How To Mix Live Music Chapter 4 - Microphone — Transcript

Full transcript

1. 0:07Hello again.
2. 0:08Thanks for watching this series “How to mix Live Music”.
3. 0:12Before we start using the mixing desk,
4. 0:15we are going to talk about microphones:
5. 0:18how to choose the most suitable types,
6. 0:20and where to put them for the most common types of instrument!
7. 0:24The choice and position of the mics
8. 0:26will have a huge influence on the amplified sound:
9. 0:30a much bigger difference
10. 0:32than even the choice of mixing desk or amplifier type.
11. 0:36So it's worth spending time and money to make the best decision.
12. 0:42Let’s begin with the two basic types of microphone used for live music:
13. 0:47Dynamic and Condenser mics.
14. 0:51Dynamic mics are kind of like the opposite of a loud speaker:
15. 0:55they have a small diaphragm that is vibrated by the sound,
16. 0:59it pushes through some wires in a magnetic field,
17. 1:03and that creates an electrical signal!
18. 1:07They are relatively simple, low cost, and robust.
19. 1:12So they are most frequently used for hand-held vocals,
20. 1:15drums where they’re in danger of being hit, and guitar cabinets.
21. 1:21Condenser mics, on the other hand, require more care with their handling:
22. 1:27they are vulnerable to humidity and vibration.
23. 1:31They work by the sound vibrating one thin metal plate
24. 1:35close to another fixed metal plate.
25. 1:39So long as a small amount of electrical power is available,
26. 1:42the voltage will vary as the distance between the two plates varies.
27. 1:49Condenser mics can have larger diaphragms than dynamic mics
28. 1:54like this one,
29. 1:55and often they have a flatter and wider frequency response,
30. 2:01making them suitable for use with many musical instruments,
31. 2:05so long as their position is safe, stable, and away from moisture!
32. 2:12Did you know that some types of microphone
33. 2:15are only designed to pick up the sounds in front of them,
34. 2:19while others are designed to pick up sounds all around them in equal measure?
35. 2:25Well for use on stage, we are mainly interested in uni-directional mics.
36. 2:32These are often called “cardioid”,
37. 2:34because if you look at their polar pattern, it is kind of heart shaped.
38. 2:38A polar pattern, by the way,
39. 2:40shows the most sensitive directions of a microphone.
40. 2:45Cardioid is useful on stage,
41. 2:48because it can be pointed at the singer or instrument,
42. 2:51and will not pick up so much of the sound to its side or rear.
43. 2:57Other microphones may have a bi-directional, or figure of 8, pattern,
44. 3:02or be omni-directional.
45. 3:05These are more useful in a recording or broadcast studio,
46. 3:09and are rarely used with a PA system.
47. 3:13Perhaps you’ve also heard of “hyper-cardioid” or “Super Cardioid” mics.
48. 3:19These have a narrower pickup pattern than regular cardioid mics,
49. 3:23and can be used where feedback and neighboring sounds
50. 3:26are particularly troublesome.
51. 3:29But they do require careful positioning
52. 3:32and experienced performers to use them.
53. 3:35So they are not always suitable.
54. 3:38Probably the first band member you’ll consider using a microphone for
55. 3:42is the singer!
56. 3:44Because singing produces a lot of air movement,
57. 3:47you should use a microphone with a built-in pop shield.
58. 3:51And it shouldn’t pick up noise when you handle it.
59. 3:56In most cases, a cardioid dynamic mic will suit the purpose best.
60. 4:00A classic well known example is the Shure SM58, or the newer BETA58.
61. 4:07A good singer will vary the distance between their mouth and the mic
62. 4:11to suit the sound pressure of each word they sing,
63. 4:16but generally it is best to keep the mic
64. 4:18between 5 and 10 cm (2 to 4 in.) from the mouth for a clear sound.
65. 4:23To gauge the distance,
66. 4:24you can simply place your fist between your mouth and the mic.
67. 4:30However, closer might be necessary with a really loud band on stage,
68. 4:35and some singers might prefer the more bassy sound generated
69. 4:39when the mic is virtually being eaten!
70. 4:44By the way, please discourage the performer
71. 4:47from cupping the grill of the mic in their hands:
72. 4:50it basically changes the mic to an omnidirectional one,
73. 4:54and increases the risk of feedback noise!
74. 4:58Specialist beat-boxers might need to do it to create their sound,
75. 5:02but otherwise it has no benefit for anyone!
76. 5:06Other instruments that will benefit from the rugged nature of a dynamic mic
77. 5:10are drums and brass instruments.
78. 5:14Kick drums, which move a lot of air,
79. 5:17would also require a mic with a pop shield.
80. 5:20There are dedicated mics for this role, like the Shure BETA 52A.
81. 5:26Choose whether to put it inside the drum
82. 5:29to pick up the sound of the beater hitting the skin,
83. 5:32or outside to pick up more resonant boom.
84. 5:37Or just inside the hole for a balanced sound.
85. 5:42Many instruments would benefit from the extra clarity of mics
86. 5:45without a pop shield.
87. 5:48The Shure SM57 is a classic example,
88. 5:51and is often used on snare drums and brass instruments.
89. 5:54It’s still strong enough to cope with a few hard knocks!
90. 6:00Another option for brass and woodwind instruments is a small clip-on mic.
91. 6:05Audio-Technica PRO35 is a cardioid dynamic mic
92. 6:09which clips right onto the instrument’s bell.
93. 6:13For brass, place the mic at the exit of the horn.
94. 6:17For woodwind,
95. 6:18their sound comes partly from the finger holes and partly from the bell,
96. 6:22so point the mic to collect sound from both!
97. 6:26One exception, though, is the flute.
98. 6:28Use a vocal mic with pop-shield for that,
99. 6:31because of the airflow over the sound hole.
100. 6:36Again, keep the mic 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in.) away.
101. 6:41Now let’s discuss which instruments would benefit from a condenser mic.
102. 6:47Well anything with a wide frequency range,
103. 6:50lots of mid and high frequency content,
104. 6:52and is in a safe position on stage.
105. 6:56If you have an acoustic piano,
106. 6:58try pointing two cardioid condenser mics at the strings:
107. 7:01one for low, the other for high strings.
108. 7:05A similar mic would work well above a violin, pointing towards the “f-holes”,
109. 7:11but far enough away not to be hit by the player’s bow.
110. 7:16If the guitarist uses a speaker cabinet to obtain their special sound,
111. 7:21you’re going to need a mic for that.
112. 7:24A large diaphragm condenser mic such as AT4040
113. 7:30could provide a more detailed sound than a dynamic mic.
114. 7:34Position it about 5 cm (2 in.) from the speaker grill,
115. 7:38and try it a little away from the center of the speaker’s cone.
116. 7:43And now, back to the drum kit.
117. 7:46As I’m sure you know, drums can be played very loudly:
118. 7:50in fact, they are much easier to play loudly than quietly.
119. 7:54So you should consider whether you need any microphones at all.
120. 7:59The smaller the venue, and the louder the drummer, the less necessary it is!
121. 8:06Anyway, we’ve already talked about kick drum mics,
122. 8:09which is often the first drum mic to consider when beefing up the beat.
123. 8:15Then if you have limited time or budget,
124. 8:17you can add a pair of overheads
125. 8:20to pick up all the toms, cymbals, hi-hat and snare drum too!
126. 8:25Place them at about standing height above the kit,
127. 8:29with one pointing towards the floor tom and ride cymbal,
128. 8:33and the other pointing towards the hi-hat and the snare.
129. 8:38Audio-Technica AT4040 is a good example of a suitable condenser cardioid mic,
130. 8:45which includes a robust shock-mount.
131. 8:50Just those three mics on the kit will often be enough,
132. 8:54if it is tuned well and played with consistent skill.
133. 8:59If you need extra power from the snare and toms,
134. 9:03use dynamic mics without a pop shield.
135. 9:07Shure SM57 is often seen pointing at a snare drum.
136. 9:12For toms, it is more convenient to use clip on mics, like Sennheiser e604.
137. 9:19Compare their sound when pointing towards the center of the drum
138. 9:22and when pointing more towards the rim.
139. 9:26Then select your favorite position!
140. 9:30On the snare drum, a single mic close to the top rim might sound too dry,
141. 9:37so if time allows, try an additional mic below,
142. 9:41pointing up towards the snares.
143. 9:44We’ll talk more about that technique in a later episode.
144. 9:48But the overall drum sound will be a blend of all the mics used.
145. 9:54So even if one single close mic doesn’t sound realistic by itself,
146. 9:59in combination with the other mics, it could be closer to ideal!
147. 10:04And nothing beats having time to experiment with mic placement
148. 10:08and finding the perfect sound!
149. 10:12Anyway, once you’ve roughly positioned the mics and plugged them in,
150. 10:16it's time to power on the mixer and start adjusting the input settings.
151. 10:22Join me next time to work through the topics of
152. 10:25gain, phantom power and polarity.
153. 10:28See you soon.