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In Reply to: RE: Got any tips on my vocal mix? posted by oughsosimple on April 23, 2009 at 14:31:24
Is the problem gain before feedback, sheer output, or bleed-over into the vocal mic?
Some things you might consider:
-Drum Shields:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navigation?q=drum+shield&src=3WWRWXGG&ZYXSEM=0
Even just getting one wall between the kit and the microphone should be enough...no need to go hog wild with complete isolation. Most drummers/bands don't seem to mind a shield in front of them...heck, it makes the drums sound louder to the drummer.
-Supercardoid Mics:
http://www.shure.com/ProAudio/Products/WiredMicrophones/us_pro_Beta58A_content
Btw, I do work for Shure, but in the past I've always had good results moving from SM58 to the Beta58 (and that was before I was hired). There are other options out there, but this is what I use and am most comfortable with. The Beta58 also has a little brightness thrown in which really helps the vocals cut through the mud.
-Address the mains:
To be honest, mono is always going to sound better in a live sound setting than stereo....if it is achievable without affecting sight lines, then it should really be the method of choice. Not only is it cheaper for a given level of performance, but you're going to get more even coverage and a cleaner sound. The "problem" is that it needs to be implemented correctly. Granted, it doesn't matter as much at frequencies where your mains are separated by more than 10x the wavelength, but I'm not sure how applicable that is in your situation. For instance, at 10ft you're only looking at 1kHz, so everything below 1kHz should really be flown mono. At 20ft, you're looking at 500Hz...it's not a sudden transition so there's some play involved, but that should just give you some perspective of what you're dealing with. Splitting the directivity in the 500-1kHz band isn't going to sound natural, so in this kind of situation it's usually better to go one or the other. However, subwoofers should just about always be run mono...
Here's a good article that dives into some of the acoustics involved - it's geared mostly towards low frequencies, but it can really apply to any frequency that doesn't follow the 10x spacing rule of thumb:
http://www.prosoundweb.com/article/in_search_of_the_power_alley
-Aim amplifiers and microphones away from each other.
You will probably notice that this won't go over very well with the band without a good monitor mix. Speaking of which, make sure you get off your duff and get up on the stage and listen to the monitor mix on the stage. If you're not doing this already, then I think you might be surprised how much the stage noise can be dropped.
I don't wanna divulge all my secrets, but I hope this helps. I've been there before and it can be quite frustrating, but it IS possible...just gotta work at it and learn what works for your environment.
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