First, I want to record some loud street-drummers . . . I've heard them and they really hurt! - I tried to record them using a PalmTrack on "low"-sensitivity and No1 (of 32 levels) - but don't know what the settings mean . . . and even that overloaded. I moved about 30 feet away and that stopped the overload (a red LED), but lost some brilliance in the snares..... so I'm guessing the dynamic range needs to be covered with two mics . . . at different sensitivities, but I'm concerned that my mics could be destroyed!
The Palmtrack uses electret capsules (like most Camcorders) and these appear to overload rather easily, although they are remarkably good music quality. They survived the ordeal.
I have A Karaoke mic set and these are significantly less sensitive (moving coil, I'm sure). They are in metal tubes with XLR connectors, so I'm guessing quite reasonable quality. I tried to measure the sensitivity by plugging into the Palmtrack - it needs more gain, for a given sound-level, so I suspect this means I can record without overload, although the said mixer will be able to drop-levels the issue still remains at the microphone end - I would like this NOT to distort, e.g. like a rattle, or whatever....
I'll give that a try, but I wonder if folk here have any Hints/Tips for such audio...?
The PalmTrack is stereo, so a small mixer can bring the two mics to one stereo input. Then I can monitor it via headphones. The Palmtrack has level-meters and agc, something like a Zoom.
But I may use Manual-level for some and AGC for the others....a bit of trial and error,
Now the second recording-session is more difficult - the party finishes with Fireworks . . . there will be the usual rockets and flash-bangs, with music, but I understand the finale will be large aerial displays with explosions that fill the sky - As I recall similar events, these are LOUD, so I'm hoping my karaoke mics might do this job, recorded separately from the video, and try to fudge the sync later. To catch the Oohs/Aahs from the crowd, I can use two sensitivities for the L+R tracks.
I'll make rain-hoods to protect the mics outdoors, and dead-cats against Wind.... with something similar for the PalmTrack . . . . any other suggestions? . . . . pref. without spending any serious money.
Oh and carry a torch.
---and earplugs!
Again . . . hints and Tips, please.
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