studio show...have 4 mics and three camera's...I need one so

elecarts
Member

I am producing a studio show. I will be purchasing 4 lavalier mics (off ebay) and I currently have 3 cameras (2 on a tripod and one handheld). I am also watching a Behringer mixer on ebay which I am also going to be purchasing for the show.

Having this equipment.... how do I get the sound from the 4 lav. mics into the one camera on the tripod. (I'm only assuming that it will have to go into a main camera which will feed into the mixer?)

I know what I'm doing in the video editing mode (using final cut express HD). But not sure what to do in production?

thanks!
Angie
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Posted 5 years ago #
Video-maniac
Member

Humm!

You are a little light on information. If I understand you correctly, you will be editing everything in post using FC. I'm also going to assume that this Behringer mixer is for audio. You don't call out any model number so I guess all I can do is steer you into a certain direction.

The lavalier mics I'm also assuming are hard wire so what you would want to do is connect those into the inputs on the mixer. From the mixer, you would then input that mix into the camera that you want to record the audio on. Mind you that you have to do a lot of testing and sound checking AND you have to make sure that you have the correct connection and interfaces between everything. I'm not sure why you said that you would go to the mixer after the main camera unless of course you were pluging the sound in from all of your cameras and the going to an audio recording device of some kind post mixing. When in post editing, you would use just the audio stream from the main camera mix while piecing all of the video from the other cameras togeher.

In the furture, try and help us all out a little more by being more specific. You will get quicker and better answers because most of us won't bother responding when there isn't enough information made available. You know, like someone posting how do you make soup? No one will bother answering because you didn't say what kind of soup.

RAM

P.S: I don't want to sound rude or mean here but based on your original question, are you sure you are up to the task of producing a show? There is a lot of things that ones needs to know up front in order to do a nice job and to pull this off.

Posted 5 years ago #
elecarts
Member

Thanks for the response! We have done lots of production outdoors with the video camera's mic and mixing in audio in FC and all have been successful. Just now sure about the indoor setting.

The show will be like an interview setting, a sit on the couch discussion. It's a personal project that I am experimenting with. I have received permission from our local cable company to put something together to be aired in our small town.

"Never despise the day of small beginnings".

I will experient without the use of the mixer for now. Mics 1&2 fed into one camera and mics 2&3 fed into the other camera.

Thanks again......I might be back to this forum if I get stumped.

Posted 5 years ago #
Video-maniac
Member

Very good!

I'm all for walking before running! ;-)

I don't know what kind of cameras you have but if they are nicer ones, you should be able to plug in two mics, hopefully via XLR connections. Each mic will record a single channel. One will be on the right and one will be on the left. When editing in FC, you should be able to manipulate the audio any way you want in order to make both channels support both speakers. If you have more than 2 mics, you'll need to go through a mixer that supports 4 inputs before going to your camera. Here again you then can edit and control off the sound from within your NLE. You could also run 2 mics to one camera and 2 mics to another. Then you have to deal with a lot more audio streams in post. You also have to fool around with syncing everything up so that the answer comes after the question before the question. X-D

RAM

Posted 5 years ago #
elecarts
Member

deal with a lot more audio streams in post. You also have to fool around with syncing everything up so that the answer comes after the question before the question.

This is what I'm worried about. I don't want to have a major syncing nightmare! So probably the solution would be to go through a mixer that supports 4 inputs before going to your camera.

Posted 5 years ago #
BarefootMedia
Member

You're going to have to synch all three cameras when you 're doing post. If you're able to view the audio as waveforms, synching is just a matter of matching the waveforms. If not, listening to the audio is much easier than trying to synch using visual cues. Just listen for the echo effect and move the audio one way or the other, you'll easily be able to tell if you're getting closer or futher off. Another useful trick is to focus all three cameras on a clapboard, then clap it. In any case, DO NOT STOP ANY CAMERA UNTIL YOU'RE FINISHED. Otherwise you'll be spending all your time resynching your video channels.

If you decide to run the mix out of your audio mixer, make sure it provides the ability to send a "mic out" signal. You won't be able to get decent, or even acceptable, sound from the "line out" signal. The biggest advantage of using a mixer is that you can have someone dedicated to monitoring & riding the sound. By having them adjusting audio levels as you talent speaks generally makes for a better audio track. And you only need to record your primary audio on one camera, you can use the on camera mics to synch with, then mute them for the final project. I would not recommend that you run the mics to a camera, then run camera sound to the mixer and then record the mix. It greatly decreases you ability to adjust the sound during the recording. If for some reason you are unable to record your audio on one of the cameras, DO NOT USE A TAPE RECORDER. You must record on a digital recording device, a DAT, a mini-disc, a CD or directly into a computer. These options do allow you to use the line out signal from your audio mixer.

I wish you luck with your production. I remember back to when I first got started in video production, of course it was all on linear tape back then. But multi-cam recording can really improve the look & feel of your productions. Putting up all with all the pre-production hassles will definitely pay off in the long run. And by the way, have fun while you work, it makes the show look even better.

Tony Clark, Barefoot Media Productions

Posted 5 years ago #
elecarts
Member

Thanks Tony for the advice.

I've decided on 4 hardwired lav mics. It sounds like you are advising to not plug any of the mics into the cameras but directly into the audio mixer. And use audio from one of the cameras?

Posted 5 years ago #
faqvideo
Member

The microphones should be plugged into the board. Make sure you have exactly the same models, not just the same manufacturer's microphones. Otherwise the audio will be all over the place.

Plug mics into the board and feed the audio into your camera (or comp, or VCR along with the video signal). If the mixer has LINE OUT only, check if you have a LINE/MIC switch on your camera to accomodate an incoming signal. If there is no such a switch, then your camcorder is most likely equipped with MIC input only. Buy a LINE-MIC adapter like this one:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&Q=&is=REG&O=productlist&sku=231520

Good luck,

Andrei, http://www.faqvideo.com
Shoot-It-Yourself Wedding Video Guide, http://www.faqvideo.com/siy_book

Posted 5 years ago #
compusolver
Member

People speak, sing, etc. at different volume levels. Often times these are VERY different volume levels. Once you've mixed all the feeds together, there is no way to increase one speaker's voice or decrease anothers.

I would use wireless mics and, using Beachtek adapters if the cams don't allow 2 XLR inputs, feed each into it's own track into cameras. Then, in post, you can level all the tracks so the sound is right.

There are crews who must mix live and they have sound techs who carefully monitor each audio feed. If you don't have to mix "live", then don't. You'll never regret having separate audio tracks and mixing in post (except spending a little extra time). If you must do it live, then try to get vu meters for each feed and get subjects speaking to each other, as they will during the show, to set you levels. And better still - have a dedicated sound person to monitor.

Posted 5 years ago #