Zoom h4n + Rode Video Mic

[Andy Balla]

I’m a little confused by your question, but it seems like you have a Rode Video Mic and an H4n, plus a boom pole. Put the Video Mic on the end of the boom pole, run it into the H4n in stereo mode. Don’t use the built in mics on the H4n. It should function solely as your recording device. If you want to get fancy, get a splitter that will turn the one XLR output of the mic into two XLR outputs (a “Y splitter” or something like that). Then you will have two lines from the mic into the recorder. Run one input a little hotter, one a little less hot (maybe 10 db lower).

In post, to sync it with the 7D footage, use Plural Eyes software. https://www.singularsoftware.com/howto_pe_finalcut.html

Keys to decent sound here would be getting the mic as close to the talent as possible, a boom op who can keep the mic well cue’d and keep it quiet, and keeping an ear out for stray sounds that might interfere with dialogue. That’s my rough take on this kind of setup…

[Ty Ford]

Hello Elizabeth and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.

I’m assuming you’re seeing references to using the Rode mic with a Zoom as the recorder.

The Rode is a mic. The Zoom is a recorder with builtin mics. The Rode mic is unbalanced and you are running some risk from interference by using an extension cable to get it to the Zoom.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford’s Audio Bootcamp Field GuideWatch Ty play guitar

[Liz Parham]

Thanks for clarifying, do you recommend just using the zoom on the boom and not with the rode? I have a clamp to attach the zoom on the pole if that would minimize any interference.

[Ty Ford]

Elizabeth,

I doubt the Zoom mics will be effective.

Get one of these: https://tinyurl.com/43u8ta2

Plug the Rode into that and use a proper XLR cable to get to the Zoom

Regards,

Ty Ford

Want better production audio?: Ty Ford’s Audio Bootcamp Field GuideWatch Ty play guitar

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[Malcolm Matusky]

The Zoom H4 series has a function to “bounce” tracks, you do not need a “Y” splitter to inject mono audio on both tracks.

Malcolm
http://www.malcolmproductions.com

[Liz Parham]

okay, thanks for your help. Everything worked fine with the Zoom/Rode, but when listening to the audio on Final Cut I have to raise the level up to 12 db in the timeline to hear it loud enough on my computer. It sounds good, just not sure if this is normal.

I set the zoom to Mono Mix with levels at about 75, and that’s about as far as my audio knowledge will take me.