microphone

Some singers have fantastic voices which, however, can be easily spoiled if they don’t know how to use microphone properly. Poor microphone technique results in poor sound quality whether this is a studio record or a live performance.

Some singers think that the quality sound is the duty of sound engineers. This is not right. Any vocalist should know how to use mic and do best to improve microphone skills. This is very good if you can use a power amplifier, some sort of a recorder, or go to a rehearsal studio to practice your mic techniques. Home stereo, karaoke with a mic can also help you experiment with amplified sound if you can not use professional music gear. Of course in this case this will be difficult to get a quality sound, but at least you will get the idea and practice.

Do not forget the following when using amplification of any kind:

Mind the feedback!

• Pointing the microphone towards a speaker causes a very disturbing high pitched noise.
• The other cause of the feedback is turning the volume too high. This is also result in a distortion.

Mind your safety!

Incorrect wiring & connections can result in electric shocks, equipment breakdowns, and horrible humming. Do not be surprised if you hear the radio – this is also the result of the described above incorrect use of music gear.

Common Mistakes In Using the Microphone

Holding the microphone too close or too far from your mouth is the most common mistake the beginner singers make. In this case the sound gets muffled and distorted. The vocal track will sound too distant or you may hear no vocal sound at all. A little practice will irradiate this mistake easily.

Set your volume controls so that the vocal track is louder than the backing track.

For normal singing this is enough to hold the mic no closer that 2–3 inches in order to avoid distortion. This depends on your voice though. Some vocalists sing pretty loud naturally, so you have to consider the power of your voice.

Try moving the microphone away while singing. At some point the vocal sound starts fading and you’ll have to remember when exactly it does so. The optimum distance for singing is between the shortest and furthest points.