Real-World Sound Choices

With this as background, let's look at audio strategies for the shooting scenarios introduced in Chapter 1, as well as one or two others, and discuss the different microphone alternatives. I'll assume that your camera has a single 3.5" microphone connector that accepts microphone-level audio.

Scenario 1. Executive Briefing (CEO Broadcast)

Rig 1: Sony WCS-999 wireless lavaliere system ($149.99 list). This system is easy to operate and connect to your camcorder, produces high-quality audio, and can move around with the speaker. Total Cost: $149.99.

When using a lavaliere microphone, don't let the wire hang straight down, which can damage the microphone/cable connection. Instead, loop it upwards as shown on the right in Figure 2.9, and clip the cable to your shirt with the alligator clip. Mount the microphone as close to the speaker's mouth as possible for the best results.

Figure 2.9. The lavaliere microphone is perfect for this briefing.

Scenario 2: Formal Interview

Your needs here will vary with the number of cameras you use. If you're shooting with one camera, you can mount a lavaliere microphone on the subject during the interview, and then on the interviewer for the noddies and questions. A handheld microphone will deliver better quality than the camera's microphone, but is more intrusive than a lavaliere.

In a multiple-camera shoot, you'll need either two live microphones and a mixer unit, or a boundary microphone mounted on a table or desk between the two speakers.

Rig 1: Shure handheld microphone ($198 list), Shure AF96F ($40 list), 15-foot XLR cable ($14.99, Radio Shack). Speakers share the handheld microphone. Functional, good-quality audio, but not very elegant. Total Cost (approximate): $260.

Rig 2: Shure omnidirectional boundary microphone ($188 list), Shure AF96F ($40 list), 15-foot XLR cable ($14.99, Radio Shack). Hands-free operation; functional, good-quality audio. Room must be otherwise quiet, and the boundary microphones work best when placed on a raised desk or table. Total Cost (approximate): $250.

Rig 3: Two Shure SM 11 wired lavaliere microphones ($350 total, list), two 15-foot XLR cables ($30 total, Radio Shack), BeachTek DXA-8 ($399 list). Killer system with great quality and flexibility. Total Cost (approximate): $800.

Scenario 3: Group Discussion (interview, training)

Unlike the interview scenario, here we want both speakers on camera all the time, even if you only have one camera. The cheapest alternative is to have the speakers trade a handheld microphone, although for discussions longer than a few moments, this gets tiring pretty fast. Figure 2.10 shows the dual-microphone approach.

Figure 2.10. Dual handheld microphones work well in discussion settings, but look less elegant than dual lavalieres.

Rig 1: Shure handheld microphone ($198 list), Shure AF96F ($40 list), 15-foot XLR cable ($14.99, Radio Shack). Speakers share the handheld microphone. Functional, good-quality audio, but not very elegant. Total Cost (approximate): $260.

Rig 2: Shure omnidirectional boundary microphone ($188 list), Shure AF96F ($40 list), 15-foot XLR cable ($14.99, Radio Shack). Hands-free operation; functional, good-quality audio. Room must be otherwise quiet, and the boundary microphones work best when placed on a raised desk or table. Total Cost (approximate): $250.

Rig 3: Two Shure SM 11 wired lavaliere microphones ($350 total, list), two 15-foot XLR cables ($30 total), BeachTek DXA-8 ($399). Killer system with great quality and flexibility. Total Cost (approximate): $800.

Scenario 4: Wedding

Wedding requirements vary dramatically over the course of the celebrations not to mention from venue to venue and it's very difficult to propose one setup that works in all instances. At the very least, you'll need a microphone on the groom either a wireless microphone like the WCS-999 or a MiniDisc or Digital Audio Tape recorder and a shotgun microphone for the reception (or cabled or wireless handheld).

Since you may need to use the shotgun and lavaliere microphone simultaneously, you'll need a mixer like the DXA-8. The DXA-8 offers only one 3.5mm input, which you'll use for the wireless microphone, so you'll also need a shotgun microphone with XLR output neither of the Sony units offers this.

Scenario 5: Connecting to a Sound System

If you're shooting a concert or conference, you'll get the best sound by connecting to the output of the on-site production sound system. In most instances, you'll have to solve at least two problems: physically connecting the soundboard to the camcorder, and dropping the line-level output to microphone-level input for your camera (assuming that it doesn't accept line-level input).

Depending on the soundboard, the outputs can be anything from RCA connectors such as those on your stereo, to ¹/4" jacks or XLR connectors; make sure you're prepared for all three possibilities. We assumed XLR output for our suggested systems-setups.

Rig 1: The Shure A15LA Line Input Adapter ($42 retail) to drop the line-level output to microphone input and the Shure AF96F ($40) to convert from XLR to 3.5mm. This approach is less expensive, but there's no ability to adjust the sound coming from the sound system, which may still be pretty hot. Total Cost (approximate): $80.

Rig 2: BeachTek DXA-8 ($399). This unit can perform both conversions (XLR-to-3.5mm and line-to-microphone); it also offers limiters that help to ensure distortion-free audio, plus a ton of utility in other shooting environments. Total Cost: $399.