Zoom H4n and Rode Videomic

[zackleazer]

I'm in preproduction on my first short film. I'll be shooting on a Canon T2i. I decided to Buy a rode videomic and to record onto a Zoom H4n due to the Canons AGC. I am currently deployed in Kuwait, so I am unable to test my new sound equipment until I get home. I've read about the best formats to record in such as 24 bit/48K. But I do not know which format is going to be ideal for my film. My questions are, what format should I record in? And since the rode videomic records in MONO, will this affect my sound? What can I do to make it better?

Thanks in advance for any tips. I'm completely new to audio.

 

[knightly]

I'm currently working on a set where we're using exactly that audio setup. While I can't tell you the specific format to use, generally mono is what is typically recorded and the 24/48 is a good bit depth and bit rate. Wav is a good file format that is cross platform, AIFF gives a little better (to my ear) quality (less compression)... not sure what is available for you.

You'll want a boom pole as well. and some nice XLR cable.

Ohh, and thanks for your service. If you are at camp Virginia and encounter an MRAP driver named McDonald, say Hi from his dad

 

[Alcove Audio]

First, allow me to join with Knightly in thanking you for your service. For some reason I always find myself with military types; my dad served during the Korean War and during my two summers as a teenaged mate on a charter fishing boat I was regaled with stories from WWII, Korean and Viet Nam vets. My best friend was a tin-can squid, my brother-in-law served on a boomer, and I played for seven years with the Del Vikings, which was started by five Air Force NCOs and throughout the years continued the tradition of its members being vets; another friend served in Iraq. For some reason I have been honored to be told many things that most veterans don't usually talk about. All of you have my utmost respect.

Mono is the way that all dialog is recorded for film and TV, so you're just fine there.

Higher bit rates allow for more headroom (volume before distortion). 16 bit is CD and DVD standard, 24 bit is hi-def.

Higher sample rates, expressed as kilohertz (kHz) allow for more sonic detail. As an audio post guy I prefer high sample rates because I get fewer artifacts when I manipulate the sounds. 44.1 kHz is CD standard, 48 kHz is DVD standard and 96kHz is hi-def.

I find little difference between AIF and WAV. I use BWAV (Broadcast WAV, sometimes called BWF or Broadcast Wave Format), it seems to cross platforms a bit better. So, summing up, I use 24bit/96kHz BWAV when I do audio post.

I'll also echo Knightly in suggesting you get a boom-pole if you can find someone to "swing" it for you. The Rode VideoMic doesn't use XLR, so would not be much use to you at this point, but since the Rode VideoMic is high impedance you should try to keep your cable runs short.

 

[zackleazer]

Thanks, I already plan on getting a boom pole. I saw a DIY article specifically for the rode mic. It's sounding like I'll be trying 24bit/48khz. Thanks for explaining bit rate. I'm slowly understanding that stuff more and more.

Also, I'm realizing that if I'm using my rode for dialog, can that be my only sound source during recording? Or do I need to have another mic for ambient sounds? The only other mic I own is the one built into the zoom h4n. I'm not even sure that would be a good idea.

 

[CamVader]

Thanks, I already plan on getting a boom pole. I saw a DIY article specifically for the rode mic. It's sounding like I'll be trying 24bit/48khz. Thanks for explaining bit rate. I'm slowly understanding that stuff more and more.

Also, I'm realizing that if I'm using my rode for dialog, can that be my only sound source during recording? Or do I need to have another mic for ambient sounds? The only other mic I own is the one built into the zoom h4n. I'm not even sure that would be a good idea.

You can get ambient sound (room noise) before or after the shoot. Dialog is by far the most important and every effort should be made to get this right.

 

[Alcove Audio]

Audio post is my bailiwick. The idea is that you capture the cleanest dialog that you can, then in audio post you strip out everything between the lines of dialog. In audio post you then recreate the illusion of reality. Foley is replacing all all of the human made sounds like footsteps, clothing, punches, kisses and object handling - everything from eating utensils to weapons. Foley is traditionally done live to picture. Sound effects are other objects like doors, gunshots, vehicles, etc. The difference between Foley and sound FX can be quite blurry at times and they frequently overlap. It is not unusual to use layers of sounds to create a "single" sound like stacking a low sound for the meat of a punch, a midrange sound for the impact and a higher sound for the "pain" . Ambiences/background sounds are also quite often numerous layers of sounds - wind in the trees, several different types of tweeting birds and a babbling brook for example. You then add score, songs and source music (radio, DJ, etc.) and mix to taste.

A detailed audio post is quite often beyond a beginning filmmaker, especially the Foley work, so capturing great production sound and using the on-set Foley and other sounds becomes even more important.