subject: Cabled or Wireless Mics in Live Performances? [print this page] Cabled or Wireless Mics in Live Performances?
With so many elements that go into a good sounding performance on stage, it's safe to say that the engineer at behind the console is just as important as the performer. If the venue is a decent one, a competent technician will make sure the artist's balance is good and overall the sound does them justice. The live show equipment is also ever so important. The best technology can give a lift to a good show and the audience will most likely not be disappointed.A proper equipment setup requires a few things; speakers, monitors, microphones, cables, and a mixing board to unify sound. The console needs to be out of sight of the audience, but permit the engineer to listen to the performers so he/she can raise or lower the volumes if needed. A lot of engineers also use headphones with their mixing desks to hear the music with a minimum of audience noise and distraction when need be.Speakers and cables are many times already at the performance space because the engineers that regularly work there are familiar with the acoustics and gear of the space better than anyone. Most technicians will have extra cables just in case. A technician may always bring more speakers if necessary, but since they're bulky it may be best to contact the venue ahead of time to see if you'll need them.Monitors permit the performers to hear themselves while they are doing their thing. While this may not seem important initially, monitors can make or break a performance and are usually located at the feet of the performers. The mixing board technician should have connection to these monitors and be able to control their levels before and during a performance. Some singers prefer head-worn monitors instead of floor monitors so they can get a more isolated mix. This choice is generally utilized by drummers since their instruments often are too bulky or too loud for a comfortable floor monitor. The drummer above all will need a closed ear design headphone because of the shear loudness of the drums.Microphones are a bit more complicated than speakers and monitors since there's a wider variety of them. Hand-held mics are over-all the most stable and trustworthy since they connect to the mixer directly. However, having a clutter of wires on-stage can be get tangled around the performer, especially if they're moving around a lot. Wireless mics are easier to handle for the performer, but can have issues with reception. Cheaper wireless mics may need an uninterrupted signal directly to the mixing board, meaning that if someone walks in front of the mic, the signal will falter. In this case, you might consider going with a wired hand-held or use a better UHF wireless type. In case the show is being recorded for posterity, it may be preferable to use a wired hand-held for the sake of reliability. In case the singer or instrumentalist wants to have the freedom to move a lot (i. E. Dancers or actors), wireless mics can be important to the performance. Another decision needs to be made in this case; do you go with head-set microphones or hand-heldheld wireless ones? Often headset mics are utilized for active shows just because it leaves the performer's hands free. Some headset mics have a headband or ear hook to keep them in place while others require skin safe tape for placement.Using the mixer correctly is not easy. In a music concert, the listeners will probably want to hear the singer in the foreground. This needs to be balanced against the loudness of the drums, the guitar and bass levels, the sounds from the keyboard, and any back up singers that may be in attendance. The drum-set is often where volume levels start since you can only mitigate the sound so much. The performing artist is not often pleased with how they come accross, but it's the people in the audience that the mixer must satisfy. Another consideration for the engineer occurs if the performance is being recorded. At times engineers choose to record the monitor outputs, because it lowers the chances of interference on the lines. As a result, the reverb (or the echo as part of the line) is more difficult to control . The outputs on these channels and the recording itself may sound muddy and uninteresting. In a word flat. Recording a live-show from the console feed can render a better mix, but filters should be used to eliminate part of the ambient noise (i. E. Audience cheers, coughs, etc.).So much goes into a live show that many aren't even aware of, but every component is key. All in all, it takes a knowledgeable technician, a decent setup, and quality equipment to make a live performance go off without a hitch.
