[Ty Ford]

Johan,

There really isn’t such a thing as an outside mic. There are mics, however, that shouldn’t be used in normal interiors – shotgun mics.

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

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[Ty Ford]

Hello Johan,

The TASCAM DR60D is a recorder, not so much a mixer. Unless you have hands smaller than Trumps, the knobs are too small to do any real mixing in real time. That alone can be a problem. You can’t really mix with it stacked underneath your camera and run camera at the same time.

You say you will buy the boom yourself…… Perhaps a typo. If you’re expecting to camera mount the mic, you’ll be unhappy with the results. To get good audio, you need to be within two feet of the person talking and have the mic properly angled to record them.

If you’re booming properly, I’d much prefer to use an Audix SCX-1 HC or an Audio-Technica AT4053b.

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 Johan,

What camera will you be using?

Yes, outdoors shooting requires wind protection and in most cases, there goes, your $400.

Brighter is not always better. Brighter than what?

Will you have a boom operator for this mic?

Do you have a mixer or will you be feeding the camera directly?

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 Johan and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.

Why are you desperate? A $300+ microphone is nothing to be desperate over.

What are you trying to record?

Regards,
Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

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

Hi Mark and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.

In addition to what’s been said. Phantom Power circuits come with different voltage and current ratings.

Most people think 48 V DC is Phantom Power. I’ve also seen 12 V and 24 V supplies. I wouldn’t consider them.

Apart from the voltage differences, different mics require different amounts of current to run properly. If you’re running four hungry mics, you need a Phantom Power supply that has enough current to power the mics properly or the sound will be distorted. Mic specs usually indicate how much current in mA (milliamps) they need.

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

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

Tom,

Buzzing is a nebulous word. Try posting this audio somewhere where we can hear it.

Thanks,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

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

Hello Thomas an thanks for stopping by the Cow Audio Forum.

Thanks for your right on response, Richard! You’re a real value-added part of the Cow!

Heh, the old which mic am I really using gambit.

Regards,

Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum Leader

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

Hi Danny and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.

Richard and Peter have given you very good advice. From where I sit, your explanations read that you need to read up a lot about audio.

Good audio is seldom plug and play. A good audio person can frequently get acceptable results from average gear. An inexperienced audio person can have the bridge of the starship Enterprise at their command and still not get good audio. The difference is in how much technique a person has learned; how much experience they have.

You can’t ignore the laws of physics and expect good audio. I agree that going right to camera makes life simpler. My concern there is that there may not be anyone paying attention to the audio.

Lesson #1: When you shoot video (normally) you’re looking though a viewfinder at what you shoot. If someone is not listening to the audio ALL THE TIME, you can expect undesirable results. That means someone has to be wearing headphones. My preference for this sort of work are Sony MDR 7506, – NO EXCEPTIONS. They will tell you what you need to know. Also, you need to develop a discerning ear that allows you to be confidant that what you’re hearing is what you want.

Lesson #2: Shotgun mics are NOT like zoom lenses on cameras. They do NOT isolate a person’s voice from 20 feet, 15 feet, 10 feet, or even five feet away if the ambient noise is too loud.

Perhaps Richard, Peter and other regulars here will chip in additional lessons. Don’t expect it. They are busy guys who have real lives. Expect to grab onto audio and learn yourself so you can help yourself and others. ☺

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 Wesley and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.

Perhaps these will help: https://tyfordaudiovideo.blogspot.com/2015/04/rode-ntg4-and-ntg4-shotgun-microphones.html

https://tyfordaudiovideo.blogspot.com/2014/08/zoom-h5-somewhere-between-4-and-6.html

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 MIchael,

Thanks so much for checking in with more anecdotes. There are so many ways that wireless technology can make noise. It would help if we could hear these pops. Is there any way to post them?

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