AUDIO SPECIAL ACADEMY
GET THE BEST FROMYOUR MIC
However much you spend on a mic, it’s best to get it as close to the subject as possible. TV and film crews often have a dedicated boomoperator with a shotgun mic at the end of a boom arm, held just out of shot. Or for interviews, it’s suspended above a subject’s head. Alternatively, you could invest in a lapel mic – also called a lavalier or lav mic – and fasten it to the subject’s clothing. Lapel mics can be plugged into the camera if you have a long lead, but are usually linked to a wireless transmitter box, which the subject has in a pocket or on a belt, and talks to a receiver on top of the camera. Many companies, such as Sennheiser, Saramonic, Sony, Rode and Kenro make lav mics. It’s a definite must-have. Lavalier mics can be omnidirectional and cardioid in their pattern. Omni mics don’t need to be pointed at the sound source for the clearest pickup, but will pick up other sources, though their range is
small so shouldn’t do so too much. Directional lav mics need a little more setting up, as you’ll want them pointing to the subject’s mouth. For recording interviews, especially ENG-style on the street, it’s best to invest in a dedicated reporter’s mic, such as those made by Sennheiser, Rode and Shure. If you have a powered XLR mic and plug in a dedicated XLR wireless unit, it then sends the audio to a wireless receiver on the camera for a clean solution. “For recording interviews, it’s best to invest in a dedicated reporter’s mic, such as those made by Rode and Shure”
IMAGES The Kenro (top) and Saramonic (bottom) lavalier mics are small and discreet, and can be clipped on to clothing for use indoors and outdoors
GOWIRELESS THE RODEWAY
good – rich and clear with solid low- and high-end tones. As an omnidirectional mic, it’s difficult to lose tone, even as you turn your head, and background noise is quite well suppressed. The fluffy windjammers that come with the Wireless Go are a little fiddly to fit and don’t lock on the TX unit, so while they won’t fall off by themselves, it only takes a little pressure or an accidental knock to remove them. They do a good job of removing wind noise though and something as simple as a rubber band fixes the issue. The Wireless Go has a quoted range of up to 70m/230ft with line of sight. But one drawback is that you can only pair one TX unit to one receiver, so it’s not possible to have multiple inputs unless you use separate pairs through a mixer. Up to eight pairs can be used in a location.
Rode’s Wireless Go is a diminutive wireless mic system that has an integrated mic, or you can plug in an external mic and use it like a conventional wireless system. The Wireless Go kit consists of a transmitter (TX) and a receiver (RX), and comes with a 3.5mm lead for connecting to your camera or recorder, two USB-C cables for charging the units, two furry windshields and a neoprene slip case. At well under £200, it’s good value. The units are tiny, weighing in at 31g each, so are easily carried in a pocket, or clipped inside a shirt collar. Both units have a broad integrated clip for mounting, which on the receiver doubles as a coldshoe mount. Operation is very simple, as the units come already paired. If you do need to re-sync them, it’s just a case of pressing the
IMAGE The Rode Wireless Go is mini but mighty, with good sound quality from the built-in omnidirectional mic and a line-of-sight range of 70m/230ft
and running in seconds. The small LCD displays levels and peaks, which turn from green to red as you get to peaking, as well as battery life of the two units, and link status. On the TX unit, two blue LEDs show power and connection. Sound quality from the built-in mic is very
sync button on the RX unit for three seconds and tapping the ‘on’ button on the TX for the same time to tie them up. The only other button is ‘gain’, which cycles through 0db, -12dB and -24dB output settings. Nothing else is required, and even without an external mic you can be off
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PRO MOVIEMAKER SUMMER 2020
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