Probably the mainstay mic in most production-oriented houses of worship is a good hand-held vocal mic. Many models have uses beyond just picking up vocals and often find their way in front of guitar amps, brass, or just about wherever the need arises.
While there's no shortage of types to choose from-dynamic or condenser, cardioid, supercardioid, hypercardioid, etc.-figuring out what's best for your church can be a daunting task. Many churches just opt for the cheapest available whenever the need arises and often wind up with a menagerie of vocal mics of different makes and models. The result is a variety of pick up patterns and frequency response curves can create a challenge for your volunteer audio operators. It is well worth the time to research what's available, and consider specifications, characteristics, the environment, as well as price, before you purchase your next hand-held vocal microphone. Then, once you've decided on what's right for your church, you may want to standardize for consistency and interchangeability within your facility.
We recently interviewed a few church audio directors as well as a professional audio mixer to get their thoughts on what to consider in a hand-held microphone. We've also included a sampling of hand-held vocal mics currently available. Most of the manufacturers offer more models than just the one we've listed here, so be sure to check out their full product lines available on their websites.
But first, here's a quick review of the common pickup or polar patterns and types of vocal mics being used these days.
Cardioid, Hypercardioid and Supercardioid
Vocal mic pickup patterns are generally cardioid or a derivative there of, including hypercardioid and supercardioid. Cardioid earned its name due to its roughly heart-shaped pattern picking up signal best from directly in front of the mic. The pickup tapers off slightly on the sides and eventually at the back of the mic there is a "null" area where pickup drops off significantly as compared to the front. Typically a cardioid pickup pattern is the broadest and the most "forgiving" of poor mic technique. The downside is that the mic also picks up whatever else is making sound in the general vicinity. Hypercardioid mics tend to be more directional, however the mic is not as good as a cardioid at rejecting sound directly from the rear. Supercardioid lies in between the cardioid and hypercardioid in terms of pickup pattern. Cardioid mics (all versions) experience an effect known as Proximity Effect, a boosting of the bass frequencies as the mic is placed closer to the source. Another characteristic to be aware of is "plosives" also known as "P- pops" which are the bursts of air created when vocalizing words with "P's" or "B's." Plosives result in a low-frequency pop or thump sound. Also, many vocal mics feature a "presence peak," a slight rise in the upper-frequency response to help accentuate the vocals, to help them "punch" or cut through when there are a lot of other things going on in the mix.
Elements of Microphones: Dynamic and Condenser
Microphones work by changing acoustical energy into an electrical signal. Most of the vocal microphones for live use today are either "dynamic" or "condenser." Dynamic mics employ electromagnetic induction to change sound to electricity and condensers convert via capacitance change. In order to operate condenser mics require a power source, which can come from the mixing console and is known as "phantom power" (typically 48 volts) or sometimes by a battery installed in the mic itself.
Stop, Look, and Listen
So what are some of the things to consider when evaluating mics for your church? Kent Morris, president of Cornerstone Media in Atlanta, who has mixed for many Christian artists such as Paul Baloche, Israel Houghton and Tommy Walker, looks for some of these key aspects: "The feel of the mic in the hand is vital to its success in this application. Specifically, I check to see if it is comfortable to grip without covering directional vents. Also, I test the mic's off-axis response since it will often be required to perform well in non-null monitor locations and must exhibit excellent gain-before-feedback. Finally, a good handheld vocal mic is able to convey clarity and response across a wide palette of users, from booming baritones to soaring sopranos."
Steve Groves, audio director, Northland, A Church Distributed, in Longwood, Fla., says, "We look for the best possible sound. We use the Neumann KMS105 in the main room, for clarity of vocal. They work great with our Aphex preamps. It's a really clean, natural sound and the hypercardiod pattern helps to keep the drums out of the vocals."
David Stagl, audio director, North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Ga., likes to consider the characteristics of the individual singers. "I look for a microphone that is the best fit for a particular vocalist. There are some great microphones that are considered standards and work great on just about anybody, but I'm looking for that ‘extra something' that putting the right mic with the right singer can give you. I want something that sounds the most natural for a vocalist that doesn't require a lot of work on the console to make him sound great."
While Dave Middleton, audio director, Bayside Church in Roseville, Calif., says, "I typically start with frequency response, but that is quickly followed by other attributes such as handling noise, durability, proximity effect and sensitivity to plosives. If possible it's best to have the best mic for a particular performer. Whether the monitor system is based around IEM's [in-ear monitors] or wedges has a strong impact on the microphone choice as well. I find it easier to work with certain dynamic microphones in situations where stage volume is high."
In many instances the people who use the mics are beginners, or amateurs at best, and proper mic technique is probably the last thing on their minds ... or they were never taught good mic technique. However, their mic technique is an important aspect to getting a good sound on a consistent basis. For Morris, "Perhaps the most important tip is to bring the mic close to the mouth and work on using a non-perpendicular angle relative to the lips to prevent plosives and improve visual communication with the audience." And what you do with the mic when you're not singing is almost as important as when you're singing. As Morris adds, "Vocalists who are not singing should keep the mic up near their chest and avoid letting it drop, face down, toward the monitors."
It's a Team Effort
Technology today offers the sound engineer a remarkable amount of control over the dynamics and tone of the vocals, but it's still a collaborative effort and the vocalists should strive to give the best possible representation of their voice. As Groves says, "We always stress that the vocalist should be right up on the mic, but not so close as to lose control of the ‘P-pops.' Sometimes vocalists will pull back on the mic when they feel like they are going to hit a strong note. We try to get them to minimize doing so, since we can control those dynamics at the console." Middleton also has advice for the singers: "Find what distance from the mic works well for your voice in regard to how the proximity effect augments it and keep this distance from the mic. Listen to recordings of yourself and take criticism well. What feels natural as a singer doesn't always get the desired result so you may need to tweak your vocal technique/style to get things sounding their best. Learn to sing with consistent volume. Don't fall into the trap of singing louder on parts that are exciting or for parts where you are in an easier range."
Sometimes teaching by example is the most effective approach as Stagl notes. "I try and talk to the singer and show them how the microphone will work best. A lot of amateur singers have just never been taught and have seen too many performers on TV where the performer's more worried about their face being seen than good mic technique."
Stagl continues, "Turning the mic on in the house and doing a demonstration of the mic's pickup pattern can also go a long way. When everything else fails, I find pictures of singers like Bono, Sarah McLachlan, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, etc., where they are right on top of the mic singing directly into the diaphragm and explain to the singer that this will make them sound the best."
Keeping it Clean
Many churches have multiple worship teams that rotate on a regular basis. And a myriad of events can take place in a HOW in the span of a week, meaning each mic can have many people using it in the course of the week. So there's bound to be some wear and tear, and questions of hygiene arise as well. Stagl recommends regular cleaning and maintenance since mics are handled frequently and accidental drops and falls can occur. He says, "We try and clean all our mic grills at a minimum on a quarterly basis but sometimes more often during the winter sick months. We also try and keep an eye on grills and replace them if they get too beat up. Broken or failing microphones get sent out for immediate repair. We try and make sure that our microphones are handled as carefully as possible and stored properly when not in use." Middleton also suggests keeping handheld mics in the zipper pouch they come with when not in use. "Also it is helpful to use something like Microphome or 99% isopropyl alcohol to disinfect the windscreen. Typically you can just take off the grill to clean/disinfect it," he closes.
