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-   -   External Mic for voiceover (https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/final-cut-suite/168695-external-mic-voiceover.html)

Charles Newcomb April 6th, 2009 09:20 PM

External Mic for voiceover
 
I know this is slightly in the wrong place, but I can't get the Apple Support forums to work right tonight, for some reason.

I'm trying to lay a voiceover track on a FC sequence. The on-board mic on my 24" iMac works fine, but I can't get any external mic to work when I plug it in even when it's selected. I'd hate to think I'm going to have to do it using the on-board mic. I've tried several mics (all preamped), including a wireless mic.

If I can't get it to work, I'm just going to record to my Z1U and capture it.

Battle Vaughan April 7th, 2009 01:49 PM

To use the voiceover in FCP you need to select the mike you are using in both the system prefs audio setup/input page and in the FCP voiceover tool itself. Check also in system prefs to be sure the input isn't muted, sometimes it "mutes" itself for reasons I can't fathom. You may need either a USB mike or an analog-to-usb adapter for a regular mike; we have not had great luck with regular mikes in the apple audio input --- either it is a conversion from xlr to miniplug issue, or the computer likes a little higher impedance mike, but we have gone to using USB mikes exclusively for this purpose....HTH // Battle Vaughan/miamiherald.com video team

Charles Newcomb April 7th, 2009 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battle Vaughan (Post 1063519)
To use the voiceover in FCP you need to select the mike you are using in both the system prefs audio setup/input page and in the FCP voiceover tool itself. Check also in system prefs to be sure the input isn't muted, sometimes it "mutes" itself for reasons I can't fathom. You may need either a USB mike or an analog-to-usb adapter for a regular mike; we have not had great luck with regular mikes in the apple audio input --- either it is a conversion from xlr to miniplug issue, or the computer likes a little higher impedance mike, but we have gone to using USB mikes exclusively for this purpose....HTH // Battle Vaughan/miamiherald.com video team

I've already discovered what you say to be true. Thanks. I owe you for taking the time to verify. If I can return the favor with any footage/audio from the Rocky Mountains, don't hesitate to ask. Charles mtntvguy@q.com

Les Wilson April 7th, 2009 04:41 PM

Macs don't have a mic-in port. That's a line level input. If you run your mic into a mixer and plug in the mixer's line out into your Mac, it'll work fine.

Battle Vaughan April 7th, 2009 04:56 PM

Les: (sad and log sigh, here) pray for us, we got some OLD macs....I was visualizing our laptops when I wrote that, thanks for clarifying! / B. Vaughan

Les Wilson April 7th, 2009 08:31 PM

I was wondering ... I've never known you to post misleading information. The universe is restored to its proper order now. Whew!

Brian Luce April 7th, 2009 09:51 PM

At least on a macbook, an me66 works from the line in port. Maybe becauese it's self powered.

Nigel Barker April 8th, 2009 12:34 AM

We use a Rode Podcaster which is a great microphone which connects to the USB port.
RØDE Microphones - Podcaster

Cheers

Nigel

Gary Nattrass April 8th, 2009 07:34 AM

I use voice over in final cut all the time and it is superb, a USB mic such as the podcaster should be fine for V/O work.

Battle Vaughan April 8th, 2009 10:04 AM

Brian: Aha! We at one time were trying to use dynamic mikes --EV re50--and couldn't seem to get a decent level. So maybe the higher output from a condenser mike would work; thanks for the info!

Or we had mistaken the line port as being a mike input, as Les has pointed out. At any rate, our V/O mikes have been USB mikes since 2005 when we really got down to business, and they work really well. /B Vaughan

Guy Cochran April 8th, 2009 12:05 PM

A little MXL Mic Mate works well if you already have an existing XLR mic and just need a fast and easy way to convert XLR to USB. It's surprisingly clean for a $49 device. I watched a demo where they put it up against $1000+ systems and it held up astonishingly well. There is now a couple of models out for dynamic mics as well as Line level sources and a version with headphone out MXL USB Microphones

Charles Newcomb April 8th, 2009 06:50 PM

Good info. Thanks again to all.

M. Paul El-Darwish April 14th, 2009 12:14 PM

Kinda late but here goes. I use a Sennheiser MKH416 shotgun inside a Harlan Hogan Portabooth (DIY). The Mic is going into a Samson Zoom H4n that I use as a standalone recorder and on occasion as a pre-amp/mixer for input to my Macs via USB. This is the dream set up IMHO!

Marshall Staton April 16th, 2009 11:12 PM

Push comes to shove you can always record into your camera.


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