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Recording audio at the event
If you are filming alone and don't have much
setup time, you may have to settle for using
the microphone on the camera. If you are using
multiple cameras, you can try mixing the audio
from each camera, or audio from the camera
situated with the best audio balance in the
venue. The audio with the best sound balance
is when the music, ambient sound and live
microphone can be heard equally well.
If the host uses a microphone often, use the
audio from the camera closest to a PA speaker.
In a small venue, use the audio from the camera
closest to the subject.
In many cases, cameras can only be placed in
the back of the venue. Audio recorded from
these cameras will give you good presence,
but lack clarity. For example, in a situation
with acoustic music such as a piano recital, try
using a stereo shotgun microphone mounted
on the camera located in the back of the
venue. Professionals don't usually employ this
technique, but you may be pleasantly surprised
with the results.
■Recording with the microphone on the camera
Record audio with the built-in camera microphone or a stereo
microphone mounted on the camera. Use the audio recorded from
the camera with the best sound balance when using multiple
cameras.
■Recording with a stereo shotgun
microphone from the back of the venue
CSｰ50
038
W h i l e m o s t d i r e c t i o n a l
s h o t g u n m i c r o p h o n e s a r e
mono and designed mainly for
isolating the human voice, they
are also available in stereo.
such as the EDIROL CS-50.
You can get surprisingly good
results using this mic.
Next, let's consider recording audio with a
separate microphone. You can connect a
separate stereo microphone to the camera or
to an independent audio recorder. These days,
it is easy to use flash memory recorders with
a built-in stereo microphone. Because they are
extremely compact and do not require cabling,
professionals use them frequently. These
recorders can be placed in front of the stage or
speakers.
There is another advantage with using a flash
memory recorder. Because you only get one
shot when recording a live event, professionals
require various types of back up methods.
They often use spare cameras and sometimes
set up a camera to film a parallel recording
independent of the video mixer, but flash
memory recorders can also provide additional
audio backup as well. Why not take advantage
of their benefits?
■Recording with the built-in
microphone of a flash memory recorder
Many companies have recently released compact
recorders with a built-in microphone which is very
convenient for visual production. The EDIROL
R-09HR can record to SD cards without picking up
any mechanical noise. It can record 24-bit/96kHz
audio, which is higher quality than CDs and video
cameras. The R-09HR can be tripod mounted with
the optional cover/stand set.
Rｰ09HR
What is one-point recording?
Basically, it refers to recording audio with a
microphone placed in a single location. Use
two microphones for stereo recording. While
there are no strict rules about the distance
between the microphones or their relative angle, the most
common mistakes are: the distance between them is too great
or the relative angle is too wide.
The desire to capture the largest stereo field possible is
understandable; however, one-point recording should be similar
to normal human hearing. The microphones should be set about
a foot apart and parallel to each other. This simulates the
position and angle of the human ears, which never vary. In other
words, record audio in the same manner we naturally hear it!
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