When recording live audio with your video camera, it’s best to not rely on one microphone. Having two different types of microphones around can offer different ranges of sound as well as capture more elements of the live environment. Also, in the event that one microphone malfunctions, the other will be there to work as a safety net. One combination of microphones you can use is a lavalier and a shotgun microphone.
Instructions
Set Up a Lavalier and Shotgun Mic Configuration
1. Lay all your equipment out in front of you and make sure you have everything you need. Take the time to review the things you’ll need before you pack your camera bag. You may not be offered the luxury of extra time and space wherever you are shooting. Also be aware that any wireless system you use will require batteries, so carry an emergency pack of them with you.
2. Hook the wireless receiver onto your camera or somewhere near it on your body. Connect it to the camera with a short XLR cable so you are not tripping over extra length. Your camera should have two XLR inputs. Since the lavalier will be connected to the main person talking, you should plug into channel one.
3. Pin the lavalier microphone to the host. This should be done near the middle of the chest or the collar. Don’t cover it up or it will sound scratchy and muffled. Connect the lavalier’s cable to the wireless transmitter which will be somewhere on the host’s body (probably the pocket).
4. Connect the second XLR cable into channel two of your camera. This cable should also be short as it is only going into the shotgun mic, which will be mounted on the side of the camera. The mic should be well secured into the mount. Extra padding may be required.
5. Make sure your camera is set to record the tracks separately. This can either mean setting the channels to mono or setting a button to channel one. What you don’t want to see is your camera set to record in stereo, because then the two mikes will record as one and you can’t do anything with them when it comes time to edit. Also make sure that the internal microphone on your camera is shut off.
Tags: your camera, camera record, camera should, into channel, Lavalier Shotgun, Lavalier Shotgun Configuration, Shotgun Configuration