Tascam D40

[bwaysteve]

I am new to audio and have purchased a TascamDR40 and a AT 897 shotgun.
I am filming a short and will probably renta two quality lavs in addition to shotgun.
There is no budget for a pro or I would be doing that.
My basic settings on DR 40 are BFW 96khz 24bit .With two actors using 2 lavs.Should I change the rec to stereo or mono ea channel.
What is the correct set up using a shotgun and lav plugged in at the same time (one actor).I have time to practice with my inexperienced "crew" but I need basic settings.

 

[Alex H.]

96k is overkill. The only reason to go there is for recording FX that will be heavily processed in post-production. For dialog, keep it at 48k, 24-bit (though it will end up 16-bit in the end).

You should be using the stereo recording mode, set to external mic-level inputs, which will keep the two inputs separated during recording. The downside to the DR-40 is that the two channels/inputs do not have independent level control, so you'll need to be very careful in your setup.

This absolute most important thing you can do is to make sure you wear headphones while you record. That's the way to detect problems when they occur, and fix them before it's too late.

Since you're talking about renting lavs, you might want to look at renting a mixer (about $30/day, +/-) as well. That will give you better control over independent levels between the two record channels.

 

[davefisk]

Since you're talking about renting lavs, you might want to look at renting a mixer (about $30/day, +/-) as well. That will give you better control over independent levels between the two record channels.

I'll give a big thumbs up to this part. Even if it's just a 2 channel Sound Devices Mix Pre, it'll be a huge help.