All condenser microphones produce self-noise. Dynamic microphones are completely void of self-noise. If the dynamic microphone is low, impedance balanced back to a low noise preamp which most preamps today are, you can turn up the gain to equal the gain of a phantom powered condenser mic with less noise.
It appears that the trend now is to hold a lav mic or a mini-mic with your fingers, right in front of your mouth, to ensure as many plosives as possible.
Glad it's not just me! This trend bothers me as much as people holding a smartphone horizontally directly in front of their mouth and talking loudly at it, whilst the other half of their conversation blares out of the speaker for all to hear. I suspect both trends are related. I have no idea why either is a thing.
@@hdmediaprouk I think you answered yourself: it's a thing, solely because it's a trend. I think the majority of people who do it don't hear how badly their audio sounds as a result of doing it…but…it's a trend, so "I guess I'm supposed to do it now."
I'm on studio monitors, and my God... This voice recording sounds so crispy, warm and natural with good room - it's way better than almost every other talking head youtube video. You're doing the lord's work right here.
Well, I don't think it's that. It's the "authenticity" you would feel differently if some of the creators you watch put more into production value. You would not feel that close to them. It's the opposite of "he is legit." It's more like, "Yeah, I could do that too if I wanted to."
@@splitguy6813 No its actually all to do with Podcasting and radio presenter style content, where the person is in one room sitting with a mic infront of them talking, think Joe Rogon or Alex Jones, nearly always had the mics sitting in front of them exactly the same as a Radio presenter. Now an obvious factor is also that most of these mics are desktop mics and designed to sit infront of the face, cameras where never a consideration at any point.
@@HOLLASOUNDS Well, that doesn't change anything. My point was, technically, none of them has to have these microphones, and they usually have even backup boom mics or lav mics when they add cameras anyway. It's about selling that authenticity even if you have the money for a vastly better setup. And I am not generalizing. But, for example, why are LTT videos still done in a set kitchen? Why isn't it some appropriate space to do so? Because it's less intimidating and doesn't seem like they are a 100M+ company. And I don’t see anything wrong with that strategy. It's just dishonest to say, well, people are having these mics because they are lazy. They usually internalize their ideal presenter when they want to create something, and that idol has money to do an amazing studio but chooses not to do so to seem grounded. MrBeast, for example, is spectacular, and he is not trying to hide production value, but someone like Ryan Trahan has way higher margins on each video and can produce them faster. But he wants to sell you the idea of "you could do that too." That is his product. And I sometimes watch them and am entertained because he doesn't always have a crew and seems authentic. But then, he can certainly afford more than a 20 bucks lav mic and a cameraman to follow him anywhere. So, a visible mic is shorthand for authenticity. It's something like "I am still the guy from Mom's bedroom, even if I have studio employees, etc." I am not saying that everyone with a mic in their shot is or isn't lazy or thinks about the appearance of it. But most people who have the money for a better setup are choosing subpar gear to seem more approachable and normal, even if they are millionaires.
Sometimes you just need someone to point out that you can combine two things you already know. I've been positioning shotgun mics just out of frame for years. I've also been masking stuff out for years. Why did I never think to put a mic in the frame for better audio and then mask it out? THANK YOU for pointing this out. You've got a new subscriber 😁
This guy is a master at making very “UA-cam”y videos. He could have just said “photoshop the mic out” in the first 30 sec, but he’s got me here watching the whole damn thing
You provide a great solution and it's a great way to conceal the mic while keeping quality up. Good stuff. I do want to point out there's two reasons why they have the mic right on their face that you don't mention in the video. 1. It's to reduce the room as much as possible, especially reflections/reverb. I can hear hear reflections/reverb in your audio, but it isn't much because you smartly positioned yourself in the center of the room and further away from the walls. Podcasters/UA-camrs often film desks and close to walls where the sound can reflect easily. Having a cardiod/super-cardiod dynamic mic close to your mouth almost entirely eliminates the room. 2. They have the mic in frame on purpose. The idealic/filmmaking philosophy is to hide the mic which increases perceived quality. They want to show the mic because it feels authentic or they're challenging what's seen as "good." It's a philosophical and brand choice. Think about the TikTok mic phenomenon where people on TikTok are handholding tiny lapel mics. It's humorous and different.
I definitely agree that there are benefits to having the mic in frame. Take this video we are commenting on for example, because I could clearly tell the audio was recorded with a really good mic that's close to Harv (it sounds awesome), not seeing it in the frame almost makes me feel like there's a disconnection between the visual and the sound. It almost feels like his audio was dubbed.
@@paulstubbs7678 that just sounds elitist. I’ve seen well respected content creators with high quality content hand-holding a lav mic. They absolutely do know what they are doing. Things are just changing.
I've checked the 400 Pure and I liked it too, but then someone recommended the OC16, not one but several trusted professionals, and I did test it out. Loved it, bought it. If I hadn't tried the OC16, I was definitely buying the 440 Pure. Just my view. @@majordrumkill
All depends on what you're trying to do. If it's in a studio setting and you're going to edit it later then out of frame can work. If on the other hand it's live and you're not going to mess with it the a broadcast dynamic or condensor will do just fine. Even the headphones are no issue when it comes to live situations.
Headphones are not used in live situations? Man, if you are doing any tutorial where sound comes out of the speakers, headphones are a must for monitoring. Also headphones are used to communicate between musicians/ engineers, across rooms… like on Joe Rogan podcasts he is receiving instructions from other team members. Or if you have to replay a video, not just for mic feedback, but the fact that sounds worse if you record what comes from the speakers. The reason the mic and headphones look comes from is radio.
Part of the visible mic for youtubers is that they want to display the type of mic they are using. It is part of their commercial aesthetic. Trends then push them towards what is popular to do eg. lav or field recorders in hand.
A voice-over I hire quite often has a wide range of microphones. But the one absolutely loves (and so do I), is the Sennheiser MKH 416. It's a directional mic, used in film and TV productions a lot. It's still very rich in both the low as the high end of the spectrum.
I had been trying to hide my mic for years and I will always appreciate how the meta now is that audiences don’t really care. Still a useful tutorial but I’m glad I don’t have to rely on hiding my mic anymore.
dont forget to add a blackout curtain to your filming room if you do this near a window, a cloud rolling by will often entirely destroy the illusion otherwise. it's a neat trick though
It's annoying when you watch some asmr video, with two big fat black mics left and right as the babe leans over to each one to either whisper to you or chew on the sponge...
It's naff and a wee bit pretentious. Not to mention the lack of forethought that is required to compromise on radio studio mikes shoved in peoples faces, on a video production. It displays a singular lack of imagination in simply following the herd...
Excellent points. The SM7B is a mic designed for radio. UA-camrs using it aren't on the radio. As a 40 year video pro, to me it is out of the question to use anything but a shotgun mic an inch out of top of frame or in a working TV studio environment a high end lav. I use a Schoeps shotgun but Rode makes a beautiful and affordable one.
All good points. You can also just get a shotgun mic and a boom and a stand with a boom holder and place the mic outside of the shot. If you’re not trying to get a carbon fiber boom pole, you can do this setup on a decent budget.
I've ended up using a MKH600 shotgun mic that's out of shot i was using a dynamic close mic before but wanted to try something else, as it was not only in shot but when playing guitar in front of sort of takes things away from the shot, and means sitting at an appropriate distance, decided to buy a shotgun mic instead with post processing and a relatively quiet room outside of desk reflections it's working really well so far
Finally someone with brains! And when you position yourself and compose the frame, you realize you can get very close with mic. I just hate these big ''vocal microphones'' that cover half of the face. An film they usually capture sound with shotgun micss,which are often a few feet from talent's head, but the sound is still good. Actually, in average film the sound is better than 99.99% of YT videos. Well, truthfully, most of UA-camrs don't even know what sound is and how things works, they just saw it somewhere....
@@fifi23o5 thanks, i was pleasantly surprised with just how good the audio was, once everything was setup i can get surprisingly close using a standard microphone stand that's on my desk (it looks kinda funny, but i have the space between my speakers and the back wall for the legs) while still being out of shot and another advantage is i don't have to be pretty much glued in front of the mic stand to get a good take/audio, wish i'd bought it sooner
Shotgun mic is what I was thinking about all the way through this video. No need to cut a separate clean shot. I'm a professional sound engineer including boom operator on live television, and you'd be suprised how close you can get a mic and still be out of shot. I have a Sennheiser MKH 416 which is easily one of the best sounding mics I own. It is over the budget mentioned in this video, but well worth saving up for - the difference between this and many of the usual suspect cheaper shotgun mics is night and day to my ears - it's not an accident it's been the de facto industry standard for decades.
@@hdmediaprouk Exactly. It all depends on the shot though for sure. I ditched my big RE20 very recently and swapped it out for a small SDC on a gooseneck pointed straight at my mouth about 5 inches away just out of frame of my computer camera. Couldn't do that with an LDC because it's too large and heavy.
100% spot on. I don't understand the desire to "eat the mic". In live music events as well. Amateur move by even the best pros. The singer will be obscured as if it's required. As you prove, it's not! Michael Buble, among few others, is one I've noticed that figured out you don't need to eat the mic. Going the extra step on this video to mask out the mic was clever AF! Didn't even know about that trick. Love it!
The thing is, as an ENG sounds engineer ( Electronic News Gathering ), this is what we did all the time. In a "controlled" environment front the top. Loud environment, a little closer in the camera and from the bottom with the back to the traffic. I noticed that sound is most of the time a problem and the reason for the SM7b and EV RE320 is they are close mic. The room don't need that much of room treatment and "it looks cool".
Solid assessment, imo! AT4033 was my first “real” mic and later a second. Got the sm7b 10 years ago because it seemed so versatile, but in practice another mic has always won and it’s never been used on final recording. Liking your mic hide trick. I’ve always positioned the mic just off camera which works pretty well, but your solution looks much better and with a solid white background this trick would be a snap. Thanks for the great tip!
I don’t own one, but I’ve heard comparisons and it shocked me how affected the SM7b sound is. Definitely NOT a flat response at all. I think it’s well suited to a podcast sound. Voices seem to have presence while being very intelligible without sibilants, but in no way is it a “true” sound. The challenge with condensers is their sensitivity, picking up all the bad room stuff too. But I like your solution. Pointing downward (assuming you have carpeting or a rug) probably helps a little with unwanted reflections, plus you can hide it in this way while still having it relatively close. You also don’t need it as close with a condenser as you would with the Shure. Your idea is definitely helpful and a good reminder that you don’t have to shove a $450 mic in your face for your videos.
I've been using an AT2020 for 5 years for everything and I love it. I don't do a whole lot of videos anymore but one thing that also helps is using a longer focal length and moving the camera back. This changes the perspective of the shot so the field of view is smaller and you can get the mic much closer to yourself but keep it just out of frame. My only caveat there is that your shot will be flattened out and it's not as flattering, especially if you're trying to make yourself look thinner.
I bought the Audio Technica AT2020 in 2008 for my podcast and I am still using and loving it. I always wondered why it's used so rarely. Thank you for the video, I am starting to film tutorials and wasn't sure what to do with the mic - now I know!
I've seen a lot of videos out there where people just crank the gain on the SM7B and you can hear the noise floor. While others have it quite far away despite most of it being a pop filter, leaving things sounding very muffled. For the presenter style, I prefer the classic Electro-Voice RE20 although it's also pretty preamp-hungry. If anyone's on the fence about sinking dollars upon dollars on an SM-7B I'd take this guy's advice. Others have mentioned more hyper-cardioid mics like shotguns which will lessen spill from the room. In the video you can hear sibilant sounds from his voice scattering around the room for example - but a bit of realism isn't the worst. As he says though, as long as the source is loud enough compared to the room sound, it's workable. The great thing about having a side-address condenser like the C214 or others is they are very versatile for other applications. However once you've given the SM-7B a boost, it's ready to go for certain applications without needing to do much extra EQ because it's already rejecting plosives, reducing the top end etc. At the end of the day, what sound do you want to go for and what is your budget?
I've used that technique to hide the mic before, but because the mic dipped into the frame. Nevertheless, considering you use a LDC, I don't have to tell you it's smart to have it closer for a stronger ratio between signal and room. -- I currently use an Audix SCX1/HC on an overhead boom, juuuuuuuust out of frame.... mainly because I edit a lot and I'm all for having one less thing to do. There is one thing though, I do miss that LDC sound. Thanks to you, I'm tempted to boom test them. You never know, I just may end up swapping that pencil mic out. Nice clean sounding and looking video, Harv.
I agree completely! Although, my choice for mics differs a bit but they ARE condensers, not dynamic. I tend to look further afield than the market-dominant condensers but yes, dynamics don't have the expansive richness of condensers. Also, the Photoshop masking is a great idea!
this technique is exactly what i do with my talking head podcasts! the only difference is that instead of copy and pasting, i do an infinite loop: minute 1 forwards, minute 2 backwards, minute 3 forwards, minute 4 backwards, etc... so each odd-numbered minute is the 1min clip at +100% speed, and each even-numbered minute is the 1min clip at -100% speed, thereby creating the illusion that it is not copy and pasted footage, but a section that is repeating continuously!
I haven't watched the video yet, so I apologize in advance if I repeat anything, but here are a couple of points worth paying attention to: 1. a microphone in the frame is not always bad 2. if you want the microphone not to be visible, you will need a condenser microphone because of high sensitivity; the signal needs to be heavily compressed There are 2 problems: 1)Recording from a condenser microphone often requires to be thorough edited(you don’t want to be heard scratching your balls) 2)A condenser microphone always records not only a dry signal, but also the room sound (in which you are located). If you have a small and/or acoustically untreated room, your voice will sound like it's coming from a closet. Dynamic microphones such as Shure sm7b or EV re20 do not have this drawback and convey the tembre of the voice quite well, so simply taking them and “creating” is often enough. Also these mikes retain their price quite well, are liquid and can be easily sold if needed
I couldn't agree more with you on this! I have been doing TV video production for 30 years now and having the mic in the shot is, in most cases, not something I can do. I'm usually using a shotgun mic like my tried and true Sanken CS1-e, a Sennheiser 416 or my Schoeps CMC6/41 depending on the situation and use case. Very different mics than what you're talking about here being in a very controlled environment, but even still getting the mic into the shot is never a great thing. Very distracting and it gives away the magic. Thanks for this and I love the idea of the mask. Getting people to understand that shooting a plate and masking the mic is really not that hard at all is just crazy. I'm always getting these DPs that think they're shooting "Dances with Wolves and everything needs to have massive headroom and they ask that I move the mic out of there shot, yet want great sound... Yes, lavs and wireless. But sometimes a boom mic just sounds so much better! Anyhow, thanks and lets hope this theory of not having a mic in the shot catches on, again.
Thank you! I complained last week to a Vlogger because she couldn't stop making finger noise on the mic and popping from being too close. She said that she would keep doing it the "Millenial" way. Enough!
All great points and I'm with you on the SM7B, I can spot (hear) them a mile away. I'd highly recommend adding the Roswell K47 or K87 to your list. The Roswells have taken the place of many of my more expensive and heralded LDCs as my go to mics.
My current regular microphone is an AKG Lyra usb microphone, I don't mind having it in my livestream frames because the retro aesthetic is just my vibe 😁
6:38 The way you hide the microphone is nice. Unfortunately it only works when the light conditions don't change over time. If you are filming next to a window, chancing sunlight by clouds or the sun's position could change the lighting in the room. This would make the overlapping clean shot visible. 🤨
I agree it looks so much better, and what I agree with more is the SM7b is mid, I honestly didn't know how to mix properly when I got it and was very disappointed when I heard how dull it was, def not beginner friendly, and even if I'm on the go I prefer a handheld condenser, it just has so much more top end that makes it sound so crisp and clean. I do understand the hype for the SM7b though, I still use it on the rare occasion for certain things, works great outside if you want to do something at a park, etc. Just not my cup of tea either
thanks for the professional advice! it is true mics have no place in the shot unless they are telling something, and most of the times that's not what the producer wants. Thanks for the reminder to go back to the classic wisdom.
Thanks for sharing your honest thoughts and opinions about these mics, Harv. I believe that anyone who has the money should buy the mic of their choice, whether it's a certain brand or the most valuable one. Nonetheless, it's good to spread awareness like you did that anyone can still get good voice quality from cheaper mics. This topic is the same as having a low-end or high-end camera. It's not always about the gear, but how do you use it and why you use it. There are many people out in the world over spending money trying to catch up to UA-camrs by wanting to use the same products they use, thinking they will get the same results. -Wilfredo
I completely agree with your opinions on the Shure mic. I’m not a massive fan of the narrow sound and they are ugly. I am a post production sound engineer and I don’t understand why more don’t go for good quality Shotgun microphones which are more diverse and useful for these sorts of set ups. They are far thinner to crop out and are design to work from that kind of distance because they are more directional. People can pick up Sennheiser 416 second hand for 400£ which is THE shotgun microphone used for movie productions for decades. Or rode ntg2 for half the price which also sound great. They are also designed to be used for outdoor applications as well which will help many UA-cam videographers. People often think they aren’t good for that Voice over Sound just by the look but there is still a massive number of Voice Over studios and artists that choose the 416 for voice overs because it sounds so great excellent and natural it’s the microphone sound we are used to hearing most as it has been used so much over the decades
I have sm58’s, 57’s and a Neumann u87 from the 1990 (looks like an 84/85 or 86 year model) The 57/58 gets most use, the Neumann is used for acoustics, vocals. It’s fantastic for ambient mic work.
Neat trick! I would have thought it was some green screen hanging in front of the mic, but this is even better. Obviously, not everyone even _wants_ their microphone to be invisible, but that's another discussion.
Hahaha that's awesome! Why have I never thought of that. The SM7B is a great choice that works nearly anywhere on anyone. But if you have a treated studio space, a nice large diaphragm condenser sounds better most of the time.
You are absolutely right! I don't need to see a microphone in anybodies face to find them more credible or cool. I think it's a fad and a mixture of showing off the latest gear and copying that Microphone-on-the-talkshow-hosts-desk-look. I really like your sound. Warm and rich.
another mic technique that youtubers sleep on is the shotgun, especially overhead on a boom. They’re literally made for video and every hollywood film you’ve ever seen used them. DPA 4060 behind the collar and a MKH 416 overhead and it’ll sound magical on either. 416 is also the standard VO mic for a reason.
I appreciate your advice, another option is the one I use, I use a shotgun mic, Sennheiser mkh-416, I can place it over my head and in front of me a little and leave it out of shot, it picks up my voice beautifully. A cheaper option which also does a surprisingly good job is the Rode NTG4 (and 4plus). You have all heard both of these microphones before in television shows and big hit movies, they are used most of the time to record voice from out of camera shot. I would save your time with masking, don't bother with dynamic or cardioid and go with super cardioid shotgun mics, they range anywhere from £200 to £1,100 and sound fab. I used to have an AT2020, they're not my cup of tea unfortunately but I know some people love them. I could hear the difference when you switched mics over.
The rich audio from the mic your using is spot on, what is it, what capture device did you use? Great right-to-point helpful video, Subbed looking forward for more
I used to have the AT2020 and AT2035. I used the 2020 for over a decade before handing it down to a friend. I personally prefer seeing the microphone in the shot since I'm much more object oriented. I don't even mind if faces are obscured so long as the audio is clear and full. the only time I get bothered by a mic obstructing a face is if the audio going along with it is weak, fuzzy, or unintelligible. critiquing or giving feedback on different microphones is generally why I like to watch various videos like these. The SM7B is heavily over represented on youtube I'm personally partial to it, but it's often used in ways it wasn't meant to be. The next most common mic on youtube would probably be the Electrovoice re20 or the yeti.
nice...but there is another reason to use a dynamic... background noise...I have an avenue just outside the window so buses, motorbikes, etc. Even with a dynamic mic still get a lot of that in the audio. Your plate game is on point dude... congrats!
Old trick I got into when I made my short film noir, Bum Rap. In one sequence, I had a well lit alley, and needed a guy to walk toward the camera. But with a Canon 5D Mark II there was plenty of noise just above the blacks. So, I shot a plate of the scene without him in it, and covered as much of the film with the plate (or photo) of the location as I could. The alley was open in the back to another street, so I added fireworks to the sky from video i shot on July 4th years before. And this was all done in Photoshop CS4 extended. (Layers in the animation timeline) I could only get away with maybe 15 seconds of these layers with the measly 8 megs of ram I had.. the film is loaded with these layers. No grain, no noise...
Good point about microphone placement. There is no need to have the microphone in one's face. You sound great without puffing, chuffing, and popping into the microphone at close range they way other guys do. And yet, I would have preferred you skip the sales pitch and comparison, to hear more about how to place the microphone out of view, and still sound good. Some discussion about gain staging and more about locating the microphone out of view (notwithstanding your clever dodging technique) it could be a very helpful tutorial on how to get good audio without having the microphone in view - after all, newscasters and professional broadcasters often hide microphones out of view, and they sound great. So - good video - but I think it could be even better and more instructive. Long overdue. Thanks. TT
I had The same problemm recording classes. Sennheiser E614 was a surprise for me. Not intended to be a microphone for Voice over or dialogue recording like neumanns K185. But its supercardioid figure helps a lot. During pandemics this was The best sounding Mic in my collection. I had The Shure, Rode NT5 Rode NTG1, Sennheiser MKe 600. But the E614 that i bought to Record percussion was amazing in a non treated Room and closed boomed over my Head. Way better than mics built forr that purpose like the NTG1.
I think the in shot mic took off because, talk radio and audio pod cast shows added a camera but didn't change their studio for video. In my opinion it looks abysmal for a video centric show. When I do a sit down type of video, I use either a lav or my MKE 600. For many people one of the short shotgun mics meant to go on your camera can easily be boomed out of the shot. I used a Deity D4 and an SM57 before I bought the Sennheiser for a different production. A lot of people poo poo the 57 but when I bought my first one, my thought was if they are good enough for every president since Johnson, they are good enough for me. I haven't been disappointed.
Subscribed because masking the mic is a great idea. You get a better proximity effect and even cheap mics sound much better when closer to the source of sound! Masking is also super easy to do.
7:28 Even if your voice is bouncing around in your room, you could use some portable acoustic walls standing - outside of the shot - to the left and right. Those would kill a massive amount of reflections coming back into your microphone.
Wow! I used to think that a mic in ALL SHOTS was the professional way to go... Hmmmmm... Harv, you got me rethinking that concept. Think outside the box, I say. But wait, I was drooling so much over the quality of your sound that I didn't hear you mention what mic you used for this video. I may get that answer at some point; much appreciated. By the way, I have the AT2020 USB and XLR. I love them! Thanks for this video!!
Solid tips. I think apart from the room/signal ratio the signal to noise ratio can make a solid difference though, things like cars outside the window or stuff. But I am also an audio guy so I would rather remove the camera than compromise on audio quality xD
I use the Audio Technica AT-8035 long shotgun microphone mounted right outside the frame and I think my talking head narration audio is perfectly fine. I don't understand why more UA-cam creators don't use a shotgun mic. For me it's the obvious choice for these talking head shots. Although I am happy with the sound, I have to admit that I still have a bit to learn about setting up levels and editing. But I also just need to get my videos out, so I can't spend too much time finessing details that most viewers will never notice.
I got the AT4033A for $180 from a pawn shop in 2015! Still my best sounding mic 😊 It does let it a lot of room noise though. Also, I just watched an hour long documentary on why UA-camrs specifically try to leave the mic in the shot to be relatable. All preference, but I like your take here!
I really liked the sm7b I got to use and haven’t had the pleasure of owning. So I use a sm57 with a Shure pop screen and some processing to get a daily close sibling to the sm7b. Having the mic out of view helps this feel like you are having a good conversation
Man, thanks for making this video. I've been thinking the same thing. I honestly think a lot of people put an SM7B right in the middle of the shot as a badge of honor or flex or something. I've I even seen people have an UNPLUGGED SM7B on their podcast while wearing a lav!!! I have a Lewitt LCT 440 and I love it. I'm able to keep it out of frame too. The next Mic I'm looking at is either the Earthworks Icon or Ethos. I just can't get enough of their look, especially the Icon. And when I do get one, it's going to be hard to keep it off camera. They're just so sexy. Honestly, I'm not even that much against having you mic on camera, but when 99% of people have the exact same mic, it gets really stale and played out. At least customize and make it your own if you're going the have the same thing as everybody else.
Micheal jackson never used sm7b. He used sm7 which is way different than 7b. Also sm7b was launched in 2001, almost 20 years after the album was released.
To be honest, most YT-ers have 0.0 knowledge of audio and a mic at the mouth simply solves the issue. As audio engineers we think "but it's so easy, just put up a mic up there", but it's not that simple. And therefore the community made it acceptable, even a design element, to have that mic. As mentioned earlier, it looks like a radio station! I mean, if they do it. ...And second, many interviewees really like the mic in front to feel less "exposed", which is actually very important. And.... you didn't even mention the headphones many YT-ers are wearing!!!!
Hi Harv! Love your new vocal chain! Unless one works in a well equipped studio it' can take a long time to learn how different gear sounds on different sources. UA-cam is helpful. After many decades being a musician, studio owner, audio guy, and filmmaker, I've learned I can get good results from "cheap" gear. Better gear can get me there quicker. After 20 years recording interview audio for a PBS station, I learned how incredibly different all voices sound. I move the mic until I get a sound I like. Because of your vids I've been thinking about getting the WA 47. ✌❤
I think people keep the mics in because they're "Mitch Headberg-ing". They're hiding behind the mic because it makes them more comfortable presenting themselves. Mitch wore sunglasses, had his hair in his face, and basically hid behind the microphone when he performed because it made him feel more comfortable on stage. The SM7B is just the 20's AT2020. UA-camrs get it because they want their voice to sound deeper and richer but end up just sounding the same as they always did but more boomy (Because they want to kiss it). The AT2020 dethroned the c01u before that, if you watched anything on Newgrounds from 2006-2010 you've heard this mic. All great options for the prices and their eras. (I wrote that comment before he brought his at2020 out lol, great minds, eh?)
That’s interesting and well made. I didn’t know about the video composite shot trick before! I use a shotgun microphone, just out of frame slightly above my head. I’m quite happy with that, but I’m aware that it doesn’t pick up many low tones.
I use an AT2020 as well and i'm super happy with the sound. it is just beautifully dry and sounds close, even if you're slightli distant to it. i disagree about editing mics out of the shots tho. i think the microphone adds to the ambiance of my space. sure it's not cool to have it block the face, made that mistake before, but it does look cool
That's pretty nifty! I never thought about masking out the microphone. I used to use lapel mics but found they sounded too boomy and needed heavy EQ'ing. I tried all sorts, including a Behringer C-1 above (although overhead out of shot, hence not great) but reverb and noise was an issue. I currently use MV7X mics which like the SM7B works best when spoken closer. The reason why it works best for me is there's little audio bleed between two mics when I film in a relatively small space.
Dude!!! Thanks SO much!! When I first started my channel I had a mic in front of me. But not blocking me. I eventually upgrade to a boom arm. That helped. But I still saw the mic. Then, I bought the Rode NTG-2 shotgun condenser. I can keep it out of frame. But THIS tip??!? Oh man!! I’m SO excited to implement this!! Thank you for sharing!! Subscribing now!!!
I think it depends. If you're trying to be presenting yourself as a "UA-cam Presenter" then yea, the mic is "bad video visuals". But if you're more selling yourself as just a producer/musician who is more casually sharing things on UA-cam, then I think it can kind of be a valid prop, in a way.
As someone who has spent a lifetime in broadcast engineering I've always had an interest in what podcasters were using for mics and why. Interesting to note as well is the subject of headphones. Presenters that come from a television background use in-ear monitoring or nothing at all (Tucker), while most other podcasters (Rogan) wear large full sized headphones. If you aren't taking phone calls, engaging with guest on Zoom, or have a need to listen to a producer, headphones are basically pointless when conversing with people in the same room. Yet most of the podcasters I see feel the need to wear them.
Most podcasters feel the need to wear them, cos they often use dynamic mics, and guest has no idea when they speak off of the mic. With headphones they can monitor themselves.
I use an Audio-Technica AT897 shotgun condenser for video at work. Converting from CAD, it’s just over 200 GBP, sounds great, and you don’t need to be right on it.
back in the day, people used to use a boom mic. but its got a handle and can get in the way of the shot. i believe they did that to show what other microphones there are in the world to use. they are great, but if you are stuck with using a cellphone camera (not the best type of camera for youtube video by the way...ive tried. your viewers would rather want something more of a real experience when watching)
I think that "traditional" setup is based on common radio broadcast studio setup, it's fairly impossible to get good clarity and balance with multiple guests sitting close no matter if each having dedicated mic or not, on the other hand your mic placement in the video also helps with minimizing plosives and essess, in radio, we're actually using AKG 414 and Neumann U87 because they still sound most natural, from dynamic mic options, Sennheiser MD441 and Electrovoice RE20 are acceptable alternatives, but in well-treated studio even nowadays mid-end phones provide fantastic sound already
Check out my new video - How To Vastly Improve Your Lav Mic Audio ua-cam.com/video/ZWeYEc9EpFY/v-deo.html
I'm confused... What mic did you use in this video? It's grey, so it doesn't look like a Shure SM7 (B or DB)...
Any microphone can sound that good using EQ. Obviously the microphone you're using was EQ'd
All condenser microphones produce self-noise. Dynamic microphones are completely void of self-noise. If the dynamic microphone is low, impedance balanced back to a low noise preamp which most preamps today are, you can turn up the gain to equal the gain of a phantom powered condenser mic with less noise.
It appears that the trend now is to hold a lav mic or a mini-mic with your fingers, right in front of your mouth, to ensure as many plosives as possible.
Glad it's not just me! This trend bothers me as much as people holding a smartphone horizontally directly in front of their mouth and talking loudly at it, whilst the other half of their conversation blares out of the speaker for all to hear. I suspect both trends are related. I have no idea why either is a thing.
@@hdmediaprouk I think you answered yourself: it's a thing, solely because it's a trend. I think the majority of people who do it don't hear how badly their audio sounds as a result of doing it…but…it's a trend, so "I guess I'm supposed to do it now."
Hey the majority goes through TikTok which ruins audio quality anyway, so if it's loud it works I guess!
😂😂😂 seen to much of it
he he
I'm on studio monitors, and my God... This voice recording sounds so crispy, warm and natural with good room - it's way better than almost every other talking head youtube video.
You're doing the lord's work right here.
Now for 'the lords work', I'd love to get this type of audio from my parish priest's badly positioned lav.......
To be fair there was a point on UA-cam where people would say “Wow, he’s got a microphone, he must be legit”
They still do.
Well, I don't think it's that. It's the "authenticity" you would feel differently if some of the creators you watch put more into production value. You would not feel that close to them. It's the opposite of "he is legit." It's more like, "Yeah, I could do that too if I wanted to."
I won't watch people without a mic in the frame.
@@splitguy6813 No its actually all to do with Podcasting and radio presenter style content, where the person is in one room sitting with a mic infront of them talking, think Joe Rogon or Alex Jones, nearly always had the mics sitting in front of them exactly the same as a Radio presenter. Now an obvious factor is also that most of these mics are desktop mics and designed to sit infront of the face, cameras where never a consideration at any point.
@@HOLLASOUNDS Well, that doesn't change anything. My point was, technically, none of them has to have these microphones, and they usually have even backup boom mics or lav mics when they add cameras anyway. It's about selling that authenticity even if you have the money for a vastly better setup. And I am not generalizing. But, for example, why are LTT videos still done in a set kitchen? Why isn't it some appropriate space to do so? Because it's less intimidating and doesn't seem like they are a 100M+ company. And I don’t see anything wrong with that strategy. It's just dishonest to say, well, people are having these mics because they are lazy. They usually internalize their ideal presenter when they want to create something, and that idol has money to do an amazing studio but chooses not to do so to seem grounded. MrBeast, for example, is spectacular, and he is not trying to hide production value, but someone like Ryan Trahan has way higher margins on each video and can produce them faster. But he wants to sell you the idea of "you could do that too." That is his product. And I sometimes watch them and am entertained because he doesn't always have a crew and seems authentic. But then, he can certainly afford more than a 20 bucks lav mic and a cameraman to follow him anywhere. So, a visible mic is shorthand for authenticity. It's something like "I am still the guy from Mom's bedroom, even if I have studio employees, etc." I am not saying that everyone with a mic in their shot is or isn't lazy or thinks about the appearance of it. But most people who have the money for a better setup are choosing subpar gear to seem more approachable and normal, even if they are millionaires.
Sometimes you just need someone to point out that you can combine two things you already know.
I've been positioning shotgun mics just out of frame for years. I've also been masking stuff out for years.
Why did I never think to put a mic in the frame for better audio and then mask it out?
THANK YOU for pointing this out. You've got a new subscriber 😁
Thomas, your mic is gorgeous, don't hide it =)
This guy is a master at making very “UA-cam”y videos. He could have just said “photoshop the mic out” in the first 30 sec, but he’s got me here watching the whole damn thing
You provide a great solution and it's a great way to conceal the mic while keeping quality up. Good stuff.
I do want to point out there's two reasons why they have the mic right on their face that you don't mention in the video.
1. It's to reduce the room as much as possible, especially reflections/reverb. I can hear hear reflections/reverb in your audio, but it isn't much because you smartly positioned yourself in the center of the room and further away from the walls. Podcasters/UA-camrs often film desks and close to walls where the sound can reflect easily. Having a cardiod/super-cardiod dynamic mic close to your mouth almost entirely eliminates the room.
2. They have the mic in frame on purpose. The idealic/filmmaking philosophy is to hide the mic which increases perceived quality. They want to show the mic because it feels authentic or they're challenging what's seen as "good." It's a philosophical and brand choice. Think about the TikTok mic phenomenon where people on TikTok are handholding tiny lapel mics. It's humorous and different.
I definitely agree that there are benefits to having the mic in frame. Take this video we are commenting on for example, because I could clearly tell the audio was recorded with a really good mic that's close to Harv (it sounds awesome), not seeing it in the frame almost makes me feel like there's a disconnection between the visual and the sound. It almost feels like his audio was dubbed.
@@JamesZhan Excellent points. You know your stuff!
Surely you could add a directional cone behind the mic to get rid of a lot of room reverberance ?
I always took the hand held lapel mic as a good sign that they don't have a clue what they are doing, don't take them seriously
@@paulstubbs7678 that just sounds elitist. I’ve seen well respected content creators with high quality content hand-holding a lav mic. They absolutely do know what they are doing. Things are just changing.
For that budget, you'd love the Lewitt LCT-440 Pure. It's an absolute steal.
In fact, better is the Austrian AUDIO OC 16
Only commenting because I like your user icon. Go Tigers.
I use the 440 Pure. One of the best and brightest mics I have ever used.
I've checked the 400 Pure and I liked it too, but then someone recommended the OC16, not one but several trusted professionals, and I did test it out. Loved it, bought it. If I hadn't tried the OC16, I was definitely buying the 440 Pure. Just my view. @@majordrumkill
I was hoping this would be mentioned as an alternative because it's a superb mic. Very happy with mine.
All depends on what you're trying to do. If it's in a studio setting and you're going to edit it later then out of frame can work. If on the other hand it's live and you're not going to mess with it the a broadcast dynamic or condensor will do just fine. Even the headphones are no issue when it comes to live situations.
Headphones are not used in live situations? Man, if you are doing any tutorial where sound comes out of the speakers, headphones are a must for monitoring.
Also headphones are used to communicate between musicians/ engineers, across rooms… like on Joe Rogan podcasts he is receiving instructions from other team members.
Or if you have to replay a video, not just for mic feedback, but the fact that sounds worse if you record what comes from the speakers.
The reason the mic and headphones look comes from is radio.
@@julian-multimanI don't think he said headphones are not used in live situations.
depending on your setup you can even key in the mask live
Part of the visible mic for youtubers is that they want to display the type of mic they are using. It is part of their commercial aesthetic. Trends then push them towards what is popular to do eg. lav or field recorders in hand.
A voice-over I hire quite often has a wide range of microphones.
But the one absolutely loves (and so do I), is the Sennheiser MKH 416. It's a directional mic, used in film and TV productions a lot. It's still very rich in both the low as the high end of the spectrum.
Great mic. Used it on a number of documentaries. The Schoeps CMIT 5 U is also another great mic, too. So many options to choose from.
I had been trying to hide my mic for years and I will always appreciate how the meta now is that audiences don’t really care. Still a useful tutorial but I’m glad I don’t have to rely on hiding my mic anymore.
dont forget to add a blackout curtain to your filming room if you do this near a window, a cloud rolling by will often entirely destroy the illusion otherwise. it's a neat trick though
I think a mic on an articulated boom gives these guys a professional look with their almost radio station look
That’s good for radio, not for video where microphones should be off camera for a cleaner look
That's why they don't.
@@sjazzp need? UA-cam is a new format where you can do whatever you want. The style and aesthetic are totally open. There is no "need."
0:50 If I had to guess? It was the candid feel that it evokes. "This guy isn't being casual and talking to US." That kind of thing.
I like to see the microphone in the shot. It´s the style on UA-cam, different from TV shows, news or documentaries.
It's annoying when you watch some asmr video, with two big fat black mics left and right as the babe leans over to each one to either whisper to you or chew on the sponge...
It's naff and a wee bit pretentious. Not to mention the lack of forethought that is required to compromise on radio studio mikes shoved in peoples faces, on a video production. It displays a singular lack of imagination in simply following the herd...
Excellent points. The SM7B is a mic designed for radio. UA-camrs using it aren't on the radio. As a 40 year video pro, to me it is out of the question to use anything but a shotgun mic an inch out of top of frame or in a working TV studio environment a high end lav. I use a Schoeps shotgun but Rode makes a beautiful and affordable one.
SM7B is such an overrated mic lol.
@@Skrenja The SM7B is a solid mic for radio broadcast.
All good points. You can also just get a shotgun mic and a boom and a stand with a boom holder and place the mic outside of the shot. If you’re not trying to get a carbon fiber boom pole, you can do this setup on a decent budget.
The moment I heard your mic sound, I knew I needed to listen to your advice if I wanted to improve my channel's sound quality.
I've ended up using a MKH600 shotgun mic that's out of shot
i was using a dynamic close mic before but wanted to try something else, as it was not only in shot but when playing guitar in front of sort of takes things away from the shot, and means sitting at an appropriate distance, decided to buy a shotgun mic instead
with post processing and a relatively quiet room outside of desk reflections it's working really well so far
Finally someone with brains! And when you position yourself and compose the frame, you realize you can get very close with mic.
I just hate these big ''vocal microphones'' that cover half of the face.
An film they usually capture sound with shotgun micss,which are often a few feet from talent's head, but the sound is still good. Actually, in average film the sound is better than 99.99% of YT videos. Well, truthfully, most of UA-camrs don't even know what sound is and how things works, they just saw it somewhere....
This is the way. I'm all for using what you have, but suggesting that people get an LDC and do this is not great.
@@fifi23o5 thanks, i was pleasantly surprised with just how good the audio was, once everything was setup
i can get surprisingly close using a standard microphone stand that's on my desk (it looks kinda funny, but i have the space between my speakers and the back wall for the legs) while still being out of shot and another advantage is i don't have to be pretty much glued in front of the mic stand to get a good take/audio, wish i'd bought it sooner
Shotgun mic is what I was thinking about all the way through this video. No need to cut a separate clean shot. I'm a professional sound engineer including boom operator on live television, and you'd be suprised how close you can get a mic and still be out of shot.
I have a Sennheiser MKH 416 which is easily one of the best sounding mics I own. It is over the budget mentioned in this video, but well worth saving up for - the difference between this and many of the usual suspect cheaper shotgun mics is night and day to my ears - it's not an accident it's been the de facto industry standard for decades.
@@hdmediaprouk Exactly. It all depends on the shot though for sure. I ditched my big RE20 very recently and swapped it out for a small SDC on a gooseneck pointed straight at my mouth about 5 inches away just out of frame of my computer camera. Couldn't do that with an LDC because it's too large and heavy.
100% spot on. I don't understand the desire to "eat the mic". In live music events as well. Amateur move by even the best pros. The singer will be obscured as if it's required. As you prove, it's not! Michael Buble, among few others, is one I've noticed that figured out you don't need to eat the mic. Going the extra step on this video to mask out the mic was clever AF! Didn't even know about that trick. Love it!
The thing is, as an ENG sounds engineer ( Electronic News Gathering ), this is what we did all the time. In a "controlled" environment front the top. Loud environment, a little closer in the camera and from the bottom with the back to the traffic. I noticed that sound is most of the time a problem and the reason for the SM7b and EV RE320 is they are close mic. The room don't need that much of room treatment and "it looks cool".
Solid assessment, imo!
AT4033 was my first “real” mic and later a second. Got the sm7b 10 years ago because it seemed so versatile, but in practice another mic has always won and it’s never been used on final recording.
Liking your mic hide trick. I’ve always positioned the mic just off camera which works pretty well, but your solution looks much better and with a solid white background this trick would be a snap.
Thanks for the great tip!
AT2020 gang!
I don’t own one, but I’ve heard comparisons and it shocked me how affected the SM7b sound is. Definitely NOT a flat response at all. I think it’s well suited to a podcast sound. Voices seem to have presence while being very intelligible without sibilants, but in no way is it a “true” sound. The challenge with condensers is their sensitivity, picking up all the bad room stuff too. But I like your solution. Pointing downward (assuming you have carpeting or a rug) probably helps a little with unwanted reflections, plus you can hide it in this way while still having it relatively close. You also don’t need it as close with a condenser as you would with the Shure. Your idea is definitely helpful and a good reminder that you don’t have to shove a $450 mic in your face for your videos.
I've been using an AT2020 for 5 years for everything and I love it. I don't do a whole lot of videos anymore but one thing that also helps is using a longer focal length and moving the camera back. This changes the perspective of the shot so the field of view is smaller and you can get the mic much closer to yourself but keep it just out of frame. My only caveat there is that your shot will be flattened out and it's not as flattering, especially if you're trying to make yourself look thinner.
I bought the Audio Technica AT2020 in 2008 for my podcast and I am still using and loving it. I always wondered why it's used so rarely. Thank you for the video, I am starting to film tutorials and wasn't sure what to do with the mic - now I know!
It is one of the most commonly used microphones
Funny as an audio engineer I was about to do this type of video great job. ❤
No hate, just love. What a well edited, focused, useful instructional video. Thank you.
I've seen a lot of videos out there where people just crank the gain on the SM7B and you can hear the noise floor. While others have it quite far away despite most of it being a pop filter, leaving things sounding very muffled. For the presenter style, I prefer the classic Electro-Voice RE20 although it's also pretty preamp-hungry. If anyone's on the fence about sinking dollars upon dollars on an SM-7B I'd take this guy's advice. Others have mentioned more hyper-cardioid mics like shotguns which will lessen spill from the room. In the video you can hear sibilant sounds from his voice scattering around the room for example - but a bit of realism isn't the worst. As he says though, as long as the source is loud enough compared to the room sound, it's workable.
The great thing about having a side-address condenser like the C214 or others is they are very versatile for other applications. However once you've given the SM-7B a boost, it's ready to go for certain applications without needing to do much extra EQ because it's already rejecting plosives, reducing the top end etc.
At the end of the day, what sound do you want to go for and what is your budget?
It's such a relief to see someone making this point. I was beginning to think it was just me! Thanks 😊
I've used that technique to hide the mic before, but because the mic dipped into the frame. Nevertheless, considering you use a LDC, I don't have to tell you it's smart to have it closer for a stronger ratio between signal and room. -- I currently use an Audix SCX1/HC on an overhead boom, juuuuuuuust out of frame.... mainly because I edit a lot and I'm all for having one less thing to do. There is one thing though, I do miss that LDC sound. Thanks to you, I'm tempted to boom test them. You never know, I just may end up swapping that pencil mic out. Nice clean sounding and looking video, Harv.
Agree, using SDC, shotguns or better yet wireless lavs, are for convenience and workflow shortcuts.
I agree completely! Although, my choice for mics differs a bit but they ARE condensers, not dynamic. I tend to look further afield than the market-dominant condensers but yes, dynamics don't have the expansive richness of condensers. Also, the Photoshop masking is a great idea!
this technique is exactly what i do with my talking head podcasts! the only difference is that instead of copy and pasting, i do an infinite loop:
minute 1 forwards, minute 2 backwards, minute 3 forwards, minute 4 backwards, etc... so each odd-numbered minute is the 1min clip at +100% speed, and each even-numbered minute is the 1min clip at -100% speed, thereby creating the illusion that it is not copy and pasted footage, but a section that is repeating continuously!
I love this, I have always found the giant mic and mic arm on UA-cam, podcast videos as well, to be so obstructive and intrusive.
I haven't watched the video yet, so I apologize in advance if I repeat anything, but here are a couple of points worth paying attention to:
1. a microphone in the frame is not always bad
2. if you want the microphone not to be visible, you will need a condenser microphone because of high sensitivity; the signal needs to be heavily compressed
There are 2 problems: 1)Recording from a condenser microphone often requires to be thorough edited(you don’t want to be heard scratching your balls)
2)A condenser microphone always records not only a dry signal, but also the room sound (in which you are located). If you have a small and/or acoustically untreated room, your voice will sound like it's coming from a closet.
Dynamic microphones such as Shure sm7b or EV re20 do not have this drawback and convey the tembre of the voice quite well, so simply taking them and “creating” is often enough.
Also these mikes retain their price quite well, are liquid and can be easily sold if needed
Yes! Our podcast from day 1 has been a shotgun mic out of frame! Soo much better feel for a podcast about farming! Thanks for the tips!
Your vocal sounds awesome. Thanks for the tips and tricks.
I couldn't agree more with you on this! I have been doing TV video production for 30 years now and having the mic in the shot is, in most cases, not something I can do. I'm usually using a shotgun mic like my tried and true Sanken CS1-e, a Sennheiser 416 or my Schoeps CMC6/41 depending on the situation and use case. Very different mics than what you're talking about here being in a very controlled environment, but even still getting the mic into the shot is never a great thing. Very distracting and it gives away the magic.
Thanks for this and I love the idea of the mask. Getting people to understand that shooting a plate and masking the mic is really not that hard at all is just crazy. I'm always getting these DPs that think they're shooting "Dances with Wolves and everything needs to have massive headroom and they ask that I move the mic out of there shot, yet want great sound...
Yes, lavs and wireless. But sometimes a boom mic just sounds so much better!
Anyhow, thanks and lets hope this theory of not having a mic in the shot catches on, again.
That's an impressive little list!
Thank you for making this. As a sound guy it drives me nuts seeing those close mics that are undergained.
Thank you! I complained last week to a Vlogger because she couldn't stop making finger noise on the mic and popping from being too close. She said that she would keep doing it the "Millenial" way. Enough!
People like you posting gold content like this helped me build my dream life creating content. Thanks man.
All great points and I'm with you on the SM7B, I can spot (hear) them a mile away. I'd highly recommend adding the Roswell K47 or K87 to your list. The Roswells have taken the place of many of my more expensive and heralded LDCs as my go to mics.
+1 for the Roswell K47, excellent mic for voice over.
My current regular microphone is an AKG Lyra usb microphone, I don't mind having it in my livestream frames because the retro aesthetic is just my vibe 😁
Someone recommended the AT2020 to me. Never regretted it for a moment. It's an amazing sounding mic, ESPECIALLY for how affordable it is.
6:38 The way you hide the microphone is nice.
Unfortunately it only works when the light conditions don't change over time. If you are filming next to a window, chancing sunlight by clouds or the sun's position could change the lighting in the room. This would make the overlapping clean shot visible. 🤨
I agree it looks so much better, and what I agree with more is the SM7b is mid, I honestly didn't know how to mix properly when I got it and was very disappointed when I heard how dull it was, def not beginner friendly, and even if I'm on the go I prefer a handheld condenser, it just has so much more top end that makes it sound so crisp and clean. I do understand the hype for the SM7b though, I still use it on the rare occasion for certain things, works great outside if you want to do something at a park, etc. Just not my cup of tea either
thanks for the professional advice! it is true mics have no place in the shot unless they are telling something, and most of the times that's not what the producer wants. Thanks for the reminder to go back to the classic wisdom.
Great vid! I own SM7B, but I’ve found the elgato Wavelink interface has plenty of gain, so I returned the cloud lifter.
Great vid! I really dislike seeing massive microphones but it’s become so common place!
Mean good audio gear is worth showing off, people who aren't into this stuff should know what this stuff is.
Thanks for sharing your honest thoughts and opinions about these mics, Harv. I believe that anyone who has the money should buy the mic of their choice, whether it's a certain brand or the most valuable one. Nonetheless, it's good to spread awareness like you did that anyone can still get good voice quality from cheaper mics. This topic is the same as having a low-end or high-end camera. It's not always about the gear, but how do you use it and why you use it.
There are many people out in the world over spending money trying to catch up to UA-camrs by wanting to use the same products they use, thinking they will get the same results.
-Wilfredo
I completely agree with your opinions on the Shure mic. I’m not a massive fan of the narrow sound and they are ugly. I am a post production sound engineer and I don’t understand why more don’t go for good quality Shotgun microphones which are more diverse and useful for these sorts of set ups. They are far thinner to crop out and are design to work from that kind of distance because they are more directional. People can pick up Sennheiser 416 second hand for 400£ which is THE shotgun microphone used for movie productions for decades. Or rode ntg2 for half the price which also sound great. They are also designed to be used for outdoor applications as well which will help many UA-cam videographers. People often think they aren’t good for that Voice over Sound just by the look but there is still a massive number of Voice Over studios and artists that choose the 416 for voice overs because it sounds so great excellent and natural it’s the microphone sound we are used to hearing most as it has been used so much over the decades
I have sm58’s, 57’s and a Neumann u87 from the 1990 (looks like an 84/85 or 86 year model) The 57/58 gets most use, the Neumann is used for acoustics, vocals. It’s fantastic for ambient mic work.
Neat trick! I would have thought it was some green screen hanging in front of the mic, but this is even better.
Obviously, not everyone even _wants_ their microphone to be invisible, but that's another discussion.
My first mic was a 4033 and it’s been in the mic locker for a long time. Might be time to put it back into action!
I have the audio technica streamer kit. Its a shock mount, at 2035 and a stand. I love it. It sounds so clear imo
Hahaha that's awesome!
Why have I never thought of that.
The SM7B is a great choice that works nearly anywhere on anyone.
But if you have a treated studio space, a nice large diaphragm condenser sounds better most of the time.
Amazing and educational video!!
Subscribed!! ☺️👍
You are absolutely right! I don't need to see a microphone in anybodies face to find them more credible or cool.
I think it's a fad and a mixture of showing off the latest gear and copying that Microphone-on-the-talkshow-hosts-desk-look.
I really like your sound. Warm and rich.
another mic technique that youtubers sleep on is the shotgun, especially overhead on a boom. They’re literally made for video and every hollywood film you’ve ever seen used them. DPA 4060 behind the collar and a MKH 416 overhead and it’ll sound magical on either. 416 is also the standard VO mic for a reason.
I appreciate your advice, another option is the one I use, I use a shotgun mic, Sennheiser mkh-416, I can place it over my head and in front of me a little and leave it out of shot, it picks up my voice beautifully. A cheaper option which also does a surprisingly good job is the Rode NTG4 (and 4plus). You have all heard both of these microphones before in television shows and big hit movies, they are used most of the time to record voice from out of camera shot. I would save your time with masking, don't bother with dynamic or cardioid and go with super cardioid shotgun mics, they range anywhere from £200 to £1,100 and sound fab. I used to have an AT2020, they're not my cup of tea unfortunately but I know some people love them. I could hear the difference when you switched mics over.
The rich audio from the mic your using is spot on, what is it, what capture device did you use? Great right-to-point helpful video, Subbed looking forward for more
I used to have the AT2020 and AT2035. I used the 2020 for over a decade before handing it down to a friend.
I personally prefer seeing the microphone in the shot since I'm much more object oriented. I don't even mind if faces are obscured so long as the audio is clear and full. the only time I get bothered by a mic obstructing a face is if the audio going along with it is weak, fuzzy, or unintelligible.
critiquing or giving feedback on different microphones is generally why I like to watch various videos like these. The SM7B is heavily over represented on youtube I'm personally partial to it, but it's often used in ways it wasn't meant to be. The next most common mic on youtube would probably be the Electrovoice re20 or the yeti.
nice...but there is another reason to use a dynamic... background noise...I have an avenue just outside the window so buses, motorbikes, etc. Even with a dynamic mic still get a lot of that in the audio. Your plate game is on point dude... congrats!
Great advice, and so handy for us guitar players where the last thing we need is a chip on the headstock.
Old trick I got into when I made my short film noir, Bum Rap. In one sequence, I had a well lit alley, and needed a guy to walk toward the camera. But with a Canon 5D Mark II there was plenty of noise just above the blacks. So, I shot a plate of the scene without him in it, and covered as much of the film with the plate (or photo) of the location as I could. The alley was open in the back to another street, so I added fireworks to the sky from video i shot on July 4th years before. And this was all done in Photoshop CS4 extended. (Layers in the animation timeline) I could only get away with maybe 15 seconds of these layers with the measly 8 megs of ram I had.. the film is loaded with these layers. No grain, no noise...
Good point about microphone placement. There is no need to have the microphone in one's face. You sound great without puffing, chuffing, and popping into the microphone at close range they way other guys do. And yet, I would have preferred you skip the sales pitch and comparison, to hear more about how to place the microphone out of view, and still sound good. Some discussion about gain staging and more about locating the microphone out of view (notwithstanding your clever dodging technique) it could be a very helpful tutorial on how to get good audio without having the microphone in view - after all, newscasters and professional broadcasters often hide microphones out of view, and they sound great. So - good video - but I think it could be even better and more instructive. Long overdue. Thanks. TT
I had The same problemm recording classes. Sennheiser E614 was a surprise for me. Not intended to be a microphone for Voice over or dialogue recording like neumanns K185. But its supercardioid figure helps a lot. During pandemics this was The best sounding Mic in my collection. I had The Shure, Rode NT5 Rode NTG1, Sennheiser MKe 600. But the E614 that i bought to Record percussion was amazing in a non treated Room and closed boomed over my Head. Way better than mics built forr that purpose like the NTG1.
During a zoom session on my phone I saw my AT2020USBi vanishing in the artificial background, works like a charm.
THANK YOU! I'm glad to know I am NOT the only one that gets annoyed by huge mics covering the speakers face. Thank you!
I think the in shot mic took off because, talk radio and audio pod cast shows added a camera but didn't change their studio for video. In my opinion it looks abysmal for a video centric show.
When I do a sit down type of video, I use either a lav or my MKE 600. For many people one of the short shotgun mics meant to go on your camera can easily be boomed out of the shot. I used a Deity D4 and an SM57 before I bought the Sennheiser for a different production.
A lot of people poo poo the 57 but when I bought my first one, my thought was if they are good enough for every president since Johnson, they are good enough for me. I haven't been disappointed.
Subscribed because masking the mic is a great idea. You get a better proximity effect and even cheap mics sound much better when closer to the source of sound! Masking is also super easy to do.
nice vid, sorry what mic are you actually using in this vid? thanks
Many thanks, it’s the warm audio wa-47 👍🏻
7:28 Even if your voice is bouncing around in your room, you could use some portable acoustic walls standing - outside of the shot - to the left and right. Those would kill a massive amount of reflections coming back into your microphone.
Wow! I used to think that a mic in ALL SHOTS was the professional way to go... Hmmmmm... Harv, you got me rethinking that concept. Think outside the box, I say. But wait, I was drooling so much over the quality of your sound that I didn't hear you mention what mic you used for this video. I may get that answer at some point; much appreciated. By the way, I have the AT2020 USB and XLR. I love them! Thanks for this video!!
Solid tips. I think apart from the room/signal ratio the signal to noise ratio can make a solid difference though, things like cars outside the window or stuff. But I am also an audio guy so I would rather remove the camera than compromise on audio quality xD
I use the Audio Technica AT-8035 long shotgun microphone mounted right outside the frame and I think my talking head narration audio is perfectly fine. I don't understand why more UA-cam creators don't use a shotgun mic. For me it's the obvious choice for these talking head shots.
Although I am happy with the sound, I have to admit that I still have a bit to learn about setting up levels and editing. But I also just need to get my videos out, so I can't spend too much time finessing details that most viewers will never notice.
I got the AT4033A for $180 from a pawn shop in 2015!
Still my best sounding mic 😊
It does let it a lot of room noise though.
Also, I just watched an hour long documentary on why UA-camrs specifically try to leave the mic in the shot to be relatable.
All preference, but I like your take here!
I really liked the sm7b I got to use and haven’t had the pleasure of owning. So I use a sm57 with a Shure pop screen and some processing to get a daily close sibling to the sm7b.
Having the mic out of view helps this feel like you are having a good conversation
Man, thanks for making this video. I've been thinking the same thing. I honestly think a lot of people put an SM7B right in the middle of the shot as a badge of honor or flex or something. I've I even seen people have an UNPLUGGED SM7B on their podcast while wearing a lav!!! I have a Lewitt LCT 440 and I love it. I'm able to keep it out of frame too. The next Mic I'm looking at is either the Earthworks Icon or Ethos. I just can't get enough of their look, especially the Icon. And when I do get one, it's going to be hard to keep it off camera. They're just so sexy.
Honestly, I'm not even that much against having you mic on camera, but when 99% of people have the exact same mic, it gets really stale and played out. At least customize and make it your own if you're going the have the same thing as everybody else.
i like seeing the mic cause it makes youtube feel real and genuine compared to tv and stuff
Micheal jackson never used sm7b. He used sm7 which is way different than 7b. Also sm7b was launched in 2001, almost 20 years after the album was released.
To be honest, most YT-ers have 0.0 knowledge of audio and a mic at the mouth simply solves the issue. As audio engineers we think "but it's so easy, just put up a mic up there", but it's not that simple. And therefore the community made it acceptable, even a design element, to have that mic. As mentioned earlier, it looks like a radio station! I mean, if they do it.
...And second, many interviewees really like the mic in front to feel less "exposed", which is actually very important.
And.... you didn't even mention the headphones many YT-ers are wearing!!!!
Hi Harv! Love your new vocal chain! Unless one works in a well equipped studio it' can take a long time to learn how different gear sounds on different sources. UA-cam is helpful. After many decades being a musician, studio owner, audio guy, and filmmaker, I've learned I can get good results from "cheap" gear. Better gear can get me there quicker. After 20 years recording interview audio for a PBS station, I learned how incredibly different all voices sound. I move the mic until I get a sound I like. Because of your vids I've been thinking about getting the WA 47. ✌❤
I think people keep the mics in because they're "Mitch Headberg-ing". They're hiding behind the mic because it makes them more comfortable presenting themselves. Mitch wore sunglasses, had his hair in his face, and basically hid behind the microphone when he performed because it made him feel more comfortable on stage.
The SM7B is just the 20's AT2020. UA-camrs get it because they want their voice to sound deeper and richer but end up just sounding the same as they always did but more boomy (Because they want to kiss it). The AT2020 dethroned the c01u before that, if you watched anything on Newgrounds from 2006-2010 you've heard this mic. All great options for the prices and their eras. (I wrote that comment before he brought his at2020 out lol, great minds, eh?)
That’s interesting and well made. I didn’t know about the video composite shot trick before!
I use a shotgun microphone, just out of frame slightly above my head. I’m quite happy with that, but I’m aware that it doesn’t pick up many low tones.
Good tip, although leaving it in shot up there is still better visually than where many people put their mics
I use an AT2020 as well and i'm super happy with the sound. it is just beautifully dry and sounds close, even if you're slightli distant to it.
i disagree about editing mics out of the shots tho. i think the microphone adds to the ambiance of my space. sure it's not cool to have it block the face, made that mistake before, but it does look cool
beautiful hint. but most of streaming setups can’t be that silent as your place. so the sm7b or another dynamic mic is the choice. thnx for the clip
That's pretty nifty! I never thought about masking out the microphone. I used to use lapel mics but found they sounded too boomy and needed heavy EQ'ing. I tried all sorts, including a Behringer C-1 above (although overhead out of shot, hence not great) but reverb and noise was an issue. I currently use MV7X mics which like the SM7B works best when spoken closer. The reason why it works best for me is there's little audio bleed between two mics when I film in a relatively small space.
Dude!!! Thanks SO much!! When I first started my channel I had a mic in front of me. But not blocking me. I eventually upgrade to a boom arm. That helped. But I still saw the mic. Then, I bought the Rode NTG-2 shotgun condenser. I can keep it out of frame. But THIS tip??!? Oh man!! I’m SO excited to implement this!! Thank you for sharing!! Subscribing now!!!
I think it depends. If you're trying to be presenting yourself as a "UA-cam Presenter" then yea, the mic is "bad video visuals". But if you're more selling yourself as just a producer/musician who is more casually sharing things on UA-cam, then I think it can kind of be a valid prop, in a way.
You are saving the world.
Love and blessings!
Yes your audio is beautiful. Excellent
As someone who has spent a lifetime in broadcast engineering I've always had an interest in what podcasters were using for mics and why. Interesting to note as well is the subject of headphones. Presenters that come from a television background use in-ear monitoring or nothing at all (Tucker), while most other podcasters (Rogan) wear large full sized headphones. If you aren't taking phone calls, engaging with guest on Zoom, or have a need to listen to a producer, headphones are basically pointless when conversing with people in the same room. Yet most of the podcasters I see feel the need to wear them.
Most podcasters feel the need to wear them, cos they often use dynamic mics, and guest has no idea when they speak off of the mic. With headphones they can monitor themselves.
My first good mic was an AT2020 and still use It today.
I use an Audio-Technica AT897 shotgun condenser for video at work. Converting from CAD, it’s just over 200 GBP, sounds great, and you don’t need to be right on it.
back in the day, people used to use a boom mic. but its got a handle and can get in the way of the shot.
i believe they did that to show what other microphones there are in the world to use. they are great, but if you are stuck with using a cellphone camera (not the best type of camera for youtube video by the way...ive tried. your viewers would rather want something more of a real experience when watching)
I think that "traditional" setup is based on common radio broadcast studio setup,
it's fairly impossible to get good clarity and balance with multiple guests sitting close no matter if each having dedicated mic or not,
on the other hand your mic placement in the video also helps with minimizing plosives and essess,
in radio, we're actually using AKG 414 and Neumann U87 because they still sound most natural, from dynamic mic options, Sennheiser MD441 and Electrovoice RE20 are acceptable alternatives, but in well-treated studio even nowadays mid-end phones provide fantastic sound already