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Selecting the right mic for the job
Most likely you work with a camcorder that has an onboard mic. Onboard mics take the middle ground. They pick up sound from everywhere, including wind, the hum of overhead fluorescent lights, noises you make while handling the camcorder, as well as the the hum of the zoom lens motor.What you need are external mics: specialized mics that serve narrower but useful functions. Here are the four basic types that suit most circumstances:
- Handheld
- Shotgun
- Lavaliere
- Surface mount
Four standard-issue mics: handheld, shotgun, lavaliere, and surface mount
Handheld mic
Handheld mics are the workhorses of the audio industry. Since they are built with internal shock mounts to reduce handling noise, you'll use these mics for interviews, place them on podiums to record speeches, and voice narrations with them.Many handheld mics are omnidirectional, meaning that they pick up sound from all directions. They'll pick up ambient room noise as well as close-up audio. To minimize that unwanted noise, keep the mic as close to your subject as practicalusually about a foot from the speaker's mouth.Basic handhelds start at about $25. Top-of-the-line, durable handhelds start at $150.
Position handheld mics 12 inches from the speaker's mouth at an angle of about 45°. That cuts down on pops made by your breath when you pronounce Ps and Ts.
Shotgun mic
So-named because it resembles a shotgun barrel, the shotgun mic's unidirectional barrel (called an interference tube) narrows the focus of the audio field to about 30 degrees.Shotgun mics don't zoom. Think of them as looking through a long tube. They narrow your "view" of the sound.NoteThe telephoto-lens equivalent in the microphone world is a parabolic dish. You've seen networks use them along the sidelines of NFL games to get those great crunching hits. Shotgun mics are a great way to reduce ambient noise and work well during informal, impromptu interviews. Instead of shoving a handheld mic in a nervous interviewee's face, hold a shotgun mic farther away.A good shotgun mic will set you back about $1,000.
Lavaliere mic
Lavalieres are perfect for formal, sit-down interviews. Their tiny size means that you can conceal them to minimize that "Oh, we're watching TV" disconnect. The downside is that most require batteries. You can buy a basic lav at an electronics store for $25.High-quality lavs start at $200.
Surface mountboundarymic
You'll use these specialized mics to pick up several speakers at a conference table or on a theater stage. They're built to be placed on a flat surface and pick up sound waves both in the air and from the hard surface. A basic omni-directional boundary mic costs $40.Higher quality boundary mics cost about $150.
Wireless systems and mics
Wireless mics open a whole new spectrum of possibilities, enabling you to record sound from a distance. After you've used one, you'll wonder how you got along without it.Depending on the wireless system, you can either hook up standard micshandheld, shotgun or lavaliereto a wireless transmitter or use mics with built-in transmitters. Entry-level set-ups cost about $200. Top-of-the-line systems retail for $2,000.
Best single-mic solution
