Originally posted by marlym
We're using Countryman B3's with Shure transmitters and receivers. |
What model transmitters and receivers, e.g. PG, PGX, SLX, ULXS, ULXP, etc.? The output signal format and level could vary and some of the issue might be as simple as having a much 'hotter' output from a wireless mic receiver than you get from wired mics.
Originally posted by marlym
Yeah, EQ is a mystery to me most times. I'm looking for anything online that would help train me in the proper EQ of a show, specifically musical theater. What should I be listening for? What should I be considering when setting the EQ for a bank of 12- 13 wireless mics? Am I even asking the right questions?
Still another problem is properly mic'ing the ensemble sound. Boundry mics and choral mics just feedback on me. I'm totally stumped there. |
Equalization can have several purposes, for FOH probably the most common are to try to increase gain before feedback or to create some desired subjective/artistic result. The latter is purely what sounds right. EQ for feedback should really be a last step, a common situation is to try to use EQ to compensate for issues best addressed in other ways and that can lead to the problems David noted.
A simple example relates to boundary and choir mics. Keeping in mind that any increase in level applied will apply to everything the mic picks up, the more you can increase the level of the desired source, the less gain you then have to apply for that source. Each time you halve the distance the mic is from the source you effectively create a 6dB increase in the source level at the mic, which translates to 6dB less gain required for the mic input and thus 6dB more resistance to feedback. A handheld or headset/boom mic may be a couple of inches from someone's mouth but a boundary or choir mic many feet away. That alone can make boundary and choir mics much more susceptible to feedback, for example changing from a mic being 3" away to 10' away could be up to a 32dB difference in the gain before feedback.
It might also be that you are encountering issues with sources being picked up by multiple mics. If multiple mics picking up the same sounds are mixed together this can both increase the resulting overall level and alter the resulting frequency response. So for that tender duet between the leads where they face each other, approaches such as dropping the level or even muting one mic are common.
Another factor in this can be the relationship of the mic location and it's directionality or pattern to the location of the speaker and it's directionality or pattern. Many times simply moving a mic or aiming it slightly differently can provide much more gain before feedback than can be achieved via EQ and do so without incurring the negative aspects of extreme equalization. I have seen cases where aiming hanging or choir mics to maximize the rejection of the sound from the speakers actually provided better results than aiming the mics to maximize the pickup of the vocals. These types of issues are always best directly addressed rather than by trying to compensate with EQ.
Originally posted by marlym
Starting with the faders near full huh? No fear! That's crazy awesome! Gonna try that for next year's show. |
I'm guessing the reason for that is simply a safety factor that you then can't exceed that level. But what is more important, and where I have to differ with David a bit, is that addressing EQ and feedback is best done with as close to the actual conditions as possible. Not only can the acoustical environment of the space change, but there are a multitude of stories out there of factors such as cupping the mic, wide brimmed hats, etc. affecting feedback as a result of either modifying the pattern of the microphone or producing reflections of sound into the microphone.
------------- Brad W.
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