How do I monitor audio remotely?

by Tyler
(Wisconsin )


Audio Question: Hi. This is the one thing that I need the most help with. I am planning on filming a choir teacher and his choir in my documentary. How would I wirelessly record the teacher on a lav mic and wirelessly record the choir on a shotgun mic, and monitor both through my headset? Thank you so much for your time and answer.


Answer | Desktop Documentaries

Hi Tyler,

Thanks for writing in. I've sent your question over to audio expert Larry Vaughn in Florida. Hopefully he'll be posting his answer soon.

In the meantime, here are a few helpful links as reference:

Audio Basics for Documentaries & Video Production

Different Types of Microphones

DSLR Audio | Rigging Up A DSLR Camera To Capture Pro Audio

Please let us know if you have any follow-up questions or if these suggestions have been helpful.

Comments for How do I monitor audio remotely?

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Mar 30, 2014
 wireless mics NEW
by: Larry Vaughn

As far as the wireless goes, I wouldn't use it if everyone is stationary unless you can't hide the cables. There is always the possibility of interference from the wireless mics, and the audio quality will be better without them.
Mar 30, 2014
 multi-audio sources NEW
by: Larry Vaughn

In this situation, I wouldn't use a shotgun mic at all. Use the lav normally but put an omni or a cardioid mic on a boom over the choir. I'm assuming it is inside. You want to pick up the sound from the entire choir not emphasize one member. Try what mics you have available, but keep them close to the sound source.

Shotgun mics really are not for inside small areas because the room sound reflections don't sound good.

To monitor, I'd have one mic on one channel and the other on the other channel, and run them into a mixer, and use the headphone controls on the mixer to listen to what I wanted to listen to.

If you are recording with the mics connected directly to the camera and just have headphones, which are a requirement, you probably don't have any way to control the channel output independently, so just listen to one side at a time by sliding each side of the phones off and on the ear as you need to listen to the choir or the director or both.

Larry Vaughn

Larry Vaughn | Production Hub

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