Form Factors – Narrowing the Field

The sound reinforcement requirements of a church are different than those of more typical live performances, so once you’ve decided what type (dynamic or condenser) and polar pattern (omni or uni) you’re going to need for each application – pastor, soloist, choir, worship leader, praise band – there’s the form factor to consider.   This is actually pretty simple because the solutions are fairly straightforward.

We’ll look at them one by one.

Lectern Mic

Lectern

One of the most common microphones used in houses of worship are lectern or podium microphones.  Gooseneck microphones are recommended since they position the mic up high and close to the speaker’s mouth.  These are usually cardioid condenser microphones since they are very small and unobtrusive and also since their greater sensitivity allows the microphone to be positioned 10”-14” and a little off-center from a speaker’s mouth.

One of the reasons that the mic is positioned off-center is the undesirable popping sound of plosives (p’s and t’s).  When the mic is off to the side, the air blast that causes those plosives will go past the microphone rather than right into the microphone.  Using a windscreen also helps.

Tips:

• Make sure you only have one microphone on at the lectern, to minimize comb filtering
• Use a pop filter and a shock mount to minimize unwanted sounds.
• Turn off unused microphones

Boundary Mic

Altar

The altar is another area that you may need to mic.  In that case a gooseneck microphone may not be aesthetically pleasing, so boundary microphones – usually condenser types – are the typical solution.

Tips:

• Try not to place them too close to the edge of the altar since they’re limited to a 60o vertical pick-up angle.   If the microphone isn’t placed deep enough into the altar, you run the risk of the speaker talking over the microphone instead of into it.
• Turn off unused microphones.
• Position speakers within 24”-36” of the mic.

The low profile of boundary mics also subjects them to the risk of having speakers place objects over them and since they’re typically sensitive condenser-type mics, they’re susceptible to noises like page turning.   Still, they’re usually the best choice for altar applications.

Lavalier Mic

Lavalier

One way to make sure that the pastor or worship leader is heard clearly is to use a lavalier microphone where the speaker or singer can move around freely without concerns about being picked up by the mic.    Here’s where you want to think about polar patterns

Tips:

• My choice is the omnidirectional lavalier microphone because you don’t need to be as concerned with placement – you can aim it in any direction and there’s no proximity effect.    There’s minimal pickup of wind or cable noise – and they are less susceptible to plosives. Omni lavaliers sound natural and they’re the easiest to place.
• On the other hand, if you’re experiencing gain before feedback problems, you may need to go with a unidirectional lav microphone, sometimes with a cardioid or even a supercardioid pattern   It will also help to reduce background noise in a nosy environment. Remember that they’re more susceptible to cable noise, plosives, wind noise, proximity effect and other things that will color the sound quality and add more artifacts than you desire.

If you can make the omni work, that’s the way to go.   Placement is usually about 8” below the mouth in the center, because the pickup will be affected if the speaker moves his head from side to side.   That’s a common problem with any lav mic. If possible, it’s also beneficial to use a windscreen.

Tips:

• Secure the cable to the wearer’s clothing to eliminate cable noise.
• If multiple mics are used when the speaker approaches the lectern or alter, remember to turn unused mics off, otherwise comb filtering may result.

Countryman Mic

Headworn (Headset)

The headworn mic is by far preferred over lavaliers in most church applications these days, though some people don’t like to wear anything on their heads. There are some very tiny headworn microphones that hook over one ear and are barely noticeable.

They take care of just about all the problems experienced with lavalier microphones and offer some significant advantages:

• Gain before feedback is much better – the mic is right next to the speaker’s mouth. Since the mic moves with the speaker’s head, the sound level and quality don’t change.
• They are omni condenser mics with multiple color options so skin tone can be matched – with single ear and dual ear options.
• Placement is easy – left or right side doesn’t matter.
• Overall, you’ll experience more consistent sound quality, fewer feedback problems and better gain before feedback.

The Choir and the Praise Band

Here are a few quick tips for miking the choir and members of your praise band. Volumes can be – and have been – written on various techniques for achieving a specific sound, but this overview will get your started.

The Choir

Stand-mounted or hanging mics can be used to pick up the choir. In almost all cases, these are condenser mics.  They have a flatter, natural frequency response and are sensitive enough to work well at a distance.

Try to mic the choir as if it’s an acoustic instrument.  It’s the same way you’d mic an orchestra.   You’re trying to capture the ensemble without coloring it too much.  Most often, these are unidirectional condenser mic.

Tip:

• The 3-to-1 rule applies. Typically you’re going to position the mic 2-3 feet in front of the choir with the most sensitive point of the mic aimed toward the back row of the choir, and adjacent mics about 4 – 6 feet apart from each other.   That helps provide even coverage because the most sensitive point of the mic is aimed at the singers who are furthest and the singers who are closest are positioned at a less sensitive point, so you’ll get nice, even coverage.

Tip:

• If you’re using hanging mics, you need to be careful not to hang the mics over the heads of the singers, rather than 2’-3’ in front of their mouths, aimed at the back row.  Failing to do that will results in a dull, dark sound with very little sound level reaching the microphone. You need to be able to mic their mouths (the sound source) and not the top of their heads.

Tip: 

• It is best to use as few mics as possible and avoid as much overlap as possible.   If you need to use more than one and the first one is 2’ away from the choir at an 130o angle, the way to position it is to follow the 3-to-1 rule and position the next mic 6’ away.   And if that’s not enough, place another microphone 6’ feet away.

The Congregation

Miking the congregation isn’t a musical application but it is something that comes up since adding ambient sound creates a more natural mix for broadcast feeds or recording.    It’s similar to choir miking since you can think of the congregation as a large ensemble.

Tips:

• You will probably want to use some type of unobtrusive unidirectional microphone and only for recording or broadcast purposes where you need to add some ambience.
• Don’t mic the congregation for sound reinforcement purposes.   If you need to hear an individual in the congregation, the best way to do that is with a wireless handheld.

The Praise Band

Here are some basic member-by-member suggestions:

Vocals

• Handheld or headworn mic.
• Unidirectional – dynamic or condenser – depending on the sound quality you’re trying to achieve.

Look for a good shock mount that eliminates some of the handling noise. The SM58, for example, has a very good shock mount. You can tap on the microphone and you won’t hear very much.  A cheap mic can sound like a freight train when you do the same thing.

Electric guitar amp

• Dynamic or condenser
• Make sure the sensitivity of the condenser mic is designed for the application.

Beta 181 is a good choice. You can hang it over the top of the guitar amp in front of the speaker without needing a mic stand.

Drums 

• Dynamic mics for snare and tom-toms, which handle the high SPLs in these applications.
• Condenser mics are useful for overheads and cymbals.
• Percussion mics might be condensers as well for general area miking applications.
• Kick drum: Beta 52A is the Shure mic designed specifically for use as a bass drum mic, but a Beta 91A boundary microphone can also be a good choice for its low-profile design and set-up ease.
• Snare drum: Good choices include SM57 or Beta 57A mics.  Place the boom-mounted mic in front of the kit, a few inches from the snare drum edge, next to and just above the high tom head for a natural sound.
• Toms: Beta 56A or Beta 98AMP mics can be used.  For the best isolation, consider placing a microphone inside each tom-tom.
• Overheads: A Beta 181/C or PG81 mic can be positioned about a foot above the drummer’s head or a matched pair of either model can be used for stereo miking.

Grand or upright piano

• Condenser mics for flatter, more natural frequency response.
• Stand-mounted or boundary mics are also good choices. Boundary mics can actually be taped inside the lid of the piano.
• KSM137 is a good choice for a stand-mounted mic.  It can withstand high sound pressure levels and it’s also available in a stereo kit, making it ideal for X/Y configuration miking preferred by many live sound engineers.
• For mounting inside the piano, you can use a Beta 91A cardioid condenser microphone. This microphone will work for both a grand and upright piano.

It all comes down to this

What’s really important is knowing how the mic sounds, using your ears to chose the right one and then knowing where to place it.  Moving the microphone just a few inches in one direction or another can improve the sound quality dramatically. Time for experimentation is time well spent.

One way to do this at home is to check out the Mic Listening Lab where you can listen to many different types of mics on many different instruments (including vocals) so that you can hear the differences for yourself. You’ll also find an “Audition This Mic” link at the bottom of product pages on the Shure site.

Choose the right mic, put it in the right place, keep it as close to the sound source, use as few mics as possible, turn off unused mics and trust your ears.

ABOUT GINO SIGISMONDI: Gino Sigismondi has been active in the music and audio industry for nearly twenty years. Currently managing the Systems Support department, Gino brings his years of practical experience in professional audio to the product training seminars he conducts for Shure customers, dealers, distribution centers, and internal staff. He is the author of the Shure educational publications “Selection and Operation of Personal Monitors,” “Audio Systems Guide for Music Educators,” and “Selection and Operation of Audio Signal Processors.”

Gino spent several post-college years as a live sound engineer for Chicago-area sound companies, nightclubs, and local acts. He continues to remain active as a musician and sound engineer, expanding his horizons beyond live music to include sound design for modern dance and church sound.

While you often see microphone techniques discussed for specific applications, another approach is to learn some general principles that you can apply to any situation. Before we can get into that though, we have to choose the proper mic first. Lynda.com’s Bobby Owsinski, author of the site’s online video series Audio Recording Techniques and the Audio Mixing Bootcamp leads the way.

Let’s take a look at how that’s done.

Choosing The Right Mic

While there may be a mic that works well for many applications, no single mic works great on everything. In fact, thanks to parameters like diaphragm type, polar pattern, and sensitivity, having a nice variety of mics can really make a difference in the final sounds that you’re recording and how they blend together in the mix.

It’s safe to say that most engineers rely on their experience when choosing microphones, but there’s also some sound reasoning behind their preferences. Here are a few things that you might want to consider when selecting a microphone to record with.

Does the microphone complement the instrument that you’re recording?
For instance, if you have an instrument that has a very edgy top end, choosing a mic that also has that quality may have those frequencies further emphasized when recorded. You might want to choose a mic that’s a bit mellower, such as a ribbon. This is one of the reasons that a ribbon mic works so well on brass, for instance.

Will the mic be overloaded by the source?
Some mics just can’t take an extended amount of sound pressure level without generating some sort of distortion. A ribbon mic or many condenser mics won’t work on a snare drum with a heavy hitting drummer for just this reason. That’s why the level of the source always has to be a consideration when choosing a mic.

Does the mic have the right polar pattern for the job?
The directional pickup of the mic needs to be considered before making a mic selection. For instance, if leakage is a consideration, then you may want to try a mic with a tighter directional pattern, like a hypercardioid. If the instrument you’re miking radiates in multiple directions (like an accordion, dulcimer or bassoon), sometimes an omni pattern works wonders. Either way, don’t overlook the polar pattern when choosing a mic.

Is the proximity effect an issue?
If you’re going to be close-miking, will the low-end buildup from the proximity effect of a cardioid mic change the sound too much? If so, this also might be a good place to try an omni, or at least move the mic away from the source a little.

Now that we’ve covered some of the parameters that go into choosing a microphone, mic placement is the next area that can affect the sound you capture. Let’s take a look.

Secrets Of Mic Placement

Quickly finding the optimum position for a mic is perhaps the single most useful talent an engineer can have. You should always trust your ears and begin by listening to how the instrument sounds, find the sweet spot, and begin your microphone placement there. If you don’t like the resultant sound, then move the mic or swap it with another.  EQ should be the last thing you touch.

Microphones can’t effectively be placed by sight alone, which is a mistake that’s all too easy to make. That’s why it’s important to actually listen to the instrument before you place the mic and find the place where the sound has the most balanced representation of the instrument, or the “sweet spot.”

How To Find The Sweet Spot

Depending upon pickup pattern of the mic you’ll be using, you’ll have to approximate the way it captures audio when you’re listening. Here are some tips on just how to do that.

• To correctly place an omni microphone, cover one ear and listen with the other. Move around the player or sound source until you find a spot where the frequencies from the instrument are the most balanced and place the mic there.
• To place a cardioid microphone, cover one ear and cup your hand behind the other ear and listen. Move around the player or sound source until you find a spot where the frequencies from the instrument are the most balanced.
• For a stereo pair, cup your hands behind both ears. Move around the player or sound source until you find a spot where the frequencies from the instrument are the most balanced.

The Sound At The Source

Contrary to what many might think, just having great recording equipment doesn’t automatically guarantee that you’ll capture great sounds. The problem is that you can’t really quantify how much each variable in the recording process contributes to how a recording ultimately sounds, since each situation, even within the same project, is unique. That said, you can generally break it down to something like this:

• The player and the instrument contribute at least 50% to the overall sound (sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less – but always the greatest portion). Simply put, it’s got to be in the fingers (or embouchure, or vocal chords, etc.) first.
• The room contributes about 20% to the overall sound. Even on close-miked instruments, the room is far more responsible for the ultimate sound than many engineers realize.
• The mic position contributes about 20% to the overall sound. Placement is really your acoustic EQ and is responsible for the instrument’s blend in the track.
• The mic choice contributes about 10% to the overall sound. This is the last little bit that takes a good sound and makes it great.

If something doesn’t sound right, there are a lot of things to change before you reach for the EQ. Try the following in this order:

1. Change the source, if possible (the instrument you’re miking)
2. Change the mic placement
3. Change the placement in the room
4. Change the mic
5. Change the mic preamplifier
6. Change the amount of compression and/or limiting (from none to a lot)
7. Change the room you’re recording in
8. Change the player
9. Come back and try it another day

General Mic Placement Principles

Instead of looking at the mic placement used on specific instruments, here are a number of guidelines that work in almost any situation.

• One of the reasons for close-miking is to avoid leakage into other mics so that the engineer can have more flexibility in balancing the ensemble in the mix. If at all possible, give the mic some distance from the source in order to let the sound develop, and be captured, naturally.
• The best mic position cannot be predicted, it must be found. It’s OK to start from a place that you know has worked in the past, but be prepared to experiment with the placement a bit since each recording situation is different. The song, arrangement, player, instrument, recording environment, and signal path all have a bearing on the final sound, and chances are that at least one of those parameters has changed since the last time you recorded.
• If the majority of the sound will come from the room, start getting sounds from those mics first, and then add any other mics that act as support.
• The 200 to 600Hz range is where the proximity effect often shows up and is why many engineers cut the EQ in this range. If a number of directional microphones are being used at the same time in a close-mic situation, they will all be subject to the proximity effect, and you should expect a buildup of this frequency range in the mix as a result. This is another good reason to use a variety of mics and different directional patterns, so that the proximity effect buildup is diminished.
• A huge sound is a larger than life sound, but that doesn’t always come as a result of something being loud. One way to accomplish a larger than life sound is by recording a sound that is softer than the recording will most likely be played back. For instance, sometimes an electric guitar run through a 5 watt amp with an 8-inch speaker can sound bigger than a 100 watt Marshall stack.

The above guidelines can be used in just about any recording application and will help you deliver a sound that goes way beyond the normal cookie-cutter “this is where to put it” mic placement. Good recording!

ABOUT BOBBY OWSINSKI: He is the author of 16 books on recording, music and the music business as well as several outstanding, step-by-step video courses for Lynda.com, including Audio Recording Techniques, Audio Mastering Techniques, Mastering for iTunes and the Audio Mixing Bootcamp.

Learn more at:

http://www.lynda.com/Audio-tutorials/Audio-Recording-Techniques/95612-2.html

http://www.lynda.com/Bobby-Owsinski/1149115-1.html

By: John Born, Rob Klegon and Chad Wiggins

Beta microphones, first introduced in 1989, have earned a reputation among touring pros and recording engineers for rugged reliability and construction (a Shure signature), precise sound reproduction, low handling noise and high gain before feedback. Everyone knows that.  Beta mics, like their indefatigable SM cousins, turn in a solid, no-surprises performance that make them favorites of artists as diverse as Boney James, Herbie Hancock and Maroon 5.   Engineers, too.

But late in 2010, Shure had some surprises in store for Beta fans and the larger pro audio community with the introduction of the ultra-compact Beta 181 side-address condenser microphone.  Not only is this tiny titan an “ace in small places”, it is the first wired mic from Shure that features a choice of four interchangeable polar pattern capsules. The side address form factor enables the Beta 181 to go places where traditional end-address “pencils” simply won’t fit and the interchangeable heads give great versatility to an endless amount of applications, environments, and stage volumes.

Shure’s Chad Wiggins puts it this way: “It’s so compact; it can really fit in anywhere, whether it’s under a piano lid or in, around, and over a drum kit. And because it offers a selection of interchangeable capsules, musicians and engineers can get really creative with their mic placement, depending on the sounds they’re trying to achieve.”  Its side-address design makes it versatile enough for stereo miking applications plus it’s as practical on the road as it is in the studio. Two more reasons why it won the TEC Award for Microphone Technology and Sound Reinforcement at the 27^th Annual Awards at NAMM in January 2012.

Lately it’s been grabbing some serious attention, not only for its good looks, but its amazing sound quality and versatility. In this article, we’ll highlight the features of the Beta 181 and where it’s finding a home all over the stage or in your project studio.

Just how versatile is the Beta 181?  We asked Shure’s John Born and Rob Klegon to share instrument-miking tips for stereo recording, piano, acoustic guitar, drums and percussion.

Let’s look at them one by one.

Stereo Recording

The advantages: With four polar pattern options, the Beta 181 can literally perform any stereo technique in the book for a wide array of stereo images and options.

XY: Use 2 Cardioid heads at 90 degrees to each other. Offers good separation and minimal phase issues.

Blumlein Pair: Use 2 Bi-directional heads at 90 degrees for a highly realistic stereo image.

Mid-Side (M-S): Use a cardioid and Bi-directional head and change the width of the stereo image later.

Want to know more about stereo miking techniques?  Check out this podcast.

Piano

The advantages: When used with Shure’s new A75M universal clamp, the side address form factor allows you the ability to get the lid closed on most grand pianos, which improves gain-before-feedback.

For Live Reinforcement: Use cardioid or supercardioid patterns clamped to the spine of the piano using the A75M clamp. Place each Beta 181 near the hammers just behind the long structural support that runs the length of the lid (use gaffers tape to protect the finish of the piano before using the clamp). One for high and one for low; you’ll get great attack from the hammers with plenty of gain due to the textbook polar patterns and ability to close the lid.

For Studio Recording: If you’re tracking without other instruments in the room, try spaced omnis for a more natural open sound. If you need the isolation, try the live sound technique, close the lid, and drape packing blankets over the piano for increased isolation.

Acoustic Guitar

The advantages: The Beta 181 sound quality brings out the clarity, presence and tone in your guitar while giving you easy placement due to the side address form factor.

With four polar pattern options, try mixing and matching 2 mics, one further on the neck and the other at the sound hole.  You’ll be amazed at the tonal consistency you’ll receive between polar patterns while giving you two distinct sounds due to the mic placement.

In a studio environment, try putting the omnidirectional about 2’ back from the sound source.  In a good sounding room, this can add richness to your recording for any instrument.

If you’re recording a vocal track at the same time, try the supercardioid capsule and slightly angle the mic downward for the most separation between your vocal mic and guitar mic.  For increased separation, try a dynamic mic on your vocals (Like the Shure SM7B) to really isolate them from each other.

Drums & Percussion

The Advantages:  The Beta 181 can find a home anywhere on your drum set or auxiliary percussion setup. Being a side address mic, the Beta 181 sneaks under a cymbal on floor tom or snare with ease and offers plenty of headroom and SPL capabilities. Add in the A75M clamp and the interchangeable heads and your possibilities are endless.

Snare: Try a supercardioid head right between the hat and first tom for maximum rejection or use a bidirectional head directly under the hi-hat and capture both with one mic. For snare bottom try a cardioid and remember to flip the phase (to maintain coherency between your top snare mic).  The discreet form factor easily maneuvers between your drum hardware.

Toms: Use the bidirectional head and place it between the two rack drums. The null of the pattern will give you great isolation from the kick drum and provide minimal phase issues with your overheads.

Overheads: Try any of the stereo techniques mentioned above.  Each technique will offer different stereo images and provide a clean crisp look due to the low profile design of the Beta 181.  Use a single Bidirectional microphone to capture both sides of the drum set with one mic.  The Beta 181 also makes a great underhead mic when a very direct cymbal sound is desired.

Congas/Bongos: The bidirectional head between the two drums works great in this scenario. Or you can mount two cardioids in an XY between the two drums for a huge stereo image.

Talk about a Mic Shoot-out!

Shure Beta mics are known for taking some serious abuse.  Continuing this tradition, the Beta 181 features a machined capsule housing with a hardened-braised grille and die-cast preamp. In fact, to ensure the grille will hold up to a massive drumstick whack, Shure designed a new quality test that fires a drum stick tip from an air pistol directly at the grille of the Beta 181. This means it will survive even the wildest drummer.

Last but not least…a few comments from engineers!

“The Omni Pattern on the Beta 181 is my favorite on acoustic guitars in the studio.  It’s very natural and versatile.” – Eric Schilling (Grammy Award Winning Engineer)

“Love, love these mics.  For a drummer, I really don’t want a microphone getting in the way. The Beta 181′s are perfect for that. The sound of the mic is crisp – great low end and great punch. I’m using them all over the world.” – Charlie Benante, Anthrax

“We began using the Beta 181 on the top of the Leslie cabinet about a year ago and haven’t looked back. The mics are placed on opposite sides, right next to the louvers on the outside of the cabinet. The console eq is flat, the image is wide, and the Leslie sounds in the PA like you are sitting right in front of it. Perfect!” – Hugh Johnson, FOH Engineer for Vince Gill

Got a favorite side-address mic tip to share? Please share it below!