I have a scene where the subject is typing on both a keyboard and a 10-key calculator. The rhythm is important as its the dominant interest of the scene. I'll be shooting it both wide and in a close shot. How do I record this? Adding a separate sound recording later in post couldn't possibly match up, but is it that noticeable? Do I need to use a wireless mic?

mic it when you do the close shot. If the audio doesn't quite match the picture in the wider shot it won't be as noticable.

I'm not sure where the problem lies here. I'd just point a shotgun (directional) microphone at the keyboard, as close as I could get it without having it in the shot. A decent shotgun will pick that keyboard sound up as well as if you had a mic under the keyboard.

If you want some really out of this world audio or old-style clatter from your keyboard, use a computer program that responds to keystrokes with click effects, or whatever you choose and wire the output from the computer directly into one channel of your camera's audio. A simple program could generate some wonderful clatter that was timed perfectly with the keystrokes.

Again, I'm not sure why this is a problem. I may be missing your point.

Doug

Huh, it doesn't seem to be as much of a problem as I'd anticipated. I've never worked with a shotgun mic before so I guess I'm underestimating them. That's a good idea- using a keyboard program to create different sounds. I guess I'd just have to hide the wire running from the out of the computer!

You wouldn't need to hide the mic cable if you boom it. Another option is to use a PZM (Pressure Zone Microphone) mic placed just outside the shot, but you might get some unwanted table noise (normal hand movements and the like...).

Even a simple lav mic (lapel mic) would pick up what you need.