I didn't realize that the mic they planned to rent to you was in effect a studio mic. As such, it is as Steve (one of our accepted resident sound experts on this site) says, not ideally appropriate for your use. (Not unuseable, just not really an appropriate mic, esp on a boom pole.) Get a shotgun mic if you can. (Wondering whether these guys are more aimed at stage musicians than other users). Oh and congrats on getting on the sidelines, your potential production value just went WAY up.

Steve... thanks for the comment on a foam inside the blimp. I had been told that in he very rare case you might try that (never have personally), the HF loss would lifely be noticeable, but that the loss of airspace would more than be made up for by the foam... 'parently not. Again, thanks for pointing that out.

Ok so we are back to my original question LOL

Should I rent two shotgun mics or just one? Running one channel hot...

Will this give me good coverage of the whole band with the shotguns?

Just one.... set up as described earlier.

I have to disagree with Chris. A shotgun aimed at the PA speakers during the ceremony would be okay but its pattern is too narrow to effectively cover a dispersed source like a marching band. Shotguns are spot mics, intended to isolate the source they're aimed at from its surroundings.

0.o

I was thinking that about the shotguns too, at this point my best option seems to be the studio mic and a prayer :)

Steve... you don't think he will be at a sufficient range from the source for a shotgun to "effectively" accept the better part of the sound source? That was my thinking.

Thomas, accepting Steve's advice, the next best thing would be an end address "pencil type" microphone. (Like a short shotgun without interference tubes in appearance if you haven't seen one.) I'll again defer to Steve but a cardiod or hypercardiod pattern would to my mind be best. I think you may be in an environment with a lot of crowd noise and people talking nearby etc, and an omni to my mind would be overkill insofar as nondesirable ambient sound would be concerned.

My 2 cents.

I agree Chris. I'd go with a cardioid or hyper up on a stand.

The 414 has cartoid, hyper, and wide and I just saw this and now it is to late to change...
I was thinking of using the wide, thoughts?

Late edit, apparently this thing has Cartoid, hyper, omni, and figure 8 so going with Cartoid and if I get too much or doesn't sound right I'll switch to Hyper...

I'm backing myself up with a digital recorder and a strero mic as well that I'm going to attach to the pole beneath this mic...

I shouldn't be too far from them since I'll be on the side-lines and only 5-10 yards at most from them.

Weather is nice but the wind is ~10 MPH this ought to be interesting :)

Hopefully, you'll be able to monitor and control the levels. Marching bands can be REALLY loud at that distance.

Thomas... if the Mic is going to be stand mounted, that means your wife is available for other duties. (g)

Since you have NO windscreen for that mic, get an umbrella and hoping the wind is not coming AT you across the field, have her try and shield it from wind. A POOR way to do wind protection, but it CAN be effective.

Chris

Ok, we all have this much invested in your project... HOW DID IT GO?

We're anxious to hear.

For this exact situation, that would be the only way to go. Camera high & back, mic/recorder close as possible.

Since a band is spread out & moving constantly. Gonna need a portable recorder with stereo omni mics and X-Y adjustment.