Whats the Best Way to Mic up a Choir?

[escotoric]

Hi guys,

just would like to check with you how do u mic up like a 8-16 man choir?
from my last experience, we did overhead mic-ing using Shure SM81 condenser mics indoor setting..
but we had problems with the pick-ups(can't really hear, if we push the gain, feedback will occur) and also we got alot of feedbacks...so much so that in order to reduce the feedback, i had to compromise on my eq settings thus cutting back on my lows/hi's making the choir sounds very treble-ish and weird...haa

any suggestions?

 

[seekz]

don't do overheads then. the 81s are very directional, so the pick-up might not be great. try pointing the mics directly in front of the singers.

or try a large diag mic?

 

[soft]

Are you doing sound reinforcement or recording? I think more likely reinforcement right?

One way is to get the choir to project their voice. SING!!!

What seekz said is good also. Get the mic as close as possible. But equal distance from each individual singer. Meaning don't point the mic at just 1 singer and ignore the rest.

Technical, what causes a feedback is when the mic pick up what is coming off the speaker thus a 'feedback'. If you can move the speaker more towards the audience, this is reduce the amount of feedback.

 

[escotoric]

hmmm.. ok i will give it a try.. thanks for the insights ...

 

[jbarks]

http://www.shurenotes.com/how1/how1_choirmic.html

 

[soft]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z2sUNeOmYo

I recorded the above choir at VCH long long ago. The microphone was on the balcony!!! This was more of a video shoot rather than audio though.

 

[escotoric]

hey jbarker...thanks for the webby...its been very informative.. like the part where they say...
"The age-old argument's going to be "It's too loud - it's too loud". Some of the worst EQ on the planet is in churches." - Bart Millard, Mercy Me...
haa..

 

[escotoric]

hey soft... how long does it take u to tune or eq a choir? as in to find the right mix?

 

[soft]

What is the job you are working on?

The one in the video is recorded with 2 condenser point towards the choir on stage. I did this because I know they sing well and loud.

The lesser mic you use, the easier it is going to be.

But sometime, I use up to 6 mic.

Side stage left
Side stage right
Front stage left
Front stage right
Front stage center
1 mic point at PA speaker (to capture the MC)

Here's another choir video, wished I had placed my mic closer to the singer. This was at SCH. The mic is halfway of the hall. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGvFjuESvFU