Clean audio at a dance recital?

[Nikkii Gere]

i am so very confused...

i am taping my first dance recital in 2 weeks and quite frankly suck at audio...i'm hoping someone can help find my way through this...i've been reading through all the threads like crazy but still don't have any definitive answers...

here's the basics:
2 recitals - each approx. 2 1/2 hrs - both same day
equipment:
2 vx2100s
audio-technica AT897
sennheiser EK 100 G2 bodypack receiver
sennheiser SK 100 G2 bodypack transmitter
beachtek dxa-4p
editing:
imac g5 w/fcp4.5


so...what is the best way to get the cleanest/best audio?

my idea is: one 2100 close to the stage w/ the 897 to pick up ambient/applause/etc...the other 2100 up higher by the soundroom - what is the best way to get audio from the board?? - i've read that plugging straight into the camera from the board (with xlr cable) can cause hums (?)...can i plug the transmitter into the board/receiver into the camera?? i don't have a clue :( and...what cables, etc would i need??

also...i don't want to invest a ton of money (cause i don't have it!) - i'm only profiting off of dvds that are sold (so far that = 3!) and have no idea how many will be...(my kids dance in both shows so i figure - at least i'll have that!) :)

thanx!!!
nikkii g.

[Martin Pauly]

Nikkii,

recording both the ambient/applause and the sound from the soundboard is a good idea and will give you a lot of flexibility for the final mix. You'll see that by changing the relative volumes between the mic track and the soundboard track you have a lot of control over the atmosphere that your final mix suggests (i.e., live event vs. recorded music).

For the ambient/applause, see if you can get two identical mics or a stereo mic and record two channels. Otherwise you are limited to mono whenever there's no music from the soundboard. Ideally, place the mic(s) on stands so that the sound doesn't change when you pan the camera.

As far as the soundboard goes, it really depends on what they have at the place. Best case, you'll find a pair of balanced XLRs (most likely labeled 'monitor' or 'out' on the soundboard) that you can hook up to your Beachtek, which you then need to set to 'line level'. Lacking that, some soundboards have an "effects send" output that is really meant to integrate an effects processor, but can just as well be used to record the sound. Or you may find a pair of RCAs for consumer-level output. Can you go to the place and take a look at the soundboard? And once you have a plan, ask them if you can come in to do a dry-run. You don't want to wait until the day of the recital to find out that something doesn't quite work.

Finally, I don't see much use for your Sennheiser wireless system for this recording. Even if there's an announcer/host, that person will probably sound better through the soundboard (if ithey use a wired mic) than with your wireless system. Should they use a really cheap wireless mic, your Sennheiser may sound better, but you only have a total of four audio inputs between your two cameras, and given a choice I'd rather have stereo ambience and slightly lower quality for the announcer's mic.

- Martin

[Ty Ford]

And slip the sound board operator a sawbuck.

Regards,

Ty Ford

[Cole McDonald]

I always try to use my wireless setup to the board for recording bands. transmitter on the board and reciever on the camera...and slip the sound guy a sawbuck (and some coffee) ;) Ty's right, lots of sound folks don't want to let you touch their board or attach foreign objects to it. But it's usually harmless for them to do so. Since this sounds like you're recording something for the parents of kids, if they hire their sound folks through the dance school, you should be able to get premission to connect to the board easily...They could perhaps also record you the perfomance audio, and you can synch it up later.

[Ty Ford]

So, I'm at a gig I have been doing for several years that involves me taking a tap off the house mixer, usually from an unused effects send to my mixer.

During the session I happen to be at an angle to see the house mixer. The effects buss clip light is blinking with the audio. The audio sounds fine.

Weird.

A few minutes pass and I check the Phantom Power on the input of my mixer. It's on. I turn it off. The clip light turns off.

Lesson learned; sometimes something as simple as leaving a Phantom Power switch on (allowing 48 V DC to push into another piece of gear) can have a negative effect on other pieces of gear. I have run into to other situations where the audio was obviously degraded due to unwanted Phantom Power.

Regards,

Ty

[Ron Priest]

Originally Posted by Ty Ford

A few minutes pass and I check the Phantom Power on the input of my mixer. It's on. I turn it off. The clip light turns off.

Lesson learned; sometimes something as simple as leaving a Phantom Power switch on (allowing 48 V DC to push into another piece of gear) can have a negative effect on other pieces of gear. I have run into to other situations where the audio was obviously degraded due to unwanted Phantom Power.
Ty

Are there any tpye of devices that one can put in-line between the mic and the board to stop phantom power from being supplied to that specific mic? Say for instance the board only has one phantom power switch for all channels. You may have some mics that need phantom power and some that don't.

[Ty Ford]

in that Phantom is DC, a simple high quality transformer should work.

Most mics you don't need to worry about. The worst I've seen was a Sbure VP88 (battery powered) mic or Senneheiser shotgun (me series with battery) that didn't sound so good when the battery was on AND phantom was applied from the mixer.

Regards,

Ty Ford