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Most common microphones on set?


recroom

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Hi all, I'm a post guy for the last 20 years. I'll be starting to do a lot more ADR here in the next couple of weeks with a few different companies and will need to setup my own rig. Just curious as to what is the most common microphones used on set these days are? In the past, I know the COS-11d was very popular. Have the DPA 4060s started to permeate the market? As far as shotguns, I've got the MKH 60 and Sanken cs3e, will I need to get a 416? What about Schoeps?

 

Thanks in advance for your answers.

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You could also ask "what is the most common lens" on set, or "what is the most common camera". 
You'll get a very diverse range of answers!

You've already got two solid shotguns, if you want a really wide range of mics then get a couple of lavs (like a COS11 and a DPA) and a hypercardioid as well like Schoeps then you've got all the major categories covered at least. 

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7 minutes ago, KGraham045 said:

I get that you would want to use the exact same mic as production but it’s still a different signal path. As long as you have some decent options (sounds like you do) you should be able to eq a bit and make the ADR work...

 

Not sure I agree with you, most ADR calls I get are asking for specific microphones. It's just been a minute so I wanted to take a poll to see what are the most popular. I should be clear that I'm only recording ADR... a re-recording mixer will add compression, EQ, etc. If I eq'd ADR while recording, I'd find myself out of a job pretty quick.

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If it matches, the re recording mixer wouldn’t have a problem... and you don’t have to destructively add the EQ...

 

Every production is different. But if you have a Cos 11 a 416 and a 50. Your covered on quite a few bases... but Sennheiser, scheops, DPA, Countryman, Sanken are all pretty common choices.

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Most experienced production mixers have an inventory of microphones and the instrument selected may vary from scene to scene. If possible, I would recommend that you contact the mixer associated with the project and ask about microphone selection. Without drilling down into too much detail, they ought to be able to tell you the typical pattern of usage - e.g. Sanken lavaliers on the wide shots, Sennheiser MKH 60 or 70 on exterior coverage, Sennheiser MKH 50 on interior coverage. There would probably be a few outliers, plant microphones, car shots, etc. but most microphone usage would probably follow a general pattern.

 

I expect this would be useful information on any film and an outreach should probably be part of your routine approach to each project.

 

After a few such contacts, you would probably have a good inventory of the most commonly used microphones. And, of course, it's not essential that the ADR be recorded with exactly the same microphone used in the original recording. With skill, matching tonal qualities should not be a problem for the post mixer.

 

You already have a good start on choices available to you. The Sennheiser MKH 416 is in very common use both in ADR studios and on location although it is an old design now and used less than in the past. It would probably be good to have an example available as well as the DPA lavalier and the Schoeps hypercardioid. I think those choices should cover you in most situations supplemented by information, when available, from the particular production mixers.

 

David

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I hope you are using something like a Sound Devices MP1, MM1, 442, etc.  as your mic pre. I see a lot of ADR studios using Avalon 737s with Neumann u87s, and then I know why you can often times spot the ADR in films! 

 

Definitely look into the sound reports to see what people are using. Common lavs would be from DPA, Sanken, countryman, VT, Sennheiser, and others. 

 

Common boom mics are offerings from Sennheiser, DPA, Schoeps, Sanken... and then lower echelons like Rode, AT, and some of the newer Chinese knockoff companies trying to pass for legitimate manufacturers. 

 

I hope your incoming work will pay for the mics you need. Nearly all these boom mics cost between $1000-$2500, so to have everything, you’d be spending tens of thousands of dollars. 

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Hmmm, a lav's placement can noticeably effect the sound, even on the same person. In some cases, wouldn't you be trying to improve the sound from a particular scene so that it matches "better sound" from a previous scene, or maybe the next scene? As in, not using a lav in a scene even though one was used because it definitely doesn't match the boom used before or after?

 

Regards,

 

Ty Ford

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9 hours ago, mikewest said:

Placement of lav, costume, actor's head placement, actors teeth, speech quality and impediments are all factors.

+ heartbeat.... had someone with the nosiest heartbeat ever yesterday, but wasn't too bothered by the lav as the boom was sounding spot on sweet all day long. 

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