…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

Walking into the Metro is always a nostalgic treat, so many great rock shows took place there and it is the epitomy of the term “rock club.” I made my way up the stairs and caught the band setting up and preparing for a sound check. Jeff Neuberger, the band’s monitor engineer greeted me and walked me around the stage, pointing out all of the Shure gear responsible for Cults’ sound. On vocals, KSM9 was the favorite. Guitar cabinets were captured with SM57s. The drum kit featured Beta 52A and Beta 91A on kick and SM57 and Beta 181/C on snare. A Beta 52A was also the complement to the bass cabinet. Finally, the band took a mix from Jeff in monitor world through the PSM 900 personal monitor systems.

As the band ran through a few tunes and the lighting tech set the mood, I ran down to the legendary green room to set up for my interview with the band. In about an hour or so, the venue went quiet, letting me know that it would soon be time to sit down with Brian and Madeline and learn a little more about Cults. Looking back on it now, it was a pretty good conversation. We’ll be posting this soon, so stay tuned.

Leaving the band to their own devices, I met up with legendary photographer Paul Natkin for some dinner at Uncommon Ground, one of the sites for our National Open Mic Night. This place is always packed, but Paul knows everyone, so the 10 -15 minute wait turned into, “Please follow this gentlemen to your table.” This is a great place if you ever make it to Chicago, very organic and green-minded. The acoustic music that takes place there is pretty incredible, too. I have to make a note to show up in mid-November for the Jeff Buckley Tribute Show. I’m a big fan, but never got around to going. After listening to Paul talk about it, I’m making my plans already.

After milking our dinner time for every minute we could, we made our way back to the venue… two hours to show time and nothing to do but check out the opener and people watch.

Finally, 11 PM rolled around and Cults took the stage to a screaming crowd. It’s always interesting to see how a band is going to pull off certain elements of songs from their album, and I have to say, they pulled it off effortlessly. The sound on stage was a little more aggressive than the album, making it a little more lively for an onlooking crowd. All in all, a great show and a great band. I can’t wait to see what comes next from Cults. This evening also ended with a stop at White Castle.

-Cory

A series of shows was being recorded during a residency at Grocery on Home in Atlanta, GA… audio in a small venue is always a challenge. Ben and company reached out to us and put us up to the challenge of capturing Ben’s vocals, cello and overall vibe of the room. Sounded like a job for the KSM9 on vocals and Beta 181 on cello and ultimate room vibe. The Beta 98AMP made an appearance on the toms and snare, KSM32 was on overheads duty and employed to mic the big bass drum, Beta 91A in the cajon, KSM9 on the box and the standard SM57 on amp. The captivating results are evident on Ben’s latest recording, Live At The Grocery On Home. Ben Sollee was joined by fellow musicians Casey Driessen (fiddle and mandocaster) and Jordon Ellis (drums, cajon and samples) and the vibe is certainly captured, it feels like you’re there, really. Here’s a link to the CNN story… http://bit.ly/xJToh3

Ben will be coming to Chicago soon and I will definitely be there. In the meantime, I will keep this CD on repeat, picking up on every nuance our trusty Shure microphones captured. Thanks to Grayson Hunter for the great photos and thanks to Mr. Ben Sollee for making us a part of this very cool project.

- Cory

A microphone’s Polar Pattern defines how it responds to sounds coming from different directions. Understanding this specification will help you maximize pick up of desired sound sources, while minimizing feedback and background noise.

Watch as we demonstrate mics with the following polar patterns: omnidirectional, unidirectional, cardioid, supercardioid and bidirectional.

• Understanding Mic Specs, Part 1 (Operating Principle)
• Understanding Mic Specs, Part 2 (Frequency Response)
• Understanding Mic Specs, Part 4 (Electrical Output)

In Part II, we define Frequency Response—the range of frequencies a microphone can reproduce—and explain the differences between mics with flat response vs. shaped response. Watching the video will help you make better choices when buying microphones and will also ensure you understand how to get the best results.

Check out the other videos in this series:

• Understanding Mic Specs, Part 1 (Operating Principle)
• Understanding Mic Specs, Part 3 (Polar Pattern)
• Understanding Mic Specs, Part 4 (Electrical Output)

In Part I, we discuss the Operating Principle – how dynamic and condenser microphones work.  Understanding these concepts is essential to choosing the right microphone for singers, presenters, or instrumentalists.

Check out the other videos in this series:

• Understanding Mic Specs, Part 2 (Frequency Response)
• Understanding Mic Specs, Part 3 (Polar Pattern)
• Understanding Mic Specs, Part 4 (Electrical Output)

According to Apps chief Michael Pettersen, one recurring question is: “Will my microphone (wired or wireless) model ‘X’ work with my whatchamacallit?” Or “Why doesn’t my Shure mic work as expected with my new i-Thingamabob?”  While we’d love to have the microphone input specifications of every device in the world that needs a microphone, it’s just an impossible task.    Instead, we’ve provided a few signposts that will help your navigate this sometimes-frustrating journey.

To select the proper microphone, it is essential to have specifications for the microphone input of your device.  Typically, these specifications will be provided in the Owner’s Manual, most of which (for current or recent products) are online and free.

Vital Microphone Input Specification #1
Called ‘Input Sensitivity’ or ‘Nominal Input Level’, this specification indicates how strong of a signal the microphone must supply to satisfy the microphone input of the device. This specification might be given in millivolts (mV), or volts (V), or in a minus dB form (-dBV, -dBm, -dBu, -dBs).

In the Shure product line, there is a wide variation of microphone signal levels available depending on the model. If a microphone is selected whose signal level is too low for the device, the audio will be noisy and low in level.  If a microphone is selected whose signal level is too great for the device, the audio will be distorted and unintelligible.  Proper matching of the microphone’s signal level to the device’s required input level is imperative.

Vital Microphone Input Specification #2
 Called ‘input impedance’ or ‘actual input impedance’, this specification is important as it determines the proper impedance range of the chosen microphone. This specification will be given in ohms.  Contrary to popular audio mythology, the impedance of a microphone does not need to exactly match the input impedance of the device.

In the Shure product line, there are different impedances available depending on the microphone model. If a microphone is selected whose impedance is lower than, or equal to, the device’s input impedance, the microphone will work as long as it provides the proper signal level – see #1 above.  If a microphone is selected whose impedance is greater than the device’s input impedance, the microphone will not deliver its full signal level to the device and the audio will be noisy and low in level.

Vital Microphone Input Specification #3a, #3b, And #3c
The final requirements are:

a) The type of microphone input connector on the device
b) How many connection points are inside the connector
c) What is the function of each connection point

This specification will be the name of the connector, such as: XLR female, 3.5 mm mini-phone jack, TRS 1/4 inch female phone jack, screw terminals, TINI QG connector.

Each of these connectors has at least two connection points and most have three (or more) connection points.  Common circuit functions include: ground, audio send, audio return, and DC bias. It is imperative that the circuit function of each connection point be known so that the proper microphone wiring can be determined.

In the Shure product line, there are different wiring schemes available depending on the microphone model. If the microphone connections are not properly matched to the device’s input connector, there may be no audio, or funny sounding audio, or the microphone might be damaged if there is an unexpected voltage appearing on the device’s connection points.

And finally, just because two connectors mate does not mean that each is wired the same.

Lab Test
Now that we knew what we were looking for, we set out to determine how easy or difficult it might be to find this information. We put it to the test by thinking about which kinds of devices you might want to connect to your microphone and settled on BeachTek’s DXA-SLR, a camera adapter that’s tripod bushing-mounted and used to power two condenser mics.

The challenge: Answer these questions with available resources online or contact the manufacturer.  And if we contacted the manufacturer, how long would we wait to get a response?   Here’s what we discovered:

Input sensitivity
In this case, it relates to the camera device (rather than the adapter)

LO Gain:             -51dBu
HI Gain:              -36dBu

Input Impedance
According to our BeachTek expert: “If you look at the specs of most mics, they usually indicate a minimum input impedance of 1k ohm. Virtually all of today’s audio equipment has an input impedance much higher than that.”

Type of connector

• Balanced XLR (2)
• Unbalanced mini-jack (1)
• RCA inputs (2)  – for playback monitoring

 Number of connection points

• 3 pin for XLR

Function of each connection point
On XLR connectors, these are standard:

• Pin 1 – Ground pin
• Pins 2 & 3 – Signal carrying

BeachTek on condenser microphones: “These mics have much higher sensitivity than dynamic mics but require power to operate. They will either have a built-in battery or be powered by an external power source called phantom power – normally 48 volts. Phantom power can come from a mixer, camera or our DXA-SLR adapter – it sends 48 volts down the XLR cable on pins 2 and 3 to power the mic.”

We were able to find most of the information we were looking for by checking out the operating instructions for the DXA-SLR we found online. Remaining answers were provided by BeachTek’s CEO, Harry Kaufmann, who picked up the phone and called us back within an hour or two of our email message.  According to Harry, “In this case, we’re manufacturing the adapter, so customers have to be especially careful to match the mic’s characteristics to the device’s, which in this case is a camera.”  And just like Shure, he said, “We get calls, too. There’s almost nothing more important than educating our customers.”

CONCLUSION
So there you have it. There are many variables that affect whether a particular microphone (wired or wireless) will work properly with a particular device.  Still stumped?  If online resources or the printed materials that came with your device don’t include the specifications indicated here, get in touch with the manufacturer.  Not all will have the real time ‘talk to a real human being’ technical support that Shure offers, but most will offer some level of customer service.

Upon arriving to the Congress Theatre on a cold Saturday in late January for the Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival, I encountered the Drive-By Truckers and their faithful crew, all set-up and ready to try out a few “special” KSM9 microphones I brought specifically for their live stage. Once I opened the case of mics I brought along, it was like that scene in Pulp Fiction, when Vincent and Jules open Mr. Wallace’s briefcase and the characters are captivated by what’s inside and giving off a soft, angelic, golden glow. Soon Colin (monitor engineer) and Matt (front-of-house engineer), were asking what I had for guitar cabinets, pedal steel, cymbals, overheads… Shure mics were soon everywhere on stage and ready for critique by the band and the engineers. KSM9s were on the vocals, KSM313, KSM32, SM7B and SM57s were on guitar cabinets, Beta 181C on pedal steel, KSM141 on cymbals, Beta 98AMP/C on toms, and VP88 on overheads.

I proceeded to the front of the stage and listened as the band ran through a few tunes. I could tell the focus was very heavily focused on guitars and vocals as Matt and Colin made their adjustments. Once everything seemed finely blended and at an ample decibel level, I made my way back to the stage to get some initial feedback on the recent microphone placements. Colin was completely floored by the “special” KSM9s I brought along, pointing out the frequency response and rejection. Matt kept it simple and said, “I like it.” When asked which one, he replied, “All of it!” This could have gone a completely different way, it’s not often that a band will change that many mics in one soundcheck and use those same mics for a show later that evening. There was certainly an element of trust; in me and moreover in Shure’s product line.

Once the Truckers made their way back to tour bus world, Dawes showed up for load-in, traveling light as this was a fly date for the quartet from LA. Yours truly was on microphone duty for this visit as well, but Wes Delk (front of house engineer) and I sorted through the mics and where they would end up on stage weeks prior to this show. I handed out a few mics to Wes and soon enough the guys were ready for soundcheck as well. Watching the guys run through a few tunes, some gawkers on the side of the stage started to marvel a bit and made a note to check out the Dawes set later that evening.

So with everything in its right place, there wasn’t much left to do besides have dinner and maybe catch a few bands on the extensive bill. There was certainly a lot of down time and this is where life on the road gets a little mundane. Somehow, we found ways to make the time pass and soon enough Dawes was making their way to the stage.

This whole “festival” started at around 4 pm that day. There were bands in the lobby of the venue, in the balcony of the venue and bands sharing the main stage as well. At around 10 pm, Dawes launched into their first tune. Again, as I mentioned in my earlier post about Dawes, this is a band you have to check out and get to a live show the next time they’re in own. There’s something there that a lot of us feel will be there for quite some time.

With Dawes off the stage and their dressing room filling with fans new and old, the stage is readied for the Drive-By Truckers set. It was now about 11 pm and the Congress Theatre was still filled with eager fans. Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley and company proceeded to play for the next two and a half hours. They certainly have the musical catalog to support more than that, but a strict curfew made them complete their set by 1:30 am… making it officially Sunday morning. They sounded fantastic that night, maybe it was that microphone selection from earlier that day? Of course, Shure can’t take all the credit, the Truckers are a great live band; masters of life on the road.

As I packed up my last mic, letting Colin keep the vocal mics for their next gig (he wasn’t gonna let me leave with them anyway), I made my way back to the southside. Of course, no late night venture for a southsider is complete without a trip to White Castle, and at around 2:30 am, that’s where I officially ended my evening. Love this life.

 -Cory

One of the most commonly asked questions in professional audio is “What microphone can I use that doesn’t cause feedback?” The answer is: no such microphone exists. Feedback results from a combination of many factors, including loudspeaker placement, microphone placement, and the frequency response of both devices and room acoustics.

It’s a complicated process. Entire books have been written on the subject and the mathematical formulas that model feedback are quite involved. So let’s summarize the problem.

What is it?

Feedback is an oscillation at a resonant frequency of your sound system and the room. Take a soda bottle and blow over the top. It will resonate at a certain frequency depending on the volume inside. Change the inside volume by adding liquid and the resonant frequency changes. Feedback is analogous to blowing over the bottle top.

Each mic is slightly different; therefore each one will resonate at different frequencies. Each loudspeaker is slightly different and will resonate at different frequencies. Each location in the room has its own resonant frequency. As the gain of your sound system is increased, eventually a common resonant frequency is found and the system (mic – loudspeaker – room) goes into feedback. Change one component, or location, and the feedback will also change. The resulting noise is a sustained, ringing tone, which can vary from a low rumble to a piercing screech.

What causes it?

The root causes of feedback are irregularities in the frequency response and polar patterns of the microphones, the loudspeakers, and the room acoustics. Consider this example: You have three Shure SM58® mics, but the manufacturing tolerance of those mics over the complete frequency range is +/- 3dB. At any certain frequency, two of your SM58s might have an output variation of 6dB. Loudspeakers are even worse with many having variations of +/- 6dB, which equals a range of +12dB. And room acoustics can boost certain frequencies due to room resonance as much as +/- 12dB! This is a range of 24dB. With this much variation, it’s no surprise that mics in a slightly different locations will feed back differently.

Also note that each time the number of open mics in a sound system is doubled (1 to 2, 2 to 4, 4 to 8, etc.), the overall gain of the sound system drops by 3 dB. This means that more open mics equals less gain in the PA system.

Simply stated, feedback occurs whenever the sound entering a microphone is reproduced by a loudspeaker, picked up by the microphone, and re-amplified again and again. The familiar howl of feedback is an oscillation that is triggered by sound entering the microphone. The easiest way to create feedback is to point a microphone directly into a loudspeaker. (We don’t recommend you try this!) Placing the microphone too close to the loudspeaker, too far from the sound source, or simply turning the microphone up too loud exacerbates feedback problems.

What can I do about feedback?

You can:

• Change the acoustics by adding sound absorbing material walls.
• Change to different mics that have different resonance frequencies.
• Use in-ear monitors to eliminate the feedback path from loudspeaker monitors to mics.
• Employ precise parametric equalization that might add 4 to 6 dB of gain. Change to loudspeakers with a very smooth frequency response at all frequencies and all angles (big money!).

The single easiest way to reduce feedback is to:

• Move the microphone closer to the desired sound source
• Increase the amount of gain before feedback by using a directional microphone (cardioid, supercardioid, etc.)
• Reduce the number of open microphones
• Try to keep microphones and loudspeakers as far away from each other as possible.
• Acoustically treat the room (if possible) to eliminate hard, reflective surfaces such as glass, marble, and wood

But wait – there’s more!

When all of these solutions have been exhausted, the next step is to look toward equalizers and automatic feedback reducers.

A common technique used by sound engineers is “ringing out” a sound system by using a graphic equalizer to reduce the level of the frequencies that feed back first. After the techniques described in the above section have been applied, slowly bring up the system level until you begin to hear feedback. Now go to the equalizer and pull down the offending frequency (roughly 3dB). If the feedback is a “hoot” or “howl”, try cutting in the 250 to 500 Hz range. A “singing” tone may be around 1 kHz. “Whistles” and “screeches” tend to be above 2 kHz. Very rarely does feedback occur below 80 Hz or above 8 kHz. It takes practice to develop an ear for equalizing a sound system, so be patient.

After locating the first feedback frequency, begin turning up the system again until the next frequency begins ringing. Repeat these steps until the desired level is reached, but don’t over-equalize. Keep in mind the equalizers can only provide a maximum level increase of 3 to 9 dB.

Parametric equalizers, though more confusing to the novice user, allow for more precise control of feedback frequencies. A graphic EQ allows the user to cut fixed frequencies with a fixed filter width. A parametric EQ allows the user to isolate specific frequencies and adjust the width and depth of the filter.

Automatic feedback reducers will accomplish the same results. They find and cut the frequencies that are feeding back automatically. The same precautions listed above apply to feedback reducers as well as equalizers. Automatic feedback reducers are very helpful in wireless microphone applications.

Back to basics

Remember that microphone placement is crucial to eliminating feedback, and the temptation to wander away from the ideal microphone position when using a wireless mic is great. If the performer gets too close to a loudspeaker, feedback will result; a good feedback reducer will be able to catch and eliminate the feedback faster than a human operator.

Proper implementation of these techniques will go a long way toward eliminating feedback in your sound system. Don’t rely solely on equalizers or feedback reducers, and remember that feedback results from more than just the microphone.

So, here’s what led to this singular thought as I jockeyed for position in the over-crowded over-sold parking lot. I had been speaking with Cage The Elephant‘s front of house engineer Bruce Wheeler on the phone since we brought the band on as endorsers at about this time last year. We never met face to face, so that was objective number one for my visit to the venue on the lake. I was also granted the opportunity to interview Matt and Brad Shultz, the two brothers from Cage and get some live shots of the band in action via one of our favorite local Chicago photographers Karen Hoyt. For the record, the band was certainly “in action” that night, but we’ll get into that in a moment.

I met up with Mr. Wheeler in the parking lot and we proceeded to head towards the band’s bus for the interview. I had brought along a UHF-R Wireless system for the band’s bass player Daniel Tichenor to try out… it seems the cord from the bass and the cord from front man Matt Shultz’s SM58 are getting into an unhealthy knot throughout the show. See the band live and you’ll understand why, Matt is not one for standing still nor staying on the actual stage for very long.

Once on the bus I met the band and the rest of the crew, all very polite and inviting of the new comer to their traveling domain. The brothers Shultz grabbed some couch and we let the camera roll for a quick interview on the beginnings of the band, the tour, the new album and all of the Shure mics one will find on the Cage stage. Look for this interview on our MySpace page very soon…

I let the guys get back to pre-show rituals and preparations and joined one of our Applications gurus, Tim Vear for some wireless trouble shooting with Cage’s monitor engineer on the stage. I got a call earlier that day about some trouble he was experiencing with wireless interference while sharing the stage with Stone Temple Pilots. I suggested he speak with the expert on all things wireless, Tim Vear to solve the issue. Next thing I know, Tim is on his way to the venue, problem solving apparatus in hand to come to the rescue. There was definitely a lot going on… antennas on the stage, a gigantic concave LED light wall for the STP portion of the show, and of course the Sears/Willis Tower and its looming antennas all can certainly create a situation for anyone wanting to join in the spectrum with a wireless product.

Low and behold, Tim saved the day and it’s safe to say Jay the monitor engineer was grateful and learned a thing or two in the process.

The backstage area was beginning to shift into show mode, so I headed to the front of the stage to catch Fang Island from Brooklyn, NY. There are lots of good things coming out of the east coast these days, especially Brooklyn, and Fang Island can certainly be added to the list of “good things.” The sound is very orchestrated and artsy… Wikipedia calls it math rock and the band describes the sound as “everyone high-fiving everyone.” The band blazed through their 45 minute warm up slot at break neck speed as the outdoor venue began to fill with a mixed bag of seasoned STP fans and Cage The Elephant die hards.

The stage was at a fever pitch as Fang Island left and Cage The Elephant was there momentarily to replace them. Almost instantly, at the first crack of the snare drum and the first strum of the guitar, frontman Matt Shultz began frantically convulsing and delivering his frenzied vocals to the audience packed at the front of the stage. He soon joined them in one of several stage dive/crowd surfing moments, and this would become the routine for the rest of the set. The band’s stage tech had perhaps the most interesting duty of all for the evening… fishing a 100′ cable through the crowd, which was attached to an SM58 being held by Matt as he floated above the masses tossing him around like a half inflated beach ball.

My favorite moment of the evening was one of pure rock chaos one seldom is witness to these days. As Cage approached the end of their set, Brad Shultz sensed failure in the guitar he’d been vigorously strumming throughout the evening and abruptly shoved it to the stage floor where it bounced and seemingly clutched the side of the amp it landed next to, begging for a second chance to perform. Brad obligingly grabbed the guitar by the neck, strapped it on and gave it a strum… nothing. At this point the guitar was removed and holding the body of the guitar, Brad cracked the neck across the front of his amp and tossed the guitar to its final resting place amongst the pedals and cords that accompany the rest of his rig. Without skipping a beat he rushed to the front of the stage taking in the thunderous cheers that followed his rock n’ roll spectacle and soon joined his brother in the crowd surfing ritual.

Once back on stage the brothers Shultz continued to get the now packed venue wound up and ready for STP. Matt bounced around the stage kicking and flailing while his band continued to bound through the set closer. Brad had now taken position behind drummer Jared Champion, and with a drum stick he pilfered from the spare stick bag, began to crack away on the crash cymbal until the band hit the last note and abruptly left the stage and the screaming masses at the foot of it.

Once back stage, I congratulated the guys on a great set, as did the DeLeo brothers from Stone Temple Pilots. I talked to Brad about the guitar incident, and it turned out that it was one of his favorite guitars. As Cage The Elephant wound down in their dressing room, STP was just about to hit the stage and I was told to check the show out from the crowd to truly appreciate the LED light show and sound coming from this now legendary band. I did. It was all that I was told it would be and the crowd was hanging on every note.

Towards the end of the evening, as STP was finishing their hit list, I began to say my goodbyes and firm up any last minute details back stage. I ran into Mr. and Mrs. De Leo, the parents of the brothers DeLeo from STP. They seemed to really be enjoying the show, and I commented to Mrs. DeLeo, “The boys sound great tonight, they still got it.” To which she replied, “I know, they sure do.”

This was a good night for rock n’ roll and as the rain began to sprinkle the crowds heading to the parking lots and to their respective vehicles, I joined them to jockey for position out of the one exit in existence that lead to the road home. Clearly my ALL ACCESS pass was not going to get me anywhere in this situation.

-Cory

So, here’s what led to this singular thought as I jockeyed for position in the over-crowded over-sold parking lot. I had been speaking with Cage The Elephant‘s front of house engineer Bruce Wheeler on the phone since we brought the band on as endorsers at about this time last year. We never met face to face, so that was objective number one for my visit to the venue on the lake. I was also granted the opportunity to interview Matt and Brad Shultz, the two brothers from Cage and get some live shots of the band in action via one of our favorite local Chicago photographers Karen Hoyt. For the record, the band was certainly “in action” that night, but we’ll get into that in a moment.

I met up with Mr. Wheeler in the parking lot and we proceeded to head towards the band’s bus for the interview. I had brought along a UHF-R Wireless system for the band’s bass player Daniel Tichenor to try out… it seems the cord from the bass and the cord from front man Matt Shultz’s SM58 are getting into an unhealthy knot throughout the show. See the band live and you’ll understand why, Matt is not one for standing still nor staying on the actual stage for very long.

Once on the bus I met the band and the rest of the crew, all very polite and inviting of the new comer to their traveling domain. The brothers Shultz grabbed some couch and we let the camera roll for a quick interview on the beginnings of the band, the tour, the new album and all of the Shure mics one will find on the Cage stage. Look for this interview on our MySpace page very soon…

I let the guys get back to pre-show rituals and preparations and joined one of our Applications gurus, Tim Vear for some wireless trouble shooting with Cage’s monitor engineer on the stage. I got a call earlier that day about some trouble he was experiencing with wireless interference while sharing the stage with Stone Temple Pilots. I suggested he speak with the expert on all things wireless, Tim Vear to solve the issue. Next thing I know, Tim is on his way to the venue, problem solving apparatus in hand to come to the rescue. There was definitely a lot going on… antennas on the stage, a gigantic concave LED light wall for the STP portion of the show, and of course the Sears/Willis Tower and its looming antennas all can certainly create a situation for anyone wanting to join in the spectrum with a wireless product.

Low and behold, Tim saved the day and it’s safe to say Jay the monitor engineer was grateful and learned a thing or two in the process.

The backstage area was beginning to shift into show mode, so I headed to the front of the stage to catch Fang Island from Brooklyn, NY. There are lots of good things coming out of the east coast these days, especially Brooklyn, and Fang Island can certainly be added to the list of “good things.” The sound is very orchestrated and artsy… Wikipedia calls it math rock and the band describes the sound as “everyone high-fiving everyone.” The band blazed through their 45 minute warm up slot at break neck speed as the outdoor venue began to fill with a mixed bag of seasoned STP fans and Cage The Elephant die hards.

The stage was at a fever pitch as Fang Island left and Cage The Elephant was there momentarily to replace them. Almost instantly, at the first crack of the snare drum and the first strum of the guitar, frontman Matt Shultz began frantically convulsing and delivering his frenzied vocals to the audience packed at the front of the stage. He soon joined them in one of several stage dive/crowd surfing moments, and this would become the routine for the rest of the set. The band’s stage tech had perhaps the most interesting duty of all for the evening… fishing a 100′ cable through the crowd, which was attached to an SM58 being held by Matt as he floated above the masses tossing him around like a half inflated beach ball.

My favorite moment of the evening was one of pure rock chaos one seldom is witness to these days. As Cage approached the end of their set, Brad Shultz sensed failure in the guitar he’d been vigorously strumming throughout the evening and abruptly shoved it to the stage floor where it bounced and seemingly clutched the side of the amp it landed next to, begging for a second chance to perform. Brad obligingly grabbed the guitar by the neck, strapped it on and gave it a strum… nothing. At this point the guitar was removed and holding the body of the guitar, Brad cracked the neck across the front of his amp and tossed the guitar to its final resting place amongst the pedals and cords that accompany the rest of his rig. Without skipping a beat he rushed to the front of the stage taking in the thunderous cheers that followed his rock n’ roll spectacle and soon joined his brother in the crowd surfing ritual.

Once back on stage the brothers Shultz continued to get the now packed venue wound up and ready for STP. Matt bounced around the stage kicking and flailing while his band continued to bound through the set closer. Brad had now taken position behind drummer Jared Champion, and with a drum stick he pilfered from the spare stick bag, began to crack away on the crash cymbal until the band hit the last note and abruptly left the stage and the screaming masses at the foot of it.

Once back stage, I congratulated the guys on a great set, as did the DeLeo brothers from Stone Temple Pilots. I talked to Brad about the guitar incident, and it turned out that it was one of his favorite guitars. As Cage The Elephant wound down in their dressing room, STP was just about to hit the stage and I was told to check the show out from the crowd to truly appreciate the LED light show and sound coming from this now legendary band. I did. It was all that I was told it would be and the crowd was hanging on every note.

Towards the end of the evening, as STP was finishing their hit list, I began to say my goodbyes and firm up any last minute details back stage. I ran into Mr. and Mrs. De Leo, the parents of the brothers DeLeo from STP. They seemed to really be enjoying the show, and I commented to Mrs. DeLeo, “The boys sound great tonight, they still got it.” To which she replied, “I know, they sure do.”

This was a good night for rock n’ roll and as the rain began to sprinkle the crowds heading to the parking lots and to their respective vehicles, I joined them to jockey for position out of the one exit in existence that lead to the road home. Clearly my ALL ACCESS pass was not going to get me anywhere in this situation.

-Cory

Why Use A Wireless Microphone System?

Wireless microphone systems serve one important purpose: to eliminate the cable which connects the micro phone (or musical instrument) to the sound system. This gives the user greater freedom to move around, without being restrained by a cable. In general, one wireless system replaces one standard wired microphone in a typical sound system. For example, a wireless system specifically designed for use with electric guitar (or bass) replaces the cable that links the instrument to its amplifier.

System Components and What They Do

A wireless system consists of three main components: an input device, a transmitter, and a receiver. The input device provides the audio signal that will be sent out by the transmitter. It may be a microphone, such as a handheld vocalist’s model, or a lavalier “tie-clip” type. With wireless systems designed for use with electric guitars, the guitar itself is the input device.

The transmitter handles the conversion of the audio signal into a radio signal and broadcasts it through an antenna. The antenna may stick out from the bottom of the transmitter or it may be concealed inside. The strength of the radio signal is limited by government regulations. The distance that the signal can effectively travel ranges from 100 feet to over 1,000 feet, depending on conditions.

Transmitters are available in two basic types. One type, called a “body-pack” or “belt-pack” transmitter, is a small box about the same size as a packet of cigarettes. The transmitter clips to the user’s belt or may be worn on the body. For instrument applications, a body-pack transmitter is often clipped to a guitar strap or attached directly to an instrument such as a trumpet or saxophone. In the case of a handheld wireless microphone, the transmitter is built into the handle of the microphone, resulting in a wireless mic that is only slightly larger than a standard wired microphone. Usually, a variety of microphone elements or “heads” are available for handheld wireless microphones. All wireless transmitters require a battery (usually a 9-volt alkaline type) to operate.

The job of the receiver is to pick up the radio signal broadcast by the transmitter and change it back into an audio signal. The output of the receiver is electrically identical to a standard microphone signal, and can be connected to a typical microphone input in a sound system. Wireless receivers are available in two different configurations. Single antenna receivers utilize one receiving antenna and one tuner, similar to an FM radio. Single antenna receivers work well in many applications, but are sometimes subject to momentary interruptions or “dropouts” in the signal as the person holding or wearing the transmitter moves around the room.

Diversity receivers often provide better wireless microphone performance. A diversity receiver utilizes two separate antennas spaced a short distance apart and (usually) two separate tuners. An “intelligent” circuit in the receiver automatically selects the better of the two signals, or in some cases a blend of both. Since one of the antennas will almost certainly be receiving a clean signal at any given moment, the chances of a dropout occurring are reduced.

Most wireless receivers operate on AC power, although small battery-powered models (similar in size to a body-pack transmitter) are available for portable use such as mounting to a video camcorder.

How a Wireless System Works

A conventional wired microphone converts sound waves into an electrical audio signal that travels to the sound system through a cable. A wireless microphone system goes one step further, and converts the audio signal created by the microphone to a radio signal which is sent to the sound system through the air by a transmitter. The radio signal is similar to those used by television and FM radio stations. The receiver tuned to the same frequency as the transmitter picks up the radio signal, converts it back into an audio signal, and feeds it to the sound system through a short cable. The receiver is usually located near the rest of the sound system.

Each performer or presenter using wireless at a particular location (a theater, church, or school, for example) must use a system operating on a different frequency. Wireless systems at one location cannot “share” frequencies because they would interfere with each other, just as if two television stations in the same city tried to broadcast on the same channel. If two performers at one location try to use the same frequency at the same time, neither one will be picked up clearly. This potential for interference limits the number of wireless systems that can be used simultaneously at one venue. Reputable manufacturers and dealers of wireless systems can assist with selecting the appropriate frequencies for your needs.

Choosing a Wireless System

Choosing a wireless system is really a series of choices relating to the individual components (input device, transmitter, and receiver) that make up the system, and their suitability for your specific application.

The input device and transmitter are chosen based on the source to be miked. For example, some typical input device/transmitter combinations and their applications are:

• a handheld microphone with built-in transmitter (for vocalists)
• a lavalier or “tie-clip” microphone and body-pack transmitter (for lecturers or stage actors)
• a headworn microphone and body-pack transmitter (for singer/dancers, aerobics instructors, etc.)
• an instrument microphone and body-pack transmitter (for horn or woodwind players)
• a short cable and body-pack transmitter (for connection to an electric guitar, bass, or keyboard)

The process of selecting the microphone component of your wireless system (in terms of pickup pattern, frequency response, etc.) is the same as for selecting a wired microphone to be used in the same application. The fact that a microphone is wireless does not eliminate the need to consider acoustic issues such as proper microphone and loudspeaker placement to minimize feedback, for instance.Choosing the type of receiver – single antenna vs. diversity – is more a function of where the wireless system will be used, rather than what it will be used for. Single antenna receivers perform well when operating distances from transmitter to receiver are short, or in environments where the likelihood of signal dropouts is low. Diversity receivers should be chosen whenever operating distances may be longer, when the transmitter user may walk behind walls or through doorways, or in environments where t he potential for dropouts is greater due to the presence of metal structure or external sources of radio frequency interference.

How a Wireless System Connects to your Sound System
A wireless system connects to the rest of your sound system in the same way that a standard wired microphone connects. Almost all wireless receivers put out a signal that is electrically identical to that of a wired microphone, so the output jack of the receiver simply connects to the same input on the audio mixing console (or mixer/amplifier) where – the microphone had been connected. A wireless system designed for electric guitar replaces the cable from the guitar to the amplifier. A short cable connects the guitar to the transmitter, and another short cable connects the receiver’s output jack to the input jack on the guitar amplifier.

Because each user may be talking, singing, or playing at a different volume, each wireless system must be connected to a separate input on the sound system so that the level of each wireless microphone can be adjusted individually. Depending on the type of input connections that your sound system has, you may need an adapter cable to properly interface the output of the wireless receiver to the input of the sound system. Your local wireless system dealer can usually provide the proper adapter if necessary.

For Those who would like to learn more about wireless …
A more comprehensive discussion of the technical aspects of wireless system selection and operation is beyond the scope of this booklet. Another Shure document, the Selection and Operation of Wireless Microphone Systems, discusses the setup, operation, and troubleshooting of wireless systems in greater depth.

… or Microphone Techniques in General
For more information about choosing and positioning microphones for various musical instruments, consult Shure’s Microphone Techniques for Music – Studio Recording (PDF, 677KB).
The basics of microphone and mixer selection for video recording applications are covered in the Shure Guide to Audio Systems for Video Production (PDF, 816KB).
The same topics as they relate to house of worship sound reinforcement are covered in Shure’s Guide to Audio Systems for Houses of Worship (PDF, 1,456KB).

Revised: 2/5/2007