OVERVIEW:
As I was working on creating Microphone-Specific EQs I realized I needed to keep track of the "proximity" of each microphone I was testing, because it affected not only the level but also the tone as well (it adds more BASS). So, I started using the term "proximity" to simply refer to the distance from the microphone to the sound source. Most audio people use this word in the term "proximity effect" to refer to added BASS and other distortions that occur when a person is too close to a microphone. Whichever way it's used, what I did was create a list of standard proximities, so I could systematically test each microphone & audio recorder combination I have (and come up with custom audio settings for each).
ABOVE: I use the term "proximity" to refer to the distance between the sound source and the microphone. I then use this to figure out my custom (mic-specific) audio settings. To me, this makes setting up microphones & audio recorders super easy.
ABOVE: Here are the "proximities" I use. The quality of the microphone and audio recorder do matter, but proximity might just be the most important factor when it comes to capturing good audio.
WHY IS "PROXIMITY" SO IMPORTANT?
Microphone proximity is not only an important consideration in regard to how realistic you want your sound to be (too close and it adds more BASS) but it's also important in regard to how "clean" your audio signal will be. You probably know that at close proximity, even inexpensive microphones sound good. Historically, the main reason proximity is important has been that it allows you to keep the record level of the audio recorder low (and therefore to avoid the added "noise" of the recorder preamp). However, when I started testing 32-bit float recorders, I realized I couldn't use a low gain setting to keep the "noise floor" low (because there is no "gain" on 32-bit float recorders!) I then realized microphone proximity is the now only way to keep the noise floor down (with a 32-bit float recorder). And yes, there can still be an issue with a high noise floor when using some microphones on the Zoom F2 #ad (I'm not just using lavalier mics).
So, to figure out what custom audio settings to use (on each microphone and audio recorder combination) I had to establish the following standards.
My Custom Settings Method (For AUDIO):
USE FOR NARRATION, VOICEOVERS, PODCASTS
I use this proximity for recording podcasts, voiceovers and narration. This places the microphone about 3.5 inches away or 8.89 cm. The trick to quickly approximate this distance is to make your hand into a fist, and then don't get closer to the microphone than that. The neat thing about this proximity is that a lot of these budget filmmaking microphones (mostly mini shotguns) sound pretty good at this proximity (check out my custom [mic-specific] audio settings to see the ones I've tested.) These mini mics (3.5mm plug, short interference tube) are also very affordable, and they're super small, and therefore super portable. What's also great about mini shotgun mics, is they almost all have a shock mount, and that most of those I've tested don't need an additional pop filter (to protect from plosives) which is normally needed when recording at this "CLOSE" proximity!
USE FOR CLIP-ON (LAV.) MIC PLACEMENT
This proximity is pretty self-explanatory, as it applies to using lavalier (or clip-on) mics. It's really easy to measure this distance by simply using the "hang loose" hand sign (for the distance between the mic and your mouth). This distance is approximately 7 inches/17.78 cm and can also be applied when hiding the mic in a person's clothing, or even in their hair.
USE FOR VLOGGING (AT ARM'S LENGTH)
The main attribute of the "VLOG" proximity is that it's typically used for placing a microphone on the camera's hot shoe (with the camera pointed towards yourself). Therefore, the easy way to remember this proximity is the mic should be no further away than arm's length. I know, some people (such as basketball players) have longer arms, but the idea is to place the mic no further away from the sound source than approx. 22 inches (or 55.5 cm). Some YouTubers also use this proximity for booming the mic (out of the shot) and the reason this works is because they're often really close to the camera. One last thing to remember about this "VLOG" proximity, is that it's important to use a "furry" windscreen when you're shooting outdoors (it helps protect the microphone from wind noise). Sometimes I even use a furry windscreen INDOORS, but it's specific to how each microphone-audio recorder combo sounds.
USE FOR BOOMING FROM ABOVE (OR BELOW)
This proximity is the traditional (Hollywood) boom distance, which is no more than 3 feet. I used to say my "maximum" boom distance was about 4 feet (and there are some mics you can push that far) but most brands are saying it's best to boom at 3 feet or less, so I changed this to conform to what everybody else is saying (though I've tested a number of mics that work well at around 4 feet). The reason I used to push my boom mic distance to 4 feet, was that I was trying to make it work for both WIDE AND TIGHT shots. A lot of filmmakers are able place the mic closer (while keeping it out of the shot) because they only use a single camera when recording. On the contrary, I prefer to "always shoot with 2 cameras (WIDE & TIGHT)" at the same time, so the mic needs a bit more distance to clear both the TIGHT & WIDE shots. Also, another thing about boom placement that's worth mentioning, is that the microphone can sometimes be placed BELOW the sound source (and not just ABOVE). The reason I sometimes prefer to place a boom BELOW is in situations where the ceiling is low and there is echo; if there's a carpeted floor, having the mic placed LOW will then reflect less (less echo). If the floor covering is tile or some other "reflective" material (even finished wood) it may be too reflective, but if it's covered with carpet (or a rug) it can work pretty well.
USE FOR (DISTANT) NAT. SOUND CAPTURE
This recording distance works quite well in situations where a bit of ambient background noise is good (such as outdoor "nat. sound" capture) because this proximity WILL increase the amount of background noise present in the recording. The reason is that it places the mic quite far from the sound source which means you have to increase the recording level for non-32-bit-float recorders or increase if you're using a 32-bit float recorder. It really depends on which microphone you're using though, because some can be better than others at long-range recording (see my AUDIO SETTINGS database for details). The easy way to visualize this distance (and the way I came up with it) is to become aware of how close you can get to subjects out in the "wild" (such as birds, etc.)
NOTE: I used to call this my "ZOOM" proximity, but I changed it because it was too easy to confuse this with the brand name Zoom (or even with zoom lenses).
CONCLUSION:
In an ideal world, we'd only use microphones at close proximity to keep the signal-to-noise ratio low (and to reduce the background noise). However, in many situations we can't get the mic that close, so we have to boost either the mic level (if it has power options) or the record level on the audio recorder (unless it's a 32-bit float recorder). So, what I'm doing is testing my favorite (budget) filmmaking microphones so I can test them at each proximity, and then provide settings recommendations specific to each combination (then posting them on the AUDIO section of my website). I know these settings won't be perfect, but my goal is to provide a good starting point (so you don't have to be stressed when recording).
Next, we'll cover my favorite budget filmmaking AUDIO gear in PART 2: Kit Plans
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