ProSoundWeb Community

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Pages: [1] 2  All   Go Down

Author Topic: HELP...Old Eyes Can't See Mic Colors  (Read 8151 times)

Rodney Harris

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9
HELP...Old Eyes Can't See Mic Colors
« on: March 25, 2014, 02:25:29 PM »

Unfortunately, our board is in the balcony...it's about 70 feet from the stage (I guess).  Even after using colored electrical tape, trying to identify who has what mic is difficult.  I was thinking about using those multi colored foam windscreens but was afraid of how it would look on our broadcast. 

Currently I am thinking about a dedicated fixed camera to focus on the stage and a 13" monitor at the board for viewing.

...btw, its not just me, some of the younger ones cannot make out the colors from the balcony as well!

Any ideas or suggestions?!
Logged

frank kayser

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1655
  • Maryland suburbs of Washington DC
Re: HELP...Old Eyes Can't See Mic Colors
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2014, 02:52:37 PM »

Unfortunately, our board is in the balcony...it's about 70 feet from the stage (I guess).  Even after using colored electrical tape, trying to identify who has what mic is difficult.  I was thinking about using those multi colored foam windscreens but was afraid of how it would look on our broadcast. 

Currently I am thinking about a dedicated fixed camera to focus on the stage and a 13" monitor at the board for viewing.

...btw, its not just me, some of the younger ones cannot make out the colors from the balcony as well!

Any ideas or suggestions?!
The colored windscreens are fairly effective, but are a bit cartoonish for my tastes.  I doubt thye'd look professional on the broadcast.
Your solution of a separate camera and monitor does not seem to be a bad idea.
I don't have a better idea other than really good binoculars.
frank
Logged

Taylor Hall

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 869
Re: HELP...Old Eyes Can't See Mic Colors
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2014, 03:01:11 PM »

Too bad you couldn't color-coordinate the mics to match the speakers' outfits. ;)
Logged
There are two ways to do anything:
1) Do it right
2) Do it over until you do it right

Jay Barracato

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2025
  • Solomons, MD
Re: HELP...Old Eyes Can't See Mic Colors
« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2014, 03:02:23 PM »

I prefer headphones on the solo bus to confirm what is on each channel more than visual.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

Logged
Jay Barracato

g'bye, Dick Rees

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7424
  • Duluth
Re: HELP...Old Eyes Can't See Mic Colors
« Reply #4 on: March 25, 2014, 04:01:20 PM »

I prefer headphones on the solo bus to confirm what is on each channel more than visual.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

And a nice meter bridge.

This is probably the typical situation where none of the  folks on stage pay any attention to individual mic assignments and consistency, feeling free to grab whichever mic is closest and swap with others at random, unexplainable intervals.

I've actually hired a "mic wrangler" at times to make sure that everyone gets the same mic every time they go on stage.

For wired mics there are also colored cords, but again you run the risk of folks objecting to them as a visual distraction.
Logged
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain...

Stephen Swaffer

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2672
Re: HELP...Old Eyes Can't See Mic Colors
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2014, 10:40:40 PM »

I have always resisted color coding from an appearance standpoint.  Actually preferred visually following cord back to jack if I had to-but when we went cordless we went to colored tape as well.  We have 5 Line 6s and a Shure that we have had for some time.  We have kept the Shure assigned as the "mobile preaching" mic mainly for ID purposes.  Rest of the mics are used for vocal specials, so in a pinch can all be set rough until they can be sorted out with the solo and headphones.

I have resorted to putting names on mics for special days when we get actual rehearsal time-and making it clear that if you don't get the mic with your name, it is not my fault if it is not on-of course, it helps when leadership backs you on this.

When we had corded mics, I had a few groups that sang quite often, and I knew roughly where to start the mix.  They got it in their heads that some mics sounded better for some singers (maybe an EQ preference different than mine) and instead of working with me would often really throw me a curve ball.  I would watch who got what mic, then as I glanced at the board to bring mics up would trade mics around-they then wondered why it took so long to get the mix right-solo can be a lifesaver!
Logged
Steve Swaffer

Jonathan Johnson

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3209
  • Southwest Washington (state, not DC)
Re: HELP...Old Eyes Can't See Mic Colors
« Reply #6 on: April 01, 2014, 02:59:51 PM »

Instead of the colored windscreens, you could use colored wigs on the heads of the talent. Think Ronald McDonald!

Actually, this gives me an idea. Have each performer wear a ring or lapel button with an RFID chip. On each microphone is an RFID reader. When the performer grabs or approaches a mic (any mic), the digital board automatically assigns that mic to a predefined channel with presets appropriate for that performer. When the performer releases or moves away from the mic, it's automatically muted. If they approach a different mic, it's reset automatically. No need for the FOH operator to keep track of who has what mic!

PM me for the address to send patent royalties to.
Logged
Stop confusing the issue with facts and logic!

Tommy Peel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1468
  • Longview, Texas
Re: HELP...Old Eyes Can't See Mic Colors
« Reply #7 on: April 01, 2014, 03:03:26 PM »

Instead of the colored windscreens, you could use colored wigs on the heads of the talent. Think Ronald McDonald!

Actually, this gives me an idea. Have each performer wear a ring or lapel button with an RFID chip. On each microphone is an RFID reader. When the performer grabs or approaches a mic (any mic), the digital board automatically assigns that mic to a predefined channel with presets appropriate for that performer. When the performer releases or moves away from the mic, it's automatically muted. If they approach a different mic, it's reset automatically. No need for the FOH operator to keep track of who has what mic!

PM me for the address to send patent royalties to.

Somebody could get rich off that if they made it work....

Sent from my Nexus 4 running Paranoid Android + HellsCore b45-OTG using Tapatalk Pro

Logged

Jonathan Johnson

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3209
  • Southwest Washington (state, not DC)
Re: HELP...Old Eyes Can't See Mic Colors
« Reply #8 on: April 01, 2014, 05:32:21 PM »

Currently I am thinking about a dedicated fixed camera to focus on the stage and a 13" monitor at the board for viewing.

Depending on the lighting and the quality of the camera and monitor, it may be even more difficult to tell the difference on video. If you use colored lighting -- and uncorrected lighting qualifies as 'colored' -- there's no way to reliably distinguish color codes.

A cheap alternative is to use multiple bands of distinctly-colored tape. So instead of a band of green tape on one mic and a band of blue on the other (which would be hard to distinguish from a distance), you could have a single band of green on one and two bands of green on the other.
Logged
Stop confusing the issue with facts and logic!

Tim Perry

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1251
  • Utica-Rome NY
Re: HELP...Old Eyes Can't See Mic Colors
« Reply #9 on: April 02, 2014, 03:42:55 AM »


...btw, its not just me, some of the younger ones cannot make out the colors from the balcony as well!

Any ideas or suggestions?!

I once saw a Bluegrass 'specialist" who had made round signs about 4 -5" diameter. These clipped to the mic stands with broom holder type snap clips. Each sign had a single digit number.

This facilitated operation when each act decides to move all the mic around to suit themselves.

Obviously this will not work when people remove the mics to hold them  which is why I do not deploy such a scheme an my gospel shows invariably require 2 to 5 wireless handhelds.

I might suggest, if possible having different colored grills for the mics (see Heil rc-22)
 
Logged

ProSoundWeb Community

Re: HELP...Old Eyes Can't See Mic Colors
« Reply #9 on: April 02, 2014, 03:42:55 AM »


Pages: [1] 2  All   Go Up
 



Site Hosted By Ashdown Technologies, Inc.

Page created in 0.036 seconds with 24 queries.