Rode NTG4 mic driving me nuts… Anyone know how to get decent sound out of it?

[Robert Withers]

Phil,
You had the same problem with a different (Sennheiser) microphone with the same Zoom recorder? Do you have another recording device you can test these mics in? Maybe you’ve identified a problem with the Zoom.
Good luck.

Robert Withers

Independent/personal/avant-garde cinema, New York City

[Eric Toline]

The posting archives on here bring up that you had the same problem with the same gear back in January of this year. In all this time you haven’t found the cause? Something is not right.

\”I push the RECORD button and hope for the best\”

[Phil Parkinson]

Well I tried to solve the issue in Jan, but I couldn’t get it, ran out of patience, and went back to lav mic. I thought I’d give it another shot.

[Phil Parkinson]

The Zoom is working perfectly with the Lav mics, and stick radio mic that I use, so I don’t think it’s that.

I’ll try to record straight into the FS5 (skipping the Zoom).

Thank you.

[Ty Ford]

Hello Phil,

Where are you?

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford\’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Ty Ford Blog: Ty Ford\’s Blog

[Phil Parkinson]

Hi Ty, I live in Dubai (not a poet).

Why?

Phil

[Ty Ford]

Hello Tim,

I’m wondering of there’s a pro audio shop or an audio pro you could take the mic to who might be able to diagnose it for you.

Sorry, I don’t know anyone in Dubai. Maybe there’s a registry or local shop who could help you.

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford\’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Ty Ford Blog: Ty Ford\’s Blog

[Bruce Watson]

[Robert Withers] “??? I’ve used shotgun mics at 1-2+ meters in many situations for years. That’s what they’re for.”

Wherever did you get that idea? A shotgun mic should be boomed no farther out than 60cm. Closer is better. I aim for 45cm when possible — above and out in front of the speaker, pointing down at the speaker’s mouth at about a 45 degree angle. If you don’t dip into the frame every once in a while you aren’t really trying ? Seriously, this requires good communication between boom op and camera op.

The NTG4 has a rated sensitivity of -32 dBV/Pa. Compared to a Sennheiser MHK 8060 which is rated at -24 dBV/Pa, the NTG4 is around 8 dB quieter given the same source. That’s part of your problem. Another part is the less than stellar gain available from the Zoom H4.

So, you’re booming from too far out, using a mic that isn’t very sensitive, into a recorder with not a lot of clean gain available. Easiest thing to do is try booming closer. That should help some, but at best probably only around 6 to 8 dB. If that’s not enough, I’d look at a better recorder that has more clean gain available. If those two aren’t enough, I’d look at a more sensitive mic.

[Phil Parkinson]

All makes sense. I was thinking for a 400 USD mic, I’d be able to get something usable from it at a meter. I watched so many people raving about them online, to then see that you need to be 30-45cms away.

How does it work on top of a camera? Run and Gun style. If I XLR’d it into my FS5, I would literally have to stand on top of the subject to get any audio out of it.

Pretty annoyed that 400USD got me zip on this score.

I’m in touch with Rode, they have asked me to send it in for repair, which I will do just in case, but it sounds to me like it’s working perfectly and it’s just that the boom isn’t close enough.

Thanks ! x

[Ty Ford]

Hello Phil,

Run and gun maybe, but with a really good isolation mount on the camera if you actually plan to be running while gunning.

A shotgun mic in no way works like a zoom lens. It sounds like that’s what you were imagining.

There’s a 10 dB pad on the NTG-4. You don’t, by some strange chance, have that engaged do you?

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford\’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Ty Ford Blog: Ty Ford\’s Blog