Audio Advice

[Anthony DeRose]

Sorry for posting this twice but I figure I could get some more detailed advice from this forum. I am using the RED for a low budget music video. Last time I shot with the RED was for a thesis film at school and we had a mixer and all that wonderful stuff. I am not a audio person whatsoever so I need some help in this realm.

Sound does not have to be good by any means for this project. What I need is just a audible reference track that the editor can hear to sync up the music track. This is low budget so I need to be the one to figure out the exact sound configuration.

I want to make sure I can do something like this; rent a 416 mic from my school, get the mini xlr cable adaptor, plug the mic in and gaff tape it to the RED handle making it a shotgun mic. If this can work what should I set my levels at?

 

[Anthony DeRose]

Just to add, I want a adaptor that allow a regular xlr to the mini? And sound going through camera will give us a file that is both image and audio? So when the files are put into FCP there will be a audio track that was recorded through camera? Do I have to switch anything on in the menus to make sure the mic records audio into the camera?

Thanks in advance for the help. Like I said I get confused with sound. Just want to make sure there is some type of audio reference to make it easier to match the song up in post.

 

[Jonathan Cooper]

First thing you are going to want to do is turn on the mic on the R1. Go to the system menu then to sound then record enable then select Ch1 then select mic to enable recording on ch1. Then you will have to go to system, sound, 48V Mic, Ch1 to enable 48 volt phantom power to the shotgun. You will need to watch your meters at the bottom of the screen even reference audio should be able to be referenced ie not unusably distorted. You can change the volume of Ch1 at Video then Audio then Ch1. hope this helps.

 

[Anthony DeRose]

Thank you. Where would I set the levels? And where should I be -12?

 

[Jonathan Cooper]

You can change the volume of Ch1 at Video menu botton then Audio then Ch1 turn the joystick to adjust the level then click it to set the desired level. As afar as level it really depends on how loud your playback is. if your playback is soft then you will need a louder level. Play back your music at the same level you will be recording at then try to keep the volume somewhere near the middle of the meter at the bottom of the red monitor. This way it is not to loud to distort and not too soft to get the all important reference. The editor will thank you.

 

[Anthony DeRose]

This has been very helpful thank you. A 416 mic would be suffice as a shotgun?

 

[Jonathan Cooper]

416 is a good enough shotgun. However you need to remember that it is a shotgun making it very directional. If you do not care about getting nat sound just reference music don't tape it to the camera put it closer to the speaker so you don't pick up the dancers feet more than the all important reference music. If it was me I would take a line input directly to the R1 straight out of the ipod or whatever you are triggering your playback from then you have good quality reference without the shotgun rental and nat sound.

 

[Jonathan Cooper]

If you decide to go with the line level input you will have to change the following. Go to the system menu then to sound then record enable then select Ch1 then select line to enable recording on ch1. Don't turn on 48 volt phantom for a line input.