Self Tape Audio - Best Microphone for Self Tape Auditions

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One of the most overlooked aspects of Self Tape Auditions is the quality of the audio. In this video, we test the effectiveness of several shotgun microphones as well as two lavalier microphones for Actor Self Tapes.
Shotgun Mics Tested:
Sennheiser MKH416
Sennheiser MKE66
Audio Technica ATR6550
Rode Videomic Pro
Lavalier Mics Tested:
Audio Technica ATR3350
Sennheiser EW 112 G3
Mic A: 4:27
Mic B: 5:02
Mic C: 5:37
Mic D: 6:12
Mic E: 6:47
Shotgun Microphone Reveal: 7:32
Lav Mic A: 10:22
Lav Mic B: 10:44
Lav Mic Reveal: 11:11
Raw recordings made on a Zoom H6 recorder, gain set to 6 for all mics, 48khz 24bit mono.
Adobe Audition used to Normalize to -3dB for comparison.

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Опубликовано:

19 дек 2020

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Комментарии : 70

@StratRider 3 месяца назад

exactly the way I would have done comparisons. Thank you so much for this. Beyond my self tapes, the audio is on THEM, not me. 😃

@nickcoleman5475 3 месяца назад

Thanks!

@actingwithgarethharris9920 Месяц назад

Thank you. Great demonstration.

@nickcoleman5475 Месяц назад

Glad it helped!

@jenrosalyn7319 3 года назад

This is so interesting thanks! I genuinely expected C to be the most expensive mic on that first test! I've been trying to find a decent mic for self tapes and this was really helpful

@nickcoleman5475 3 года назад

Just goes to show, it's more about technique than anything else (above a certain price point).

@AhmadThabet-qw1kc 4 месяца назад

Many thanks; for the highly professional review and detailed technique of sound recording, using different types of microphones. It is defenitely a very good guide for both amateurs and professionals making self tapes for audition, U-tube, Tik Tok or any other type of recording for multimedia channels. Best regards from Egypt.

@nickcoleman5475 4 месяца назад

Glad it helped!

@aaronwittrock7861 3 года назад

This was amazing. I went through so many self-tape setup videos today disappointed with everybody's result in sound with shotgun mics (have a background in sound design), and this was the one video that didn't disappoint. Thank you!

@nickcoleman5475 3 года назад

Glad you enjoyed! Shotgun mics are great, but only when used properly. All mics have their function, and most will shine when used properly. For the absolute best advice on mic technique for on-camera, check out ru-vid.com.

@jacknoble_ 9 месяцев назад

Thank you for taking the time and energy to make this video! This was so helpful and I'm grateful I didn't overspend when my favorite sound quality came from the AudioTechnica ATR3350.

@nickcoleman5475 9 месяцев назад

I'm so glad it helped!

@user-du1ci3xe9u 5 месяцев назад

Thank you so much for this! I've been wracking my brain around all the choices, and I agree with you that sound is more important than video. Frustrated that more people don't understand this...and now I know what to get. :)

@nickcoleman5475 5 месяцев назад

So glad it helped!

@armonjnewton 2 года назад

Legit!! Thank you!! Great presentation! You totally saved me hundreds of dollars that I didn’t want to spend. Much appreciated in so many ways!

@nickcoleman5475 2 года назад

So glad it helped!

@Stavage_Productions 6 месяцев назад

Great video. Helped heaps!

@nickcoleman5475 6 месяцев назад

Glad to hear!

@BigTimeLush 3 года назад

Super helpful! Thank you

@nickcoleman5475 3 года назад

Glad it helped!

@Lazarusrizing Год назад

I was really encouraged by this video. I'm painfully layman when it comes to these matters. Thank you.

@nickcoleman5475 Год назад

I'm so glad it helped!

@seanyboyoc Год назад

Well, mic C for me. Thanks for the demonstration.

@lencho4266 5 месяцев назад

Great video! Thank you for putting this together!

@nickcoleman5475 5 месяцев назад

Glad it helps!

@taylorsieve988 11 месяцев назад

Super helpful, thank you!

@nickcoleman5475 11 месяцев назад

Glad it helped!

@naebaby21 2 года назад

I also wanted to comment- this video is so helpful. I haven't come across one like this in doing research for audio equipment for acting. Thank you! Please post more!!

@nickcoleman5475 2 года назад

Thanks! Happy to help. Anything in particular I should cover?

@naebaby21 2 года назад

@@nickcoleman5475 For actors- lighting setup for self taping, basic edits/software for self tapes, DSLR vs iphone. Because you are a photographer AND an actor, you have a lot of insight that we want!

@naebaby21 2 года назад

Omg you shot my headshots! This randomly popped up on my feed and I could not figure out why you looked so familiar lol! You are so talented!

@nickcoleman5475 2 года назад

Ha! Thanks! In addition to headshots, I have a not-so-secret career as a voice-over actor, and TV/Film actor. And I'm deep into the equipment and technical ;)

@HungryMan007-ns1kw Год назад

I'm looking for a new mic for my self tapes. This video is an excellent starting point.

@nickcoleman5475 Год назад

Glad it helped!

@LoveJungle420 2 года назад

Totally. Lava A works just fine for auditions. But I have to admit there was more tonal nuance in Lav B especially when the voice got more intimate.

@nickcoleman5475 2 года назад

Agree completely. The Sennheiser has more clarity, better presence, and more depth. For a beginner, the Audio Technica is just fine... but for real nuance, the Sennheiser capsule is better. Now don't even get me started on something like a Countryman EMW with the Shelf presence boost. Silky.

@danielphung8724 2 года назад

Thanks for this! I've just copped one and it's sounding great! I would say it's not as good as your recordings, but i suspect it's because I haven't done any Vocal FX processing, i'm wondering if you have any videos or tips on making it as close as possible to yours? Cheers Nick

@nickcoleman5475 2 года назад

Glad you found it helpful! Yes, there's definitely an improvement with some audio sweetening. I use Adobe Premiere for all my edits, and I have a template project for self-tape auditions… all I have to do is drop the footage into the timeline, and all the little sweetening steps are already there. Maybe I should put together a video about it?

@danielphung8724 2 года назад

@@nickcoleman5475 Ahh like a preset in LR! PLEASE DO! I mean, if you care to reveal your secrets that would be awesome, I have Premier Pro but i'd basic when it comes to sound engineering. You;ve got my sub! :D

@nickcoleman5475 2 года назад

@@danielphung8724 Yes, exactly! Well… sort of. Premiere has some limitations, so you have to do some workarounds. I'll put one together!

@isabelmarcus2823 3 года назад

Nick thank you! This is amazing! My only concern is does a Lav pick up the reader too? someone reading over zoom/FT? I've tried to keep my at-home setup as simple as possible, so I just started paying attention to audio *whoops*

@nickcoleman5475 3 года назад

Glad you asked! This is a common concern. The lav mic DOES reduce the perceived volume level of the reader... but it's actually a good thing. Remember, casting, producers, the director... anyone watching your tape is familiar with the scene. Usually VERY familiar with it. And having the reader at a lower volume takes the focus off of the reader, and puts it where it should be: on you! Not being able to hear the reader at all makes watching a tape difficult, but reduced volume in proportion to the person auditioning is GREAT. As long as your reader isn't more than 6 or so feet away, you should be fine.

@milananderson7806 Год назад

Thank you! I am 1,000% going to do Lav A. I've been hating the white noise getting picked up from the room with both of my Rode mics on the camera. This is so much clearer. I was thinking of getting the Rode mic version, but price wise this one will work for now! Also, the mics still seem to pick up a little bit of the background room noise, but when you're speaking just to the camera that noise is completely gone. Is that something you fix in editing or did I miss a step? Just trying to figure out how to get that noise completely gone just like you have because it's the biggest problem in my self tapes right now. Thank you for your help!

@nickcoleman5475 Год назад

Hi Milan! I do apply a bit of noise reduction to my self-tapes... there are a LOT of ways to do this, but really the main thing is getting the mic as close to your mouth as possible. It doesn't have to be perfect... just as good as possible!

@charlesrealubit8399 3 года назад

Thanks for this! I saw that the audio technica lav mic comes with a battery. Did it come with a charger for it, or do you have to replace the battery everytime it dies?

@nickcoleman5475 3 года назад

Yes - it requires a small battery, easily purchased at drugstores. I ordered a package of them so I always have them onhand. They last quite a while!

@meanwhileinespoo1265 3 года назад

Can you tell me which one of these you were using and what is the difference in these 2 please. Audio-Technica ATR3350xiS and Audio-Technica ATR3350x. ..thanks... which one of those is the same as yours and can these be used with samsung android phones

@nickcoleman5475 3 года назад

Thanks for asking! The ATR3350x and the ATR3350xiS are the same microphones... the xiS also includes an adapter for use with smartphones and tablets. The ATR3350x has a TRS connector (they call this dual-mono) and works with DSLRs. The ATR3350xiS is the ATR3350x with an adaptor that converts the TRS connector into a TRRS connector. Long story short, get the ATR3350xiS and it should work great with an Android phone.

@danielamunafo 3 года назад

This is very helpful thank you. But I still don't understand why there is a lot of background fuzz noise on most mics. It seems like C has the most elimination for background fuzz noise. Is that the one you use for your self tapes?

@nickcoleman5475 3 года назад

Glad it helped! The "fuzz" you hear can be a few things. It can be electrical interference when dealing with a cheaper mic, or it can actually just be the microphone picking up all of the extra sounds that happen in the world. Mics pick up EVERY sound that exists. So if you have a fan on, or a rumbling air conditioner, or anything else, the mic will pick it up. The only way to combat that sound is to either eliminate it (turn off/unplug things) or to get the mic closer to your mouth, so the other sounds are quieter relative to the volume of your voice. The more sensitive the mic, the more you'll hear all of the background noise. Hope that helps!

@danielamunafo 3 года назад

@@nickcoleman5475 Ahh ! Thank you ! You've helped immensely !

@nickcoleman5475 3 года назад

@@danielamunafo Glad it helped!

@karmadandhur11 2 года назад

What camera would you suggest or if you have time make one for cameras! I like your style of video!

@nickcoleman5475 2 года назад

Good question! Camera doesn't actually matter so much… it's more the light, and the lens. If you have great light, a cheaper camera is fine (since the sensor doesn't need to work very hard). You'll always looks better on a telephoto/zoom lens than a wide lens. Pinching to zoom is NOT the same as an actual zoom. So the best option is a zoom lens, or using the telephoto lens (if available). I'll put together a camera comparison!

@erinshine3106 3 года назад

if you had to sing would you recommend another type of mic?

@nickcoleman5475 3 года назад

For a self-tape recording for musical theatre (or something equivalent)? Probably not. A lav would still work great. BUT you would probably need to set the input level a lot lower, as singing is much louder than speaking. For recording an album, nothing beats a large diaphragm condenser mic. But for acting performances on camera, you want a lav (even when singing).

@carolinariesgo9122 2 года назад

Hi Nick! Question, if I use mic C for self-tapes, how does the sound sync? Do I have to do it on the computer?

@nickcoleman5475 2 года назад

Depends on the camera! If your camera has a mic port, it's baked right into the file. If it DOESNT have one, you'd be recording into an external recorder. Such a pain in the butt that I do NOT recommend that route. There is a version now with adapters for smartphone and that seems to work for folks without a dedicated video camera with mic port.

@nickcoleman5475 2 года назад

@carolinariesgo9122 2 года назад

@@nickcoleman5475 Hi Nick! Thank you for responding. So that means that when I would be recording, a cable would hang from me(the lav) to the camera, right? If I'm recording with my iPhone, I can put an adapter and that would be it, correct? And if I was to record with a camera, I would plug it into its mic port?

@nickcoleman5475 2 года назад

@@carolinariesgo9122 Exactly! It sounds cumbersome, but it's not bad. You get used to the cable. Not ideal for involved shoots, but for auditions it's truly not a big deal.

@dylanwbarnes Год назад

If I do record audio so it's baked right into the video file, can I still add vocal processing? How?

@madlib72 3 года назад

definately c

@nickcoleman5475 3 года назад

Crazy, right? Definitely makes your reconsider how to spend that self-tape budget!

@madlib72 3 года назад

@@nickcoleman5475 after watching this i bought 2 smart lav + for like 120 total.. and it has upped my self tape game

@nickcoleman5475 3 года назад

@@madlib72 That's great! Glad it helped...

@randallbarrett3382 18 дней назад

Did not expect them to all sound so horrible. C and the Lav seemed like the only viable option. Others soo noisy no?

@nickcoleman5475 18 дней назад

Yep, that's kind of the point. I did NOT record in a studio setting (on purpose), to recreate what actors are doing at home. Lots of background noise to deal with. And there's been no de-noising plugin run either… so it illustrates how much background noise you hear if using something other than a lav (or very close shotgun). Personally, my self-tapes I record in a studio environment with a lav, so background noise is below -50dB. But not everyone has that luxury ;)

@randallbarrett3382 17 дней назад

@@nickcoleman5475 Thank you for this and the amazing video! You answered all of that if I was only patient enough to watch the entire thing before commenting lol. My 8yo has her first audition for a short film and they want us to submit a video. I want it to be good quality in video and audio but also fear of “over producing” (as if I could). A while new world for us to learn hah.

@nickcoleman5475 15 дней назад

@@randallbarrett3382 Ha! No worries… It's SO EASY to get caught up in the question, "Is my video/audio quality good enough?" There's a "minimum level" of quality, and everything else is really and truly about the performance. The audio quality matters a bit more than the video - if the voice is loud enough to be heard easily, with minimum background noise, you're good to go. And for the video, if the background is relatively distraction-free and your face is lit well enough to be easily seen, you're also good to do. That's about it. Good luck!