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Shotgun or Studio Mic
Hey Folks,
I’m a filmmaker on a tight budget and I was looking for a mic that could possibly double for both production recordings, i.e. a shotgun on a boompole for film shoots, as well as being suitable for home studio recordings, vocals, harmonica and guitar. Here’s two mics I was looking at in the $500 range. I’m not looking for exact mic suggestions as much as wondering can I use a shotgun mic for home studio use or should I bite the bullet and buy two mics (eventually) even though I could only afford one now? One plus to using a shotgun in the home studio might be the fact that I live near a busy street and thus the off-axis noise drop-off might be better with the shotgun to reduce traffic hum in the background. But will I miss out on a lot of vocal warmth, etc. with the shotgun? Any thoughts are appreciated.
Thank you,
OscarShure KSM32 Studio Mic:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/KSM32/SL/Beyerdynamic MCE 86 S II SHOTGUN MIC:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MCE86S2CAM/ -
4 Replies
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Look into the component mics like the Sennheiser K6 series. I have the original model K6/ME66 combination, which is a medium pattern hypercardioid (shotgun). Despite it being over 24 years old, I still use it for various applications including as a backup dialog boom mic. It is heavier than, say an MKE60, but it’s very versatile and well made.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/K6-Mic-Capsules/ci/11038/N/4291086574
Mac Pro 2×2.8 Quadcore – 10.6.2 – QT 7.6.3 – 22 GB RAM – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro – Open GL 1.5.10 – Wacom Intous2 tablet – AJA io
SONY XDCAM EX3 – Letus Elite -
This is another modular series mic. I don’t have this mic, but I do have many other Audix brand mics and they are very reliable, give good performance, and are well made.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/242661-REG/Audix_SCX1_HC_SCX1_HC_Microphone.html#accessories
Mac Pro 2×2.8 Quadcore – 10.6.2 – QT 7.6.3 – 22 GB RAM – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro – Open GL 1.5.10 – Wacom Intous2 tablet – AJA io
SONY XDCAM EX3 – Letus Elite -
Hello Oscar and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.
Your job, should you decide to accept it is to tell the next 27 people you meet that a shotgun mic isn’t the only mic to use in a boom. In fact, for standard interiors, it’s the wrong mic to use. 🙂
Instead, you should use a hypercardioid or supercardioid with no interference tube. The interference tube is that slotted tube you see on shotgun mics.
There are hypercardioid and supercardioid mics that don’t use an interference tube. They are better for interiors and can also be used on exteriors.
The Audix SCX-1 HC or the Audio Technica 4053b are good. The best is the Schoeps cmc641.
I have a Sennheiser MKH416 shotgun and have used it for VO in my studio, but my studio is acoustically treated; tight but not dead and I work the mic close – 3 inches. I would not use it on “normal” interiors.
I take it back. Actually I did last year, but only because I was hired to match the sound of a previous shoot where they used a 416. Pretty nasty, but that’s what they told me they wanted.
Audio is weird. 🙂
Regards,
Ty Ford
Want better production audio?: Ty Ford’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Watch Ty play guitar -
Thanks Will and Ty, extremely helpful. I’ll look into these options. I guess it is a bit cheap to expect to find a “multi-purpose” all in one mic that could be used for int. and ext. film recordings on a boom as well as for vocals, harmonica and acoustic guitar in a studio setting. The right tool for the right job, as dad used to say…
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