Sound – the other important half of your video. 

There are several ways to capture sound for your video, each microphone with its own advantages and disadvantages. 

Lavalier or Lav Microphone

A lavalier mic is one that attaches to your on-screen personalities providing a loud and clear sound. 

The omni lav is a type of lavalier mic that captures the voice of the person it’s attached to along with natural ambient sound. 

The cardioid lav is meant to block out background noise and give you just the words of the on screen talent. 

Boom Microphones or Shotgun Mics

A boom microphone picks up a higher tonal quality than a lavalier and does not attach to a person. This microphone is attached to an extendable arm called the boom and requires an operator. 

Which is better? Boom or Lav?

Many professional television and film sound mixers prefer the rich tonal quality of boom microphones. A boom mic also has several accessories, which prevent wind from interfering with your sound. 

A lav mic is preferred for a quaint interior shoot, where your talent is also free to move around if you have affixed the microphone wirelessly. But you definitely have to ensure that your lav is pointing properly at the mouth of the speaker. One of the biggest advantages of lavalier mics is that they may also be conspicuously placed in house plants, paperweights or other clever set pieces. 

A boom mic requires one additional person on your set. It gives you the freedom to move around at a shorter distance and great to use for mid-range shots. A boom may also be used on interviews where more than one person is talking and you don’t necessarily want to wire up each individual with a microphone. 

Both boom and lav mics have their own pros and cons. Referring to the information above for all of your shoots can ensure clear and crisp audio quality every time.