The items you will use to make your boom pole will change depending on the offerings of your local hardware store. The important part is to get pieces that work together and fit tightly so they will not create any noise that the microphone will pick up. We used:
- Extension Brush Holder
- 5 foot pole (You can use whatever length you want, just make sure it fits the extension you pick!)
- ¾’ Screw (The size that matched the screw hole on the microphone)
- The tape is pictured, but we did not end up using it. But hey, tape is always handy, and masking tape leaves no residue so you might as well pick some up in case you need to strap down any wiggling at the last minute.
- A Zoom H1 Microphone.
First we had to remove the top of the extension piece in order for the microphone to be able to fit. A strong pair of pliers did the trick!
Then we removed the large screw that was made to hold a paint brush in, and replaced it with the screw that matched the size of the Zoom’s hole. Once the screw was fully tightened, the microphone was completely still and stable.
Then screw the extension head onto the pole, and voila! Microphone on a stick! If you want to plug the microphone directly into the camera, plug the cord into the mic and wrap it around and down the pole. You can use some of the masking tape here to tape the wire into place and cut down on mic handling noise showing up in your audio. You will have to make adjustments depending on the shape and size of your microphone, but once you get the idea it is easy to reproduce! Our version ended up being only about $10. (Pole was $3, Extension was $5, tape was $2, and the screw was 10 cents.) If you get confused, post a comment and we will do our best to help you out and make the right boom pole for your microphone!
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