun. Second grab is a lav. Good boom mics in the right place simply sound better.

Regards,

Ty Ford
 
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