Theatrical Mic Attachment

Max Warasila

Max Warasila

Graduate
Feb 20, 2013
1,217
73
48
Richmond, VA
I know there are many different ways that mics can be mounted, along with where and the type of microphone. One of the techniques I've been told to use is surgical tape, but I've never found it to stick or stay anywhere. A few shows back it occurred to me that fabric band-aids could be cut to function, and I've been happy with the results. They also take make-up well.

What do you all use, and am I just dysfunctional when it comes to the surgical tape methods?
 
Re: Theatrical Mic Attachment

Tape BEFORE make-up goes on; buy alcohol pads to clean the skin so the tape sticks well. I use 3M also, but also have some foam swimmer's tape for the back of the neck when people really sweat.

Don't forget the unlubed condoms and ACE bandages/mic pouches. Learn to make a halo rig for an end-fire lav element; color it to match the actor's hair and skin tone and no one will know it's on the forehead.
 
Re: Theatrical Mic Attachment

As Tom and Jordan have already said, you'll struggle to make it stick after make-up, so you definitely want to be sorting the microphone first. With some performers who sweat more than others, you might have more success putting a piece of clear double-sided tape (wig tape, etc) on the skin, then placing the microphone on that tape, and then putting a slightly longer piece of Micropore or Transpore over the top, overlapping the ends of the double-sided piece. It'll be firmly stuck for the show then, but the downside is when you come to take it off!

However, unless you're really struggling with feedback or the performers are wearing hats, I'd aim to put them all in the hairline, and only tape to the cheek as a last resort. If the performer has plenty of hair, the easiest method is to make a headband out of thin elastic, tie the capsule to the front (and the cable a bit further back) and then position it on their head so that the elastic is hidden under the hair, and the capsule is sticking out in the centre of their forehead. Obviously there are plenty of other ways to secure the mic in their hair if you have enough time available.

If you're not familiar with the various techniques, it might be worth spending 15 minutes looking at the link below so that you can see photographs of how to use the different methods.

http://www.brightandloud.com/microphone-placement/
 
Re: Theatrical Mic Attachment

I know it's been a week or so since you all responded, but I just wanted to thank you all for your responses, as they were very helpful. Last night was "sound check" as the mic wrangler (a.k.a. - hey we know we haven't told you anything yet but you'll figure it out), and I was quite glad that you were kind enough in responding. The main problem with last night was that all of the mics are on loan/rental. Sad part means I can color approximately nothing. Good news is that I'm allowed to rig it as a halo or with clips. Lots of hats, though... I'll have to see what that does to it. If I'm lucky, it won't be much of a problem at all.

OF course, it was incredibly humid yesterday, and I forgot the alcohol pads. :(~:-(~:sad:
 
Re: Theatrical Mic Attachment

Max Warasila said:
I know it's been a week or so since you all responded, but I just wanted to thank you all for your responses, as they were very helpful. Last night was "sound check" as the mic wrangler (a.k.a. - hey we know we haven't told you anything yet but you'll figure it out), and I was quite glad that you were kind enough in responding. The main problem with last night was that all of the mics are on loan/rental. Sad part means I can color approximately nothing. Good news is that I'm allowed to rig it as a halo or with clips. Lots of hats, though... I'll have to see what that does to it. If I'm lucky, it won't be much of a problem at all.

OF course, it was incredibly humid yesterday, and I forgot the alcohol pads. :(~:-(~:sad:
Click to expand...

Depending on what's done with the hats, life can be easier or harder with them than without.
 
Re: Theatrical Mic Attachment

3M micropore tape, before make up.

Make sure you use actual 3M unless you want to spend half the show on comm calling out names of cast members that need mic fixes... :roll:

Chris
 
Re: Theatrical Mic Attachment

Some makeup will dissolve the glue in the tape. I have found that the cover up type that is sprayed onto a sponge and then applied will dissolve the glue. At an early rehearsal (one of the first you do) before they start to use make up. Put a piece of tape on the back of your hand and then put some of the makeup that they are going to use on the tape. See if it sticks or if it starts to come off your hand. That will tell you if you are going to have a problem.

I have found that the concealer sticks that look like a crayon work the best and don’t dissolve the glue.

Sometimes what you need to do is to put a piece of tape where you are going to need it before they go to makeup and then take the tape off when they come to get their mic on this leaves you with a clean place to tape them and then use the concealer after you tape the mic where it needs to be.

I have had them show up with the makeup on already (very thick) and sometimes it works to just put the tape on and keep pulling it off until it has removed enough makeup to give you a clean enough place to attach the tape to.

I don’t like them to put on the makeup after they are miced up because I am afraid they are going to get makeup in the mic, because I have had it happen in the past. It can be tricky to coordinate what needs to be done in what order.

I have had some people that the 3M Transpore sticks so well it damages their skin when it is removed. Someone recommended Skin-Prep to be put on the skin before the tape. It does help a lot, but I only use it if necessary. I have found that the individually packaged Skin-Prep wipes have enough stuff on them that I can pre cut them at least into quarters so it goes farther.

Also I don’t believe that the 3M Transpore tape should be ripped off quickly. The people that that is done to are the ones that have had the skin ripped off with the tape.
 
Re: Theatrical Mic Attachment

Rob Timmerman said:
Depending on what's done with the hats, life can be easier or harder with them than without.
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Make sure the actor/tress sound checks with the appropriate head gear. We did Wizard of Oz and Tin Man kept sound checking with no hat, then when he came on stage with his metal hat on it would cause problems with feedback. I told the audio guy to make him put his hat on in the future for sound check but night after night it never happened, I was on follow spot that run so I was never around to make it happen.
 
Re: Theatrical Mic Attachment

Note... Micropore is the white fluffy stuff... Transpore is the translucent easily-torn stuff (which is what I use). I still have a full box of 12 rolls of Micropore that I bought by mistake.

I've never had anyone actually suffer skin damage from Transpore, although of course the kids squeal and moan that it hurts! ;) It definitely sticks better if you use an IPA wipe or something first, and before make-up. On the other hand, some people are so sweaty it barely stays on at all.
 
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Re: Theatrical Mic Attachment

Very occasionally I find somebody who's allergic to Transpore; I've had maybe two in 12 years, and the second one brought along some Tegaderm patches. That stuff is really thin and annoyingly static-y (it's really hard to place without it flipping up and sticking to itself or something else you don't want it to stick to) but once it's on it sticks at least as well as Transpore, and without any allergic reaction. It is shiny, though.
 
Re: Theatrical Mic Attachment

Ah, I've been told wrongly on the "micropore", transpore it is.

Is the allergic reaction the slight red rash that develops and is gone in a couple of days at most or is there a more serious version?

Chris
 
Re: Theatrical Mic Attachment

Jonathan Goodall said:
See if you can get hold of some of these wipes http://www.smith-nephew.com/professional/products/all-products/skin-prep/
This stuff is used in Hospitals etc to protect the skin AND help adhesive tapes stick better. (here's a picture of the product https://www.medline.com/product/SKI...e-by-Smith-Nephew/Liquid-Bandages/Z05-PF32716 )
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I want to echo the benefits of Skin Prep. It makes transprore stick so well. Its far superior to just alcohol swabs. I only use it on the sweatiest and greasiest actors. On most actors I find that a decent sized piece of transpore before makeup sticks the entire show. I am doing theatre outdoors in the sun and generally don't have problems. If I do its time for Skin Prep.

One word of warning though. Skin Prep causes the tape to stick so well that I have had it rip skin before. Its that intense. So be wary when you use it!
 
Re: Theatrical Mic Attachment

Nathan Grater said:
I want to echo the benefits of Skin Prep. It makes transprore stick so well. Its far superior to just alcohol swabs. I only use it on the sweatiest and greasiest actors. On most actors I find that a decent sized piece of transpore before makeup sticks the entire show. I am doing theatre outdoors in the sun and generally don't have problems. If I do its time for Skin Prep.

One word of warning though. Skin Prep causes the tape to stick so well that I have had it rip skin before. Its that intense. So be wary when you use it!
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I thought that the purpose of Skin-Prep was to leave a barrier between the skin and the tape so that you don’t have a problem with ripping off skin. I have tired it on myself and that is the way that is seems to work for me. It’s common medical use is for people that have to constantly have devices and such taped to them and it prevents or minimizes the problems of the irritation of the medical tape.

It is without the Skin-Prep that I have had the problems. I only use it on the problem actors. I have threatened to start using staples for mic attachment. ;-)
 
Re: Theatrical Mic Attachment

Chris Nixon said:
Is the allergic reaction the slight red rash that develops and is gone in a couple of days at most or is there a more serious version?
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Just a skin rash, but unpleasant enough. On the first girl, I had an older stiff-earpiece MM-PSM that I used instead of the tape-on MM-PSM-L, but I used the Tegaderm on her too last time after the second person turned me onto it.
 
Re: Theatrical Mic Attachment

Now see, what I can't quite understand is how people manage to be allergic to Transpore. It's latex-free, hypoallergenic, and breathable. I mean, you'd have to be allergic to the plastic or the adhesive - if you're allergic to either you're screwed, because they're everywhere.
 
Re: Theatrical Mic Attachment

Max Warasila said:
Now see, what I can't quite understand is how people manage to be allergic to Transpore. It's latex-free, hypoallergenic, and breathable. I mean, you'd have to be allergic to the plastic or the adhesive - if you're allergic to either you're screwed, because they're everywhere.
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I would presume that the people who are sensitive to Transpore have some form of allergy to acrylic, as that's a primary component of Transpore that's not present in Tegaderm.

Transpore MSDS: http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?SSSSSuUn_zu8l00xMx_95xm1Ov70k17zHvu9lxtD7SSSSSS--
Tegaderm MSDS: http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=SSSSSuUn_zu8l00x4xt958tBlv70k17zHvu9lxtD7SSSSSS--
 
Re: Theatrical Mic Attachment

Rob Timmerman said:
I would presume that the people who are sensitive to Transpore have some form of allergy to acrylic, as that's a primary component of Transpore that's not present in Tegaderm.

Transpore MSDS: http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?SSSSSuUn_zu8l00xMx_95xm1Ov70k17zHvu9lxtD7SSSSSS--
Tegaderm MSDS: http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=SSSSSuUn_zu8l00x4xt958tBlv70k17zHvu9lxtD7SSSSSS--
Click to expand...

Good catch, but perhaps unlikely, due to the prevalence of acrylic paints. Then again, maybe not.
 
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