How to Hide A Mic Under Clothing | Audio Tips for Filmmakers

We wanted to make a guide that was full of easy ways to hide a lavalier. But we also know winter is coming! So this week we created a video to help you as the months get colder. In this video we show you how to hide a lavalier under a jacket, hide a lavalier in a hat, how to hide a lav in a scarf, and how to hide a mic under a sweater.
This episode is more than just a filmmaking tutorial, it's a way to think outside of the box when it comes to hiding microphones on an actor. And we promise with these filmmaking tips you can get better KZbin audio for your channel, short film and even your feature film. And if you are a filmmaker and want to get better audio on your short film, then paying attention to how to mic up an actor so that you don't get clothing noise is important. We want to make filmmaking courses that go beyond basic audio techniques and give you expert advice on how to get the most out of your microphones.
Our first lav masterclass: • How To Hide A Lav Micr...
#soundmixer #lavalier #hidinglavs
Featuring:
Kim Kylland: / kyllandmusic
Todd Schramke: / toddschramke
Bird Murmur: / birdmurmur
Sophie Balaban: / oforfoxsake
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Summary:
Deity Microphones produces weekly digital web content to help filmmakers and sound mixers grow in their education. Deity Microphones shares this free web series in hopes that the next generation of filmmakers grows in their video production quality and changes the world.
Deity Microphones produces free educational web content to help filmmakers, vloggers, sound mixers and sound designers grow as creatives and take their production quality (be it independent, TV, or studio) to the next level. Deity Microphones believes that budget should never be a constraint to creativity.

[@DeityMicrophones]

What outfits would you like to see us tackle in our next lavalier episode?

[@craigjones2195]

I'd love to see one where talent is shedding or adding layers in the same scene!

[@Anglesandacid]

Could you do a business shirt and suit jacket, no tie, and movement such as standing up from a chair, and shaking someone's hand. I get a lot of rustle when I tried attaching the lav to the shirt, and inside the collar not to mention a terrible frequency response when it was placed inside the collar.

[@chadmangham7833]

Swimsuit

[@imark7777777]

@@chadmangham7833 that goes along with my joke comment no clothes.

[@imark7777777]

I would love to see some more like standard lapel visible stuff too (kind of some corporate conference type stuff) goes along with that suit and nicer looking clothes and then dresses. I do a live conference and every time I've clip the microphone on I've had different results some good some bad and then after lunch I move it and I get a different result. It's a challenging conference because we're actually using wires as in guest/host doesn't want things wireless for espionage and radiation. We had one guest requested a handheld microphone no wireless, turns out he also used to sing and that was his rider for that not speaking engagements lol.

[@RomanoSoprano]

It would be great so see an episode: How to match the sound from lavaliers to boom quality.

[@tomlebeau7921]

Roman Sapronov it’s pretty hard to match a Lav to a boom. Other than factors that you can’t help, ie capsule size... Placement is the only thing you have control of. Any placement above the mouth like the beanie position in this vid will get you a closer sound to a boom than a placement on the chest. Chest placement will pick up chest resonance and any movement of the head will change the distance and therefor the frequency response of the Lav. All things to consider.

[@LeeHerbet]

I really appreciate how Kim made a point of also showing good technique in talking to talent and politely explaining what you're doing and asking if it's ok. So super important and some people don't think of pointing that out. Great tutorial!

[@curtisjudd]

Love this series! Had to mic up a huge woolen overcoat the other day - great to hear more techniques along these lines. And beanies are my favorite - almost always sound great and no clothing rustle.

[@tomlebeau7921]

Curtis Judd I always go for the hat/beanie if I can. Clothing rustle is the biggest challenge, 2nd place is getting a consistent freq response which luckily the hat/beanie position isn’t effected by either. Only issue I hiding the cable as it runs down the neck, but if you know the shot in advance, you can cheat the cable to the hidden side of the head to where the cam is facing.

[@jwrjwrsk]

I will love to hear them moving with lavs hiden :P

[@NOMOFilms]

Seems like there would tons of clothing rustle

[@davidminard]

I'd love the next episode to have the actors delivering lines while moving. Everything sounds great when sitting still... Include the troubleshooting and placement adjustments made to correct for clothing rustle. Thanks!

[@looooooonger]

Would love to hear a bit more from the talents than just a line. I often have trouble with movement/rustle noises when laving so i would love to hear how the foamies and other accessories help with that when hiding lavs. Also the Winter Jacket audio seemed a bit Muddy, how would you attack this issue in Post?

[@DeityMicrophones]

The jacket would need some EQ, the highs would need to be boosted and the lows rolled off some. We wanted to present the RAW audio in each example so that you could hear what it would sound like RAW in your headphones on set, not necessarily how it would sound in post.

[@RobKristjansson]

This is a great idea - maybe even if it was just a super short scene with a touch of movement

[@tomlebeau7921]

Movement is a constant issue with Lavs. I find it’s best to attach the mic to the material rather than the skin. So that if the mic moves, it moves with the material and only has the skin to rub up against it. Which causes less noise than the cloth

[@emodate]

Yes!!! Been waiting for this!

[@URSAStraps]

Great work Kim! Love this video :) please do more!

[@andersireborg5681]

Andrew, thanks for putting this together, I’m new to audio and Lavalier‘s. This is very helpful. In the next episode it be great if the lines from the talents were longer as well as moving around to provide opportunity to hear much the clothing is making noice.

[@vfinvestmentgrp23group58]

This is amazing, this will really take it next level if these guys where moving, real world examples

[@simonbysshe]

Great Video!

[@ShinilPayamal]

Thanks again for the awesome tips. Really handy. My personal favourite still happens to be the one for the baseball cap.🧢

[@manolorivasfoto]

Great tips.

[@Djang0ilBastardo]

Good stuff as always! You guys are incredible. I am in bad need of some education on IFB systems/Comteks, etc. What you got?

[@stevenkralovec]

Also how do you eq/process lavs to sound better in post? I find that a boomed mic typically sounds better. Is there a way to make a lav sound more like a boom?

[@stevenkralovec]

How would you EQ the lav that’s under clothing and thus slightly muddy/muffled?

[@Nqrgaard]

Could you show how to hide bigger lav mics and prevent noise from cloth rubbing. Maybe a cheap diy version?

[@leodanryan966]

Okay, so I have just qued up this video, and I haven't seen it yet, but I want to pose a question about lavelier mics so sorry if you covered the answer in the video. I have been experimenting with lavelier mic systems for my channel and I have purchased three different price point systems. All three have the same problem. When they work, all work well, but they all don't usually work. I made certain to do a short test with the mics before I began my actual recordings and I have gotten mixed results with all three systems. They range in price from $30 to $140, but I mostly just find I have wasted an entire two hours of shooting. Is it me? Or is it a lavelier mic thing? Thanks in advance.

[@Canyatz]

To loop or not to loop the cable. Seems like different people prefer different methods when it comes to this. Personally i get way more rustling with a loop. What does DEITY think about loops?

[@imark7777777]

Hats: what would be the technique attaching to the hat and not the head although I've heard that embedded in hair is also a technique used? Instead of freeform.

[@dylankissel3301]

I know you have done these outfits for a male and female actor, however I would be interested to see how things change when it is a male actor in a sweater. Also, what about more form fitting clothes that are a bit tighter on the subject?

[@stigi666]

Moleskin tape - I tried to find it online in UK . No luck.What would that be called in Europe or what would be alternative ?

[@vizualizefilms9168]

A link to these products would be nice, unless i missed it?

[@zscske]

Spaghetti Strap Dress, especially when it is very slippery (and expensive) material...and the worst when is no bra (we used a boom in that case)

[@DeityMicrophones]

Totally!

[@tunzyjoe8236]

How do you mic Soldier uniform...

[@AceHardy]

🎬🎥🔥

[@danniv13]

What brand/model is the magnetic clip? And the white furry with the draw string. Links?

[@DeityMicrophones]

The magnetic mount was from Point Source Audio, the white furry comes with a Deity W.Lav

[@sonderheppo]

Looks all fine and well - until someone moves. The lav under the ski-jacket and under the zipper hoody look, like they would rustle like crazy. I would really love a tutorial in which the subject is doing a walk and talk afterwards or is lifting the arms or something.

[@tunzyjoe8236]

What about if she's going to take the scarf off in the scene?

[@stevesampa]

I have a big question, at least it is for me. I'm starting to do production sound, and the thing is: I've heard a lot about not put the lav too close to the throat, because I've been told that it takes lots of bass sound, and lets the voice unnaturally deep. I wanted to ask if that's true or not. Beacuse I've often see people putting lavs too close, and I can't get why. I've been taught to put it between the nipples, at that height.

[@tomlebeau7921]

Martin Sampayo in an ideal world, yes. Chest hair, thick jackets etc will make you re position it from the middle of the chest. Compromise compromise .

[@sindrekdn]

If you don't have access to the magnet or vampire clip, is there a way to secure the lav with tape?

[@DeityMicrophones]

Totally! Our very first episode was about that kind of stuff. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZy2moyZjZt7ipo

[@joshmillerdp]

Ooo man the second one with the snow jacket sounded pretty rough

[@DeityMicrophones]

We left it unprocessed. It could use some EQ and processing to make it sound as good as the others methods. We wanted the example dialogue lines to be raw audio from the mics so people could hear the honest results of each method and not get unrealistic expectations of what they would hear on set in their headphones. We totally advocate for always doing a post production audio pass on your edits, even on mics that sound amazing bc you can always do little things like De-essers and De-clickers.

[@edmundology6304]

Is this unlisted? I can’t see it on your video page.

[@DeityMicrophones]

It's live and it's in our Sound 101 playlist

[@joshmillerdp]

For whatever reason Ive noticed it takes a minute to to get on the video page sometimes

[@edmundology6304]

Josh Miller Yeah, I asked because I haven’t seen this issue on other channels.

[@imark7777777]

Where is the winter jacket? I grew up in upstate New York snow country. the counties even compete to see who got the most snow ( some cheat ) so that ain't no winter coat.

[@PatrickAssman]

How would you Lav a woman's swimsuit?

[@giacobbe78]

maybe it will be better to make the talent move. they are always sit...

[@RepublicAllegiance]

The fur is a Bubblebee or Dead Kitten

[@DeityMicrophones]

Bubblebee makes one called the Wind Bubble. The one we used comes with our W.Lav.

[@michellefoster1020]

The audio at that point sounded very soon maybe would’ve been betterNearer the mouth

[@RobKristjansson]

Ummm, is it me, or is Andrew blaming his inability to get Sophie's name right on his lack of a college education? #leavethischildbehind

[@DeityMicrophones]

I was wondering if anyone was going to comment on the bloopers. I am HORRIBLE with names!! I am having to apologize all the time to people. ~Andrew

[@RobKristjansson]

@@DeityMicrophones lol I love the way you cut it - always fun watching folks not taking themselves too seriously!!!