I am a lead vocalist in a LOUD band. We have only been playing for about a year so needless to say we don't have the best equipment yet, so I'm looking to upgrade. Our biggest problem in my opinion is that we play way louder than we need to and the venues we play and our equipment can't handle the high volumes. A few practices ago I directly addressed the issue with the other guys in the group, and as of late we have been playing a lot more dynamically and my vocal isn't as drowned out as it used to be, however it could be better. Thus I am still looking to purchase a new mic with a preamp, in hopes of boosting my vocal a bit more. I was looking at the Shure Beta SM58 for the mic, but I have no idea what kind of preamp to go with. This preamp should be exclusively for practices and gigs, not so much recording. Do any of you guys have any suggestions for me given my situation (loud ass band)?
Comments
I don't think the Beta is any better than the original SM58. In
I don't think the Beta is any better than the original SM58. In my home studio at least, we couldn't hear anything worth paying the extra for. Be careful with your choice of preamps if you like LOUD and try using the tape input/output or indeed, the headphone jack of a decent quality domestic HI Fi amplifier. They tend to run quieter and are more stable.
Good Luck
MS
You have your hands full I'm sure. It sounds like your group is
You have your hands full I'm sure. It sounds like your group is competing against each other rather than listening to each other as a group. Its the demise of many.
Most professional bands learn this very important part of sound. Knowing how to tune and blend with another musician are the top two most important things to get right before you will ever become anything in this business. Pass that one one if you dare :)
What console / PA system are you using and what size of amps are ALL of you using including the PA system? There is a lot more to this than just adding a new preamp and mic and/or more volume to the equation.