PLAY IT LOUD
The last thing most musicians concern themselves with is microphone technique, although how you sing into a mike is as important as how you finger a chord or hold a pick. Part of the rock litany, “I can’t understand the words,” results from the improper use of the microphone as a musical instrument.
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PLAY IT LOUD
by Guitar Arnie
Kama Sutra Position No. 96: Proper Mouth Technique
The last thing most musicians concern themselves with is microphone technique, although how you sing into a mike is as important as how you finger a chord or hold a pick. Part of the rock litany, “I can’t understand the words,” results from the improper use of the microphone as a musical instrument. But, where pick-ups and the other circuitry of rock instruments are adjusted at the factory for optimum performance, the microphone relies on the individual user’s abilities to be effective.
The recurring problem with mikes is that most performers think that they have to shout into them with their lips just touching their wind screens. The distorted sound that results is usually explained away by complaints that the p.a. system is poorly designed or not acoustically balanced.
The two cardinal rules of mike use are: 1) Don’t shout into it; 2) Keep your lips six to eight inches from the end of the mike. If you observe these rules and still get distorted, inaudible sounds, then there is something wrong with your p.a. system.
The reasons for these two rules is simple: a microphone is designed to change sound vibrations into a series of corresponding electronic pulses — capable of being amplified and reproduced by electro-mechanical means. Mikes have an element in their heads (the end with the screen on it into which you sing or talk) which are hit by the incoming vibrations of air and vibrate to produce the eledtronic pulses. If you scream into the mike the element will be overpowered by the sound waves and produce distorted signals — mikes do not, have the loud-soft sensitivity of the human ear. If you are too close to the mike your breath will be enough to distort the elemfent’s. response — again, if someone puts his lips to your ear and screams, you may not be able to discern what he is saying.
There are two general types of mikes: omni-directional and unidirectional. Other varieties are more expensive and you don’t usually find them offered for Sale as vocal mikes. Omni-directional mikes pick up sound from all directions — not suggested for rock performances. Uni-directional mikes reject the sound coming at the mike from all but one direction, and are available in a number of pick-up patterns (the graphic portrayal of how a mike accepts sound waves coming from various directions). The super-cardiod type rejects the most side and rear sound.
Unfortunately you can’t buy a cardiod mike for ten or twenty dollars. A good one will cost from fifty to seventyfive dollars. But it’s worth the investment, since the proper mike will give you excellent vocal reproduction.
Buying a mike is a real pain in the ass. Most mikes look the same. They even sound the same under “in-store” conditions. The only really practical method of finding the right mike for your band’s instrumentation and your singer’s talents is to take the mike to a job and try it on location. Unfortunately electronics stores aren’t going to let you do this, so I suggest that you rent mikes from a p.a. system rental company and try them. Experiment with a variety of mikes — dynamics, condensers, electret condensers, variable cardiods, super cardiods,,etc. Also make sure that the impedence of the mike (low, line, or high impedence) is correctly matched to the input of your p.a. amplifier. Finally, if you still have problems getting the proper sound, invest in a small equalizer (such as those sold by Shure, their M610 or M63) which allows you to cut or boost various frequencies.
Guitar Notes: Peavy has come up with a Commercial Sound Projector that is pretty close to the ultimate in p.a. system speakers, featuring a massive bass speaker in a folded horn cabinet and a ninety degree radial high frequency horn. .. and it runs on a low 75 watts. .. Glad to see that Guitar Player magazine gave Rick Derringer’s All American Boy a solid recommendation for Rick’s super guitar playing. . . Dallas Music Industries is advertising a fabulous new super amp from Sound City, the 120: 120 watts RMS amp head with two bottoms, all for $1,049 list... Ibanez promoting a line of double neck guitars: Double Axes come with a 6 string and bass configuration; a 12 string and 6 string set of necks; and a 6 string, 6 string neck. The last is a great idea since you can have one neck tuned to standard tuning and the other tuned open for slide and other effects — including playing both necks at one. Prices are $425 in cherry or walnut finish. . . Good-looking new series of amps from the Music Man company out of Fullerton, California, more info on them soon... Love the handy stands Randall instruments have made available for both their six and four channel p.a. heads. Very handy indeed.
