Maybe someone here can help me. I have asked 3 people about this in person, and have gotton 3 completely different answers.
(1) If I am using a Acoustic Amp (which I am using just for the Mic's to sing by), does this go behind the Mic and the singer/player so that he can hear what is being amplified as well as the other players which are sitting down a few feet in front of the one singing/playing?
(2) If I am using an actual PA which has 2 speakers and the plug in board for the Mic's, how should this be placed so there will be no feed back? One person said the speakers must be in front of the Mic, another one said the board must be in front of the Mic, another one said it makes no difference.
Any help is appreciated.
a mic in front of an amp will pickup up it's own signal and cause feedback. it's that high pitched scream that makes everyone give the offender the evil eye.
PA's are typivcally in front of the mic. a monitor is facing the performer so they can hear themselves and or the band.
the amp can be behind a mic, just don't point the mic at the amp.
these were the rules I learned, but there could be others.
Yea the PA speakers will be normally in front of the mic or at least even with the mic but they'll be pointing out toward the audience so you shouldn't have a problem.
As long as the speakers and mic aren't facing each other you should be all set.
I've never heard of the borad having to be in front of the mic it doesn't make sense how that would even matter but who knows maybe that's true.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
I think the mixing board in front of the PA or speakers is for that guy that sits out in the audience hearing what the crowd does. he is there with that big board . makes sense.
he is the guy that every band memebr hates and loves.
the band wears the t shirts that read " More Bass" etc.
dog, yea that's true but I thought he was talking about the feedback issue.
You definitely need to be in front to be able to mix it
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
Thanks everyone, this has all been very helpful. I appreciate any additional thoughts as well.
dog, yea that's true but I thought he was talking about the feedback issue.
You definitely need to be in front to be able to mix it
I was responding to the board or mixer in front of the mic.
a mic directly in front or in close proximity of a speaker will pick up the speakers output
and there will be feedback. you can adjust the gain on a mixer to reduce some, but then
there is a compromise of mic performance and output.
experiment if you can.
also, the type of mic also can be considered. dynamic mics act differently than wide condensers.
I find my wide condenser to be very sensitive to room ambiance.
I need an additional clarification on one of the items: I have a Crate Acoustic Amp that has 2 Mic inputs (which I often also plug in my Acoustic guitar also while singing).
If I use this, would this also go in front of the Mic, or behind the Mic? It seems like to me when I see people using an Amp like this its always behind them.
I need an additional clarification on one of the items: I have a Crate Acoustic Amp that has 2 Mic inputs (which I often also plug in my Acoustic guitar also while singing).
If I use this, would this also go in front of the Mic, or behind the Mic? It seems like to me when I see people using an Amp like this its always behind them.
It depends....
If the amp is behind you, then the mic is pointing in the general direction of the amp, and is most likely going to cause feedback.
If the amp is in front of you, facing the audience, then you don't have a vocal monitor.
If the amp is in front of you, facing you then you have a good monitor (the mic is aiming away from the amp, so little chance of feedback), but the audience can't hear what you are doing.
In this case, a good compromise might be to have the amp sort of beside you, mostly facing the audience. The best position is going to have to be experimental determined.
You have to know how your mic, amp, and guitar pickup react to each other. And that is an experiment...
You can start from general principles. For instance: it's bad for a mic to be able to "hear" it's speaker, but there are a lot of real-world variables that can only be perfected by tinkering and getting to know your specific combination of equipment.
I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep
Yeah, thats what I was going to say. You have to compromise in this situation. Behind and to the side should work.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
Just a little more claification on this one also. Yesterday I set up the room with the Speakers in front of the Mic's (about 10 feet), but the board is on a table to the left side of the Mics (10+ feet away next to the wall). Can I assume the board being here with not be an issue (or for that matter anywhere I put it? Where I have set it gives me easy access to it and better laying of all the speaker and mic cables, as its not a huge room anway.
Also, thanks for the suggestions on the Amp placement, I am playing with that some more today.
Yes I don't think where the board is makes a difference. Obviously if the board is in the back of the room facing the speakers it's easier for the sound guy to mix but you don't have that luxury all the time.
Where you put the mixer is not going to cause any feedback regardless.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
Just wanted to give an update on all this.
I ended up putting the speakers several feet in front of the 5 Mic's, no monitor is needed, and we have no feedback and everyone can hear well - including the players.
The board is to the left of the mic's next to the wall out of the way.
As cnev said, the board placement is more a matter of convenience for whoever is operating it.
If it's being operated by someone who is not performing, then it should be near the middle-to-back of the audience.
If it is being operated by one of the performers it can be wherever it is convenient for that person, but not in the way.
And not where some random person can mess with it when you aren't looking :roll: (another of those hard learned experience things...)
I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep
