Hanging Shotgun Mics

[benweblight]

I'm using some Sennheiser ME66 shotgun mics on a show soon and wondering how I would go about rigging these from LX bars.

 

I've seen these:

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/Audio,+Video+&a...jsp?sku=ST01358

 

I guess I could attach a boom arm to that if there was enough room. Some kind of secondary suspension would be needed though? Any other suggestions?

[Chris Beesley]

The mic holder is a standard type bolted on with a 3/8" imperial bolt - you could transfer this to a longer hook clamp? One thing I would say is avoid using this on the same LX bar as movers or curtain track :D

[cedd]

I've bought a hook clamp for just such a job. Granted mine was bought as a lighting clamp and then I added the bolt myself, but it's near enough.

 

A length of threaded bar would also do the job if you can find some of the correct thread. Then nut and bolt to attahch that to the clamp, and mic clip on the end.

 

For the mic itself I wouldn't really think of a secondary suspension. Apart from the fact that whilst it's not rated, the cable would probably do an alright job if push really did come to shove. However as you add more hardware (boom arms, etc) I suppose one may be in order. I don't need such a boom arm in most of my installations.

 

I have seen (though not done by me) a school take normal booms from mic stands, turn them upside down and duck tape/cable tie them to lighting bars! Not recommended in my book!

Only time I've seen something vaguely similair done and look ok is then the mic has been supported by its cable and the very last section of a boom arm has been cable tied/taped to the cable itself as it hangs in order to allow adjustment of the mic at the end and the use of a standard mic clip.

[Bobbsy]

Even with shotguns, you want to get the mics as close to the sound source. I'd be very sceptical that any lighting bar is going to be close enough to give useful pickup. Similarly, I share the concerns of others about trying to use a boom arm...even if you could do it safely it could get rather unsightly.

 

If it was me, I'd try to make a home made version of THIS.

 

I've hung Sennheiser shotguns using a similar rig to the picture, made with some creative bending of wire coathangers. The were very adjustable and worked well.

 

Bob

[J Pearce]

On school type stages where the proscenium is often only 3-4m high, they can work very well.

The system I used to use at my high school was:

 

2 rifles in front of the apron (on stands)

2 rifles hung from LX1 onstage (boom armed down so they just protuded below the FOH border)

2 'choir mics' hung from LX3 (about midstage)

 

I always got plenty of gain before feedback (though I did have decent mics, I suspect with unbranded rifles the results may be somewhat worse).

 

I also know a few theatres that put rifle mics on Bridge 1 (adjacent to prosc), to cover the stage.

[benweblight]

Thanks for the replys,

As Jon says, the bars are quite low so hopefully I can get something useful out of them, I'll be using a pair of PCC's aswell.

 

May have a go at the 'coathanger' method.