Setting Up a Board Feed for a Videographer

26 Aug 2016

If a group decides they would like a video recording of their event and has hired someone to do so, they may ask for an audio feed from the board. This videographer will probably be doing post production and wants direct raw mic feeds as opposed to using the distance mic on his camera.

The method for setting up a feed mirroring the board output would be similar to sending audio to a monitor, except that rather than sending the audio to the patchbay, you will be sending it directly to the video camera.

• First, run an XLR cord from one of the auxiliary outputs on the back of the board to the videographer. You may have to unplug one of the eight auxiliary outputs; remember to plug them back in after the event.

• Make sure the cord stays behind the chairs in the house and is taped down whenever it has to cross an aisle or walkway; if crossing an aisle, tape the XLR at the bottom of the steps where no one is likely to trip on it.

• If running a feed to the lower level, use very long cables and daisy chain two or more together;

  • Run them from the mixer ➝ straight out to the wall ➝ down the wall to the lower level ➝ back in to where the video is positioned.

• Never run cable across a walkway and make sure they don’t either.

Once the connection has been made, you will want to send the videographer a test signal.

• Select the aux you will be using (i.e. Aux #8), then use the mouse to click on System, then find the test signals sending a 100 Hz, 1000 Hz, 10000 Hz, White Noise, or Pink Noise.

• Increase the level of sound until the videographer confirms he/she is receiving signal.

Once you have confirmed that the camera is receiving signal, ask the videographer what kind of mix he/she would like.

• Say the videographer wants the house mix; you would need to send all of the audio at the same level as it is coming out of the mains, so you would select all of the channels that will potentially be going live during the event and send them at unity, postfade, to Aux #8, and then raise Aux #8 to unity as well, or to whatever level the videographer decides is best.

• Do not adjust the aux level during the show, as it will make everything suddenly sound louder or softer mid-recording.

• If the videographer asks for only vocal mics or instrument mics, select the correct channels and send them to the correct aux.

• In some cases the videographer may choose to do his/her own post-production sound editing, and may want a specific prefade mix. In this case, ask what they are looking for, and adjust accordingly.

• Remember that sending a channel prefade means the aux will receive signal when the channel fades out, but not when the channel is muted.