1 mic - 4 sources / what to do?

[guyfromva]

I've got a single mic set, azden vhs with lav and mic.  Going to be doing a wedding in two weeks with someone giving a homily and someone singing during the unity candle stuff.  I can afford one more mic if I have to, prefer a uhf this time (about $400).  What should I get?  How should I mic this?  I can't be running around during the ceremony and changing mic stuff.  Thanks in advance.

[HankCastello]

If your singer is in one position, and your homily will be delivered from yet another and the minister stands in a third location, etc., then you're in trouble!   :lol:

Since all of these will be occuring at different times, I'd try to get cooperation to have everyone do their thing at the podium where I'd clip or tape a lav to the podium mic, wrap the wire around the neck of the podium mic and place the transmitter in a safe, out of the way place, as best as possible.

Remember - the bride is in charge. If she wants a really good video, she should have things arranged as you request, within reason.

There may be a simple solution if there is house sound.  Simply connect it's "Tape Out" or "Line Out", etc. to your transmitter's "Line-in" and you're good to go.  Be sure and test this out at the rehearsal or some time before the wedding.  Often sound board operators are totally unfamilar with getting a feed out of their system.

And then, there is the safer option of dropping a lav mic several inches in front of a speaker, to get the house sound.  I use both the above options, plus using our own mics on each source, AND a shotgun to get ambience, hence getting at least four separate sources.

If there is no house sound system and if you are stuck with several audio source locations - if you have at least two cameras, you might consider buying a shotgun mic and placing it on the camera that will hold close on each source.  This is a "last resort" because your sound will not be nearly as clean as the other suggestions.

Best of luck to you!  Let us hear how everything comes out.