DetroitBlues Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 So last night I made my debut as a singer.... Only problem was, no one could hear me through the PA. Only time I ever heard myself was when I was touching the mic with my lips. So when any of you sing, are you just about touching the mic when you sing? Or do I need to really try to sing louder? Is there a better microphone that can pick up my voice better than others without increasing the PA volume so much its on the verge of feedback?
kbp810 Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Which mic were you singing through? It should be able to amplifiy your voice without you having to strain to sing louder (which would be a bad idea anyways, you don't want to risk injuring your vocal chords, especially without a warm up session and/or not being accustomed to singing regularly) - my initial guess is that you would either need to get a little closer to the mic, or turn the PA up to compensate.... or depending on the mic's pattern, you may just need to adjust the angle in which you were singing into it.
tulk1 Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Not louder. You should only have to sing "naturally". Meaning if you have a softer voice you use that. If you have a loud voice you use that. Setting up a PA to hear the singer can be tough. Especially if there are other instruments going thru the speakers. Would be good to know what you were using - mixer, speakers, power, eqs and mic; stuff like that. Then you need someone that can properly set up a PA. First thing, tho' is the "gain". Assuming your mixer has gain and not just vol (or uses the vol for gain), you should give the mic a good strong vocal input, not shouting, just strong. The mic gain (pfl solo) should just hit the red. Adjust gain until it does. Then it's up to the mic level (slider) to control how loud you are in the mix. Optimum - the slider should be near unity -- all the little hash marks with the "0" near it. That makes the mic pre's work at their best. Assuming you have a monitor mix, hopefully you have your own mix so it can be set for your preferences. Put only your vocals and as little as anything else you can get away with in your vocal mix. Add a bit of 6k (+2db or so) for vocal clarity. Vocal mics are as individual as guitars and amps. Go to Denter Central and try a few. My personal preference is, unless you have a great guy on the mixer, stay away from the Shure 58s. They need someone that knows how to work with them to get you passed the mud; altho' the Beta series are pretty dandy. EV, Blue, Audix, Senn - they all make mics that, in my opinion, are much better than the common Shures for vocals. But then, that is a personal preference. And don't forget the type of monitor used; placement; power to the monitor; and eq'ing that sucker for your vocals. And lastly ..... NO BEHRINGER!! You get what you pay for.
DetroitBlues Posted January 9, 2012 Author Posted January 9, 2012 I'll have to ask about the mic's and the setup... The guy had a couple floor monitors running to us and his mixer was on a shelf near his setup. I'll ask him about it.
schundog Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 The Shaman speaks!! Wow, good stuff. Kenny. Shows what I know, I thought the SM 58 was the obvious choice, only because that's what I read on the innerweb.
fxdx99 Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 So when any of you sing, are you just about touching the mic when you sing? Or do I need to really try to sing louder? Is there a better microphone that can pick up my voice better than others without increasing the PA volume so much its on the verge of feedback? Yes, No, Probably not (but then again, I like SM58s...) And there's the obvious, but difficult - get the instruments to turn down to match the vocals being on top.
DetroitBlues Posted January 9, 2012 Author Posted January 9, 2012 Yes, No, Probably not (but then again, I like SM58s...) And there's the obvious, but difficult - get the instruments to turn down to match the vocals being on top. The bass and drummer kept asking me to turn up but I also realized my amp was right behind me and it was on its stand, pointing right at the mic....
tulk1 Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Yes, No, Probably not (but then again, I like SM58s...) And there's the obvious, but difficult - get the instruments to turn down to match the vocals being on top. Blasphemer!!! Not really. That is probably THE biggest problem with live music. As for the 58s - I have a friend who runs the largest Karaoke/DJ biz in the KCMO area. She has 16 units with no less than 10 of these going per nite. She swears by the venerable SM58. But then -- she knows how to set them up. For vocals I use Blue EnCore200, Tracy uses an Audix OM3, the bass uses a Beta 58 and the drummer uses a Senn E835. And THATS really a no-no for stage mics. All vocals should be using the same mic. Easier for the engineer. Especially when tracking down feedback. But with the proper EQ and good equipment we manage to get around it. Rarely have any feedback issues. Our biggest problem is generally when we're playing a small stage and Tracy sets up right in front of the drums. Not much is going to get passed the noise well created by a loud snare and hard hit cymbals. That's where the balance on stage comes in.
DetroitBlues Posted January 9, 2012 Author Posted January 9, 2012 Blue's are expensive! I'm sure I'll figure something out. But if you ask KBP or Steiner, I believe they'll tell you I have a quiet voice.
smurph1 Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 My experience has always been that the closer you work to the mic, there's less of a chance of feedback thru the PA, because you don't have to turn the board up so much..But, I'm a radio guy..(read A HAM) so I've never met a mic I didn't like..Some people a much more shy however..The lead singer in our band for example, is alway 4-6 inches from the mic, then he gets mad when he starts to feed back..I'm trying to train him, but LAWD!! it ain't easy..
tulk1 Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Blue's are expensive! I'm sure I'll figure something out. But if you ask KBP or Steiner, I believe they'll tell you I have a quiet voice. The Blue was a bit more than I had been paying, yeah. But I think it was worth it. BTW, the Senn E835 and the AKG D5 have recently dropped in price. I have 3 of the Senns and 2 of the AKGs'. Hard to tell them apart sonically. And I think both have better response and presence than the SM58. And better off axis rejection, as well (i.e., less prone to feedback). Again, just my devalued $0.02USD worth.
yoslate Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Tracy uses an Audix OM3.... That's where the balance on stage comes in. Audix Thoughtful stage mix and volume... Essential!
Guest HRB853370 Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Not much is going to get passed the noise well created by a loud snare and hard hit cymbals. That's where the balance on stage comes in. Gotta love a loud snare drum and some hard hit cutting cymbals. Thats what I'm talking about.
Guest HRB853370 Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 My experience has always been that the closer you work to the mic, there's less of a chance of feedback thru the PA, because you don't have to turn the board up so much..But, I'm a radio guy..(read A HAM) so I've never met a mic I didn't like..Some people a much more shy however..The lead singer in our band for example, is alway 4-6 inches from the mic, then he gets mad when he starts to feed back..I'm trying to train him, but LAWD!! it ain't easy.. OK, now we know why you were chastized a couple months ago for yapping too much on stage Scott!!
DetroitBlues Posted January 9, 2012 Author Posted January 9, 2012 Gotta love a loud snare drum and some hard hit cutting cymbals. Thats what I'm talking about. As the night progressed, the volume got louder and louder. Everything seemed to hit the sweet spot.. I could of played a couple more hours if I didn't have to work today.
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