8+ people at a conference table

Bernie Beaudry · May 20th, 2016, 08:24 AM

Just curious what approach you ended up using and how it worked.

Benjamin Maas · May 21st, 2016, 10:51 AM

I know this has come and gone, but I'll make suggestion. Boundary mics work on any boundary. If your room does not have a high ceiling, you can put a boundary mic on the ceiling and it will work as well as on the table- in some cases better because you don't have to worry about people bumping it, papers muffling it, etc...

I've done things like this with a couple boundary mics to cover the whole area and it can work very well.

--Ben

Steven Digges · May 24th, 2016, 12:31 PM

It looks like the OP may have gone away but here is a tip anyway. With a boundary mic the table top becomes "part of the mic". You have to be aware of everything on the table. The worst offender can be glass pitchers of ice water common on conference tables. The glass cups being filled with ice water will NOT sound like a background noise. They will be THE sound that gets recorded the loudest.

A compromise I worked out once when the client insisted on water (understandable) was to have a water station instead of a glass in front of each person. When they have to get up to get water only two people did. When it is in front of them everyone pours some just because it is there.

If I was the OP I would use a PZM and his other mics the best way I could. Everything would be recorded to its own track then go to post and mix the best you have.

In my experience PZM mics work but it is not a quality sounding voice recording, it is a compromise.

I don't know about you guys but my clients are asking me to work for low budgets more than ever. I don't turn the work down, I just make it clear to them there will be compromises in quality. This was a case where they were clearly accepting that because it was for an internal audience. I do the best I can with the resources I am given to work with. On the other hand though, I am not a low budget shooter. If they are talking to me they are not Craigs list shoppers looking for lowest price only. When I get frustrated with some potential new client trying to beat me down I will finally say "Quality costs money, how good do you want it to be?" I am not recommending that, it is usually the deal breaker. But you gotta draw a line somewhere......

Kind Regards,

Steve

May 20th, 2016, 08:24 AM	#16
Bernie Beaudry Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: St. Paul, Minnesota Posts: 166	Re: 8+ people at a conference table Just curious what approach you ended up using and how it worked.

May 21st, 2016, 10:51 AM	#17
Benjamin Maas Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 150	Re: 8+ people at a conference table I know this has come and gone, but I'll make suggestion. Boundary mics work on any boundary. If your room does not have a high ceiling, you can put a boundary mic on the ceiling and it will work as well as on the table- in some cases better because you don't have to worry about people bumping it, papers muffling it, etc... I've done things like this with a couple boundary mics to cover the whole area and it can work very well. --Ben __________________ Benjamin Maas • Fifth Circle Audio • Signal Hill, CA http://www.fifthcircle.com

May 24th, 2016, 12:31 PM	#18
Steven Digges Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,828	Re: 8+ people at a conference table It looks like the OP may have gone away but here is a tip anyway. With a boundary mic the table top becomes "part of the mic". You have to be aware of everything on the table. The worst offender can be glass pitchers of ice water common on conference tables. The glass cups being filled with ice water will NOT sound like a background noise. They will be THE sound that gets recorded the loudest. A compromise I worked out once when the client insisted on water (understandable) was to have a water station instead of a glass in front of each person. When they have to get up to get water only two people did. When it is in front of them everyone pours some just because it is there. If I was the OP I would use a PZM and his other mics the best way I could. Everything would be recorded to its own track then go to post and mix the best you have. In my experience PZM mics work but it is not a quality sounding voice recording, it is a compromise. I don't know about you guys but my clients are asking me to work for low budgets more than ever. I don't turn the work down, I just make it clear to them there will be compromises in quality. This was a case where they were clearly accepting that because it was for an internal audience. I do the best I can with the resources I am given to work with. On the other hand though, I am not a low budget shooter. If they are talking to me they are not Craigs list shoppers looking for lowest price only. When I get frustrated with some potential new client trying to beat me down I will finally say "Quality costs money, how good do you want it to be?" I am not recommending that, it is usually the deal breaker. But you gotta draw a line somewhere...... Kind Regards, Steve __________________ www.CorporateShow.com Been at this so long I'm rounding my years of experience down...not up!