Favorite Side Address Condenser

M

Marc Hayes

Freshman
Jan 12, 2011
59
0
6
Quad Cities, IL/IA
www.tnprod.com
I have a client looking for a new mic option. They are a singing group, and are mic'd as such a group. (Think "barbershop" style, all sing around 1 mic.) There are typically 12 folks in the group and they split up into groups of 3 or 4 per mic. They have moderate monitor levels.

Anything you like that plays nicely with monitors and still has a nice pick-up pattern for 3-4 people around it?

I was thinking something like the AT2020, but haven't used them first hand.

Any and all thoughts appreciated!
 
Re: Favorite Side Address Condenser

While I am a big AT fan and really like a lot of their mics, the 2020 is not one that is high on my list. I never found it as smooth around the edges of its pattern which made it a little problematic for groups like you are talking about. My first choice for any budget would be KSM32's, and find the SM27 not that far behind at a little more wallet friendly price. With bluegrass groups, I also frequently ran into AT4033's which is a very serviceable mic.

In general I have found that side fill monitors work the best with these single mic techniques. For a while, I often had 3 SM27's plus 4 AT pro 35 or pro 37's as a mic package for a bluegrass band.
 
Re: Favorite Side Address Condenser

Marc,

I like the A/T 4050 (pretty much the multi-pattern variant of the 4033). I also like to use it (or any other multi-patterned mic) in figure-8 mode to isolate the soloist from the main group and have them blend themselves. I face the nulls of the pattern upstage and downstage and have the backup singers/chorus arc around their side; the soloist can work the mic as needed.

It's not always the right way, but it can work well when the talent actually knows how to use a microphone.
 
Re: Favorite Side Address Condenser

The other day I did sound for a small'ish school production in a theatre venue. Think 30 pupils at the age spanning 8~15 yrs old doing twenty or so small and completely different acts at three minutes each.

There were no real rehearsals or soundcheck before the event, only a quick line check.

Everything went smoothly but the choir on the stage. Even though they were twelve pupils standing in two rows they sang in speaking level, making it very hard to mix properly. Even the drums 10m/30ft away off-axis came in louder into the mics than they did.

Handhelds is out of the question as they seem to end up down-low at belly level and the school doesn't have any real budget to rent stuff but rather relies on the very limited on-site equipment.

Any suggestions on mic choise/placement from real life experience so I can bring something for the next time?
 
Re: Favorite Side Address Condenser

Robert Lofgren said:
Any suggestions on mic choise/placement from real life experience so I can bring something for the next time?
Click to expand...

If there's one dominant source of stage volume I'll sometimes try pointing the null of a cardioid in that direction even if it puts the "choir" significantly off-axis. Doesn't always work, but it's something to at least try out.
 
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