How to Position Microphones for Choir Performances: Super Practical Tips!
Selection, Placement, and Quantity of Choir Microphones (Interference Type)
(1) First determine the pickup requirements for the choir program. For example: Are there soprano, alto, and bass sections? Is there a male-female duet?
(2) Analyze the reinforcement sound field and choir microphone performance. For example: How to compensate for noise generated by indoor ambient noise or close-proximity breathing? Is the microphone polar pattern cardioid or supercardioid?
(3) Determine if the on-site amplified sound pressure can meet requirements after choir microphone pickup. For example: Adjust microphone angle, height, pickup distance; ensure total power at the venue is sufficient.
(4) Often, the vocal quality of choir members directly affects the number and placement of microphones. Therefore, while ensuring sufficient sound pressure and carefully adjusting levels, operators must pay special attention to acoustic feedback and balance in pickup across different areas.
Points to Note When Using Condenser Microphones for Choir Pickup During Performances
(1) Main amplification power must be sufficient.
(2) Place microphones as far away from speakers as possible. If singers are not very professional and microphone numbers are limited, position microphones closer to the singers.
Unless specific pickup requirements dictate otherwise, avoid placing microphones beyond the stage's left/right speaker positions, maintaining a certain distance (preferably over 2 meters). Reduce the distance between the pickup device and the sound source based on the actual situation to increase gain before feedback, giving the sound engineer more signal level headroom to adjust on-site sound pressure and timbre.
(3) Feedback from most domestic directional condenser mics often concentrates in the mid-low frequencies, particularly sensitive to low frequencies. As sound field adjustment equipment primarily uses equalizers, set the mixing standard for all pickup mics based on the condenser mic's pickup. Utilize the synergy between the pickup device and the on-site sound pressure. (Positioning the condenser mic near speakers depends on equipment and mixing capability; usually 2~3 meters. Control levels, perform sound field processing on the main EQ, then return the condenser mic to its position. This method often provides sufficient 'headroom' on the mixer fader for optimal signal output.)
Find feedback points via the equalizer as much as possible and attenuate them by 3~6dB to reduce the likelihood of feedback in that frequency band during the performance. After adjustment, perform targeted timbre fine-tuning for each pickup mic on the mixer.
(4) For indoor choir pickup, generally avoid routing vocals to monitor speakers; provide only accompaniment music to reduce feedback formation. Use microphones with different polar patterns based on specific choir program needs. Also, pay attention to the pickup angle relative to the speaker radiation angle and the reflection angle in the performance venue.
(5) For live performances, first consider how many 'voice parts' the choir has and how many people are in each part. The number of microphones should not be less than the number of voice parts (ideally 2 mics per part).
(6) Like in an orchestra, each voice part has its 'principal' singer. The microphone should point towards the principal. Because it's a choir, a 'group sense' is essential; the mic should also cover others in the section (meaning close-miking is not appropriate).
(7) Consider a dedicated microphone for soloists, using close-miking.
(1) First determine the pickup requirements for the choir program. For example: Are there soprano, alto, and bass sections? Is there a male-female duet?
(2) Analyze the reinforcement sound field and choir microphone performance. For example: How to compensate for noise generated by indoor ambient noise or close-proximity breathing? Is the microphone polar pattern cardioid or supercardioid?
(3) Determine if the on-site amplified sound pressure can meet requirements after choir microphone pickup. For example: Adjust microphone angle, height, pickup distance; ensure total power at the venue is sufficient.
(4) Often, the vocal quality of choir members directly affects the number and placement of microphones. Therefore, while ensuring sufficient sound pressure and carefully adjusting levels, operators must pay special attention to acoustic feedback and balance in pickup across different areas.
Points to Note When Using Condenser Microphones for Choir Pickup During Performances
(1) Main amplification power must be sufficient.
(2) Place microphones as far away from speakers as possible. If singers are not very professional and microphone numbers are limited, position microphones closer to the singers.
Unless specific pickup requirements dictate otherwise, avoid placing microphones beyond the stage's left/right speaker positions, maintaining a certain distance (preferably over 2 meters). Reduce the distance between the pickup device and the sound source based on the actual situation to increase gain before feedback, giving the sound engineer more signal level headroom to adjust on-site sound pressure and timbre.
(3) Feedback from most domestic directional condenser mics often concentrates in the mid-low frequencies, particularly sensitive to low frequencies. As sound field adjustment equipment primarily uses equalizers, set the mixing standard for all pickup mics based on the condenser mic's pickup. Utilize the synergy between the pickup device and the on-site sound pressure. (Positioning the condenser mic near speakers depends on equipment and mixing capability; usually 2~3 meters. Control levels, perform sound field processing on the main EQ, then return the condenser mic to its position. This method often provides sufficient 'headroom' on the mixer fader for optimal signal output.)
Find feedback points via the equalizer as much as possible and attenuate them by 3~6dB to reduce the likelihood of feedback in that frequency band during the performance. After adjustment, perform targeted timbre fine-tuning for each pickup mic on the mixer.
(4) For indoor choir pickup, generally avoid routing vocals to monitor speakers; provide only accompaniment music to reduce feedback formation. Use microphones with different polar patterns based on specific choir program needs. Also, pay attention to the pickup angle relative to the speaker radiation angle and the reflection angle in the performance venue.
(5) For live performances, first consider how many 'voice parts' the choir has and how many people are in each part. The number of microphones should not be less than the number of voice parts (ideally 2 mics per part).
(6) Like in an orchestra, each voice part has its 'principal' singer. The microphone should point towards the principal. Because it's a choir, a 'group sense' is essential; the mic should also cover others in the section (meaning close-miking is not appropriate).
(7) Consider a dedicated microphone for soloists, using close-miking.