slfclash77
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im recording dialogue for a movie my friend is directing and i am new to ADR and i was just wondering what would be the best choice in mics? suggestions would be great!
microphone for ADR?
- Thread starter slfclash77
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Innovations
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If he is doing ADR there may be no microphones on the set whose sound they are actually going to be using. ADR is basicly voiceover work so you would mostly be looking at good voiceover mics: Electrovoice RE20, Shure SM7, Sennheiser MD421 are good dynamics, but also LDC microphones like a SP B1 could work. The most important thing is whatever you choose, use it throughout the movie for that character and ideally all characters. Consistency is king.
something cool
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Check out a shotgun mic. These are what are generally held over the actors' heads while they're doing a scene, and are very widely used for voice-over and ADR work.
If you want to go the LDC route, look for something that is pretty neutral, not too warm. I've had decent success with an AT 4050 and some EQ.
If you want to go the LDC route, look for something that is pretty neutral, not too warm. I've had decent success with an AT 4050 and some EQ.
I worked in one of the top ADR theatres in London for two years, plus have also done sessions in many others and very few use shotgun mics. I would have thought they would have, as these are used a lot on sets. However, there are 'studio' mics that are known to sound similar to the shotguns, only they have better specs.
The one I worked at used U87's a lot as well as another Neumann, which i'm not sure of the model now. Think it was a KSM86? Also had the little Oktava in use sometimes!
They had lots of mics, but these three stayed up all the time. I seem to remember the Oktava was used for exterior recreation and the U87 for interior, but I could be wrong.
The U87 seems very popular in many of the places.
The one I worked at used U87's a lot as well as another Neumann, which i'm not sure of the model now. Think it was a KSM86? Also had the little Oktava in use sometimes!
They had lots of mics, but these three stayed up all the time. I seem to remember the Oktava was used for exterior recreation and the U87 for interior, but I could be wrong.
The U87 seems very popular in many of the places.
While I think the U87 is a great mic and if one is working in a room neutral enough to step back 6, 9, 12, 15 in. (from the mic) and still generate files that can seamlessly integrate with everything else the editor requires (assuming that they even care about that aspect of the audio, not a given at any level of film or vid) would be a wonderful choice. My primary concern about the U87 would not even be the cost of the mic but characteristics of the room in which it was being used.
If, on the other hand (and not having worked in large, or even small, studio's dedicated to film/vid; but having over the years assisted with audio on a lot of low rent genuine indie productions) one is working in less then stellar acoustic space (by far more typical of my experience) and are compensating by putting lips as close to the mic as you can without overemphasizing proximity then a dynamic like either Shure SM7, Electrovoice RE20, might be a more effective choice. I am more familiar with the SM7 (and it might be my preference, as with everything audio almost every project is different enough that the idea of 'preferred' doesn't mean all that much . . . If the 'talent' thinks one brand of bottled water is better than another you go with their preference . . . If the 'talent' just has to have a U87 you just hope the budget supports that belief) but RE20 certainly has the reputation of minimal proximity effect.
Oh and while (again every genuine indie project on which I've worked has had at least slightly different division of labor and responsibility) I am enthusiastic about convolution and dynamic harmonic EQ (balancing, matching) unless it is a specific part of my responsibility I leave those to the editor. If my responsibility is purely ADR I don't necessarily try to match existing . . . Sometimes if we're just 'fixing' (punching in) a word or phrase it might be necessary to 'match' (though even then, not always, depends on sophistication of audio rig and requirements of the editor (again if they are even aware of audio variables). But typically I track ADR like everything else, as neutral as possible and at least half the time that is where my responsibility ends. Mostly suggesting here that (as with everything else) it helps to be as clear as possible concerning expectations of whoever is hiring you. Now a problem with film is that emotional character of performance can be a function of the acoustic space. (Akin perhaps to problems of trying to track electric guitar through the board and add fx in the mix) But even if I need to manipulate ambient variables for sake of 'performance' I will, typically, try to track a 'neutral' take as well . . . Don't mean neutral as in bland PSA tones but 'free' of ambient tags (all of which, of course, entails, contradiction and compromise)
If for some reason a condenser is required (and model not specified) I've found Audio-Technica AT-4050, Shure KSM 32 (or multi polar 44) to be dependable (while you still don't want to drive nails with them or spit into the capsule they don't disintegrate if you breath on them) reasonably priced work horse mics.
If, on the other hand (and not having worked in large, or even small, studio's dedicated to film/vid; but having over the years assisted with audio on a lot of low rent genuine indie productions) one is working in less then stellar acoustic space (by far more typical of my experience) and are compensating by putting lips as close to the mic as you can without overemphasizing proximity then a dynamic like either Shure SM7, Electrovoice RE20, might be a more effective choice. I am more familiar with the SM7 (and it might be my preference, as with everything audio almost every project is different enough that the idea of 'preferred' doesn't mean all that much . . . If the 'talent' thinks one brand of bottled water is better than another you go with their preference . . . If the 'talent' just has to have a U87 you just hope the budget supports that belief) but RE20 certainly has the reputation of minimal proximity effect.
Oh and while (again every genuine indie project on which I've worked has had at least slightly different division of labor and responsibility) I am enthusiastic about convolution and dynamic harmonic EQ (balancing, matching) unless it is a specific part of my responsibility I leave those to the editor. If my responsibility is purely ADR I don't necessarily try to match existing . . . Sometimes if we're just 'fixing' (punching in) a word or phrase it might be necessary to 'match' (though even then, not always, depends on sophistication of audio rig and requirements of the editor (again if they are even aware of audio variables). But typically I track ADR like everything else, as neutral as possible and at least half the time that is where my responsibility ends. Mostly suggesting here that (as with everything else) it helps to be as clear as possible concerning expectations of whoever is hiring you. Now a problem with film is that emotional character of performance can be a function of the acoustic space. (Akin perhaps to problems of trying to track electric guitar through the board and add fx in the mix) But even if I need to manipulate ambient variables for sake of 'performance' I will, typically, try to track a 'neutral' take as well . . . Don't mean neutral as in bland PSA tones but 'free' of ambient tags (all of which, of course, entails, contradiction and compromise)
If for some reason a condenser is required (and model not specified) I've found Audio-Technica AT-4050, Shure KSM 32 (or multi polar 44) to be dependable (while you still don't want to drive nails with them or spit into the capsule they don't disintegrate if you breath on them) reasonably priced work horse mics.