…That’s what you hear as the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards go live to air in the packed to capacity Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. However, before all of the applause and packed seats of onlookers, the GRAMMYs go through a rigorous schedule of rehearsal and timed perfection. What you at home see on TV is the result of A LOT of hard work. The madness that is GRAMMY week is bigger than any single concert you’ve been to, and it is where we spent most of last week as things began to take shape for music’s biggest night.

Prior to entering the bowels of the Staples Center, Shure once again sponsored the Producers & Engineers Wing GRAMMY Week Celebration honoring Quincy Jones & Al Schmitt. Hang on… prior to that, we made a stop to In-N-Out Burger in honor of Mr. Mike Lohman, who could not be with us on this trip. It was worth the wait. It was delicious. Why don’t we have this in Chicago? Back to the GRAMMY stuff…

Making our temporary home in Studio B of The Village Recording Complex, Shure served up some fresh seafood and the latest in wired mics and headphones. It was amazing to hear so many stories about Shure mics being used on classic recordings from the engineers and producers in attendance. The Super 55 tree, as we have dubbed it, was a bit of a challenge to construct, but I’m happy to say that it made through the entire evening without incident! Aside from being in such esteemed company, the highlight of the night for me was watching a few very critical ears try on the Shure SRH940 and SRH1840 headphones and be completely blown away! That and the countless offers that were made to purchase the SM7B on site or the questions about it being included in some sort of raffle. Most visitors to Studio B had something positive to say about the sleeper hit that is the SM7B.

Okay, so breakfast at the hotel was not that good and VERY expensive, not doing that again. Never mind that, we were making our way to the tunnel into the madness I referenced (there it is on the left) to join in the fun of rehearsals, day one. By the way, the “we” in question is Ryan Smith, Artist Relations Nashville and Jenn Liang-Chaboud, Market Development Senior Specialist. There is so much that goes into this show and everything is in the same place every year… good thing, as I’m just starting to get this whole thing down. As we arrived to the backstage area, we were called into a meeting with production who were concerned about how much “fun” the band fun. was going to be having on GRAMMY night. The “fun” in question was the rain curtain you all undoubtedly witnessed, where the band, all of their instruments and microphones were all drenched in a rain storm. Of course there was concern that the mics may fail if exposed to that level of water, but we were never all that concerned… that’s how we test this stuff! Aware of production’s concern, we immediately put a few phone calls in to the home office in Chicago to have back up transmitters and capsules sent out the next day (thanks to all of the Shure people who came through in the clutch)! Needless to say, we never needed back ups. Those mics you saw on Sunday night were the same mics from rehearsal and dress rehearsal… that’s multiple rain storms!

Making our way around the arena, we found some familiar faces in Mike Parker and Tom Pisa working stage left and stage right respectively. We were also happy to see some familiar product in place as the exclusive in ear monitor system for all artists performing at the GRAMMYs. Twenty-four channels of Shure’s PSM 1000 was once again the preferred choice by production and most of the artists that performed this year. Rehearsals did not begin until about 1:30 pm on day one, so it gave us some time to catch up with everyone and provide them a little Shure swag in the meantime. It actually got cold there in California… nothing like what Chicago was going through, but even a hooded sweatshirt (this year’s swag item) struggled to keep me warm. I did refuse to opt for the winter coat stashed back at the hotel… I’m from the midwest and way too many people would be a little upset and quite possibly revoke my man card if I was discovered wearing a winter coat in California.

So anyway, as the rehearsals moved into full swing, lots of Shure mics were in some pretty important positions on stage. It was nice to see the KSM313 on the guitar amps of the Lumineers and Jack White, that’s quickly becoming everyone’s favorite mic for guitar amp… it looks pretty sweet, too! On vocals you saw Taylor Swift on an Axient Wireless System with a Beta 58, fun. on UHF-R Wireless with Beta 58s, Mumford & Sons on Beta 58As, Justin Timberlake & Jay-Z on UHF-R Wireless with SM58s… a last minute vocal mic change put Justin on a Shure mic for the evening and I thought he sounded pretty damn good on it too! Adam Levine from Maroon 5 was on a UHF-R with a Beta 58 when he joined Alicia Keys onstage, The Black Keys rocked on their SM58s. Kelly Clarkson brought the house down on an SM58! The Lumineers had everyone singing along on SM58s. Jack White tore up the stage while on an SM58. The Levon Helm tribute featured amongst others, Mavis Staples on a UHF-R SM58, Brittany Howard on a UHF-R SM58 and Mumford & Sons on UHF-R SM58s. Juanes sounded amazing on a UHF-R KSM9 and Frank Ocean debuted a new track on a UHF-R SM58. The night ended with two hip-hop icons blazing up the stage as LL Cool J and Chuck D performed on UHF-R SM58s.

All in all, a pretty good selection of Shure mics helped to provide the audio on music’s biggest night!  I would also like to mention the big win by Shure endorsers Mumford & Sons for Album of the Year, fun. for Best New Artist and Song of the Year, and The Black Keys for Best Rock Song, Best Rock Album and Best Rock Performance.

So, things are kind of normal around here now, but I would be lying to you if I said I haven’t started thinking about next year!

Rock Out!
Cory

Opening this show is a new group that is primed to explode with the right ammunition – Vintage Trouble.  Their lead singer, Ty Taylor, is singing primarily through a Shure 565SD microphone until he grabs a UHF-R and runs offstage to get the crowd going.  Nashville loved the group and so did I.  We wish them the best of luck as they progress in their career.

Since this is the Quadrophenia tour, The Who performed the entire set to an almost sold out crowd.  I am still amazed at how much energy both Pete and Roger have on stage.  Roger is still swinging his mic (now a Beta 58A) around on a wire, taped up like crazy.  Pete still whips out his signature wheel house on guitar.   In the drivers set on the drum kit is Zak Starkey, son of Ringo Starr who is such a great player.  Once they made it through Quadraphenia, they closed the show with a few of their big hits like “We Don’t Get Fooled Again”, “Pinball Wizard”,  and “Baba O’Riley.”

The crowd was energized and I had a great view from the side of the stage, mezzanine section to catch all of the action.  If you have a chance to catch the group who have part of the Shure family for over 45 years, it’s an awesome show!

Ryan

It was our honor to have System Of A Down as our Featured Artist of the Month for August.  We gave two tickets each to the last two shows of the tour – Detroit and Chicago.  I went down to the Chicago show to see their last performance of the tour.  I arrived and met both Chad Olech (Front of House, Deftones), whom I have known for years, and Pasi Hara (Monitors, SOAD), whom I had met previously; we walked through the backstage areas to the side-stage where Pasi had his desk set up, ready for sound check.

System Of A Down are heavy wireless users.  There are three channels of UHF-R for each Shavo (bass), Daron (guitar), and Serj (guitar) as well as Serj’s vocal channels (also UHF-R with Beta 58A mic elements).  Feeding the band, engineers, and techs their mixes are eight channels of PSM® 1000 with a PA821 antenna combiner and PWS’s HA-8089 helical antenna.  Pasi had connected everything via a 16-port Ethernet switch to his MacBook and administered the gear, held in various racks, with Wireless Workbench 6.  We geeked out a bit over the scans of the radio frequency environments; Chicago has an astonishingly crowded UHF-band.  In spite of the multitude of strong TV channels and random other radios in the Allstate Arena, everything was working and ready.

Sound check happened very quickly.  Pasi and I temporarily parted ways – he to the backstage area as I went to join Chad at the FOH position for the Deftones’ check.  He ran a few tracks recorded the previous night through the PA initially, soon joined by the band.  The empty arena reverberated as sound bounced off concrete and hard plastic seats where hours later the crowd would keep those waves all to themselves.

Deftones are also using PSM 1000.  They’re the first band I look after to use ULX-D.  Chino’s usual weapon of choice is a wired Beta 58A, taped in similar fashion to one of Roger Daltrey’s famous SM58s, though Chino’s moves can be considerably more chaotic than Daltrey’s famous circles.  The wireless version comes out when a mic on a stand is needed, ironically.  This is to minimize the liability of tripping on a cable bringing the mic and stand on and off stage.

At one point I was handed a P10R tuned to Chino’s monitor mix.  I popped in my earphones and went for a walk.  I made it through the crowd and around the circumference of the floor of the arena, then behind the stage without a single dropout.  All this was off a single, directional passive antenna aimed at the stage.  I am, of course, biased in my opinion of those units, but I thought that rather impressive performance for in-ear monitors.  Also, listening to their mix while seeing the show from the different perspectives added a sort of surreal quality to the show.  Earphones or no, the band brought it.

System Of A Down had not been through Chicago in years, which, as a fan, is not OK.  However, they brought it with a jaw-dropping set of 26 songs.  The lights went out and the set opened with the instantly recognizable staccato notes of “Prison Song”.  As the billowing shroud fell from the stage the audience turned frenetic.  As the saying goes, “all killer, no filler”.  During Suite-Pee Chino Moreno jumped up on stage to duet with Serj Tankian.  Drummer John Dolmayan was flanked by Abe Cunningham on his right and Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante on the left.  System closed the set with “Sugar”.

After the gig was over I was able to meet up with Serj and geek out a bit over our ribbon mics.  He has been loving the KSM313 on the top end of his grand piano.  We covered a few other topics, including music distribution these days, before the aftershow crowd needed his attention.  I made my way to the crew bus to catch up with Pasi and Chad before heading out.

Richard

@Richard_ShureAR

Meshuggah at the House of Blues on May 15, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Paul Natkin/WireImage)

I very much revere Meshuggah.  I’m not alone in that opinion.  If you are a fan of metal you will know that, love them or not, they are the best at what they do, period.  Virtuosic performance dresses a primal foundation.  Fans are just as likely to count out polyrhythmic elements as they are to headbang when listening to their music.

I had the opportunity to see them one other time to date.  It was in 2002 and the band was opening for Tool.  The arena in Madison, WI sat about 8,000.  It was big enough to ruin the performance with ambiance.  When you play as fast and as tight as they, reverb and reflection are not your friends.  I was thrilled then, to know that I was going to see them in Chicago’s House of Blues.

I sat down for an interview with guitarist Mårten Hagström and vocalist Jens Kidman prior to the show.  It was interesting to learn that, for as loud as they are in concert, there is almost no stage volume.  The guitars and bass are all handled by Fractal Audio boxes, leaving the drums and Jens’s vocals the only real volume on stage.  You would only know this from standing on the side of the stage though.  From out front, you needed earplugs…as much as I didn’t want them.  Shure’s part in the story?  Drums.  Vocals.  In-ears.  Mårten and Jens both professed to be fans of the SM7B.  Mårten used his in pre-production and demoing.  Jens hand-held his mic as he laid down vocal tracks for the record.  Playing live, his weapon of choice is the Beta 58A on a UHF-R wireless.  The band use PSM®900 with SE425-CL earphones, excepting drummer Tomas Haake, who uses the PSM 600 hardwired body pack.

Meshuggah at the House of Blues on May 15, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Paul Natkin/WireImage)

For showtime I was set up with a P9R body pack receiver in CueMode with every mix programmed in to it.  I mostly watched at the side of the stage where I was able to select each band member’s personal mix at a whim.  Just for fun (and to take the opportunity to go listen from the house) I went strolling out to the main room with my earphones in and the pack on.  I stopped behind the FOH board for a quick listen without the earphones, then continued on through the venue.  I had a few RF dropouts in the very back of the venue and in some of the concrete stairwells backstage – six in total.  It was amazing considering the band was using a directional paddle antenna which only had the stage in its line of sight.  Those few hits aside, I could hear their mixes everywhere in the venue through the pack.

The only place I didn’t dare go to test was in the middle of the floor.  Our gear can take some abuse, but the energy coming from the stage was driving the most prime real estate of the room in to a frenzied pit.  Cathartic it may have been, but I value my earphones enough to not have them ripped from my head and stomped to pieces.

Jens, Fredrik Thordendal, Mårten, and bassist Dick Lövgren delivered their punishing set from the very front of the stage, as if to drive home the listening experience through their physical presence.  From the back Tomas played faster and with more precision than one would suspect is humanly possible. The set started with “Demiurge” from their new album, Koloss.  Throughout the set were more from the album, along with fan-favorites like “Future Breed Machine” and “Combustion”.  As they launched in to one of their most ambitious and well-known tracks, “Bleed” (obZen, 2008), I dialed in Tomas’s mix.  If you’re a drummer, you might know what that means.

If you are a fan of metal, put this band on your bucket list.

Richard

This would be a historic event in itself as the group would be the first headliner to perform on a brand new floor that replaced the original floor that was installed when the “Mother Church” first opened.

Fresh off of an exciting performance with Glen Campbell at the Grammy Awards, they showed up for soundcheck and Kimberely said to me “We see you everywhere!”  They will again at the upcoming Academy of Country Music Awards in Vegas on April 1.

Before laying down this new floor, they reinforced it to be able to hold a lot more weight.  It was strange to walk across the floor and not hear any creaking.

The group is in the process of finishing up a new record and what a great place to try out some new songs.  They performed their hits and threw in 6 new songs.  They also performed a great version of “Fat Bottomed Girls” by Queen!   Kimberly commanded the stage on her UR2/KSM9 wireless while brothers Reid and Neil flanked her with a pair of Beta 58A wired mics.

At one point, the curtain closed in front of the backing band, leaving the Perry’s out in front for some acoustic songs, one of which was a beautiful version of “Amazing Graze” which earned them a standing ovation.

Their 90 minute set concluded with their hit “You Lie.”  This group is full of energy and connects very well with the audience.  Their whole family and crew are a great group of people.

Make  sure to look up their tour schedule and catch them out on some Brad Paisley dates.

Ryan

There are so many elements that contribute to putting on an awards show like the GRAMMYs.  To list every aspect would take too long so we’re going to focus on our side of this trip.

As everything usually comes together at the last minute for this show, we sent out a nice compliment of Shure mics to supplement what sound company ATK Audiotek already had in stock. Appearing for the first time on this show was the Beta 181/C condenser mic. We sent 20 of those and saw several get used on tympani (The Beach Boys) and occasionally on drum overheads. We also sent a few of the KSM313 ribbon mics, one of which prominently appeared on John Paul White’s guitar amp during The Civil Wars short but very effective performance in the show.

We were also very pleased to learn early on that the PSM1000 ear monitor systems would be the exclusive system for the show this year. There were plenty of bodypacks on hand for the performers and many of the crew people made a point to let us know how well the system was working for them.

Watching the rehearsal and then the performances over the course of 4 days, there were many highlights for us that sounded amazing in the house, thanks to both Jeff Peterson who finely tuned the PA and Ron Reeves who mixes the acts so well.  The Beach Boys segment featuring Maroon 5 and Foster The People was quite a thrill to hear live in the house. Each group nailed the original harmonies, it was one of the highlights of the evening. The other was seeing The Civil Wars perform on this broadcast. They have quickly become a respected group that continues to impress well-established artists like Adele, Taylor Swift and now Coldplay, who Tweeted that they are now fans of the group.

The Glen Campbell tribute featured newly signed artists The Band Perry who sang “Gentle On My Mind.” It was great to see Glen having so much fun on stage in light of his ongoing battle with Alzheimer’s.

It was especially gratifying to have the industry standard SM58 open this years’ show in front of Bruce Springsteen and then have Sir Paul McCartney close the show on a wired Beta 58A. You can’t get more Rock and Roll than that!

Seeing the same crew that has been doing this successfully for so many years is always a wonderful part of this trip. Maintaining those relationships and letting them know we are there for support is a vital part of attending this show as well as talking with them about our products. There were a lot of people who have not had the opportunity to try the PSM1000’s out. Thanks to ATK Audiotek and the monitor engineers for this show, Mike Parker and Tom Pesa, over 20 acts were exposed to the new standard in monitoring.

Special thanks go out to Michael Abbott who is the audio coordinator for the show, John  Harris and Joel Singer with Music Mix Moblie, who take care of the music mix that goes out to television and Eric Schilling who shares music mix duties with John Harris. This years’ show was monumental in size and every year, it just keeps getting better and better!

- Ryan, Cory and Jenn

Bill Gibson has spent the last 30 years writing, recording, producing and teaching music. He is well known for his production, performance and teaching.

Bill is Developmental Editor for Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group, President of Northwest Recording, serves on the National Advisory Board for the P&E Wing of the Recording Academy, is an instructor for Berklee College of Music and the Art Institute of Seattle. He has authored over 30 books, including his most recent book with Quincy Jones (Q on Producing) and his upcoming work with the legendary Bruce Swedien (The Bruce Swedien Recording Method).

1. Does the directional characteristic make a difference in the sound of the mic?

Absolutely!

Omnidirectional Mics hear equally from all directions, not rejecting sound from anywhere in the 360-degree sphere around the capsule. They have an open and natural sound and they’re used frequently in the studio when the engineer wants to include the sound of the room in the recording.

The danger in using an omnidirectional mic is that any room sound (ambience) that is recorded is there to stay. For most people it’s safer to record with a more directional microphone (cardioid or hypercardioid) and add any ambient sound artificially during mixdown. However, in a controlled and well-tuned acoustical environment, an omnidirectional mic is frequently the way to go because the close-miked vocal sound it captures is more open and less cluttered in the low and low-mid bands than a cardioid mic used in the same way. A singer who moves in very close to the omnidirectional mic sounds very intimate while retaining a more natural and clear tone.

Cardioid Mics directional characteristic prefer the front of the microphone (on-axis) and they reject sounds coming from behind the mic (off-axis). Microphones with cardioid polar patterns, such as the Beta 58 or SM58®, are typically better suited to close- than distant-miking applications. These mics exhibit frequency response characteristics that roll off in the low band to compensate for their susceptibility to the proximity effect—the boomy, bass-heavy sound we hear when a voice or instrument is extremely close to the mic (within less than a couple inches or so). Because they prefer the on-axis sounds, they help reduce the relative levels of room ambience and other sounds that are off-axis.

Bidirectional Mics are most sensitive to sounds in the front and back of the mic but they exhibit almost complete reject of sounds that come from the sides. Some large-diaphragm condenser mics, such as the KSM44, can be set to bidirectional configuration and ribbon mics, such as the KSM353 and KSM313, are naturally bidirectional. These mics are well suited to miking solo instruments or voice, but they also provide an efficient and convenient way to close-mike two vocalists—or other instruments—at the same time. Bidirectional mics exhibit the most extreme proximity effect, in comparison with cardioid and omnidirectional mics. Therefore, the close-miked sound they provide is sometimes too boomy and full to be useful. From a more distant perspective, however, bidirectional mics provide a very nice, full tone, which includes a little more acoustical ambience than a similar cardioid mic.

In a live sound reinforcement application, omnidirectional mics are the most prone to feedback. They don’t reject sound from any directional and are inappropriate for most applications. Also, keep in mind that floor and stand monitor positions are usually different depending on the mic choice. When using a cardioid pattern, there is usually less feedback with the monitor directly in front of the vocalist. When using a hypercardioid pattern, the monitor should be placed slightly to one side or the other in front of the vocalist for minimal feedback. If you look at the polar response graph for the specific mic, you’ll notice exactly where the mic is least sensitive—that’s the right spot for the monitor.

A mic like the KSM9 is a great choice for vocals in a live setting. It sounds like a studio condenser mic and it offers pattern selection between cardioid and hypercardioid.  The flexibility provided by selectable patterns makes a mic that would already be exceptional, even better.

Keep in mind that every singer is different. If you have a choice of mics and directional characteristics, simply select the pattern that sounds best for the vocalist or choose the pattern that provides the best feedback rejection. In the studio, a mic like the KSM44 is an excellent choice because the selectable pickup patterns let the engineer choose the texture, tone, and feel of the vocal track by simply changing between any of these directional characteristics.

2. Is handling noise really an issue? Aren’t all mics about the same?

Yes. Handling noise is an important issue, especially in a live setting.

Many studio mics aren’t designed to be handheld. They’re placed in specially designed shock mounts that protect them from vibrations, bumps, and thumps. However, mics that are used in a live handheld environment must contain ample internal shock mounts and vibration control.

If you line up ten different mics on stands, you’re likely to notice dramatic differences in the sound caused by simply removing each mic from its clip. Some mics even rumble in normal handheld use. They don’t sound good although they don’t sound terrible, but the amount of handling noise they produce makes them completely unusable. Just shifting the mic in your hand causes a dramatic rumble—the sound of putting them in and out of the clip is unacceptable.

Mics that exhibit excessive handling noise also pick up excess amounts of noise from anything that moves on, or vibrates, the stage, such as footsteps, the kick drum, the bass cabinet, dancing, and so on. One of the reasons for the popularity of the SM and Beta series mics from Shure is excellent design of their internal shock mounting systems and their minimal handling noise.

3. How close should the lead vocalist be to the mic?

This question is usually borne out of the frustration that the sound operator feels when working with a singer who has bad mic technique.

It’s common for an inexperienced sound operator to tell the singers to just stay close to the mic (within an inch or less). That’s definitely not the best approach, but it puts control in the hands of the sound operator.

Vocalists must learn to move closer to the mic when they are quiet and farther away when they’re loud—the actual distances depend on exactly how quiet and how loud. In addition, speaking too close to the mic can decrease intelligibility and clarity. The overall volume of the house mix, the size of the audience, and the acoustics in the room are also considerations in mic technique.

Work with each singer to determine the mic technique that works the best for him or her. Determine three ranges of mic distances for three separate purposes:

The “I’m singing background” distance—usually 1.5 to 3 inches (2 fingers to 4 fingers).

The “I’m singing a quiet, intimate lyric” distance—usually 1 inch or less (1 finger or less).

The “I’m really belting it out and I don’t want to hurt someone’s hearing” distance—usually 6 inches to arm’s length, depending on the singer, the song, the instrumentation in the band, and the size of the room.

4. Our lead singer gets lost in the mix and yet there are times when she’s way too loud. How can I get a smooth and even vocal sound, like the sound I hear on professionally produced recordings?

Considering that your singer has good mic technique and you’re riding the vocal levels to help with global differences between levels for speaking and belting, the sound you’re looking for is probably a result of compression. A compressor is an automatic volume control that responds to the strength of the incoming signal. The sound operator sets a threshold level. When the signal strength exceeds that threshold, a built-in amplifying circuit—typically a VCA (voltage controlled amplifier)—turns the signal down.

A compressor is essentially an automatic sound operator. Like you, it turns the signal down when it’s too loud and then back up to where it started when it’s not too loud. The attack time, release time, and ratio controls let you determine whether the compressor acts like a Masserati or the giant in Jack and the Beanstalk.

Compressors only turn the signal down—they don’t boost levels. However, the effect of compression is to enable the nuance in the vocals to be heard better. Because the loud parts are turned down, the entire channel can be turned up. The gain reduction meter indicates the amount of gain reduction. If it shows that the channel is being turned down by 6 dB at the loudest parts of the performance, then the entire channel can be boosted at the channel fader or at the “Makeup Gain/Output” control on the compressor. This results in the loud passages being the same volume as they would have been but the softer passages, vocal nuance, and emotional inflections have been turned up by 6 dB—they are, therefore, more audible to the audience.

Setting up a compressor is really pretty simple:

1. Set the ratio control to determine how extreme the action is—typically between 4:1 and 7:1 for vocals. If the ratio is x:1, for every x dB that exceeds the threshold, the VCA will only let 1 dB through.
2. Set the attack time—typically between 5 and 10 milliseconds.
3. Set the release time—typically about 1/2 second.
4. Adjust the threshold so that there are times when there is no gain reduction and times when there are about 6 dB of gain reduction.
5. Boost the Makeup Gain/Output control to makeup for the gain reduction.

Often, recordings are extremely compressed. In a live setting, be aware that if the compressor is reducing the gain substantially during a performance, once the performance is over, the VCA will let the signal return to its original level—this can easily cause massive feedback. The amount of compression you use in a live performance is dependent of the amount of gain before feedback in your system. In a live application, it’s usually best to compress by 6 dB or less.

5. Should I always buy a mic with a flat frequency response curve?

No. Part of the reason for differences in response curves is the intended application. If you use a mic with a flat frequency response on a live, close-miked vocalist, the sound will be thick and muddy because of the proximity effect. If you use a mic that’s designed for close-miking, for instance, a distant mic on an acoustic ensemble, the sound will be far too thin and weak.

The SM58® or Beta 58 have frequency response curves that roll off in the low end with a presence peak in the high end. This fact doesn’t make it a lower quality mic than a mic like the KSM32 or KSM141 that exhibits a flat frequency response—it just makes them better suited to close miking than distant miking.

When a handheld vocal mic is close to the singer’s lips—within a few inches—the proximity effect rounds out the lows so they are essentially flat. Low frequency response is determined by mic distance. The built-in presence peak helps provide a clear and understandable vocal range. Notice that these presence peaks are typically between 4 and 7 kHz—strategically positioned in the range of vocal sibilance and intelligibility.

Mics with a flat frequency response curve are best suited to distant-miking applications in which the mic is a foot or more from the source, and yet a full sound is desired. Many condenser mics exhibit a very flat frequency response; however, they often provide a low frequency roll-off switch to compensate for the proximity effect when used in a close-miking application.

6. What’s the difference between miking a vocalist in a live performance and miking a vocalist in the studio?

The difference is really much less than it used to be before the KSM9.

In a live setting, we use vocal microphones designed for close-miking. They have historically been moving-coil mics because of their dependability, ruggedness, and simplicity; however, moving-coil mics don’t capture the fine transient detail as accurately as condenser mics.

In the studio we have historically used large–diaphragm condenser mics for vocals. Since the acoustics are controlled in a studio and leakage isn’t a consideration, most studio vocals are recorded from a distance of 6 to 12 inches. Sometimes, the singer moves closer, but the mic might be set to an omnidirectional configuration so the sound isn’t too thick and muddy or the low-frequency roll-off might be applied to compensate.

The vocal sound is adjusted by moving the mic across a much greater distance range than in a live setting. In addition, many professional studios have excellent acoustics—the sound of the room blends very well with the vocal to provide a desirable character and personality.

The KSM9 utilizes a studio-quality condenser capsule that provides the type detail that’s expected in a studio sound. It is housed in a body that feels good in the hand and the capsule sits in a well-designed shock mount system—it sounds great and rejects handling noises and vibrations very efficiently.

New for 2012: Bill’s “The Ultimate Live Sound Operator’s Handbook: 2nd Edition,” a 428-page book, including a DVD full of excellent audio and video examples.

In addition, Bill recently released “Q on Producing,” the first of three books he’s writing with the legendary Quincy Jones.

The Cannery Ballroom – Nashville, TN

OK, I know they just played here in July but I can’t get enough of this group.  It is so cool to watch and hear their vibe coming off the stage.  If you aren’t moving and grooving to this band, they will CALL YOU OUT! That doesn’t happen too often though because the crowd is there and they are into it.

Since exploding onto the scene, Fitz & The Tantrums has been touring like crazy, implanting their Motown infused pop into current and new fans.  They have 3 sold out shows in Chicago coming up on this run.  If you have not seen them live, this is the ONLY way to experience them and be reminded of just how much FUN music can be.  Crowd participation is not an option with this band, it’s required.  During the encore, which was the unforgettable “Moneygrabber”, they make the entire crowd – sound man included, get down low to the floor and then build it back up to a hopping fest as they bring us to the end.

Noelle Scaggs and her tambourine are one throughout the entire show.  I do not see many tambourine players on the road, especially ones that play the way she does – old school!  It awesome to watch!  Her voice works so well with Fitz’s.  Both of them are on Shure UHF-R wireless – Noelle on the Beta 58A and Fitz on the SM58.

Multi-instrumentalist James King is using the PGXD14/98H for his tenor sax and all are loving the freedom of wireless.  Noelle has just stared using the PSM900 ear system and enjoying the control it gives her over her volume leves.  Drummer John Wicks is enjoying some new mics as well: Beta 98AMP on his toms, KSM137 on overheads, and the Beta 52A on his kick.

After soundcheck, I got a great video interview with Fitz and Noelle. Fitz discussed his minimalist approach to recording Pickin’ Up The Pieces in his living room.  No label pressure, no deadlines, just a few mics and experimenting with mic placement.

Keep up with this group and where they are going.  Their show is well worth your money!

The Cannery Ballroom – Nashville, TN

OK, I know they just played here in July but I can’t get enough of this group.  It is so cool to watch and hear their vibe coming off the stage.  If you aren’t moving and grooving to this band, they will CALL YOU OUT! That doesn’t happen too often though because the crowd is there and they are into it.

Since exploding onto the scene, Fitz & The Tantrums has been touring like crazy, implanting their Motown infused pop into current and new fans.  They have 3 sold out shows in Chicago coming up on this run.  If you have not seen them live, this is the ONLY way to experience them and be reminded of just how much FUN music can be.  Crowd participation is not an option with this band, it’s required.  During the encore, which was the unforgettable “Moneygrabber”, they make the entire crowd – sound man included, get down low to the floor and then build it back up to a hopping fest as they bring us to the end.

Noelle Scaggs and her tambourine are one throughout the entire show.  I do not see many tambourine players on the road, especially ones that play the way she does – old school!  It awesome to watch!  Her voice works so well with Fitz’s.  Both of them are on Shure UHF-R wireless – Noelle on the Beta 58A and Fitz on the SM58.

Multi-instrumentalist James King is using the PGXD14/98H for his tenor sax and all are loving the freedom of wireless.  Noelle has just stared using the PSM900 ear system and enjoying the control it gives her over her volume leves.  Drummer John Wicks is enjoying some new mics as well: Beta 98AMP on his toms, KSM137 on overheads, and the Beta 52A on his kick.

After soundcheck, I got a great video interview with Fitz and Noelle. Fitz discussed his minimalist approach to recording Pickin’ Up The Pieces in his living room.  No label pressure, no deadlines, just a few mics and experimenting with mic placement.

Keep up with this group and where they are going.  Their show is well worth your money!

Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN

I have been eager to see this group come back together again after many solo projects and tours. Each member individually has their own sound but when they are all together, it’s a magic unto its own.

Shure has enjoyed a wonderful, longstanding relationship with Alison Krauss and Union Station and we couldn’t wait to hear new material from this award winning group, both studio and live! This show was the 2nd night of their 2 sold out shows at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. Particularly exciting was the fact that before they took the stage, yours truly would be spending about 15 minutes with them backstage for a video interview. For them, they have done this many times. For me interviewing them, my first! Since we have had such a great relationship with all of them, I was not too nervous about doing this. We will be editing this interview soon and will send out the word once it’s up for viewing. (It was a 3 camera shoot so it may take a bit longer.)

As I had suspected, the interview went great! I previewed other interviews and tried not to cover the same material they have been asked but still included a few Shure questions towards the end as usual.

With that completed, I could now relax and enjoy the show to come. Alison and company are all signing on Beta 58A’s and Alison has the KSM9 for her Fiddle mic (yes, a vocal mic on the fiddle). Ron Block has the KSM13 on his Banjo which sounds amazing. All are using the PSM900 for monitors which they love.

The show lasted 2 hours and was full of the hits plus plenty of the new material. It had been several years since they had performed together so the crowd was ready for it. Jerry Douglas took some time during the set for a solo which was stunning and included a short version of Chick Corea’s “Spain”, which I thought was incredibly cool!

Their tour continues for a while and hopefully well into next year. Make sure you get your tickets early as they are selling out everywhere. A special thanks to Allison, Dan, Ron, Barry, and Jerry for being such wonderful hosts. Also, thanks to FOH Engineer Cliff Miller, Bernie Velutti on Monitors, Sean Murray (Production Manager) and Michael Corcoran (Management) for helping to make this such a smooth, enjoyable evening!

Ryan

Chicago Theatre

I had not received a copy of the new record yet, nor had I heard a song off of it.  Sometimes, that is the best way to see a show – when you don’t know what is coming next.

I am familiar with  Susan’s and Derek’s work separately so I had a good feeling it would be a stellar project. From the first note till the end of their encore, I was carried back to a time before LED walls, before laser lights and pyro, when all that was on stage were musicians and their gear.

People were dancing in the aisles, applauding after each amazing solo, and completely enjoying being a part of the music coming off the stage.  After almost every song, a standing ovation.   I loved every minute of this show.  I used to play drums in a Big Band and absolutely fed off the other 13 musicians on stage.  (I hope to do that again someday.)

For now, I have been recharged by the musical energy put out by Tedeschi Trucks Band.  3 horns, 2 drummers, 2 background singers, keys, bass, and two of the nicest Blues artists to front this powerhouse group.  Susan always takes command of her Beta 58A vocal mic and both her’s and Derek’s guitar cabinets were double miked with an SM27 and SM57 combo.

After the show, I had a chance to chat with Derek and Susan.  I made sure to let them know that they need to video record this show for release.  I would be the first one in line to grab a copy!

Here is a link to the rest of their tour dates.  Do yourself a favor and order tickets NOW if they are coming to your town.  If not, it’s time for a road trip.  I have a feeling this group will last for quite a while because it’s SO good and timeless!

Ryan

Filter and Saliva

It’s been my pleasure to work with Filter for quite a few years now.  Richard Patrick is one of the hardest working people out there and I’ve seen him sell records a handshake at a time.  When I last saw the band perform they stayed until everyone that wanted an autograph and a chat got what they were looking for.  Everything was on the truck before they were done with their meet & greet.  The same went for their autograph session at our NAMM booth this last year.

They are going to depart on a co-headlining tour with Saliva starting in July.  Be on the lookout – it’s a show worth catching.  Filter may not be a young band by any means, but you wouldn’t know it from the energy that comes off the stage.  Plus, Richard’s voice is something unique in rock.  It’s hard to find another singer who sounds like him.  I have to give even more kudos in that his voice is as strong as it ever was.  (Good thing we make mics that can handle that sound pressure!)  FYI, he’s a Beta 58A guy live, and an SM7B guy in the studio.

Richard