The minimum sound recordist kit

scorsesefan

scorsesefan

Veteran
I normally do DP work professionally but I have a lot of sound recording experience on my own projects so I recently applied for a sound recordist gig and got a call back. I thought most of my interview went well, but when I listed my equipment (Tascam DR-680, 1 Sennheiser G2 wireless kit, boom pole, mic stand, Rode NTG-3, Rycote Zeppelin, Sony MDR-7 headphones) there was a pause and I was asked if I had a mixer. I replied that the 680 is a recorder/mixer combo.

My question is what does a "typical" sound recordists kit contain?

Thanks
 
The DR-680 offers a mixing function, but I would hardly classify it as a true mixer, especially for work like this.

For bag work, they want someone who has a true field mixer with XLR line-level outs for feeding cameras and othr gear. Sound Devices 302, 442" or 552. These also have one fader per source, rather than one rotary pot to serve them all.

The SD 552 is a true mixer/recorder combo, as are the 633 and 664.

Their expectations are likely a good, solid mixer and field recorder, or mixer/recorder, boom kit with at least a shotgun if not a couple other mics for versatility, and more than one channel of wireless. Further, they may be looking for someone with a sound recorder that uses TC and can jam-sync to an external source, and if that's the case they may also expect you to provide TC slate. TC expectation is something you need to get from them.

So you could go with a mixer/recorder combo like the Sound Devices 633 or 664, or you could go with a mixer AND recorder like the SD 442 (look for used) and 744 (or 744T for TC).

If two-channel recording is all you need, as opposed to multi-track, the SD 552 may be just fine.
 
Im going to start by asking a question about your question......
Please describe your work flow for a "morning breakfast show location shoot", we have all seen them, a 2-3 person interview 'LIVE to Air' direct to a Satellite or link truck?
You will need to send tone to the truck and then to the studio perhaps via 100m+ of balanced cable (unbalanced is TOTALLY unsuitable in the pro world) then when you get to the interview how do you ride the levels of the 2-3 mics and adjust them up when the people speak and down just a bit when another person speaks. Maybe perhaps one of the people may play some sort of musical instrument how do you ride a boom pole level?
How are you going to handle an incoming signal when you need to feed it to in ear monitors?..... what happens if its a little low how do you get extra gain?
 
Thanks for the info thus far... A bit more info: the job was recording teacher evaluations in a classroom setting.
 
scorsesefan said:
Thanks for the info thus far... A bit more info: the job was recording teacher evaluations in a classroom setting.
Click to expand...

So, depending on how many folks were in on that evaluation, you might have been looking at two wireless lavs (minimum), boom mic, and possibly even a couple of boundary mics around the room. That's a wild guess, since we don't have details on the setup, but an example of what you might have been up against.
 
Alex H. said:
So, depending on how many folks were in on that evaluation, you might have been looking at two wireless lavs (minimum), boom mic, and possibly even a couple of boundary mics around the room. That's a wild guess, since we don't have details on the setup, but an example of what you might have been up against.
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Thanks, Alex. That sound about right.
 
I don't think the 680's internal mixer would be much good for that. I would prefer a console type mixer with linear faders, mix to one track and pre-fader ISOs to the others. Depends if the client is expecting a mixed program to walk away with.
FWIW, I've recorded hundreds of continuing legal educational seminars and always mixed on-the-fly. A lot of taking head at podiums, stand-up presentations (wireless), panel discussions and Q&A. But these were normally in hotel ball rooms w/100-300 audience and ran all day. Some were audio only, others were multi-camera live switched. Audio post mixing was not an option, though I always ran a redundant recorder if the primary crapped out.. or I screwed up (which was more common).
 
There are really two things going on. The first is what you actually need to get decent sound, and the other is what you need so they think you can get decent sound.

I do a lot of post and a bit of production. For a long time that was only shoots that could roll with two channels and no wireless. That actually covers a lot of ground practically but is way below what most folks will expect. I didn't think there was enough work for me to justify building a real production rig, or as I used to say I spent my $50K on post.

I do know folks who do it regularly and to sell yourself takes a fair amount of gear.

A good multitrack recorder is pretty much a given (though Boom Recorder can fill that need if you are not working out of a bag). A mixer generally 8+ channels in and some routing capability so you can record and send monitor feeds.

Boom poles (usually a short and a long).
Shotgun with zeppelin etc.
A few other mics, hyper maybe some extras for plant mics, often a PZM or two.

Lots of wireless. A friend doing mostly ads and industrials brings eight channels...

Wireless monitors. Same guy has something around eight of those also. He says on industrials everyone wearing a suit expects to have one.

And you are going to need a cart to haul it all.

I have since accumulated a number of decent wireless sets so I'm a bit closer, Boom Recorder and a mixer/ interface and some other goodies, but I still would be pretty limited in the kinds of shoots I can get, though I'm probably covered for most no/low film gigs.
 
"The minimum sound recordist kit"
For film, that usually depends on the client's budget.
A production sound recordist for films and 'a job recording teacher evaluations in a classroom setting' (or educational seminars) are completely different. I used completely different gear for the seminars than I now use for films. About the only gear in common are my headphones and maybe a few cables.
In my experience, for film shoots, the most 'requested' gear are Comtecs. (IFBs) Rarely does a UPM state the number of wireless or other gear. I read the script and estimate the needs from there. OTOH, ENG shoots are generally a 3 or 4 channel field production mixer, boom, two talent wireless and a camera hop.
 
Thanks for the info, guys. I admittedly feel more comfortable wearing DP shoes, but this particular job requested a "sound recordist/shooter" so I figured I'd give it a shot. I find it very interesting how different sound and picture are and what particular equipment/skill sets are required for each...
 
If they are asking for a "sound recordist/shooter" they really should not be expecting a lot of audio gear. How are you supposed to shoot and work a mixer?

Well at least it's not as bad as the CL posting I saw. This Bozo wanted a director, screenwriter, cameraman, and sound to work on this film he had "written". ie he had an idea or a story and wanted folks to create it for him, probably for free...
 
Noiz2 said:
If they are asking for a "sound recordist/shooter" they really should not be expecting a lot of audio gear. How are you supposed to shoot and work a mixer?

Well at least it's not as bad as the CL posting I saw. This Bozo wanted a director, screenwriter, cameraman, and sound to work on this film he had "written". ie he had an idea or a story and wanted folks to create it for him, probably for free...
Click to expand...
Yes, Scott. I was going to comment on this. It used to be mostly on CL that I would see these ridiculous ads for you to do everything under the sun and get paid next to nothing, but recently I have seen a few pop up on Mandy. It shows a complete lack of understanding and respect for those of us who have spent years honing our specific crafts.
 
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