[Ty Ford]

David,

The cable that was damaged, that was the lav cable? Do you recall which lav that was?

Define “dancing.” ☺

I’m still not understanding the action. How many people walking around a festival? Do others know they are being recorded?

What are you mixing on? What are you recording on?

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

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[Ty Ford]

Hello David and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.

Will those you be following be playing instruments and/or singing? If so, please give us details.

How was the cable damaged? Do you know about taping a lav down inside a performer’s clothing?

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

[Ty Ford]

Hello Mary and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum,

After listening (and thanks for braving the challenging upload rigamarole here) I agree with Richard.

Plosives are pops caused by breaths. I don’t hear any on any of these recordings.

What I do hear is cable and or mic clip wiggles. It’s pretty standard to use gaffers tape on the cable to hold the cable in place after placing the mic. I also use the tried and true method of making a small 1″ to 1.5″ loop in the cable and taping it to the inside of the shirt to eliminate or lessen this noise caused by the cable moving on the fabric as the person speaks.

Here’s a video that should give you some new ideas.

https://www.google.com/search?q=using+gafers+tape+on+a+lav&oq=using+gafers+tape+on+a+lav&aqs=chrome..69i57.8627j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=1

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

[Ty Ford]

Hello Richard & Todd,

I will boom with a good mic, not necessarily a shotgun, whenever possible . The larger diaphragm is more sensitive and you get the sound of the whole person. I don’t use shotguns indoors because they pickup off axis sounds due to their construction. In those cases, I use a hypercardioid.

Cheap lavs put on someone by someone who doesn’t know how or where will usually be disappointing.

You said earlier that you can tell when lavs are being used, even in presumably big budget motion pictures. Is that right?

In what situation are you using two shotgun mics?

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

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

Good idea!

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

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

Todd,

Try to think of it this way. The used Mix Pre D will not only be used on your cheap camera which will make the results sound better, but elsewhere. And unlike your cheap camera, it will provide years of faithful service.

Hope this helps,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

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Ty Ford Blog: Ty Ford\’s Blog

[Ty Ford]

asked and answered, Ryan,

“This can happen. A good sound person will vary the gain while the actor is giving the lines to help keep the level more even. At some point however, if they get too quiet, there’s not a lot you can do because, as you have found, the ambient noise (room tone) is raised.”

Gain changing is especially common in dramatic shoots. Doing it so that you don’t notice and don’t clip is part of the art and craft of a good sound person.

Even on non-dramatic shoots, I might get a talent who talks a LOT louder after taking a breath than when he/she is about out of breath. it happens all the time. If the ambient sound is not a problem, I will duck the first moment of their line after they breathe and slowly bring the level up as they talk. This is called “Riding Gain.” Please read this paragraph three times.

I mentioned riding gain during a workshop presentation to video producers in Washington, D. C. years ago and got a loud, “THANK YOU!” from the back of the room from someone who had obviously run into the same problem.

You may not currently have the skills to do it now.

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

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

Hello Todd,

A Sound Devices Mix Pre D. See if you can find one used in good condition.

Come out the back of that with an XLR to RCA cables and tie them together with an RCS to 1/8″ TRS.

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

[Ty Ford]

Hello Ryan, Welcome back.

This can happen. A good sound person will vary the gain while the actor is giving the lines to help keep the level more even. At some point however, if they get too quiet, there’s not a lot you can do because, as you have found, the ambient noise (room tone) is raised.

Actors with film experience know this and reveal their emotions more through expression, not volume. The actor may be directable and another take made.

In your case, you’ve got what you’ve got and have learned another valuable lesson. If the quieter lines were repeated in a closeup, you might use that.

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

[Ty Ford]

Hello Ryan,

Did you stipulate what frame rate you wanted?

If you did, his bad. I’d say he owes you a re-do.

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