InfoComm Takeaway: HollyLand Lark 2 Max (and how to win one!)
June was one of the wildest months of my life… it really started in May. My son graduated high school the last week in May, I left 2 days later to go to Alabama for the first Alabama AV Teacher Bootcamp. I returned from that only to leave a day later to drive to the Georgia coast for a video shoot with the Georgia Department of Education and CTAERN (Career Technical Agricultural Education Resource Network). I was at the coast for less than 24 hours then had a 6 hour trip home to drop gear as I had to go to the other side of Atlanta to pick up equipment to go to the Georgia Camp T&I for AVTF Teachers. Two days there, then home for 4 days (it felt like a vacation). The following week was Infocomm in Orlando for a week then the following week was the Georgia Association of Career Technical Educators conference in Athens, GA and closing out the month was the 2025 SkillsUSA National Skills and Leadership Conference…. I share all of that because I was moving at such a pace that anything that would get me excited would have to really stand out… More like jump out at me.
Teaching To The Test Pattern: Tim Loreman Central High School - Phenix City, Alabama
This episode of Teaching To The Test Pattern gives you an introduction to Tim Loreman from Central High School in Phenix City, Alabama. Tim and his students production over 100 live productions each year including massive football productions. Tim shares how he keeps the quality up and what it takes to get his students involved.
Teaching To The Test Pattern: EP1: Live Event Audio
This episode of Teaching To The Test Pattern gives you the basics on what's needed to get started on the way to making great sounding audio at live events. Learn the most basic audio set up to the need for backline communication.
Editing a YouTube Tutorial in Premiere Pro
Watch me work on various video and audio editing projects in my live stream series Work Watching. I share tips, tricks and best practices for editing audio and video on real life projects I am working on.
The Best New Wireless Mic for Small Crews
No matter what you’re filming, having a wireless microphone makes it way more efficient. However, finding a wireless mic with professional sound quality, a reliable signal, and an affordable price point is not an easy feat. That is until Hollyland dropped the LARK 150 Wireless Microphone System.
Did We Just Find The Best Free Daw?
We have been on the search to find the perfect Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) for beginning audio engineers, musicians, filmmakers, and enthusiasts. The search is finally over. The software is called Waveform Free by Tracktion. This software has blown us away on so many levels. Let’s dive in and discover what makes this DAW our favorite program for recording and editing audio.
How to Make a Podcast
There is an abundance of podcasts out there, but don’t let your fear of not being original hinder this brainstorming process. You can and will come up with something spectacular if you just take these crucial steps.
Coffee, Tea, or Earbuds?
Half the job of an editor is working with sound. If you have students editing in a computer lab, you are probably having them use headphones when they are at their computer. We decided to eliminate the over-the-ear cans that students were sharing (yuck) and opted for earbuds.
7 Ways to Hide a Lav Microphone
In this article, we’ll explore how to capture audio with a lav mic cleverly placed on the human body, just outside the camera’s view. You’ll learn how to use a special mic that is great for hiding because it is super small.
Q&A: How To Hone Your Skills As An Interviewer
Why is it that late night talk-show hosts can make their conversations with guests sound so effortless? How are news commentators able to cut to the chase on controversial topics? If you found yourself in an elevator with a celebrity you admire, what’s the one question you could ask to leave an indelible impression?
Top Free Browser-Based Audio Editors and DAWs
If you are new to the world of audio editing and want to get your feet wet, here are four free browser-based digital audio workstations (DAWS) and four simple audio editors to try. If you are working on a video project that needs music or you want to further manipulate audio for an effect, these editors will make the process super easy. The benefit of using a browser-based editor is that you can edit a project on the go, at home, at school, and with a Mac, a Windows computer, or a Chromebook. There aren't too many limitations, and it is a great way to learn the basics so you can later choose a more professional DAW later.
Small Parabolic vs. Wireless Lapel Mic
When faced with the task of recording an interview, most people will turn to a lapel (lavaliere) microphone for capturing the audio. The small microphones are seen every day on television, and they are often used without our seeing them. They are the perfect solution, right? Well, not always. There are several drawbacks to lapel microphone that most people just learn to live with. Small parabolic microphones provide a new alternative to lapel microphones that may alleviate all of these issues.
Tips for Quality Video and Cable Care
Our tools extend beyond our cameras, lights, and microphones to the various tips and tricks that we acquire along the road of practice made perfect. These useful techniques become the difference between knowledge and experience, which yields wisdom. To this effect, here are some helpful hints that might assist you in becoming a little better with your tools.
TV Reporters and Social Distancing
Reporters are faced with a dilemma in the current environment of social distancing. How can they capture clear audio during an interview while maintaining a safe separation? Parabolic microphones, used primarily for sports, may provide a great alternative. Parabolic microphones provide a mechanical amplification for the sound coming from in front of the dish. This allows a person speaking at a normal level to be recorded from six to ten feet using a parabolic microphone only nine inches in diameter.
Capturing Audio for Classroom Streaming
Presenting classes online is becoming more common every year. Streaming video of the instructor is quite easy, and using a wireless mic provides great audio from the instructor. In addition, it is rather straight forward to add a second camera to capture video of the students. The challenge, however, is to capture audio of student questions and interaction.
Audio for Live Streaming 101
67% of people say quality is the most important factor when watching a live video. Yes, that includes video and audio. Sometimes, audio quality is even more important.
Best Sound for Live Production, Shooting Indoor Sports
Because of the crowd noise that reverberates within the building, it can be extremely difficult to capture quality audio for indoor sports. The sample setups shown here are for basketball but are easily adapted to other indoor sports.
Company Profile: Conference Room Systems (CRS)
CRS (Conference Room Systems) is an ecommerce company offering a curated selection of audiovisual solutions for any organization. The parent company to CRS, Haverford Systems Inc., has been working within the audiovisual arena for more than 30 years as a Phila.-area installer and integrator. Following that legacy, CRS knew that they could also help DIY (do-it-yourself) customers across the U.S. With well-known manufacturers featured on its site, including Cambridge Sound Management, HuddleCamHD, PTZOptics and Magewell, CRS proudly offers the right balance of high-quality and affordability.
Best Sound for Live Production, Broadcasting Football
The parabolic microphones will capture the quarterback signals, player collisions, the football being kicked, etc. It is becoming quite common for a lineman to have a microphone imbedded in his pads to help capture the quarter back signals. You can often hear the microphone being turned off just after the ball is hiked.
Sound for Live Production, Better On-Field Sound
There are three keys to capturing better on-field audio. Using more microphones. Locating microphones closer to the action. Using more directional microphones for better isolation. While these three keys may seem rather obvious the application may not be. Let’s begin by examining how the networks typically capture audio at a baseball park.