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Gear / Technical Help => Microphones & Setup => Topic started by: hanzo on June 07, 2005, 08:52:14 PM

Title: stealth recording : reducing static from shirt?
Post by: hanzo on June 07, 2005, 08:52:14 PM
hi, im new to the forums and had a small quesiton. ive been reading through the stealth threads and saw some really cool ideas. but im in a bit of a different stealthy situtaion. for the regualr concerts i just clip the mics to the lapels of my shirt.  i decided the easiest way to hide the mics is to just place them underneath my tshirt(i will have hard nipples  ;) ) . ive tested it out and the sound quailty is really not bad. i just get obvious static with the shirt rubbing against the mics. im asking if theres any way in possbly reducing the static. any tricks in placing my mics or something. any suggestions will help greatly. im using SP-BMC-2 mics.

thanks so much in advance!
Title: Re: stealth recording : reducing static from shirt?
Post by: Diamond_D on June 07, 2005, 09:36:25 PM
search the forum for "collar" you'll find a couple of setups where people have sewn elastic bands on the underside of the collar of the shirt, and stick the mics in there. Completely invisible, and run the cables down your back into your pants/pockets
Title: Re: stealth recording : reducing static from shirt?
Post by: setboy on June 07, 2005, 10:05:45 PM
i would do this http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=41162.0
Title: Re: stealth recording : reducing static from shirt?
Post by: cgrooves on June 08, 2005, 11:57:55 AM
I stealthed this past Sunday night by duct taping mini omnis to the top of each shoulder. Wore a button up shirt, and never heard static / movement from the shirt in playback. Had a friend walk up and put their hand on my shoulder once, and that was audible in playback. Maybe the static you are hearing is the mics moving against the shirt, instead of the shirt moving against the mics. Try to secure the mics better (duct tape  ;D) and see if that helps. You may even have better results by securely attaching the mics to a shirt via thread and elastic (etc.).
Title: Re: stealth recording : reducing static from shirt?
Post by: hanzo on June 08, 2005, 08:17:04 PM
I stealthed this past Sunday night by duct taping mini omnis to the top of each shoulder. Wore a button up shirt, and never heard static / movement from the shirt in playback. Had a friend walk up and put their hand on my shoulder once, and that was audible in playback. Maybe the static you are hearing is the mics moving against the shirt, instead of the shirt moving against the mics. Try to secure the mics better (duct tape ;D) and see if that helps. You may even have better results by securely attaching the mics to a shirt via thread and elastic (etc.).

this is exactly what ill be doing.

thanks for the replies
Title: Re: stealth recording : reducing static from shirt?
Post by: Tim on June 08, 2005, 08:31:16 PM
get em off of your shoulders and up around your ears, the sound of your tapes will be greatly improved

Title: Re: stealth recording : reducing static from shirt?
Post by: cgrooves on June 09, 2005, 10:19:04 AM
"get em off of your shoulders and up around your ears, the sound of your tapes will be greatly improved"

It seems most people want the mics up higher to cut down on crowd chatter and crowd absorption.  I wasn't willing to dedicate myself to that method this past weekend because of the need to turn into a 'statue' when taping that way.  With the mics on my shoulders, I was able to look around, and even dance in place just a little bit, with no negative effect on the recording.  I did, however, manage to get in a spot where there were no people directly around me that were talking.  I was right in front of the soundboard too, and would have probably been picked out as a stealther if I wasn't able to look around like I did.  I guess using omnis around your ears would allow you to move a little without negative effects, but with cards I would think you would have to be the 'statue' if they were mounted near your ears.  Cards on the shoulders may not be any better either, as far as allowing movement.  I think I will continue to use omnis on my shoulders because I can't hide the mics in my hair, I don't want to wear glasses with croakies, I don't want to wear a hoody or cap, I wan't to look around the crowd a little, etc.  I also believe that I would appear more 'stealth' to management / sound crew than someone standing near me with mics mounted near their ears. 

Your right though, increasing the height and stability of the mics can only improve the recording.