How to connect mixer to camcorder

haloguy1999

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Aug 30, 2013
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So I have mics set up on my drum kit. There are 7 all plugged into the xlr plugs on the mixer. I have a 1/4" to 1/8" cable connecting the mic in on the camcorder to the mixer. What do I plug it into on the mixer. The only time I got good audio was in 'Aux Send', but it was extremely quiet and when played on the computer, played stereo rather than 7.1 surround. Any help is appreciated. :)
 
Solution
Is there any audio adjustments you can make in the camcorder, such as adjusting the mic volume? Assuming Aux Send is Audio Out to an auxiliary device then I'm guessing you have it connected properly to the mic in on the camcorder. Does the camcorder recorder 7.1 surround sound? If yes, it may be recording that with the built-in mic. Unless the mixer outputs 7.1 surround sound it won't be captured that way. You could use a Beachtek DXA-4P (probably pick one up cheap on eBay) that would allow you to connect up to two XLR mics. It attaches to the bottom of the camcorder and connects to the mic in port on the camcorder. I only suggest it because I own one.
Is there any audio adjustments you can make in the camcorder, such as adjusting the mic volume? Assuming Aux Send is Audio Out to an auxiliary device then I'm guessing you have it connected properly to the mic in on the camcorder. Does the camcorder recorder 7.1 surround sound? If yes, it may be recording that with the built-in mic. Unless the mixer outputs 7.1 surround sound it won't be captured that way. You could use a Beachtek DXA-4P (probably pick one up cheap on eBay) that would allow you to connect up to two XLR mics. It attaches to the bottom of the camcorder and connects to the mic in port on the camcorder. I only suggest it because I own one.
 
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haloguy1999

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Yeah, I'm not sure the mixer outputs 7.1. It's a rather old one I borrowed from a friend. The camera should. I did get proper audio from the aux send to mic in, except it was really quiet. You couldn't even hear it at max on the camcorder. Only on a PC with a 7.1 surround system cranked WAY up did it sound normal volume. Is altering the mic volume with an external one in necessary though? When something is plugged into the mic in port yet there's something on the other side that it's plugged into, I think my camera automatically shuts off the internal mic.
Should I change the internal mic to 'Stereo Mic' rather than the current surround setting?

 
You are right, if you have another mic plugged in it will turn off the internal mic. Altering the volume with an external mic might be necessary. If there is a way to adjust it I would experiment with it and see if the audio has more volume than you are currently getting. If you are going to use the internal mic then I wouldn't change the setting to Stereo Mic.
 

haloguy1999

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Yeah, I was down there doing 5 second snare hits to and kept changing stuff. (Shockingly...) When I turned up the mic volume, it got louder. I think it must've been something else because I tried that before. However, there is this irritating buzzing noise. The 1/4" jack that goes into the mixer moves when it's in the mixer. Could it just be like, crappy? It goes in, but it will move as if the something in the slot has come loose.


 


It could be a bad connection and that would explain the irritating buzzing noise.
 

haloguy1999

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I've also just noticed another issue. When I recorded the drum track and added in the music afterwards, the drum track only comes out one speaker or side. My 7.1 headset only has audio in the left ear. When the left side is moved away, you can hear the song in the right, when just the left ear you hear the drums AND the song. Why could this be? It's not the headset/earbuds because I get audio with other things in both sides.
 

haloguy1999

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I don't have another external mic, no. The mixer is a stereo mixer and when played through my speakers rather than headphones it comes out of two speakers (Front left and right). When put into Movie Maker it plays in 5.1 surround with speakers yet still one side for headphones. Yet the un-edited clip still has audio on one side when using headphones. The camera mic set up is locked to record in surround when an external mic is plugged in or in this case, the mixer. I'm just trying to narrow it down... lol