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[Gina Austin]

Hi All!
I'm hoping someone can help me. I am not especially fluent in "audio".
We have a choir of approximately 40 people. Directly behind them is our band: caged drummer, keys, synth, bass & electric guitar, and organ. I'm trying to find the proper hanging choir mics for the stage. A friend recommended the Shure MX 202 miss, but I see they have carded & supercardoid versions. What would you recommend?
Thanks!

[g'bye, Dick Rees]

We're not supposed to respond to posts which are in violation of the "full, real name" policy...

[Gina Austin]

All set!

So sorry about that.

Please go to your profile and change the "Name" field to your real first and last name as required by the posting rules displayed in the header at the top of the section, and in the Site Rules and Suggestions in the Forum Announcements section, and on the registration page when you registered.

Mac

[g'bye, Dick Rees]

Hi All!
I'm hoping someone can help me. I am not especially fluent in "audio".
We have a choir of approximately 40 people. Directly behind them is our band: caged drummer, keys, synth, bass & electric guitar, and organ. I'm trying to find the proper hanging choir mics for the stage. A friend recommended the Shure MX 202 miss, but I see they have carded & supercardoid versions. What would you recommend?
Thanks!

With the choir in front of the band, they'll have to sing louder than the band for any hanging mics to work.  I doubt that that will be the case.  You're going to get more band in them than voices.  There are two approaches which come to mind quickly:

1.  Change the orientation of the band and choir.

2.  Use 20 vocal mics, 2 voices/mic.  SM58's will work OK for this.

[Gina Austin]

Are there any other mic options? Unfortunately the way the church is set up, I can't swap the band & choir. We already have 6 SM58s, but I was looking for a way to do away with them & get a fuller sound. So....hanging mics aren't the way. Is there another option other than 14 more mics?

With the choir in front of the band, they'll have to sing louder than the band for any hanging mics to work.  I doubt that that will be the case.  You're going to get more band in them than voices.  There are two approaches which come to mind quickly:

1.  Change the orientation of the band and choir.

2.  Use 20 vocal mics, 2 voices/mic.  SM58's will work OK for this.

[g'bye, Dick Rees]

Are there any other mic options? Unfortunately the way the church is set up, I can't swap the band & choir. We already have 6 SM58s, but I was looking for a way to do away with them & get a fuller sound. So....hanging mics aren't the way. Is there another option other than 14 more mics?

The only other way I can think of off the top of my head would be to have the band on in-ear monitors and no amps on stage.  That way the sound of the band would come out of the PA only and so not be physically behind the choir. 

Drums....one of those electronic "faux" drum kits if the drum shield doesn't keep them quiet enough on stage.

[Mac Kerr]

Are there any other mic options? Unfortunately the way the church is set up, I can't swap the band & choir. We already have 6 SM58s, but I was looking for a way to do away with them & get a fuller sound. So....hanging mics aren't the way. Is there another option other than 14 more mics?

As Dick points out, the loudest sound at the mic wins. When you are distance mic'ing a choir with hanging mics and the band is behind the choir, the band is going to be way louder at the mics than the choir. The only way to get the choir way louder than the band at the mic is to close mic them, which will involve a lot of mics close to the singer's mouths. There will still be a lot of band in the choir mics, but hopefully the choir will dominate.

Mac

[Sammy Barr]

Loudest sound to mic wins.  But, lots of choirs use small condensers such as shure sm 81s on stands using  choir bodies to help diffuse sound of band. Use a high pass filter set to 150 or so to get rid of some of the rumble from bass and drums.  40 people can generate a good level of sound so if you can reduce sound of the band a bit you can probably get a workable solution. The audix micro boom also looks like a good option.  Try letting some of the band members come out front and listen, they may work harder to keep volume under control. Overhead mica may make it worse. Condensers will be better for distance mixing.

[Taylor Phillips]

We have a choir of approximately 40 people. Directly behind them is our band: caged drummer, keys, synth, bass & electric guitar, and organ.

I was a show choir kid in high school and this was the typical setup - choir in front, band directly behind.  It can work, but only if the choir has good direction and the musicians are cooperative.  The show choirs were usually mic'd with a row of 5-7 mics across the front of the stage with one in the piano and a couple wireless solo mics.  The choirs blocked a bit of the direct sound of the band and they wouldn't let rowdy musicians join them.  Another thing I've seen done is to put the same panels used for a drum shield between the choir and the band in this setup.  I don't have any direct experience with it (I've only seen it in videos) so I can't comment on its effectiveness. 

[Tim Perry]

Are there any other mic options? Unfortunately the way the church is set up, I can't swap the band & choir. We already have 6 SM58s, but I was looking for a way to do away with them & get a fuller sound. So....hanging mics aren't the way. Is there another option other than 14 more mics?

Here is one approach:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGFnkDCmsnE

Note head worn mics on each choir member

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