Posted by: "Scott Fraser"
> Why not take a small desk stand. There are little tripod stands which =
> fold to under 6 inches. Is there really a need for the mic array to
> be up 4 feet off the ground?
Yes, there is. As you go closer and closer to the ground you get more
and more irregular attenuation of different frequencies from surface
roughness and brush/trees. This starts to be noticeable as you come down
through 10-15' but is really noticeable in the last few feet from the
ground. I've measured overall attenuations of as much as 30dBA at 1'
compared to 5'. That was in a fairly open douglas fir forest about 100
yards from a highway (you could see the cars through the trees), back
when I got paid for doing such things. At least if you are recording at
5' you are close to the normal height of people's ears when they are
standing.
Remember a mic does not need a steady support like a camera does. If you
are not doing camera work as well a very spindly tripod will work fine.
If you are doing camera work some monopods have tripod feet available
for them. I'd not trust those unattended, however, at least not the ones
I have and they are pretty heavy duty.
Walt
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