Mic screeching problem

[OhamtaroO]

Okay, i'm not really good at sound engineering and all, but me and my bandmates have this problem.

Since the acoustic volume of the drums is quite high, we would usually set our instruments to match that volume. Problem is, the vocals has to be higher than the rest, and whenever we try that, the mic gives out a loud screeching sound. How can we avoid this? =(

 

[soft]

This problem is also known as "Feedback".

It happens when the sound from the speaker is pickup by the microphone and 'feedback' into the speaker. Visually, it looks like the multiple images when you connect your video camera to the tv and point to the screen.

Ways to solve it:

1. Adjust the volume of the microphone lower.
2. Stand further away from the speaker.
3. Use a graphic equaliser to cut away the frequency that is causing the feedback.

If the room that you are playing in is very small, the only way is to get the whole band to play softer.

 

[ulysses]

+1 to soft! yeap! actually you can identify the different feedback sounds. from my limited experience, it's either a high screech or a low hum. so what you can roughly do is cut the hi's or lo's on the mixer until you can get the volume you desire without having the feedback. hope this helps! =)

cheers!

 

[OhamtaroO]

Ok, i'll try that out on my next jamming session! Thanks ulysses and James =)

 

[ulysses]

oh yeah hamtaro! lest i forget, while you cut the hi's or lo's right, you might want to boost their opposite. that means.. cut the hi = boost the lo. then from there you can push the hi up again so as to balance out the sound so that you get a good setting for your own voice with the mixer. cause if not your voice will sound either too bassy or too treblish. yeap! good luck with it aight?!

 

[uly]

omg ulysses.my name's ulysses too! haha thought there wasnt another in singapore

 

[amoslu]

One more option is to point the mic away from any speakers. Most microphones pickup a tight pattern in front of the mic, so stand facing the speakers with the mike front facing you and the mic back facing the speakers, so as to reduce the amplified sound being picked up by the mic.

 

[ulysses]

omg ulysses.my name's ulysses too! haha thought there wasnt another in singapore

Actually my name isn't ulysses. It's just that i came from ulysses company in bmt and i enjoyed the illiad and james joyce's ulysses. I guess just an affinity for that name.