VO - How close can I get w/ shotgun mic?

R

Ryan-Guy

Well-known member
I trying to record some VO that is as intimate feeling as possible. I want my recording to sound like the artist is right there. Am I thinking correctly that i should get the mic as close as possible, or is there such a thing as too close? Any suggestions?

I have a Sanken CS3e and a DR680 with Busman pre-amp mod.

Thanks!
 
Yes you can get to close. You should be able to hear that, it's called the proximity effect.

But take care with the acoustics of the recording area. Try various areas, small and dead sounding to start with. Keep your test recordings to compare later
and write down all your settings. After a while it's easy to become confused with levels, distances etc.

Cheers.
 
If you are wanting the best quality then a shotgun mic is totally the wrong mic for the job as the capsule is at the rear of the mic behind the phase cancellation tube, it's optimum position is 1-2 feet from the source but putting it closer will cause all sorts of problems.

OK it can be used in a news type operation when no other mic is available but you are better off investing in a large diaphragm condensor mic that you can place correctly and get close for the desired effect.
 
GaryNattrass said:
If you are wanting the best quality then a shotgun mic is totally the wrong mic for the job as the capsule is at the rear of the mic behind the phase cancellation tube, it's optimum position is 1-2 feet from the source but putting it closer will cause all sorts of problems.

OK it can be used in a news type operation when no other mic is available but you are better off investing in a large diaphragm condensor mic that you can place correctly and get close for the desired effect.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm aware that my mic is not ideal, but I need to use what I have currently for this project.

What sort of problems can I expect or listen for? Would the low-cut filter help with the proximity effect?
 
what makes a voice be "here" or not is the amount of bass and absence of reverb and no background noise (high dynamic sound).
shotgun mic are bad with bass, so your voice will sound thin even if you are close.
for the reverb, you can shot in a place with lot of carpet and curtain (or add some, especially on the ground , it's easy).
for the dynamic of sound, you can push that in post, but signal must be extra extra clean.
 
Sometimes, if you want that really warm, close sound, then you need to look back at dynamics - condensers rule the video world, but the humble Shure SM58 can produce a very different sound - worth trying out. In studios with thousands of pounds worth of esoteric mics, it's not unheard of for artistes to use a 58 to get that warm, close in sound. Proximity effect by the bucket load. If you use them for voice over work, you need to make sure the distance is maintained very accurately, or the bass end sound changes quite dramatically. Neumann, known for their condensers added their first studio dynamic only recently - radio love it!
 
if the shotgun is the only option I would keep it about 8in to 12 in away and use some eq to make it sound how you wish, I have done vo with shotguns but they always have certain frequencies missing due to the phase cancellation tubes!
 
Some VO artists like the sound of a 'gun such as the Senny MKH416 and are skilled at using the proximity effect to their advantage. But this presumes you have a skilled VO artist who knows how to 'work the mic' to get the sound he wants and is working under proper studio conditions, not just some random guy talking at the mic. More commonly a large diaphragm side address cardioid such as an AKG C414, Neuman TLM103 or U87Ai, or a broadcast dynamic such as the Eletrovoice RE20 or RE27 would be used, again in a proper announce studio setting. A good budget mic for VO work is the Rode NT1a.
 
Last edited:
I would just like to add that since proximity effect is a result of a mics construction, many mics are made to be used at a certain distance. Shotguns, as mentioned, are made to be used at a distance, and so will have loads of bass from proximity when really close. Others are made to be close, and needs proximity to not sound thin (such as the SM58). There are many choices in different budgets that can sound very good if you find the right position for what you want. Also, a lot depends on the skill and voice of the artist.
 
Thanks guys, I think i dodge a bullet here not putting the mic too close. What would be the IDEAL distance for my Sanken CS3e?
 
I've got a CS-3e that I've used for VO work and I have a Rode NT2-A. The NT2-A is my preferred mic for VO but in a pinch, as I said, I've had to use my Sanken. It is not a typical shotgun and does not use a phase cancellation tube. It uses a series of three pickups within the tube. It is not as susceptible to proximity effect. For a male voice I typically start by trying to get the CS-3e 18 inches from the speaker. For me, that gives a good natural sound. I would shoot in a sound booth if possible to give a very intimate sound. If you don't have a sound booth I've fashioned one out of sound blankets and c-stands.

You can play with the distance but I wouldn't get closer than 1'. The DR-680 with the Busman upgrade will give a good clean sound but it won't be the warmest sound which is one of the characteristics in a voice that give a more intimate feel. If you could go through a fuller sounding pre it would add a lot to the sound.
 
I agree that around 18 inches would be the best distance, if you can have it above the speaker pointing down to the head and chest cavity so you can get a full resonant sound as it is used on a boom on location.
 
Depends on the sound level of your voice and whether it's male or female, quiet you'll need to get closer.

Louder you'll need to move the mic back a tad. You won't know till you try it. Experiment is the name of the game, see post 2.

Cheers.
 
Of course you are MONITORING the audio as you record it. Or, if you are recording yourself, you are LISTENING to the playback of your test recording. Nobody on the internet can predict exactly how your mic will perform with your (unknown) acoustics and (unknown) voice talent. Don't be afraid to experiment with distances from 3 feet to 3 inches. And with angles from 0 to 90 degrees. There is no "ideal" distance as talent, location, acoustics, ambience, etc. etc. etc. are all factors. Don't be afraid to experiment.
 
I have been doing professional VO work for over 30 years now, and have used shotgun mics like the MKH-416 hundreds of times on everything from trailers to well, you name it. Bottom line is... and this is true with any style mic you select, practice and become familiar with the mic. A good VO artist learns over the years how to work each style of microphone to achieve the desired style of read, and the good operator knows the correct amount of mic pre gain needed for a given performance. Get yourself a set of headphones and practice working with the Mic you intend to use, learning distances, head tilt positions to kill plosives, the amount of pre gain you need and such. I can remember cutting the announce for a national TV show using a 635a hanging from a coat hanger style rig in the audio room of a live truck, and it was not an issue. You will do just fine!
 
You are going to get a lot of suggestions (as you have). But when it comes down to it, as the engineer.......YOU have to find the sweet spot for placement. There is no magic position, no overall rule. Your ears tell you where it is. Use them.

It's up to you to find it, with the equipment you are using. It may sound like I am not wanting to answer your question....but no one but you is in the audio space with you using YOUR equipment, so any suggestions about where to place is a moot point. Might get you in the ballpark, but you need to utilize your ears as the engineer to find the right placement.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top