How to Be a Sound Mixer | On-Set Audio Masterclass 

What episode would you like to see next?!

Thanks for having me Deity! I'm glad to have been a part of this video it came out great!

I remember working with a Mixpre 3 in college, and during our documentary assignment, I put the lavs on channel 1&2 since those inputs were right next to each other, and then since the boom was on channel three on the other side of the recorder, I knew what was what. Just helped with organizing.

Nice video! I like the details about organizing your stuff. This is often forgotten, although it's mandatory for efficiency in the editing. Also, great visualisation and video structure. I'd like to add some points though, from my experience of sound mixer and boom operator for many years: 1. Always use headphones when booming! In your video the boom operator has no headphones. That would be an absolute no-go for me. It's the sound mixer's job to deliver a monitor signal for the boom operator. It's so crucial to judge the audio by your ears, not only your eyes. Otherwise, it'll be like operating your camera without a viewfinder, just by guessing your framing by camera angle and focal length. Many mixers offer an aux output to create an additional output with only the boom mic routed. If you don't have to pass the audio over to the camera, you can try to use the mixer's main outputs. If you have the equipment, you can build a smart solution with wireless systems. There are special monitoring wireless systems available, with convenient features like a volume adjustment knob on the receiver. But also some standard lav-system can be reused for that purpose. 2. Speaking of volume adjustments: I'd always recommend to set your headphone volume once with a appropriate level and don't touch it then. Especially not during a recording. Wear closed-back headphones to isolate you from the rest of the set. If you adjust the headphone volume, you lose your reference for the correct levels and have to rely solely on the meters. Of course the meters are necessary to use but at the end, your ears are the most effective analysing tool for quick adjustments. 3. Learn the script! If you do scripted work with multiple talents involved, the boom operator should always know who says which text. If you don't that sooner or later, you'll miss half a line, since you haven't adjusted the mic's position. Preferable, you even know already the acting. If your talent is supposed to stand up in the middle of a scene and you're not prepared, you could hit it with your mic or you may be in the frame when the camera follows the talent. 4. If you have to record two talents side by side with only one boom operator, decide your position carefully. If possible, I'd use a position between them, so basically on the axis with the camera. Doing so I can switch the mic position from one to the other my only twisting my boom pole slightly with my wrist. Standing at their left or right, I always have to move back and forth. I know these suggestions are more for boom operators but maybe it's helpful for some of you though. What do you think?

This is literally the best video ever, thank you

Whoa! So glad I found this video and this channel. This was a great overview and gave me a good beginning and basic understanding of managing sound on a set. Very cool and informative. Thanks for sharing the knowledge!

What an amazing series! Thanks for this invaluable knowledge!

This was great! Thanks to the team who all worked to put this together!

EXCELLENT VIDEO. Great content, great video technique and a lot of work had gone into the animation. Well done guys and thanks for sharing.

Great job! The visuals and breakdowns were explained perfectly clear. Cheers to you! Thanks!

Just got into the Film Industry as a P.A. and mind blown with the amazing Lav graphics that explained the outputs. Wish most tutorials were like this. Thanks!

this is a great video, thank you!!

Amazing Video 🔥 always nice to hear some good advice on how to be a better sound mixer on set 💪🏼 tanks:)

Thanks so much for all these videos. I was recently introduced into this industry from a Sound in film seminar in one of final college classes; and while sometimes I had an assistants and I could just mix, I have also had to do a one-man boom + placing lavs + mixing combo, I instantly loved it. I was always into music and sound, so this seems right up my alley, I would like to try to dedicate to this in the future as a job. These have been incredibly helpful and insightful, and the quality of each video is superb. Thank you.

This Video is really amazing! Thank you so much!!

Solid video. I am a mix-pre3 user and learned a lot here. Thx guys!

Excellent video, these graphics are super helpful and well done.

Thank you very much Deity, this is what I was looking for, thanks for the very detailed video

I'm diving deep into post sound and live music mixing but this opens my purview into on set film as well.

Thanks guys. Amazing tuts always

Great video! Lots of useful information

Dude thanks for this.....super spot on and very good even for beginners. God bless

Great basic lesson.. Nice.. Bro.. 👍

great video as a basic tutorial for field audio production. thanks a lot

Great video, I'm a sound mixer/boom op here in Brazil and I see that we work in very similar ways.

Great lessons I had today

This is really cool. I can tell a lot of work wen into this!

I'm glad I found this Channel 👌🏿

I've been searching for a video like this and now I've found it. You guys rock!

Last weekend (Saturday and Sunday) I used this exact setup but I put the boom in port 3 because it was by itself and 1&2 were right next to each other. First time mixing a short film I must admit. No catastrophes. But it would have been good if someone taught me how to do that spreadsheet. I wish I saw this before. This would have saved the sound designer some trouble 🤪. There’s always next time haha

Really, seriously Outstanding video! It put together a lot of pieces I've learned but not used yet. Thank You!

This is a really excellent channel. Well paced, great graphics, storytelling is easy to follow, strong demonstrations. Great work.

Such a good and informing video

Great vídeo! Cheers from Paraguay 🙌

Great vid!!

Great episode!

Im always waiting for your video

Ethan’s got drip. Never hurts to see how others mix! Thanks for the advice Andrew and Ethan

This is a real masterclass 😍🔥

Great advice, thanks.

Magnificent content, It would be great if you made a video explaining the advanced functions of the zoom f6 recorder.

very helpful. thank you.

Awesome! Very interesting

love this

Awesome. Thanks 👍

Very detail job

Fantastic!

Best sound channel

Thanks, Andrew

I checked everything is good to download.

Wow great video

I rented an ifb setup from that dude on a project a few months ago haha All around solid dude

There is any sound mixer heard a ghost!! LOL. Nice tutorial. Thank you so much Andrew and Deity.

I love this

Great guys

The best channel for cinema audio workers!! I fucking love this videos, and i learn so much with them! Tksss

Thank you sir for this

Thanks ..I love

it so so so helpful but can you talk more about the the functionality of pre and post fader during recording please ?

Dope video

Hi, I have learned a lot from this video, and also others of yours, so thank you! A quick question please... can the Sound Mixer also be the boom operator at the same time/set? Or there is a need of at least 2 people for those jobs?

Great video, I found it super helpful. Was wondering what type of recorder that is?

Oh man! I love this!!!! Muchas gracias team. I am a photographer for DoD and was task to do video for Command. I know few things but not everything to handle a smooth work process. Oh my good Lord you guys are a blessing. Thank you,, thank you, thank you! I have a lot to learn but at my age I don't care... I'm going to do it. So to understand the vocabulary, is there a chart on video lingo like what's an AD, etc.?

Wow the best video

Hi guys.... Great vid. Thanks for posting and for all the great info!! Also, I was wondering if Caleb from DSLR VIDEO SHOOTER knows that you guys use a piece from one of his tutorials here on your video?! Thanks again and keep those videos coming!!

Found a new favorite show!! Thanks for the info! Hey! I have a question! I have an old (but still new) SOUND DEVICES 552 and I’d love to start using it. Is it any good? Or should I get something newer?

This video is nothing short of perfection. So thorough and helpful. Only problem: I need to know about the audio, mixing and mastering on the vocal music recording side.😔 Do you recommend any channels that are as thorough and clear as you guys are with your explanations? 😊

Good video

Thanks!

This is a good video

Thank you for sharing your knowledge! 🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃 may I ask, when you stated that there are going to be 5 files, L, R, boom and 2x lavas. Where does L and R come from?

As a Gaffer for over thirty years in the Film and Video biz I can make you a sound recordist in 2 minutes! 1: point the microphone at the talent's mouth. 2: when they say rolling you hit the red button. 3: cry out "leaf blower" or "airplane" once in while to justify your existence. DONE! JK ! 🤣🤣 I was a sound guy before gaffing and I love my eavesdropping brothers and sisters!! 😂😂

Cool and informative video. But you should have gone into a bit of the "audio level" aspect of sound mixing/recording. The mixer/boom operator (if they're the same person) should know what levels to set and know clipping means exactly and how to adjust the levels to get the best audio.

Thank you 🙏🏾. Would like to know, how much does this whole thing cost?

awesome

saludos !!! gracias !!! son geniales!! me pueden dar la marca y el modelo de los lavalier!! gracias!

I'd be interested to know which sources were used and where in the final edit.

Hla sus contenidos son muy buenos cuando los tendrán en español para aquellos que no hablamos Inglés. Saludos desde republica DOMINICANA

Thank you showing the final product. So many of these videos give explanations with no result 😭

SO cool, I went to School with Ethan #SOUND SPEED

Very niiice vid

nice content

Awesome video!! What bag is he using!?

Moving blankets, sound blankets, or a comforter? What's a better option at dampening noise in a room?

Great video! I always struggle to set a good level for my audio, because there's always a couple lines that clip the microphones in scenes I record for. To combat this, I've utilized a cable splitter, so I have a backup track at a lower level that I can cut to if necessary. I know some mixers (like the Zoom F8 that I've used a couple of times) can make these dual recordings in its own system, but right now I'm working with an H6 so I have to manually create another track with the splitter. My question - does a cable splitter reduce the overall quality of the recordings, or is the difference not noticeable? I'm always worried about clipping, so I like to have two tracks per microphone at different gain settings. And another question - how many takes do you usually expect to have for each shot? Sometimes on different takes, I will adjust the gain to be lower for those louder lines, but if a director only has the crew do two takes, this can be an issue if one of the takes has a problem (like an AC turning on). Thanks so much! :)

Amazing tips. I was wondering if we should be using limiter. Also I’ve been told that it’s not good to change levels while shooting as it will make dialogue editor job hard due to the changes of noise floor. It’s quite tricky as I have an example where I was in a shooting if a short film where the director wanted each take the whole 15 minutes film. Of course was using boom stands. The actors during the whole script are changing the way they talk from whispers to screams. I used limiter as I didn’t have extra channels to use on my recorder (f8n) as I had many actors and not any extra available channels to use the dual mode (lower levels from same channel) . What is your opinion I shouldn’t use limiters at all and always riding the levels?

That boom op tho, lil slow and unfocused if you ask me haha

This was great! I have a question though. Why is there boom pole sound and the actors lav'd? How is that audio used in post production? Is the boom just a fail safe or for room sounds? Thanks! Again great episode, just subscribed!

Another great and informative video. Quick question: Who determines what audio sample rate (44.1 kHz vs. 48 kHz) will be used on the shoot? Who conveys that information to the audio team? Thank you!

Muito bom.

Hi 👋. I'm a beginner filmmaker. Do we necessarily need this high quality mixer or can we achieve the same quality audio using something like Zoom h6?

Sir I want ask you something about this he record multiple type mic like 2 lav & one boom & wich audio used in final shot .lav mic or boom & all of them & choose best wich sound is good then drag edit . Because I want make a short flim I face that problm how can get like hollywood type sound .plz suggest wich sound we when we record on loction lav mic or boom mic .& I like your video it's so help full thank for this .

I have deity d3 pro wont charge,what should i do?

I have Tascam DR 40X. How would I work that in shooting documentaries?

Is there a set time when you should capture room tone? Before you shoot the first take, or after the last take at each location?

Hi Andrew, I recently got a pair the deity connect but it has a lot of self-noise. I updated to the new version of frame Ware.Do you have any solutions to make it sound better.

What is the recorder in this?

Ive always had this question: what is a normal top peak DB when recording, Ive worked with -12db, other mixers tell me to have it close to -6db but i think this is not good since it can clip when the actor rises their voice. What would Deity recommend?

Damn they got pam from the office to act in this 🤣🤣

Hi, what do you mean by tracks 1 and 2 is your stereo?