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hello, I'm a singer in loud metal/rock bands but i actually sing not shout or scream so my voice isn't shout level loud. I'm looking around for a good vocal mic for live use. i owned a Shure beta 58 sometime ago but sold it because although it did cut through a loud mix it sometimes sounded a little shrill or brittle on the top end. i also own a Sennheiser e845 and it sounds quite good but it doesnt cut through a really loud mix. i need a mic that basically makes my job easier as a singer so it has to cut through a loud mix so i dont have to strain to be heard. i have a few mics in mind the Sennheiser e935 which is supposed to be designed to cut through a loud mix but its a cardiod pickup so i might get bleed. also the Sennheiser.e945(supercardiod) Audio-Technica ae6100 and Audix om5 and om6 (though ive never demoed any Audix stuff)

any suggestions?

thanks

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Comments

jbeutt Sat, 12/17/2005 - 00:54

you're working on the wrong thing. The different mics will definitely have different tonal qualitites and such, but you aren't going to "cut" through the mix simply by changing the mic. Your problem is at the mix. You need someone mixing the sound who can get good seperation through eq. Without that, there's no mic that's simply going to lift you out of the mix.

Kev Sat, 12/17/2005 - 11:05

beware stage volume

If the stage volume is high such that the volume of the band is near that of the volume of your voice,
AT THE HEAD OF THE MICROPHONE.
... then there is nothing .... repeat nothing the mix enginer can do about it.
No change in mic will solve anything.

lower the band volume
move away from the band

A very interesting experiment is to record just the vocal mic of a typical gig.
Sit back in a quiet room and just listen to what is happening at the end of your mic.

The SM58 is a fine stage mic
so too is a Beta58
and others like the Sennheiser E845

anonymous Sun, 02/19/2006 - 17:05

There are many things that can greatly affect the sound of your mix and your voice. Keep in mind that if your engineer isn't aware of what instruments contain what frequencies, how to control them, and how to manipulate them... your out of luck.

Also know that the human voice is most prominate betwen 1-3.1khz and that turning up the highs on a 3 band eq (usually 8-12khz) will just turn up your drummers cymbals and give you lots of sibilance in most cases.

I like the sound of the Sennheiser 835 myself. I also like the Beta 58, SM58, pretty much any good quality dynamic. Nuemann makes a killer condenser and Shure makes one that is quite good as well, but I work in rock music most of the time and condensers won't last long with my artists.

Check your mix dude, I don't think it's your mic.

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