Sound for Video Session: Sound to Camera, Matching Mics, Handheld Recorders, Etc.
In this week's Sound for Video Session we addressed several questions submitted by several of you:
- How to send sound to camera?
- How to make recordings with two mics sound the same?
- How to use a handheld recorder when booming a mic?
- Which type of mic to use when recording in very loud environments?
- Is there a single mic that can work in most situations?
Items discussed in this session and where to find them:
3.5mm Attenuation Cable
Sound for Video Session on Sending Audio from Mixer to Camera:
Zoom F8 Audio Recorder
Sound Devices 633 Audio Mixer & Recorder
Izotope RX6 (Software for matching microphones)
Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro (Recorded the talking head portion with this camera)
Furman PL-8C Power Conditioner
Antelope Audio Orion Studio Audio Interface
Panasonic GH5 XLR Microphone Adapter DMW-XLR1 Review
The Panasonic Lumix GH5 is an incredibly capable little camera for video and filmmaking. It’s imaging capabilities are impressive given its size and price. But one thing it lacks for producing high quality film is inputs for XLR microphones. This is where the DMW-XLR1 audio microphone adapter comes in. The XLR1 allows you to record one or two XLR based microphones or wireless microphone systems directly to your Panasonic GH5. So you won’t need to sync audio in post like you would with a separate audio recorder and the sound quality is very good with shotgun or other boom microphones. Let’s have a listen!
Gear used to record and featured in this episode:
Panasonic GH5 Camera (talking head shots)
Panasonic DMW-XLR1 Microphone Audio Adapter - All audio in this episode recorded to the GH5 with this adapter
Sanken CSS-50 Stereo Shotgun Microphone - Used to record talking head and voiceover audio for this episode
Blackmagicdesign Ursa Mini Pro Digital Film Camera - all product shots made with this
Audio Technica AT4053b Hyper Cardioid Boom Microphone - my go-to microphone for recording indoor dialogue
RODE NTG4+ Shotgun Microphone
Zoom F8 Audio Recorder
Tascam DR-60DmkII Audio Recorder - Good budget recorder with XLR inputs. The XLR preamps are impressive, the 3.5mm input is not
Sound Devices 633 Audio Mixer/Recorder - with automix
Aputure Light Storm COB120t LED Light - Key light for all the shots in this episode
Aputure Light Dome Soft Box - Makes the COB120t key light very soft. Great type of light for talking head/interview
Panasonic Lumix 12-35mm f/2.8 Lens - My most versatile lens for the Panasonic GH5
Sound Devices MixPre-3 and MixPre-6: A New Standard for Sub $1000 Mixers/Recorders
Sound Devices have just announced a new series of audio recorders/computer interface for filmmaking enthusiasts, podcasters, and YouTubers called the MixPre-3 and MixPre-6. I didn't see this coming and - WOW - on paper they look impressive. They're shaking up the category that has been owned by Zoom for the last couple of years with their F8 and F4 recorders.
What makes the MixPre's unique?
- New Kashmir preamplifier design by Sound Devices - Class A preamps with discrete components rather than off-the-shelf integrated circuit preamps
- Analogue limiters
- Analogue to Digital Converter - new 32-bit design
- Touchscreen LCD Screen
- USB audio interface for computers - Via USB-A and C
- Basic and Advanced menu modes
- Stream audio to computer and record to SD card simultaneously
- Large, ergonomic potentiometers (knobs)
- Several powering options including AA, USB, and Sony NP-F style batteries
- Bluetooth app for iPhone/iPad to control the MixPre wirelessly
- 1/4"-20 tap and screw to mount the recorder under your camera
Fortunately, I have an appointment to meet with the guys at Sound Devices next week at NAB so I'm planning to get a good look at the MixPre's and will have more info for you soon.
Oh, and pricing: The MixPre-3 is priced at $650 USD, the MixPre-6 at $900 USD.
Did Sound devices just kill their 6xx and 7xx series mixers and recorders with these new devices? No, not even close for a lot of reasons we can cover another time. But this is a great option for those who cannot spend $3300 for a high quality mixer/recorder and an audio interface to boot!
My friend Jonathan Morrison, for whom I've done a little bit of audio post work, was lucky enough to get an early look at the MixPre. He's coming from the perspective of a YouTuber and does a nice job outlining the benefits from a mobile creator point of view.
Sound for Video Session: AES3 Digital, Ursa Mini Pro, EV RE50L, RODE Reporter and iXLR
In this week's Sound for Video Session we take a quick look at sending digital audio to camera using AES3 and also a couple of reporter's microphones.
Links:
Wikipedia article on AES3 Digital Audio
Sanken CSS-50 Short Shotgun Stereo Microphone - the episode was recorded with this microphone. This one is really nice but in reverberant spaces like this little room, it has a tough go with phase issues and comb filtering. Can't wait to test it outdoors.
RODE Reporter Microphone - Getting ready for interviews on the show floor at National Association of Broadcasters again this year. Will be giving this a try. Last year we used the Sennheiser MD46 which worked pretty well but still suffered from some handling noise. Hoping this might solve that problem.
Electrovoice RE50L Dynamic Reporter's Microphone - And this is the other reporter's mic we'll by trying at NAB. Both this and the RODE are dynamic microphones with omni-directional pickup patterns. While I get why they are dynamic (helps reduce pickup of ambient noise in the background), I was surprised to learn that they have omni-directional pickup patterns. I would have expected cardioid to help focus the mic and avoid noise. Instead, the design seems to rely on the dynamic capsule to manage noise and keeps the pickup pattern open so that the reporter doesn't have to move the mic as much. Looking forward to seeing how well they work on a noisy show floor.
RODE iXLR Microphone Interface for iOS Recording - This is what I plan to use to record the sound for the interviews at NAB this year. Not sure the cable is long enough to use the phone as the camera, but we're going to give it a shot and see what happens.
Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro (Recorded the talking head portion with this camera) - My new main camera. One of my favorite features is that it takes AES3 digital audio from a mixer or microphone which can send digital audio. That means that the camera doesn't do the typically mediocre job of recording sound, now it can take top-notch sound from a pro-grade mixer or mic and just record the digital bits along with the video clips. Now we get the best of both worlds - amazing visuals from the camera and top-notch audio quality from my Sound Devices 633 all in a single file ready for edit.
Sound Devices 633 Audio Mixer & Recorder - just tested the AES3 output for the first time this week and WOW! This solves another big problem. Now I get audio perfectly synced to video with my Ursa Mini Pro. Yay for more efficient workflows!
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Mixing Sound for 2 People While Recording
Last week we covered microphone placement for situations where you’re recording 2 or more people at the same time. Placing the microphones strategically can help to reduce two issues: Microphone bleed and phase issues (comb filtering). In this episode we talk about how mixing the sound of two or more people can further reduce these two issues and result in a cleaner recording with less reverberation and noise.
In an upcoming episode we’ll also talk about mixing in post production in Adobe Audition.
Gear used to record and featured in this episode:
Blackmagicdesign Ursa Mini Pro Digital Film Camera (talking head shots)
Panasonic GH5 4K Camera (for product shots and B roll)
DPA 4017B Shotgun Microphone (Interviewer)
Audio Technica AT4053b Hyper Cardioid Boom Microphone (Interview-ee)
Zoom F-Control FRC-8 (mixing control surface for Zoom F4 and F8)
Sound Devices 633 Mixer/Recorder (with automix)
Sanken CSS-50 Stereo Shotgun Microphone (Talking head shots)
Aputure Light Storm COB120t LED Light (Key Light)
Aputure Light Dome Soft Box (for COB120t key light)
Panasonic Lumix 12-35mm f/2.8 Lens
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Sound for Video Session: Shotgun Mics, Wind Covers, Mixers, DAW Apps, Loudness
In this week's Sound for Video Session we run through several questions:
- Why is my shotgun mic picking up everything in the room?
- Why do I get clicks and noise with my wireless microphones?
- Should I use a blimp cover on my shotgun microphone indoors?
- Which DAW audio editing app should I use if I don’t want a subscription?
- How do I send sound from a mixing board to my camera?
- Which loudness standard do I use when loudness normalizing my audio?
- Which shotgun microphone and wind cover should I choose?
Links:
Broadcast Loudness Standards (tc electronic)
For internet delivery, Paul Figgiani recommends -16 LUFS for stereo, -19 LUFS for mono audio
Audio Editing Apps (DAWs)
- Logic Pro X
- Reaper
- Studio One
- Avid ProTools
Attenuation Cable to connect mixer output to camera (Panasonic GH4). You will also need a 1/4" to 3.5mm cable
Electrovoice RE50L Dynamic Microphone (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)
Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro (Recorded the talking head portion with this camera)
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Ursa Mini Pro XLR Inputs & Sound Features
The Blackmagicdesign Ursa Mini Pro camera has 2 XLR inputs. Are they good enough to use for your main production audio recording? Or do you still need a separate audio recorder to record your sound?
Let’s have a listen and do some tests.
Spoiler alert: The inputs are decent for camera inputs and usable with high quality microphones. They're not nearly as clean as most high quality audio recorders with XLR inputs, but can still be very usable depending on your mic choice and sound quality expectations.
I'm still learning my way around the Ursa Mini Pro. This is my new main camera for most of the type of work I do but I still very much rely on my Panasonic GH4 (and hopefully soon, GH5) as second camera and when I need to get a gimbal shot.
I'll still probably do most of my sound recording to my Zoom F4, F8, or Sound Devices 633 but will experiment with sending a stereo mix from the Zoom or SD to the Ursa.
Gear used to film or mentioned in this episode:
Blackmagicdesign Ursa Mini Pro Digital Film Camera
Shure SM58 Dynamic Microphone
Sennheiser EW100 G3 Wireless Lavalier Kit
Aputure Light Storm COB120t LED Light (Key Light)
Aputure Light Dome Soft Box (for COB120t key light)
Panasonic GH4 4K Camera
Panasonic Lumix 12-35mm f/2.8 Lens
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Sound for Video Session: Sound to Director, Mixing Lavs, Crew, Gain, Wireless, Recorders
In this week's Sound for Video Session we run through several questions:
- How to get sound to a director?
- How to mix lavalier mics for dual talking head shots?
- Advice for working with crews?
- How to set gain for Senheiser G3 system?
- Recommendations for wireless systems in the less than 600 GBP range
- Affordable recorders for nature and concert recordings
Links:
Previous session: G3 Wireless hop to camera or director
Zoom H4n Pro - Affordable, decent stereo recorder for natural sound and concerts
Zoom H5 - Affordable, slightly better stereo recorder with better input controls
RODE NTG4+ - Shotgun mic with better rear rejection, slightly mid-range sound
Aputure Deity - Shotgun mic with slightly better sound but lets in more sound from the sides and back
The name of the iOS app which defines many of the terms you need to know when working on set of a larger production is Gobo. It looks like it may not longer be available in the US App Store. :(
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Sound for Video Session: EQ Presets, Clothing Noise, 3rd Party Plugins
In this week's Sound for Video Session we run through several questions:
- Should I create an EQ preset for microphones which usually sound too bright (like the Sanken COS-11D when worn on the outside of clothing)?
- How can I manage clothing noise when using a boom mic?
- Are there benefits to using 3rd party audio processing plugins versus using the plugins that come with Adobe Audition?
Here's an example of using an EQ plugin to cut a hole in a music track for dialogue. You can use this same idea to create a preset which helps to reduce "presence boost" which sounds too harsh:
Gear mentioned/used in this episode:
Sanken COS-11D Lavalier Microphone
DPA 4017b Shotgun Microphone (This is the microphone I used to record this session)
Blackmagic Design Ursa Mini Pro (my new camera which I used to film this session) Also available from DVeStore.
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Fix Audio With Sound That Plays Only In The Left Speaker: Audacity
If you record your sound with an external microphone into your camera or an audio recorder, you can end up with an audio clip where the sound is only recorded to the left channel and only plays back in the left speaker. How do you fix this with Audacity? We show you how very quickly!
And here's a previous episode where we show you how to do this in Audition:
Sanken COS-11D Lavalier Microphone
Antelope Orion Studio Audio Interface (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
