How to record full sound of motorcycle while riding

Guitaristachino

New member
I am somewhat familiar with several microphones such as SM57 (cardiod), OM5 (hypercardiod), Rode NT1 (large diaphram). I am wondering how to place/mount, record, and sync one or two HD video camera mounted on the front of the bike and side of a motorcycle and a microphone. I concerned with locating the microphone and synchronizng the sound later. A professional rider will be riding the bike. Is there an open source/free editing software for beginners that can ingest the video and audio streams and somehow synchronizing all that. I use a Dell E6400 laptop with 3.5 GB of RAM. Thx.
 
A friend of mine is the A1 for the show Orange County Choppers and he has told me quite a few stories about just that!
His favorite is that the film crew and the audio get into the back of a pickup truck with plywood attached to the bed of the truck that hangs out of the back about an other 4 feet where he can lay down out of the way of the film crew then with the boom and mic with a dead cat be able to get the sound of the cycle.

Now this is not recommended unless you know what your doing and have safety straps for YOU and YOUR equipment. not to mention insurance if you could get it for such a risky ordeal.
 
...where he can lay down out of the way of the film crew then with the boom and mic with a dead cat be able to get the sound of the cycle.

Now this is not recommended unless you know what your doing and have safety straps for YOU and YOUR equipment. not to mention insurance if you could get it for such a risky ordeal.

That technique is too risky for me. :) I am not willing to get road rashes for the sake of art. I have rigged mics for a full drum set, guitar amps, acoustic guitars before and am wondering if some of the technique can apply.

Idea 1: Place the SM57 with windscreen which I used as a poor man's kick drum mic and place it somewhere between the engine and the exhaust. The SM57 seems to have a wide range for the price.

Idea 2: Don't know if a large diaphragm mic is useful here. It picks up so much sound.

Challenge 1: I have used Audacity a little to compress MP3's. I have not used video editing software to combine video streams with multiple sound tracks. This newbie needs help and advice for this area.

Challenge 2: I am looking for a lightweight HD camera for this project. I welcome a recommendation for a brand and model.
 
Idea 2: Don't know if a large diaphragm mic is useful here. It picks up so much sound.
Not nearly as much as a small diaphragm will, but I'll digress.

Anyway - If you're trying to capture the sound of the engine - The ticking, the knocking, the pinging - the sounds of the metal scraping metal, the transmission, gear whine, etc., then close-mic the motor. If you're trying to capture the sound of "the bike" you aren't going to do better than having the mic about 8-10 feet behind and above the rear of the bike.

It's not "too" bad from the front (a'la OCC and most TV stuff, where you want to see the front of the bike), but the big question is: What do you actually want to hear? And what do you NOT want to hear?

There's a reason for 30" shotguns with 6" screens...
 
For the sake of just in case the mic falls off use a 57 it still might work after a fall and face it a way from the wind.If using a LDC try to put it in the saddle bag it will still pick up and not have wind noise..
Or you could get a zoom H4n to do the recording they also sell a video recorder.
 
Just a guess here.
What about clipping a wireless lavalier type mic to the back of the rider?
His body would block the wind, it would be pretty inconspicuous and you would hear the exaust type sounds while not putting yourself in physical jeapordy.
 
That's not the worst idea I've heard...

Still be a helluva wind - The rider's back is going to cause a rather sizable vacuum that's going to have air rushing into constantly while in motion. Backs of helmets are even worse - but the air flow tends to at least be smoother...

SIDENOTE: I'm a rider with over a dozen different styles of windshield, including a few of my own design using basic aero and hydrodynamics theories - so I've done a little studying on how a bike/rider cut through the air -

That all said - I really think the deciding factor will be what is to be recorded...
 
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