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The Sounds of the Holidays

From festive feasts to memorable moments, sound matters on holiday videos! These audio tips can help you make the most of the magic of your cherished celebrations.

Your camcorder's built-in microphone is fine for some things -- a day at the beach, birthday parties and the dog's newest trick -- but it stinks for anything you'd like to see your name on. If you've read this column at all, you know of my crusade to convince all shooters to include audio alternatives in their bag of tricks. This is especially important around the holidays. Whether it's little Jimmy's first piano recital or a job to document the community symphony's holiday concert, you need options for getting good sound. Let's take a look at three different setups and how you can squeeze the most audio quality into your recordings.

Going Solo

For whatever reasons -- setup time, space restrictions or aesthetics -- sometimes your only audio option is a single or double microphone setup. This could be as simple as a camera-mounted shotgun mic pointed toward the performance. Shotgun microphones are highly directional and will minimize any sound coming from the sides or rear of your camera. But it's not quite as easy as simply pointing the mic where the camera is aimed to get a quality recording. You'll find the recorded audio will vary in quality, based on the caliber of your microphone and distance from the performance area. If you're stuck in the back row of the auditorium, consider running a long microphone cable from your camera to an area closer to the stage (a balanced XLR cable is best even if you have to use an 1/8" stereo adapter to make it fit your camcorder; you shouldn't run an unbalanced cable for more than 25 feet). This should improve your recording while keeping the setup simple. If the entire performance is reinforced by a sound system, try pointing your microphone at the speakers rather than the stage. If you have time, try both options during rehearsal, and choose the one that sounds best.

If you're shooting a choir, orchestra or play, a better option is a stereo setup. In it's simplest form, this is a pair of identical microphones, mounted side-by-side on a stand, each facing 45 degrees away from the center of the stage. Often called X/Y Stereo or a Coincident Pair, this technique picks up a broad stereo image of the performance and does a nice job of anchoring performers and instruments across the video sound stage. If possible, these mics should be high above the platform and out in front a couple of rows. There may be objections to a large microphone stand in the middle of the seating area. If so, a lower, closer position will provide better than average sound qu…