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Microphone Feedback

maguire

maguire

Nov 24, 2010
604
21
New Hope PA
#1
Im sure this must have been asked a bunch of times - but didn't find it in a preliminary search.

We have one singer in the band - his mic always seems to have feedback at our live shows. It really kills the mood.

He uses a lot of reverb.

I have no idea where to start troubleshooting.

Can anyone help? We have a show in 2 weeks and I want to make sure we don't have feedback again :(
 
#3
Hey Floyd - thanks for attempting to help.

I think I am going to get myself in over my head with this one :)

1. Im asking him his mic model.
2. Sound board is Allen & Heath GL 2400 – 24 Channel
3. Im sure that he must be EQ'd
4. No reverb on the monitors

Im also wondering if it could be feedback from a guitar amp - sometime we get feedback when he isn't singing. Guitarist uses a lot of delay.
 
#4
I can tell you that too much delay or reverb will definitely cause feedback. That is a great board. Maybe try turning the FX down a touch. Never run FX in monitors, that's just asking for problems. It is very possible that there is too much going on with the guitar rig. I would start by attenuating the EQ on the vocal mic down a couple pegs between 400-600 hz and 4-6 khz. I would ring out the monitors and get as much gain before feedback as you can and then make sure the rest of the band is at appropriate volume levels. If you can get it to feedback in rehearsal you can start trying individual things, one at a time, until you figure it out by process of elimination.

If I had to guess I would say the FX are up too much and it probably needs to be EQed a little better.
 
#6
I know you have a gig coming up and hopefully you can get this issue sorted out before then, but I recommend thoroughly browsing the Live Sound forum here. Most issues related to live sound come up here at one time or another and there are some extremely talented guys here who share their advise very freely. It sounds like you have decent gear, that's step one. The next step is learning as much as you can about running it properly. This is a very long process believe me, but in relatively short order you can become passable at dealing with most typical problems that arise in live situations. Keep notes on the info you get so you can take them with you to rehearsals and gigs.
 
#7
maguire said:
Im sure this must have been asked a bunch of times - but didn't find it in a preliminary search.

We have one singer in the band - his mic always seems to have feedback at our live shows. It really kills the mood.

He uses a lot of reverb.

I have no idea where to start troubleshooting.

Can anyone help? We have a show in 2 weeks and I want to make sure we don't have feedback again :(
Click to expand...

Does your singer leave the mic on the stand, or does he carry it around ?

How are monitors located in relation to his mic stand ?

If he holds his mic, does he move out in front of the mains, "cup" the mic up by the element, stand over the monitors ?

These items are a lot easier to fix.
 
#8
maguire said:
Hey Floyd - thanks for attempting to help.

I think I am going to get myself in over my head with this one :)

1. Im asking him his mic model.
2. Sound board is Allen & Heath GL 2400 – 24 Channel
3. Im sure that he must be EQ'd
4. No reverb on the monitors

Im also wondering if it could be feedback from a guitar amp - sometime we get feedback when he isn't singing. Guitarist uses a lot of delay.
Click to expand...

I always suspect the monitors before anything else. If your mains are sitting well ahead of the mics, you should be okay in that regard. My guys like the monitors a little on the loud side and that has created a couple of problems, one of which I fixed:

*I attenuate the monitor GEQ by 3-5 dB in the 400-600 hz and 4K-6K ranges. The "ringing" disappeared and the guys didn't notice the sonic vacancy.

*I believe our lead guitarist's vocal mic is picking up his backline combo amp so he's getting some guitar content kicked back through the monitor. All is well until he leans over to adjust an FX setting or such. This brings the SC pickups within proximity of the wedge monitor and...blammo...feedback which disappears just as quickly as he backs off.

Riis
 
#9
Feedback doesn't have to be while he is singing. It will happen anytime the mic can hear what the PA speakers or PA monitors are putting out. Our singer has a bad habit of turning his head to look at his guitar neck. EVERY TIME he does this we get a squeal. It seems sound reflects off the side of his head a lot better than his face.

Basic strategies for avoiding feedback are:
Microphones should never be pointed at speakers.
The mic must be well behind the PA speakers and pointed in the opposite direction.
The monitor must be positioned correctly, in front of the singer and mic - never to the side, such that it is in the same vector as the mic, and not too close.
Don't allow a hard sound-reflective surface to be directly behind the singer.
Don't use a cheap mic.
(Edit, I forgot...). Don't use cheap monitors.


Guitar amp causing feedback is unlikely. Is it mic'ed into the PA?
 
#11
If he's using a super-cardioid or hyper-cardioid mic with floor monitors, you don't want the back of the mic pointing directly at the monitor. The monitor should be set about 60 degrees off axis. If he's using a cardioid mic, then you want the monitor directly on axis with the back of the mic. Also, condenser mics (usually but not always super-cardioid) tend to be more prone to feedback, in spite of their superior off-axis rejection. You just have to make sure the monitor is off-axis.
 
#16
Um, this is probably not what you want to hear, but turn down and let the PA do more of the work? Then you can get the monitors up to a level that doesn't feed back as readily.
 
#19
maguire said:
Thanks for all of the great suggestions!

Singer is using a Shure beta 58A - Super cardioid.

Venue is called "trash bar" in Brooklyn.
Click to expand...

Shure actually provides a template with new Beta 58A mics that you can use to properly situate your monitors. As I said, the monitors should be off at about a 60-degree angle from the axis of the mic.
 
#20
lokikallas said:
Poor mic technique most likely is the culprit. Don't cup the mic as this negates the polar pattern, and put your lips on the mic to get the best results. A graphic EQ can ring out almost any feedback in the right hands.
Click to expand...

Put your lips on the mic only if you want the "proximity effect," which adds boom. It'll also give you a hell of a zap if everything isn't properly grounded. It also adds fragments of that sandwich you ate before the gig, which provides a great growth culture for a myriad of different mold species. Don't believe me? Look at the grill of the mics your rehearsal studio provides for your use.
 

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