Microphones for Performing Live

Lesson 8/71 | Study Time: 5 Min

Course: Beginner Singing

Microphones for Performing Live

There are several different types of microphones available. Each of them is best suited to a different musical situation (e.g., live band performance, or recording session).

The type of microphone most commonly used for live performances is the dynamic microphone. These microphones contain a diaphragm and a coil which is activated when the voice causes it to vibrate.

Dynamic microphones are normally uni-directional, or "front sensitive" which means that sounds entering from the sides of the microphone are amplified less than sound entering from the top or front.

Because of their resistance to feedback (the piercing sound made when a microphone picks up the sound coming from the speakers and amplifies it again) uni-directional microphones are particularly useful in a live band environment.

Microphones which are omni-directional receive sound equally from all sides of the microphone. This makes them useful for back-up vocals in situations where two or more singers share one microphone but they are not recommended for a lead singer in a live band situation.

Before you buy a microphone it is advisable to visit a music store and try out some in the store. The Shure SM58 microphone is a typical professional quality uni-directional dynamic microphone and is one of the most common microphones used by bands.

There are also other good microphones available which are of a similar design. If you intend to perform in public regularly, it is worth spending a little extra on a good microphone as it will make you sound better and make you more comfortable with your sound on stage.

A Typical Dynamic Microphone

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Class Sessions

1- Everyone Can Sing 2- GLOSSARY OF MUSICAL TERMS 3- Performing in Public 4- Transposing 5- The Triplet 6- The Tie 7- Sharps (<span class="symbolA">#</span>) and Flats (<span class="symbolA">b</span>) 8- Sounds Used in Singing 9- The Major Scale 10- Voice Types and Ranges 11- Understanding Music 12- INTRODUCTION 13- Vowels 14- Octave Displacement 15- The Chromatic Scale 16- Syncopation 17- How to Find Your Voice Range 18- Swing Rhythms 19- Harmony and Chords 20- How to Read Music 21- Matching Pitches and Rhythms 22- Overcoming Nerves 23- Vocal Range 24- Interpretation and Improvisation 25- How Chords Relate to Scales 26- The Lead-in 27- Diphthongs 28- Eye Contact 29- Intervals 30- Sol-fa Syllables 31- The Keyboard 32- When to Breathe 33- Timbre 34- First and Second Endings 35- Matching Pitches 36- Keys 37- A Word About Pitch 38- Arpeggios 39- Stage Presence and Stage Craft 40- The Shaping of Vowels 41- Chord Progressions 42- The Octave 43- Rests 44- Developing Your Own Style 45- Relative Minor Keys 46- The Ultimate Melodic Instrument 47- Consonants 48- Microphones 49- The Importance of Timing 50- Dynamics 51- How We Sing 52- Breathing 53- Microphones for Performing Live 54- Slurs 55- Phrasing and Expression 56- Microphone Technique 57- Posture 58- Learning to Sing 59- Studio Microphones 60- Moving Between Registers 61- Vibrato 62- Pre-Hearing Notes 63- Warming Up 64- Common Problems 65- Looking After Your Voice 66- Approach to Practice 67- Registers 68- Working With a Teacher 69- Listening 70- Breath Control 71- Recording Yourself

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Microphones for Performing Live