When operating in an exceedingly multi-mic situation, one thing with the pliability of the Sound Devices – an audio mixer and recorder that may handle up to 6 audio inputs – is vital to your success. ancient camcorders provide 2 isolated channels of audio input. whereas this could work fine for two mics, the task gets harder once 3 or additional mics are within the combine.
Typically, a field mixer takes the 3 mic inputs and sends a mixture down of the three channels over 2 XLRs into the camera. during this setup, levels are pre-set and sent on to the camera media, however, what does one do if one in every of those mic inputs is compromised? We tackle this actual situation. We shot a two-person interview with every subject sporting a wireless lavatory mic and so used a boom mic to capture the audio on a 3rd track. As you may see once you see, something will happen once interviewing those that aren’t accustomed to carrying a mic. for instance, one lavatory track became unusable once the topic accidentally strikes the mic together with his hand. Since the records, every of the mic inputs as a separate track, We used to be ready to use the audio from the isolated boom track to save lots of the instant.
For those to include video, and even reality settings may be a nice possibility. It will offer up to 6 tracks of discrete audio, and a mixdown will be sent to the camera as an analog line level. This additionally permits for additional flexibility in post. Another helpful feature of this is often its support for AES audio output, additionally to the road level. AES may be digital audio that’s recorded to the camera media. We selected to shoot my example interview with a Sony because the camera inputs AES audio, however many new cameras additionally supply AES (Arri AMIRA, Panasonic VariCam, Sony F- Series).
This format permits 2 channels of separate audio over one three-pin XLR; up to four channels of audio will be placed into a camera that supports AES. Sound Devices offers a free software package program known as Wave Agent that offers you an in-depth cross- check the wave files recorded on Sound Devices recorder.