Lavalier Mic Techniques | The Basics

Simple tips to get pro voice recordings using lavalier mics.
Featuring Voice Technologies microphones:
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[@95SLE]

I am new to your channel, referred from Potato Jet, and I found this video extremely helpful understanding the basics of this type of microphone and how to use it for recordings. I am just starting out, at 70 years old, and my goal is to make better cell phone videos of my travels and cooking. I try to practice about an hour a day just filming what I do to enable me to learn the controls of my cell phone, hand held gimbal, lighting, and the cell phone app I use. I like the way your generation places links into the KZbin page for the products you talk about so if I find out if I like this as a hobby I can upgrade the equipment I use. Thank you for taking the time to do these types of KZbin videos.

[@VTSwitzerland]

great explained! ...thank you for trusting our products, we appreciate it very much !

[@seanpervak3609]

Wow, im so happy i found your channel. Huge help with everything audio related. Thank you for putting in this much effort to break everything down for us!

[@GeminiKLY]

Such a great channel. Thank you for all your insights

[@Brian-ud6uj]

Awesome! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your knowledge with us mere mortals. Can't wait to binge your channel and look forward to much more content! Keep up the great work

[@brails101]

So much knowledge shared in such a friendly way. Thank you!

[@hsk797]

You are my hero Alex. Thanks for such great content!

[@RicoResolves]

Everytime you upload a video, I click. Simple as that! Thanks for educating us on one of the key ingredients of good content: Audio!

[@xdboardsurfer]

Thank you Alex, this is some fantastic info.

[@david-paquette]

i'm the guy who asked about a lav mic and a beard. it's working perfectly - thank ! it's harder to hide the wire completely and it's a little bit uncomfortable but it's doable.

[@user-kl2ss1gh4o]

Your videos always inspire me to work it and study. Thanks for your job! You're awesome.😃

[@stefanotealdi]

Thanks a lot man, love your channel!! Just discovered after the video of Potato Jet, now I’m watching all your videos! Continue in this way!

[@Checkmate1500]

Thanks, great information.

[@followtheboat]

Excellent info, learned so much, thank you. Subbed!

[@RoadRashHD]

Thank you for making this so informative,I'm learning so much from you even though i have Experience in audio,more on the live end with bands,nothing to write home to mom about lol. I just love learning this movie studio application to it, can't wait to get a decent camera now and practice these techniques

[@BenjiDWJ]

This was an awesome video Alex! 😁 super informative insightful and helpful I've recently purchased the V.Lav from Deity Microphones. I'll definitely be using this video as a point of reference when micing myself up for filming my youtube content going forward.

[@darkknightwithanidea32]

Ive just subscribed ... YES this is an imperative Channel for film makers - It’s informative & very good.

[@AquaticImages]

Love this! Hope to see a tutorial about audio post processing in the future

[@vanishingpoint73]

A very good intro to wiring video. I would add that carrying an assortment of tapes (a selection of tapes from the first aid section of a pharmacy is a good starting point) is essential. Having a variety of textures and levels of adhesion strength can really help to secure the lav without damaging the costume or making more clothing noise. You'll have to do a part two video on hiding transmitters next time!

[@jonwilliams2830]

Love your work

[@TedPollard]

This was so good, yet so simple.

[@PILINchannel]

Great tips !!!

[@martinbanov685]

Thank you so much for the great content! I would like to suggest that you put links to stuff you mention in your videos in the description. Also, I love learning tricks from what experience has taught you :)

[@radiozelaza]

excellent tips

[@bhouldsworth]

Great video. Thank you. Re. the question at the end about going from the recorder directly to the camera. I used that technique this past weekend to go from my Zoom H5 to my Panasonic GH5. The GH5 (unlike the GHS) does not have a setting for line-in, so the output from the recorder was too hot even with the GH5 set to -12db and became distorted and unusable other than for synch purposes (which did work great). Fortunately, I had a boom mic as the main and that worked great, so all was not lost. But I thought I would mention is as both the H5 and the GH5 are popular. Love the channel and thanks for the great info.

[@eddiegomez4134]

Thanks for this, I just got lav mics recently!

[@benjamin_lecomte]

i've got the MixerFace R4R and it's so good. No noise from the preamp, 2 xlr imput, 1 3.5jack imput, excellent 3.5output for monitoring. It's so small and well build ! You should give it a try. Curtis Judd made a interesting video about it.

[@DueyEvans]

Great new channel! Very different than Curtis Judd (not better or worse, just a different take) who I have had as my go to for audio as I try to not suck at it. Thanks for not being a copycat! If you’re ever down Austin, TX way, I’d love to have you by the studio we’re putting together to do content development for a client.

[@carlossantini]

great channel thx u!! your hightlights looks overblown! :)

[@Vatolicious]

This is the best lav tutorial

[@HappeChappe]

Hi Alex, loving your channel, I'm learning so much! Firstly, what tape would you recommend for skin and clothing? And then secondly, what are your thoughts on the Rode Wireless Go?

[@legacyShredder1]

I've got a suggestion for a topic if you're considering any. Preamps; different types, tube, transistor, standalone preamps vs built-in on existing equipment, gain levels, etc. Or maybe perhaps you don't give a lot of thought to the preamps themselves? I would be interested in hearing your take on that too. I come from the music world of sound engineering, and I'm just starting to explore standalone dialog in less controlled environments. I appreciate what you're doing.

[@TheChannelJ1]

Subscribed!!!!

[@SimonCaouette5]

very relevant for filmakers

[@thnqolo9667]

Hi Sir, that is so educational. Please make a video showing images and names of microphones next time.

[@Ryansacrobat]

I had no clue there were so many different types of lavs... I also had no clue if you were going to strip completely to reveal another secret lav mic hidden location! lol Great information man, thank you!

[@saravanap8261]

Suggest the best application for fixing audios. Your videos are great thanks for the tips.

[@MrAlphaweb]

All your videos are great, thank you very much! What kind of tape would you recommend to tape mics on fabrics or even skin? I use a brand of cinema tape that doesn't stick very well on clothing.

[@nickpatterson9330]

Great video. Could you add links as to where to buy the different clips?

[@playpauserecord]

Great video! It's really hard to explain those things in a professional yet interesting way. I have a channel about audio as well and I know how tough that can be :D Great job! PS: Why do you choose a framing for your main shots, with so much headroom? Is it to show your setup in the back or hide the mic in the front?

[@JoshSummerhays]

I record short talking-head videos on a regular basis but I don't know much about how to improve the acoustics in the office we use. It's an empty office and has quite a bit of echo. I use a cardioid mic (Blue Yeti) just out of frame and that helps a bit. I've also hung blankets on three walls but there's still a lot of echo. Would love some tips on how to kill the echo in a room like that.

[@odddogpictures]

Great videos great channel!! Could you share links to your Lav Clips TOO? I can't find these particular ones you are using and it may be that I'm using the wrong wording.

[@Overhulled]

Alex! Love the videos, thanks for teaching me about sound!! Just a note, some of your shots are a touch overexposed but who cares this is about sound lol. keep it up!!

[@StevenRecords]

Love your stuff Alex! How would you hardwire connect the VT500 to an audio interface? Was looking at the Rode VXLR+ but not really sure if that would work or not.

[@beny874]

Studying film and sound is something I really need to know more about. Your content is great man. Its helping a lot. Thanks. Also, however.........too much head space in this video :P

[@AdventureWidely]

I've seen one video, I think, on how to properly do a mix of voice-over, music, and sound effects. I'd love to see a short video from you on your take on that as well (optimal levels for each type of track). I hear a lot of KZbinrs with music in their videos and sometimes it interferes with the dialogue (I'm guilty of that too). Thanks!

[@AdventureWidely]

To further elaborate - with my own work, I've mixed audio with music, and with a decent pair of headphones it sounds good to me, but listening to it back on someone's cell phone, the music was too loud and over powering the speech at times, something that was not noticeable with my headphones or desktop speakers. I think it's probably due to the cell phone trying to manipulate frequences to reproduce that audio with such a tiny driver. Whatever the culprit is, a lot of people browse KZbin from cell phones and tablets, and it'd be nice to know any tricks of the trade to make sure my mix sounds "passable" on a variety of devices. Thanks again for the knowledge share!

[@ralphbullis40]

Great

[@DropForgedSurvival]

*Where do you find those Lavalier Magnetic Clips?

[@peng_formless]

Please give opinions for best podcasting microphones and then best podcasting microphones for low budget. Thanks much!!!

[@aliwatz]

Hi Alex, this is Alex. Thank you for those Videos. So good. I'm almost every time fighting sound in post, because of noise, hisses, bachrund noice etc. I use a Sennheiser Lavaliere. So not a cheap set up. I spend some money to get something of more quality, but I always have to use some type of noice reduction and EQ in post to make it sound good. Is that normal when you use lavaliere mics? What entry level sound software would you recommend to clean up the sound? I use Final Cut X for video edit and the Sound options are not that well.

[@ShawnWalsh]

Hey, thanks for sharing your content with us. I have a question I think many people struggle with. I know you covered some of this on Potato Jet. Which mic and amp or recorder is best for interviews and KZbin output. I have rode lava wireless mic, I have the Rode Video mic plus. But confused on the recorder. Should I get the zoom G6 recorder? Your thoughts would be great!

[@herrera954]

Can you do a review on the Sony PCM-D100 and how you use it

[@SHVWNCOOPER]

i come back here every time i hit upload so i can listen to the audio and scream at myself cuz i'm still fucking up all of my audio. lmao. thanks for this. what do you think about the aputure lav?

[@CrashMaverick]

Whoa whoa whoa can you expand on how all actors have lavs on them on set. If I understand correctly that explains so many questions I’ve had

[@alantuttphotography]

I have a Shure WL93, which has the same form factor as the VT500 series, but the Shure mic gets a LOT more rustling sounds from clothing in these types of setups. As you say, you get what you pay for.

[@BeckersReviews]

Btw, i couldn’t appreciate enough if you can provide a preset for rode wireless go.

[@loganryan7093]

Why do you prefer the vt500 to the vt506? If my knowledge is correct, the vt506 has a high frequency boost to help account for film and TV applications with the lav buried underneath clothing. Just curious on which is preferrable to buy. Thanks!

[@NathanKatash]

can you explain more about recorder like zoom h6 and Sennheiser g3/4?

[@Daysed.and.Konfuzed]

0:56 >>> "Go work as a model," they said. "It's gonna be glamorous," they said.

[@OhanaFilms]

I'd love to hear more about your clothes noise techniques, specifically do you ever use moleskin or anything like that?

[@matthewwyman8852]

best microphone for situations with water? Ie. Rafting, paddleboarding or surf audio? And then one step better.. are there any waterproof mics?

[@scottsimons295]

Hey Alex, what level should I be aiming for when recording quiet field ambiences? I heard around -30 db, was that a good suggestion?

[@pjsagnia]

Hi Alex is there a link for those magnet lav clips? Can’t seem to find them anywhere

[@OutmersiveFilms]

Great stuff as usual dude! How do you use the Sony PCM D100 without XLR inputs? Just for ambience?

[@Joshua-iz1go]

So is gaffer's tape the best choice for taping lavs to skin?

[@simonmikkelsen]

How do you protect a handheld recorder from wind? Even with a softie from Rycote specifically for that recorder, my Tascam DR 40 gets so much wind noise that I am very hesitant to buy a better hand held, even though I love them for easy to carry.

[@zacgrimaldo]

Has anyone found the magnetic lav mic clips anywhere?

[@cire30a]

hi Any suggestions for avoiding the rustle static sound. i thought it was the mic diaphragm vibrating but manufacturer said it excepted and ok. (senal) it only happens when there is speaking otherwise its clean and the wireless signal shows it strong and connected?

[@Holkerzu]

Any tips on mic up girls' garment? They are the hardest to work for my line of work which might require them to wear a dress or strapless dress as well.

[@SarahKchannel]

I trashed my H5 for the same reason, but using avidly a Zoom F1 now, all thought with a Senheisser MKE600, which has built-in phantom. The MKE600 is not the right mic for quiet subtle wind noises, but great for anything above that.

[@SarahKchannel]

instagram.com/p/BshyeROFx5f/?igshid=1jt3i83o6nu2s

[@lovreperaic2757]

what do you think about recording rode lav to iphone? 100$ setup..

[@CL4KFL]

Where to find that magnetic clip?

[@DerBaul]

What do you think about the Zoom H5

[@GODLIKE99KINGZ]

can I connect VT500 directly to PC and get good audio?

[@carlossantini]

links to the lav accesories and the tape?

[@audionixy]

Exellent video. But VT500 sounds terrible against my Sennheiser Me-2 II)))

[@Grigoriy1996]

Frackly, I always try to put lavs a little bit lower. The place where chest ends and neck starts tends to have a plenty of nasty resonances. My two ideal spots are cleavage areas or on forehead if possible. Also if you go too high your chin start getting in the way dumping high end of the frequency spectrum.

[@zyzniewski]

Hi, I've played with Lav mics recently and noticed one thing. Mics were attached near people's chest but I could hear distant sounds, even from 10 meters! What went wrong?

[@noahsduck4109]

The boya bym1 is a great mic it's like 20 $ so if u need a great but cheap mic but remember that if u want use it wirelessly then u need an audio recorder or like a phone and u can sink it in post

[@sulfurhomeo]

Is there any way how to protect lavalier against noises made by rubbing the lavalier and clothes? If I wear a shirt an I am moving, it is always disturbing for the recording. Thank you very much. Petr

[@Jacob_Roberts]

Alex, how do you prevent clothing from muffling the sound?

[@tiaan_va]

You can't. Clothing will block of some sound, and you can't avoid it without taking the clothing out of the scenario. That's why you use EQ

[@NathanKatash]

Sennheiser ME 2-II 130$ and amazing quality

[@wokthedragon]

Honest question, I'm very curious about my reactions to audio I hear from a very good channel "MRC". All of the discussions and how too's seem very nice but honestly the narrators voice always sounds terrible to me. I don't know if it is something to do with my conditioning.?? I guess it could be characterizes as a radio voice possibly. I don't listen to that much radio. Again, I'm impressed by the channel ( don't want to insult the guy) and I would like to learn from him but dang it is disturbing to listen to his voice. So the question I guess is what the heck could it be about the way the "MRC" guy sounds that is so disturbing to me but all the other audio he produces, except his own voice, seems really good when he is finished with it? Thanks!

[@jeevajp2574]

please make a video on Boya M-1 lavalier mic which cost $15- $20 and most of the KZbinrs use it. thank you.

[@mariosthodou5053]

Please put more lights in order to reduce the (image) noise! Also I'd like to ask if the rode lav mics are good! And what about Sennheiser lav mics sets that include transmitter and reciver;

[@tomdchi12]

"Pro" lav mics have a confusing range of plugs and power specs. Several (such as B3, VT500) are available with a 3.5mm locking plug - will that fit the standard non-locking 3.5mm mic jack on lower end recorders/wireless transmitters? If you're working with a recorder or wireless unit that only provides "plug in power" (not phantom power), what spec do you need to look for on the mic to be sure it will work? (Or more specifically, do the 3.5mm versions of the VT500 and B3 work with plug in power on lower end systems?)

[@Metalfreakch]

Important is the bias Voltage. Means the lav needs to work with 1.5V (plugin power). The VT500 series work fine with 1.5V. there is a VT506mobile Version for mobile phones. they also use plugin power for the microphone input on smartphones. Plugin power is wired like Sennheiser Evolution wireless System. So if you buy the microphone for Sennheiser Evolution wireless, it should work on every Plugin power Input. hope this is helpful.

[@yarkiymir1]

@@Metalfreakch Sennheiser states that its lavs need 7.5 Volt, and that whole Evolution series runs at 7.5 V. Would not it be too much for other lavs? And vice versa, would Sennheiser lavs work good with other transmitters, or with direct plugin connection?

[@Metalfreakch]

As I know, you have to check the range of the bias voltage of the lav mics. Also the Transmitters provide as much as the microphone needs and the most Lav mics have a range from 0.9V till 20 Volts. but it is important to check the range of the voltage bias. I guess Sennheiser has also sort of Smartphone Lavs and Lavs work with less than 7.5V bias. You will find this Infos mostly in the technical description of the Lavs on the Webpages of the companys.

[@musicman7996]

Teacher, can you ask for Chinese subtitles in each of your videos?

[@ScottCurts]

How do you get great lighting in your studio shot without reflection off of your screens behind you?

[@Caramelreviewstech]

He may have a honeycomb grid on his light(s) which would make them more directional reducing spill on the background. At least that's one way of going about it.

[@ScottCurts]

CaramelReviewsTech cool. I didn’t think of that. Ironically I just ordered a honeycomb for my dome. 👊🏻👍🏻

[@Caramelreviewstech]

@@ScottCurts Nice they're definitely great tools to have. Happy shooting!

[@TheGeoDaddy]

Think of incorporating a sippy cup into my character narrative...

[@acidcube6967]

🎤✨🤛 〽️🕶

[@JimBlind]

Audio in this episode seems too quiet to me.

[@BeckersReviews]

Can you hide a mic in your beard=)?

[@mossiegee4674]

7:03 anyone else think of the chest waxing in the 40yr old Virgin? 😈😈😈

[@axk]

I certainly did!

[@mossiegee4674]

@@axk 🤣🤣🤣 great videos man i'm re-learning a lot of stuff i learned WAY back in the day analog hands on dials style

[@holypeachy]

I like to wear lobsters on thursday.

[@global001]

This video titled as the basics however it doesn't even show how to connect the lav mics to the camera or recording devices. It's more intermediate level knowledge.

[@shrishak00]

Video overexposed ask potato for help there. Get well soon

[@TheGeoDaddy]

Logic Pro? A Toy?

[@meriredetripsandclicks3153]

What about being shirtless? Well maybe hide it in a hat? 😊