A wedding audio observation
I've been trying to understand why loud receptions often sounds slightly distorted when played back in post. It's not bad but just not as clean as I'd like. I always keep my audio levels at safe levels and I depend on audio from 2 cameras with one channel coming from a boom-mounted Shure omni transmitting near a source speaker.
Well, it finally hit me at the last wedding we covered that it wasn't my equipment at all but the DJ's who crank up the music to ear splitting levels. I actually listened to the music and it was distorted to begin with. So loud that it often sounded like noise especially when we had to work close to the source. This is just an observation but from now on I'm done experimenting with different mics. It's the DJs, their equipment and their habit of placing their mics practically in their mouths when speaking. Bob |
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It could be the microphone
You need a microphone that is designed for high SPL (sound pressure level.)
You can blow up an SM 58 by sticking it in the bass drum of a rock band. Ask for help at you local music store. |
It's more than just the volume, there's something about going from source->speaker->mic->recorder that just about guarantees distortion no matter what the levels. Try it in your own living room with your stereo and you'll find it's almost impossible to get a good clean recording no matter where you put the speakers and mics or at what level you set the playback.
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People are having good luck with instrument mics rated to take high sound pressures. I just ordered one of these to place next the DJ's stack. We'll see. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search |
What fred has said is prolly the closest to what you need to work around this issue...
irrespective of what level you have ur mic set to, and even though your meters are showing that ur "safe" this dont mean jack if your overdriving the mic capsule. Once your mic is being overdriven at the preamp level, your gone. Most shotguns have 2 areas to be aware of, the Mic capsule, which physically picks up the sound, then the mic preamp, which is the interface between the capsule and the connection to the camera. THEN theres the camera preamp (or attenuator.. whatever u wanna call it) which processed the audio before it hits tape. Now u can set the the camera to whatever u feel like at the input level, but if either of the mic's variables are overdriven, then it wont matter what u do. SPL in any environment play one of the largest roles in audio quaility, which is where baffling, diffusing, clever mic placement come into play. Also in loud environments, do not be afraid to use AGC on an onboard cameras microphone. You will be surprised at how much these mics can handle, and being "inferior" to a shotgun theyre not as sensitive or "hot" so you can get away with afew things youd never sneak by if using a shotgun |
Many DJ's don't set their EQ's properly, which compounds the problem. No bass, no treble, and screaming midrange makes for a most unpleasant listening experience, and it sounds like garbage on the camcorder mic. Since I am also a DJ, I know what I want it to sound like, and the way to go is strong bass, crisp (but not screaming) highs, and mids below zero, just enough to fill the hole in the music. Set it this way, and you'll get clean, powerful audio right up to your amp's max output. I use a set of powered JBL Eon speakers (15" woofer, titanium mid/tweeter, bi-amped and liquid cooled), which give 180w RMS of clean power per side, more than enough for any reception hall, and it actually sounds pretty good through most camcorder mics.
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James |
Here ya go, James:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/pro..._sku=100270996 I got mine for $50/ea. less than that price, but it was 5 years ago. You can actually plug a mic directly into one of these and have a self-contained PA system, a feature I've had to use a time or two at wedding ceremonies. A good DJ, videographer, or, for that matter, virtually any occupation can figure out a way to give the customer what he/she wants with what they have on hand. If you think it's just about playing music, you'd be better off jacking an iPod into a sound system and calling it good. I've actually seen people do this, and it really isn't as bad as you think - better than a bad DJ. You have to be able to turn on a dime, read the crowd and take an educated guess at what you should play, deal with adversity/technical problems, and, most important, keep the show moving with no dead air. Care to see me in action as a DJ? Click here if you dare: http://www.starshowz.com/djdemo_harmon.wmv |
DUDE! Look at 1:08 on the clip, the EON is on fire!
Seriously, those EONs are pretty smokin'. |
John, I got the chance to use the EON's during a show and they were awesome! Very loud and clear! The video was great, the only thing I thought that was missing was a shot of you behind the board! Still seems like you have a great career going! I've had a bit of experince as a DJ for my school and it was fun! And it does take alot of talent and you've gotta have fun at doing it! I'd like to see the ipod being used as you've said, the only problem I see though is the gap between each song. But it must be better then a bad DJ!
James |
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http://www.numark.com/index.html?htt...overview&n=169 How cool is that? The reason there were no behind-the-board shots was that the footage was taken from a wedding video someone else shot in 2003, on Hi8 no less. When we hire a new DJ, I sometimes get dispatched to shoot a demo, and the family ALWAYS wants the footage... |
On any live event with music, speech or live band, my workaround, instead of putting up a mic close to the speakers, is to use a wireless microphone transmitter with adapter cables to Line input.
I ask the DJ or SoundMixer to give me the REC output connection or one of his matrix outputs. This way I always have high quality recording to my camera, and I can walk around freely. The on-board mic I still use on another channel to have the ambiant. Make sure to bring along many convertor cables, since most of the time the sound guys are not quick in giving you their convertor cables (if they have) or the right output connection you need. XLR, Cinch, Din5, Phono 3.5 & 6.3,... are a necessity. One day I was shooting a news-item for a local TV station of a band playing in town. The manager of the band insisted me to be there during the sound-check and to listen to my input on the camera to make sure the levels and audio quality was OK. Since he hated bad sound on TV reports, it made the band look bad. Which is very true. |
Depending on the mixer, the soundboard often will have one or more line level Aux Out or Tape Out sends that would be unused. Aux usually comes off after the input channel faders but before the main out fader, giving a constant line level regardless of how loud the DJ runs the PA. AUX outputs are often used to drive stage monitors for the band independently of the main mix. If one of them is free that would be the perfect place for you to tap in for a signal to your own mixer or direct to the camera that won't change in level as the DJ rides the main faders.
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James |
Funny thing - tonight I shot at the very same venue where my DJ demo was done three years ago. I didn't recognize the name of the place, but I remembered it well once I got there.
I'm considering rigging a wireless audio link using the transmitter from my Shure wireless lav system. The only things I need to figure out are 1) how to adapt the typical RCA outputs to the 3-pin mini XLR jack on the transmitter, and 2) how to secure the modified receiver to a monopod, which I now use exclusively at the reception. This is what I do at the ceremony, in a post from last March: Quote:
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