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In addition, Premiere Pro’s compliance with two audio industry standards: ASIO (Audio

Stream In/Out) and VST (Virtual Studio Technology) ensure that it works smoothly with

a wide range of audio cards and dozens of audio e ect plug-ins. I cover those plug-ins, the

full range of audio e ects in Premiere Pro, and its Audio Mixer in Lesson 12.

Selecting the right mic for the job

Most likely you work with a camcorder that has an onboard mic. Onboard mics take

the middle ground.  ey pick up sound from everywhere, including wind, the hum of

overhead  uorescent lights, noises you make while handling the camcorder, as well as

the the hum of the zoom lens motor.

What you need are external mics: specialized mics that serve narrower but useful

functions. Here are the four basic types that suit most circumstances:

• Handheld

• Shotgun

• Lavaliere

• Surface mount

Four standard-issue mics: handheld, shotgun, lavaliere, and surface mount

Used by permission. Shure, Inc. 2005

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Handheld mic

Handheld mics are the workhorses of the audio industry. Since they are built with

internal shock mounts to reduce handling noise, you’ll use these mics for interviews,

place them on podiums to record speeches, and voice narrations with them.

Many handheld mics are omnidirectional, meaning that they pick up sound from all

directions.  ey’ll pick up ambient room noise as well as close-up audio. To minimize

that unwanted noise, keep the mic as close to your subject as practical—usually about a

foot from the speaker’s mouth.

Basic handhelds start at about $25. Top-of-the-line, durable handhelds start at $150.

Position handheld mics 12 inches from the speaker’s mouth at an angle of about 45°.

 at cuts down on pops made by your breath when you pronounce Ps and Ts.

Shotgun mic

So-named because it resembles a shotgun barrel, the shotgun mic’s unidirectional barrel

(called an interference tube) narrows the focus of the audio  eld to about 30 degrees.

Shotgun mics don’t zoom.  ink of them as looking through a long tube.  ey narrow

your “view” of the sound.

Note:  e telephoto-lens equivalent in the microphone world is a parabolic dish. You’ve

seen networks use them along the sidelines of NFL games to get those great crunching hits.

Shotgun mics are a great way to reduce ambient noise and work well during informal,

impromptu interviews. Instead of shoving a handheld mic in a nervous interviewee’s

face, hold a shotgun mic farther away.

A good shotgun mic will set you back about $1,000.

Used by permission. Shure, Inc. 2005

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Lavaliere mic

Lavalieres are perfect for formal, sit-down interviews.  eir tiny size means that you can

conceal them to minimize that “Oh, we’re watching TV” disconnect.  e downside is

that most require batteries. You can buy a basic lav at an electronics store for $25.

High-quality lavs start at $200.

Surface mount—boundary—mic

You’ll use these specialized mics to pick up several speakers at a conference table or on

a theater stage.  ey’re built to be placed on a  at surface and pick up sound waves both

in the air and from the hard surface. A basic omni-directional boundary mic costs $40.

Higher quality boundary mics cost about $150.

Wireless systems and mics

Wireless mics open a whole new spectrum of possibilities, enabling you to record sound

from a distance. A er you’ve used one, you’ll wonder how you got along without it.

Depending on the wireless system, you can either hook up standard mics—handheld,

shotgun or lavaliere—to a wireless transmitter or use mics with built-in transmitters.

Entry-level set-ups cost about $200. Top-of-the-line systems retail for $2,000.

Best single-mic solution

If I had to choose a single-mic system solution, I’d go with a wireless shotgun mic. A

shotgun mic is versatile and using a wireless transmitter gives you great mobility. You

can get crystal clear audio even though the mic might be far from you on a podium, or in

your producer’s hands in the middle of a crowd. Interviews will be more spontaneous—

the mic can be less obtrusive than a typical handheld mic and there is no awkward pause

while plugging a cable into the camera.

Used by permission. Shure, Inc. 2005