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[Jonathan Johnson]

We all know how to use a microphone, right? You talk into it. Riiiiiight. I'm sure we've all got stories of riding the faders, talkers turning to right and left (how is the mic supposed to pick up sound from their ear, for goodness' sake?), or the performer standing three feet away from the mic while we're at that edge of feedback and the audience is gesturing to us to turn it up.

Is it just me, or does it seem like so many people are afraid to touch a microphone? Our jobs would be so much easier if they would just grab the boom and swing that mic closer.

There seems to be plenty of white papers written for the engineer which describe microphone selection and placement in technical detail. What I'm looking for is a resource for teaching novice performers -- and even some "seasoned pros" -- proper microphone technique. (Keep in mind they will just be confused with terms like dynamic, cardioid, and propagation.) In fact, I could probably learn something from it, too.

Any suggestions?

[John Warren]

Jonathan
I had the same experience as you are having, gets very frustrating to say the very least.

Shure has great hand outs for Mic techniques as well as other free information. Order as many as you need and give one to new performers as the come on board.

I have gave a few mic techniques class's using this handout and giving them one, reinforces their responsibility, found its a quick way of getting all on the same page. Then I use a mic at the board so they could see whats involved in setting a mic check as I set the unity gain,  then move the mic away to give them an idea of what happens the the channel as it looses the tonal quality as the signal meter looses its intensity.
The main problem is not to get over technical with them, remember the majority are not into the tech-ie stuff.

John

[Dan Costello]

I find myself doing just the opposite - I wind up putting my mouth on it for a few seconds before realizing that that's pretty gross.  

-Dan.

[Arnold B. Krueger]

Jonathan Johnson wrote on Mon, 14 December 2009 06:31

We all know how to use a microphone, right?

I'm of the opinion that its up to us to make microphones as usable as possible. Other than really gross mistakes like standing back 10 feet and whispering, ideally there should be enough gain and stabliity margin in the system so that we can make the widest possible range of speakers be effective.

Quote:

You talk into it. Riiiiiight. I'm sure we've all got stories of riding the faders, talkers turning to right and left (how is the mic supposed to pick up sound from their ear, for goodness' sake?), or the performer standing three feet away from the mic while we're at that edge of feedback and the audience is gesturing to us to turn it up.

That comes with the job. If someone who speaks frequently bobs and weaves a lot, part of the job is somehow getting them to wear a headset mic.

Quote:

Is it just me, or does it seem like so many people are afraid to touch a microphone?

I think that's a good thing. Too many times I have people walk up to our lectern mic, and make microadjustements to it that are completely unecessary.

Remember, cardioid mics have an acceptance angle of about 180 degrees, which drops to about 120 for hypercardioids and supercardioids. 180 degrees is just about anyplace in front of the mic. Seems simple enough.

Quote:

Our jobs would be so much easier if they would just grab the boom and swing that mic closer.

Can you mute the mic fast enough to not assault everybody's ears with the crunkeling of the flex stand?

Quote:

There seems to be plenty of white papers written for the engineer which describe microphone selection and placement in technical detail. What I'm looking for is a resource for teaching novice performers -- and even some "seasoned pros" -- proper microphone technique. (Keep in mind they will just be confused with terms like dynamic, cardioid, and propagation.) In fact, I could probably learn something from it, too.

Get your stability margins up, keep an eye on the guy doing the talking and let your ears be your guide.

[Gene Simonalle]

A Nerf ball works great.

I keep an orange Nerf ball in my mic case to demonstrate the pickup pattern of different mics to the musicians I work with.  To get an omni pattern, I just place the Nerf ball against the capsule to show the pattern and how close they should be for optimal gain.  If it's a cardioid microphone I just press the mic into the Nerf ball, showing the rejection at the rear of the mic.

It has made all the difference in the world to have a tangible, easy to demonstrate lesson in pickup patterns and how close they should be to the microphone for best quality sound.  I watched Alicia Keys last week on the Cobert Report and her mouth never left the mic while she was playing and singing at the piano.  It was a great example of a musician knowing their microphone.

[DaveGetting]

Arnold B. Krueger wrote on Tue, 22 December 2009 09:14

I think that's a good thing. Too many times I have people walk up to our lectern mic, and make microadjustements to it that are completely unecessary.

I've had people do this after telling them not to.  

We don't generally use a pulpit mic but we had a community Thanksgiving service where other churches come together to celebrate.  We were the host church this year so I set up our pulpit and mic.  I'm six foot and the guest speakers were the same or shorter.  I had the mic at chest level - picked me up perfect.  

All the guest pastors were meeting in our pastor's office and I went in and told them they will not have to adjust the mic.  Stand in front of it and it will pick you up.  Every single one of them adjusted the mic - no greater than an inch.  Fortunately it was a boom mic and not a flex stand.

[John Fiorello]

Gene Simonalle wrote on Tue, 22 December 2009 10:32

A Nerf ball works great.

Hey Gene, that's a GREAT idea!  I'm gonna use it!



JF

[Bill Miller]

 Useing a mic to get the best preformance from it by people can really be a challenge.    

 I have had people hold the mic at their waist and they ask you to turn them up, and stand 10 feet away and ask you if you have them on mute.  I have had them try to eat the mic and tell you it sounds all muffeled.  I have had people screem in it and whisper into it.    

 I try to get with people as soon as I notice something wrong and show them the proper way.    

[Frank DeWitt]

For the one time user it is hard for people on the worship team I have found two things that work.

Set up a source of noise in a speaker about 3 ft behind and a bit to one side of me at just a bit above speech level. I use pink noise.

Stand in front of the worship team with your side to them and the speaker behind you.  (It helps to have them back quite a ways in the room so they don't hear direct, they only here the sound reinforcement.)

Now holding the mic close to your mouth enplane that you are the singer and the noise is the piano or drums or .....

Once they have heard enough, start moving the mic away, and to one side, and down to your waist, all the time talking at the same level.

Have a singer come up and do the same thing so they know it isn't a trick.

---------------------------------------------

What is easier is to tell them to watch there favorite artist in a live performance.  Enplane that the artist doesn't hold that mic way up close because they are shy or they want to block there face.  They do it because they have to do it to be heard.

Frank

[George S Dougherty]

Frank DeWitt wrote on Wed, 13 January 2010 13:15

For the one time user it is hard for people on the worship team I have found two things that work. Set up a source of noise in a speaker about 3 ft behind and a bit to one side of me at just a bit above speech level. I use pink noise. Stand in front of the worship team with your side to them and the speaker behind you.  (It helps to have them back quite a ways in the room so they don't hear direct, they only here the sound reinforcement.) Now holding the mic close to your mouth enplane that you are the singer and the noise is the piano or drums or ..... Once they have heard enough, start moving the mic away, and to one side, and down to your waist, all the time talking at the same level. Have a singer come up and do the same thing so they know it isn't a trick. --------------------------------------------- What is easier is to tell them to watch there favorite artist in a live performance.  Enplane that the artist doesn't hold that mic way up close because they are shy or they want to block there face.  They do it because they have to do it to be heard. Frank

Oooh, I like.  I have access to some video equipment.  Someday if I get ambitious I may setup and dump something like that to YouTube.  Anyone else is free to beat me to it

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