I outline some sound recording set-ups that I have used. I am definitely not an expert, but I have not found anywhere on the internet laying out these options, and their pros and cons especially in the context of linguistic fieldwork. I believe that there is no best method. The one you use depends on the requirements and goals for the particular video.
Some general advice on sound recording for video covering all the various set-ups is given here:
1.
Run-and-Gun
Run-and-gun refers to a set-up with an external mic mounted on top of the camera. In my case, I use a Rode Video Pro+ mic mounted on top of a Cannon T7i DSLR camera. Generally, the sound quality is not as good as the other methods, but if the mic is close enough to the speaker and there is no wind, it is reasonable.
Pros:
a.
Fast easy set-up, for spur of the moment recording.
b.
A camera mounted mic makes an excellent back-up recording for any of the other methods below.
c.
Much better sound quality than camera internal mic.
Cons:
a.
You need to be close to the speaker to get good sound (e.g., within 2-3 meters).
b.
Very sensitive to wind. If the wind is blowing, the recording will suffer greatly and might be hard to transcribe. Get a dead cat for the mic before going to the field.
c.
The mic is mounted to the camera, so the speaker needs to be in the center of the scene. This limits your ability frame the speaker in different ways.
d.
If there are two speakers, you need to point the mic between them and the speakers need to be relatively close together, otherwise the mic will not pick up both of them.
2.
Lavalier Mics
Lavalier mics are small unobtrusive mics attached to clothing with a clip or tape. If you do not have wireless lavalier mic, you need an extra XLR cable that runs from the microphone to the Zoom H4n (or other audio recording device). If you have two speakers, you can use one lavalier mic for each person, using the two inputs on the Zoom H4n.
Pros:
a.
Gives clear sound with little influence from surrounding noise.
b.
Excellent method for scenes involving one or two people. For more people, it does not work (since there are only two XLR connections on the Zoom H4n).
c.
Less affected by wind than other external mics. You should try to get tiny dead cats for the lavalier mics before leaving for the field.
Cons:
a.
The sound is a bit unnatural. It sounds like the speaker is in a sound proof room.
b.
If the speaker moves around, you can sometimes hear their clothing brush up against the mic.
c.
A lavalier mic will pick up only one person. Other people speaking (even if they are close by) sound faint.
3.
Classical Fieldwork Set-Up
In this set-up, the Zoom H4n is placed on a stand or tripod directly in front of the speaker, within a range of a few feet (e.g., no more than meter).
Pros:
a.
This is a good method for getting high quality sound that can be analyzed phonetically. Similarly, having a high quality audio recording makes transcription much easier. This method probably yields the best sound quality of all the methods described in this post.
b.
If you are using a Zoom H4n, there is natural stereo sound that is pleasing to listen to.
c.
Using the Zoom H4n as the mic saves you from spending money on an expensive mic.
Cons:
a.
The mic is visible so the video looks amateurish. Whether this matters to you depends on your priorities and your aesthetic sense.
b.
If you are recording more than one person, they have to be equally close to the Zoom H4n (and hence close together) to get good sound. Recording two people with lavalier mics allows them to be spaced out more.
c.
Since the Zoom H4n is right in front of the speaker, and you are standing behind the camera, it is not possible to monitor the sound levels during the recording (either by sight or by earphones).
4.
Scene Internal Mic
A variant on the classical fieldwork set-up is that a stand-alone mic is placed on a stand or tripod in front of the speaker and attached to the Zoom H4n by an XLR cable.
Pros:
a.
Since the mic is connected to the Zoom H4n by a cable, it is possible to monitor the sound both with earphones and by looking at the sound levels.
b.
If there are two people far apart, a separate mic could be used for each (one for each XLR connection the Zoom H4n).
Cons:
a.
The mic is visible so it looks amateurish. Whether this matters to you depends on your priorities and your aesthetic sense.
5.
Scene External Mic
In this set up, the mic is outside of the scene, pointing at the consultant. Professional videographers will mount the mic on a boom pole, and have a boom operator hold it as close to the speaker as possible (making sure the mic does not show up in the scene). If you do not have somebody to hold the mic, you can use a stand (placed outside the scene).
Pros:
a.
The viewer is not distracted by the presence of a mic, so the scene looks more natural.
Cons:
a.
If you are using a shot gun mic on a stand pointed at the speaker’s mouth, small movements of the speaker’s head and body can lead to fainter sound. So, the speaker has to be relatively motionless during the recording.
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