Shooting Talk-Show at home

[Re-Maker]

Hello everybody!!!

I want to shoot a talk-show at home and have an issue with "roomy echo" although I use Oktava MK-012 condenser microphone and NTG Rode2 Shotgun with Zoom H4n.

There is a few furniture in the room, thus it sounds "naked" and echo is bouncing back like hell. I don't want to stick anything onto the walls as I need the room for other purposes as well. I don't want any of the microphones to be in the shot.

So, I need some advice to choose from the below options:

1) Use a decent lavalier microphone
2) Get an Acoustic Sound Proof Absorption Blanket


Apart from being expensive I don't like the first option since I am not going to read news. I'll be fidgeting, moving, gesturing and this will create rustle sounds. I am not even sure whether the lavalier will make the "roomy echo" go away.

The second choice is better for me, although it may interfere with lighting.

 

[GuerrillaAngel]

If you can't do the walls, the first step would be to throw blankets on the floor (if you don't have carpeting), then tack some to the ceiling to see if it goes away. This step will not cost you anything.

Do a search on echo. There are several recent threads on this.

Good luck!

 

[etnad0]

Find bed foam on clearance. The kind that looks like the egg carton shape. Put it up on any walls that you won't be seeing during the show. It will significantly cut down the echo even in an empty room. I use to have a studio in the house and it was a cheap alternative to the sound proofing material.

 

[Alcove Audio]

Okay, let's straighten a few things out. You do not have "echo" in your room, you have ambient reverb.

Next, although I recommend using anything that you can to suppress "roominess," just be aware that moving pads and bed foam are not as effective as real acoustic dampening products.

Talk shows, even though they look cozy, take place on large sound stages with the sonic control implied in the name "sound stage." Since you want to do interviews in a residential room, with all of its inherent sonic problems, you are going to have to work very hard to capture good sound.

If you do not want to see the mic(s) that means they will be much further away from the talking heads - this will exacerbate the ambient reverb problem of the room. So you have to use lavaliers. This will give you closer sound, but not eliminate the ambient reverb of the room, so you will still need to do as much sound treatment as you can - lots of thick carpeting, lots of sound blankets just out of the shot, bring in heavy couches and chairs, etc.

As long as the people remain seated you can use wired lavs. Be sure that you place them carefully, and that the people do not move their heads left and right as this will take them off of the lav. BTW, if you want to hide the lavs you are going to have even more troubles.

Make sure that your interviewer and guests wear "soft" clothes, and that whatever they are sitting on is the same. One of my nightmares was trying to fix an interview with a guy wearing leather on a leather couch; AAAARGH!!!!


I really don't understand the prejudice against seeing the mic. It's an interview, for Gods sake. If you can't understand what the interviewer and interviewee are saying what's the point?

 

[Dreadylocks]

I really don't understand the prejudice against seeing the mic. It's an interview, for Gods sake. If you can't understand what the interviewer and interviewee are saying what's the point?

Seriously! AFAIK, every single late-night talk show host still has a (I'm assuming) non-functional mic sitting right there on the desk because that's what everyone expects.

Or look at some interviews from the 60's/70's where the interviewee is literally wearing a necklace with a huge mic hanging from it.

 

[Alcove Audio]

... every single late-night talk show host still has a (I'm assuming) non-functional mic sitting right there on the desk because that's what everyone expects.

Actually, for quite a few years they were entirely functional as the wireless lav systems of yesteryear were initially unreliable, so having the traditional large hardwired mic was a safety. When the wireless lavs became more reliable the big mic on the desk became almost a magical talisman that indicated a long-running talk-show (think Johnny Carson or Letterman).

BTW, to this day there is still a studio mic on a huge boom over the host and guests, I don't know if it is really necessary anymore or just a union requirement.

 

[CamVader]

I think a Gene Rayburn mic would work well for a talk show. This subject reminds me of a Seinfeld episode.

 

[Re-Maker]

Okay, let's straighten a few things out. You do not have "echo" in your room, you have ambient reverb.

I am glad you posted in my thread, Alcove Audio! Your recommended Oktavia MK-012, NTG Rode 2 and Zoom H4n worth every cent. And yes, there is no "echo" in the room, it's just extremely sound reflecting.

Next, although I recommend using anything that you can to suppress "roominess," just be aware that moving pads and bed foam are not as effective as real acoustic dampening products.

Agree, and I am planning to get Acoustic Sound Proof Absorption Blankets even if lavalier mic does me fine. Blankets are not expensive.

Talk shows, even though they look cozy, take place on large sound stages with the sonic control implied in the name "sound stage." Since you want to do interviews in a residential room, with all of its inherent sonic problems, you are going to have to work very hard to capture good sound.

And capturing good sound is a must for me, since I am not going to show anything, but talk.

If you do not want to see the mic(s) that means they will be much further away from the talking heads - this will exacerbate the ambient reverb problem of the room. So you have to use lavaliers. This will give you closer sound, but not eliminate the ambient reverb of the room, so you will still need to do as much sound treatment as you can - lots of thick carpeting, lots of sound blankets just out of the shot, bring in heavy couches and chairs, etc.

I have already purchased AUDIO TECHNICA ATR-3350 Omnidirectional Condenser Microphone (Lavalier) that is pending delivery. I honestly don't know if my directional mics standing at a distance will do better or worse than this $25 lav.

As long as the people remain seated you can use wired lavs. Be sure that you place them carefully, and that the people do not move their heads left and right as this will take them off of the lav. BTW, if you want to hide the lavs you are going to have even more troubles.

People will remain seated. I don't need lavs to be hidden.

Make sure that your interviewer and guests wear "soft" clothes, and that whatever they are sitting on is the same. One of my nightmares was trying to fix an interview with a guy wearing leather on a leather couch; AAAARGH!!!!

Oh My God!!! I had a similar problems with earrings.

I really don't understand the prejudice against seeing the mic. It's an interview, for Gods sake. If you can't understand what the interviewer and interviewee are saying what's the point?

You have a point, so I won't sacrifice sound for a better vision.

I will do some test records reading this thread and will post here to get your opinion.

 

[Re-Maker]

Ok, here is the test recording http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FNKySnd3Xs
Quality sound will help me to be taken seriously by the audience.

Looking for the feedback.

 

[Aaron M]

Just in case the obvious was overlooked -
can you use another room?

John Favrou's "Dinner for Five" was fantastic, and it was in a kitchen. (well, on a set.. but visually it's doable if the sound is alright.)

You could get into bed and under the covers with your guests. You could shoot it from the ceiling, and smoke cigarettes throughout.. and interview eachother.

It sounds ridiculous - but.. would you watch it? (I would, assuming the interviews were good.)


okay, maybe you don't want to get that crazy, but it's probably worth thinking outside the box, eh?


EDIT - the Oktava doesn't distract me at all.. the camera sound does a bit. I've got a ridiculously slow internet connection (56k dialup!) so I only got thirty four seconds in before losing patience but.. I really wouldn't think twice about professionalism hearing the Oktava. The image is a bit washed out, but you probably weren't paying much attention to that.

 

[Re-Maker]

Just in case the obvious was overlooked -
can you use another room?

Background can be an issue in this case.

...EDIT - the Oktava doesn't distract me at all.. the camera sound does a bit. I've got a ridiculously slow internet connection (56k dialup!) so I only got thirty four seconds in before losing patience but.. I really wouldn't think twice about professionalism hearing the Oktava. The image is a bit washed out, but you probably weren't paying much attention to that.

Thanks for your feedback.

Well, Oktava sounds ok, but i've recently purchased AUDIO TECHNICA ATR-3350 Omnidirectional Condenser Microphone (Lavalier) and tested that. I will soon upload the footage for another feedback.

I hope Alcove Audio will pop in this time to share his judgement.

 

[IndieBudget]

I use the Audio Technica lav and it is just OK, but having it on the talent works for me in my low budget world. I plug it into a $50 digital pocket recorder and go.

I used the lav and pocket recorder on the below video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAY0HnL7_Ps

 

[Re-Maker]

I use the Audio Technica lav and it is just OK, but having it on the talent works for me in my low budget world. I plug it into a $50 digital pocket recorder and go.

I used the lav and pocket recorder on the below video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAY0HnL7_Ps

Sound is ok and the mic is well hidden.
Thanks for the reference.