Shotgun Microphone

[Phil Seymour]

You might try Googling for making a parabolic mic…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQS4HosyZq4
is one of interest.

Windows 7 Pro64, i7 CPU, 16GB RAM, SSD boot drive, GTX 570 Graphics, Vegas Pro 12

Some contents or functionalities here are not available due to your cookie preferences!

This happens because the functionality/content marked as “Google Youtube” uses cookies that you choosed to keep disabled. In order to view this content or use this functionality, please enable cookies: click here to open your cookie preferences.

[Mike Hinkel]

That would have to be the route I take. I got $29.50 in rolled pennies;^)

No doubt a DIY project in my future. Thanks Steve…

[Mike Hinkel]

Thanks for that find, Phil. I just might have enough crafting talent to get something like that done. Now to find the parts, the time and the tools. Cool!

[Graham Bernard]

Mike, here’s a great link showing many variations for you to ponder over.

Also, yes the advise to use ShotGuns outdoors is correct, but not eaxactly what you are requesting. Steve, I’m sure, and myself use Shotties to isolate an interviewee from the peripheral noise – and that’s where the advice for outdoor use of the shottie is relevant. Unfortunately you’ve innocently brought together “outside” and your “outside” requirements, those shuffling ducks. SO there are 2 sub divisions you need to take on board:

Outside

1 – Interviews

2 – Leaf Shuffling Ducks!

I once knocked-up a Para from a 20 cent salad bowl and some wire with an inward facing cheapo mic. It worked. Where was I? In the Etosha Game Park Namibia. When was this? 1976!

Cheers

Grazie

Video Content Creator and Potter
PC 7 64-bit 16gb * Intel® Core™i7-2600k Quad Core 3.40GHz * 2GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 560 Ti
Cameras: Canon XF300 + PowerShot SX50HS Bridge

[Roger Bansemer]

We often shoot where we get unwanted car noise, etc over our voice.
I wonder how a small parabolic mike would work for us in that situation? Never thought of it before. Right now we use a cardiod mike which works pretty good for narrow directional recording but it’s certainly not perfect.
I’m always amazed at newscasters that do reports in hurricanes and by busy street corners where hardly any ambient noise can be heard.

Roger Bansemer

[Mike Kujbida]

[Roger Bansemer] “We often shoot where we get unwanted car noise, etc over our voice.”

Good audio recording is almost a black art. It definitely takes skill and knowledge to “do it right”.

“Right now we use a cardiod mike which works pretty good for narrow directional recording but it’s certainly not perfect.”

If you live in or near a major city, see if there’s a good pro audio shop (not a music/band shop) that you can go in and talk to some people for advice.
JW Sound Group is a forum for audio folks that work at levels far above anything we do. Browse the various groups on there for some excellent ideas and recommendations for good stores.

“I’m always amazed at newscasters that do reports in hurricanes and by busy street corners where hardly any ambient noise can be heard.”

The right mic makes ALL the difference. I once did a shoot inside a bar where I couldn’t hear myself think because it was so loud 🙂
I was using a Sennheiser ME-80 shotgun mic (since discontinued) and was amazed at how good the sound was when I got back to the edit suite. It picked up the talent and the music was at a very low level.

[Graham Bernard]

[Roger Bansemer] “I wonder how a small parabolic mike would work for us in that situation?”

You’re “wondering” – well I wouldn’t use a para for this situation. I’d use my Senni Reporter’s Mic OR ME66 with Rycote Fluffy and handle. And in both situs get that mic as near to the mouth without being offensive and messing with the shot.

I would advise anybody taking this at all seriously, and not to waste time, is to study the Polar Patterns for Lobars; Cardioids (heart-shaped = cardio!); Super- and hyper-cardioids. These patterns have been crucial in my own awareness as to just what type/value of audio sensitivity I am after.

Over this past 18 months I have done maybe 100 interviews, some in extremis, some in echoey halls, some in the open and with reflective walls but each with their own challenging demands.

Grazie

Video Content Creator and Potter
PC 7 64-bit 16gb * Intel® Core™i7-2600k Quad Core 3.40GHz * 2GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 560 Ti
Cameras: Canon XF300 + PowerShot SX50HS Bridge

[Mike Kujbida]

Sorry. I forgot to give the link.
https://jwsoundgroup.net/

[Mike Kujbida]

Roger, something you may want to consider is hiring a pro sound person, even for one day, to have him/her go over various techniques with you.
You’ll find that it will be money well spent as you’ll be able to draw from their wide range of experiences and, hopefully, help you to get better audio on your shoots.
They regularly deal with issues like street corner and reverberant room recording and can make recommendations on how to best handle things like this and much more.

[Mike Hinkel]

Thanks for all of the help and information everyone. It is great to be able to gather so much from the experience found here. Now, to put it all to use.