What microphone would you use?
 

Hello Everybody,

I am creating a WWII documentary and am wondering what type of mic I should use for recording the backround talking?

Cheers,

David Applegate

There's a loaded question....lotsa choices.
If you can get a wired lav on the subject that is speaking, that's the best first choice. If you have multiple people talking, then multiple lavs with a mixer, or a shotgun on a boom with a qualified boom operator are next choices.
A stick mic to be hand held would be next in line, and last of all, would be an on camera mic of any kind.
Mics are like hand grenades. The closer they are to the target, the better they do their job.

Is that why they call it a "boom?"

(sorry--couldn't resist)

I knew what types of microphoes I should use I was wondering what models. Sorry about the misunderstanding.

Cheers,

David Applegate

The Sony ECM 77 is a standard, the new AT899 is my fave, the AT 831 is a great budget lav, with a beltwork powerpack/AA battery. The Shure SM63 is a good stick mic for handheld use, and I think you'll find several dozen opinions on a shotgun. I prefer the AT line, not only because I happen to really like what AT is doing these days, but in blind tests recently, engineers preferred the AT mics in our test/article.

Back ground talking as in Voice Over or commentary?

What's your budget?

I agree with Douglas, as far as lavaliers go the 899 has a rich full sound but I don't think it's suited for Voice Over work.

The AKG D230 is only around $120 and for the money does a great job on the spoken word. The NT3 or NT1A are inexpensive as well. the NT3 would do double duty as a boom mike, it also doesn't need phantom power and it's $152 at B&H. The NT1A is an inexpensive large diaphram side address mic, it's a little more than the NT3 but comes with a shock mount. It needs phantom.


If you want a clip of these email me at bbeasleigh at rogers dot com

I want to spend around 500 dollars and will be only using the mic for voice overs.

Cheers,

David Applegate

I shure do like the AT large diaphram microphones for VO. I use an AT4033/SE which sounds very nice to my bad ears. The voice out is very similar to the voice in. I think I paid about $375 years ago. The SE version just came in a pretty wooden box but the standard 4033 is the same unit.

I do run it into a mixer before I send it to the camera.

"I prefer the AT line, not only because I happen to really like what AT is doing these days, but in blind tests recently, engineers preferred the AT mics in our test/article."

Which article? Where? Don't be keeping me in suspense now.

We did a 'small' version of the article for the DMN, and have it coming in print shortly.
For V/O, I prefer using a shotgun if you've got one. Jeffery P Fisher did an excellent article a couple years ago in EM about V/O with shotguns, til then I'd always used a 4033 or a 4050. Now I use AT 835B or the 897. I used the 897 for the DV Expo classes, I think it surprised folks.

Jeffrey's article might still be online at http://www.jeffreypfisher.com

I was talking about the blind tests involving the AT mics.

I think with voice over it's whatever works on your voice.

That's what the article is about, a blind test of shotgun mics. It was pretty interesting, simply because the guys that went in had their prejudices, and one of the blind guys was absolutely sure that the AT he heard was a different brand of mic because "he knew the sound so well."