Sound Track: "I Do"

Here are answers to 10 common questions about capturing clean, clear audio at weddings.

This month, we tackle the tricky issue of wedding sound. Why is it tricky? Because the sounds heard at a wedding are a huge part of the ceremony, be they whispered vows or musical solos. And, as anyone who has shot a wedding can tell you, the recording environment at most ceremonies is rarely optimum for capturing good sound.

What follows are 10 common questions asked about good wedding video sound, with ten workable answers. Remember that there is rarely just one perfect solution to a sound dilemma. The key to recording a perfect-sounding wedding is to stay flexible, be prepared, and rely as heavily on your brain as you do on your ears.

Before we get to the questions, there are a few principles worth noting that will make any wedding video shoot go much smoother. First, always try to visit the wedding site a few days before the ceremony. Attend the rehearsal if possible. This will give you a good idea what you're in for at the actual ceremony. Likewise, always get to the location at least two hours before the ceremony to set up mikes, run and tape down cables, coordinate with a sound person (if any) and test your whole system. If you need more time than this, find a way to be there even earlier. Without adequate prep time, it's easy to forget even simple things.

Come to the ceremony equipped with an assortment of cable adapters, transformers, attenuators and other goodies. There's nothing worse than watching your setup grind to a halt for the lack of a $0.75 adapter. Bring extra batteries for wireless mikes and self-powered condenser mikes, as well as at least one spare cable for every crucial link in your system. Have an extra pair of headphones on hand, even if they're cheapies.