Interviewing Technique

JES · Post by **JES** » Tue May 30, 2006 9:05 am

Hi All,

This isn't a music question but I thought I'd give it a try. I want to put together a small, portable setup for interviewing people when I travel. The interviews will eventually be podcast, so I'd like them to sound decent. In the past, I've used the mic in my Powerbook, but a single crappy mic seems to be part of the problem. Lots of room echo and I have to get rid of the hard drive noise it picks up.

Soooo, for those of you who have recorded high-quality-sounding interviews on location, do you use more than one mic? If so, do you put them both on stands or prefer lapel-style mics? Make and model suggestions would also be appreciated.

Thanks!

--JES

wedge · Post by **wedge** » Tue May 30, 2006 9:30 am

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=240239

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=240219

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=244008

I'm Painting Again · Post by **I'm Painting Again** » Tue May 30, 2006 9:33 am

the EV re50 is what I use (along with many other news crews) out in the field for general interview purposes..its usually going right into the ENG camera which has its own preamps..then to DVC tape..

thats a handheld and good if there is a reporter..when I have to do interviews without a reporter I will sometimes use a Lectrosonics wireless Lav kit (not cheap) or just have the person hold the re50 on themselves..i use a lectro kit on the re 50 too..but you could use a wire too..

If I was doing just audio I would opt for a simple omni mic or lav into a portable cd recorder or hd recorder..something with good metering and built in limiting..

drumsound · Post by **drumsound** » Tue May 30, 2006 10:58 am

I've never done this...

I would think an hypercardioid mic and the back and fourth approach would work best. Get the mic close to th mouth of the person you are interviewing, because they often have no past experience with microphones. That way you are sure to get them and not miss a lot.

JES · Post by **JES** » Tue May 30, 2006 11:03 am

Thanks for the replies so far. Let me clarify something: these are going to be long interviews -- like 20 minutes or more, and with editing and EQ, I want the final product to be listenable like a radio program. We'll probably be sitting down somewhere, like a hotel room or table at a cafe.

I'm not so worried about the recording unit (it will be my laptop or ipod) as the mics and placement, etc.

Thanks much!

--JES

Randy · Post by **Randy** » Tue May 30, 2006 11:09 am

For years, the Electrovoice 635A has been the main interviewer's mic in the broadcast industry. I have one and it doesn't suck. There is a low-end rolloff and the high end is not crispy. It's a dynamic, so you won't need phantom power. Plus, it's omni and you won't have to move it much. Just put it in between you and the subject and you are set.

It also works well as a snare/kick mic and it's good for guitar amps if you need more midrange punch.

I'm Painting Again · Post by **I'm Painting Again** » Tue May 30, 2006 1:54 pm

I think most of the radio and TV interviews are done with omnis..handheld dynamics or condenser lavs because omni is more versatile in the field..you dont have to move the mic to pick up the questions either that way..what happens if your using that one shotgun mic on several people..they jump all over each other's words and then you got to follow them..unless you have an assistant its hard to conduct an interview and ride levels and move the mic around like that..

I don't like the 635 so much..at least compared to the re50..the re50 has this thing going on where it picks up the close up sound really well and keeps the background noise there naturally but not as loud and annoying..635's are commonly used..more so in the past..but they arent THE industry mic like suggested..at least as far as I have seen shooting news in NY these past few years..in reality for voice pick up pretty much any mic will do a decent job..put it near the mouth and your fine..

a vintage electrovice like the 676 could be pretty sweet..

if you want to go all out get a Lectro UM250C transmitter/lav - and a UCR401..but it will set you back a few grand..and you have to keep buying 9 volts like crazy too..those seem to be what every TV news crew I have ever seen uses..that and or a lectro wireless kit attached to an re50 for the reporter..

bluesman · Post by **bluesman** » Tue May 30, 2006 1:56 pm

PZM very natural sounding, small, flat, place the mic on a table top & it dissappears.

if6was9 · Post by **if6was9** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 1:56 am

I have good results with an AKG 522 ENG, which is an XY stereo mic. They are relatively inexpensive when they show up on ebay and sound great for interviews (good for some musical applications, too).

I like to set it up with the interviewer (me) to one side and the interviewee (them) to the other. The final mix probably won't use that much separation - but recording it that way gives the most flexibility if I want to process the voices independently when mixing and editing. Levels and pan will be adjusted in post production.

Even more important than sound quality, is to setup quickly and keep the gear as unobtrusive as possible. The sooner the interviewee forgets about the recording process, the sooner you start getting a good interview.

AGCurry · Post by **AGCurry** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 8:32 pm

With all due respect to the 635 and RE50 --

Good sounding sit-down interviews are usually done in a studio. Standard mics for studio speech are RE20, SM7, Senn MD421, with each participant having one. These mics will not pick up nearly the room noise of the omni 635/RE50 (same mic, really, but the RE50 has better handling-noise protection).

An alternative, especially if you like a little added "warmth", is a single figure-of-eight ribbon microphone, with each participant using an opposite side.

Really, though, unless you have a nice room, two cardioid-patterned dynamic mics is the way to go.

r0ck1r0ck2 · Post by **r0ck1r0ck2** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 7:58 am

i think you should use whatever is the least noticeable..
so the person is as comfortable as possible...
probably something like a stupid lav..

and then there this thing..

Coles 4104B-XLR Commentators Ribbon Microphone..

haven't used it...but damn that's impressive..

everybody make the LightSaber noise...

I'm Painting Again · Post by **I'm Painting Again** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 2:15 pm

AGCurry wrote:With all due respect to the 635 and RE50 --

Good sounding sit-down interviews are usually done in a studio. Standard mics for studio speech are RE20, SM7, Senn MD421,

very true but those mics I don't see in the field ever..thats what we are talking about here..not in the studio..

BrianK · Post by **BrianK** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 6:13 pm

Use a video camera with a stereo mic. I've tried it all.

The camera will auto adjust levels for you - turning up the quiet bits. If you use the stereo mic, you won't lose one side, which you do when moving a directional mic back and forth. Plus it's easier to hear who is who when there's a stereo pickup. Put te camera in the middle, just off to one side. It's not very obtrusive, as you're not "filming" the person talking. Just using the mic.

Most cameras can dub the audio back out, are pretty darn quiet, and good quality sound. Long record times too!

Fieryjack · Post by **Fieryjack** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 6:21 pm

You are overthinking this. Just get an Olympus DS2. Good quality, long recording times.

You don't need "broadcast quality" mics.

junkstar · Post by **junkstar** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 8:07 am

I do this for a living on a tight production budget. I also had to come up with a setup that I could recommend to newbies throughout the company (the below list was written for them). Here's what I bought and it works wonders for the price:

My set up allows me to record up to three people simultaneously. I purchased all of the items below from BSW.

1) Three Microphones -- I purchased three of the Audio-Technica AT2020 (approx $99 apiece). These are 'side address' style (some people prefer 'front address' but those could raise your cost by hundreds of dollars per mic to meet the quality and sound of the 2020).

2) Three Microphone cables -- Proco SMM5 (5 FOOT AUDIO CABLE - XLR TO XLR - approx $6 each)

3) Audio mixer -- Behringer UB1202 (12 INPUT 2-BUS MIXER - approx $80)

4) One cable that runs from mixer to computer -- Hosa CMP153 (STEREO 3.5MM TO TWO 1/4" PHONE 3 FT -- approx $5)

5) Recording software - I use Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio (approx $60) to do all my editing and file creation/finalizing. There is a freeware alternative online called Audacity but I prefer the Sony software -- it's faster and more stable.

6) Three sets of headphones -- AKG K66 (approx $35 apiece)

7) Three microphone stands -- Quiklok A114 ($43.00 each)

8- Headphone amplifier -- Applied Research Technologies HEADAMP (4-CHANNEL HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER approx $50)

9) Mixer to headphone amp cable -- Hosa CPP105 (5' MONO 1/4" M - 1/4" M CABLE - approx $4)

10) Field recorder -- Marantz PMD 660 field recorder ($500). This extremely portable device will record in mono mp3 format or to WAV which is more easily edited without degradation on to CompactFlash cards (easy upload to your laptop) and can accommodate two professional-grade microphones and can run for a few hours on 4 AA batteries. This is a bonus item and not necessary if you are willing to use your laptop or PC as your recording device. I have it for portable interviews where carrying a laptop is not an option.

11)This is a lot of stuff to tote around. I've just been authorized to buy a large case on wheels for the stuff that you may want to consider (I travel a lot with the rig to various locations. If I were just staying in Armonk I wouldn't bother with the case). I'm purchasing the Gator Cases GX20 ($99.99)

I know this may be more than your team can afford, but people kept asking what I was using..... If it just sounds like too much to invest, simply skip the field recorder and use your laptop. That will cut $500 off the cost.

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Interviewing Technique

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