Microphone Feedback

[Calibretto]

Hey Guys, Ok so whenever I turn the mics up so we can all hear the singing over the loud instruments, it gives us feedback so we can't turn it up too loud or else we get feedback. That means we can't hear the singing. The speakers are about 5 yards away from the mics. Maybe closer. Anybody have any ideas to fic this?

[87PRS]

couple of things, 1 is turn down the loud instruments, lol but I've found most rock bands don't wanna do this... 2 make sure your speaker array for the PA is in front of or aligned with microphones, don't have a vocal mic pointing into a speaker cab 3 you can also use a stereo EQ on the mixer, put it inbetween the mix and outputs 4 OR buy a feed back reduction unit, there are several good ones on the market, buy a decent one, not a cheapy buy a Sabine, DBX, Peavey or even a Samson, these units will allow you to filter out unwanted frequencies that cause the feedback.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/FBX1200/
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/FeedbackFerr/
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DriveRack260/
These are jus some examples of feedback reduction units.
A good stereo EQ can help out alot in reducing unwanted frequencies, but this is all up to the individual to "ring out" system. I use one of these http://http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/1231/ (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/1231/)
Hope this helps a little.

[Audiodude]

Here's some suggestions, roughly in order from most effective to least effective.

1) Usually, feedback comes from the monitors, not the mains. The best thing to do is to get rid of the floor monitors altogether and use in-ear monitors instead. If that's not an option, at least turn down the offedning mic's signal in the monitors as much as possible, and be sure that the monitors are positioned directly in the microphones null position. With a standard cardioid microphone, this is 180 degrees off axis, directly behind the mic.

2) If the problem is the mains, not the monitors, the best way to get rid of the feedback is to change your speaker or microphone placement so that it's less likely that audio from the speakers will make it into the microphone. Usually that means moving the mic back and the speakers forward. An easy way to judge if you've got it right is to stand at the mic and listen to music running through the speakers. If you can hear the music, you've got a problem.

3) Switch to a more directional microphone. Go to a hypercardioid instead of a regular cardioid.

4) Sometimes, feedback is caused by bad microphone technique. The popular "hip hop microphone hold" with the hand around the ball of the microphone makes the mic much less directional, increasing the likelyhood of feedback. Simply training your vocalists to use better technique can fix it.

5) If none of these methods solves your problem, a feedback elimination unit like those made by dbx, Peavey, and Sabine can help.

6) As a last resort, EQ can usually solve the problem, but it is destructive. It's impossible to eliminate a frequency that is feeding back without eliminating that same frequency from your program material.

[Calibretto]

wow thanks guys. I'll do some experiments and mess with it a little. You guys are way helpful!

[sabianq]

my $.02

I have done many, many, many live setups,

first use only dynamic microphones and make sure your microphones are positioned behind your main enclosures.

are you using floor monitors? if you are, reverse the phase of the monitors from your microphones on the mixer. (the little button near the top that looks like a zero with a slash through it.

you need to ring out the room.
use a 31 band EQ and bring up your first microphone level until it sustains a light ring, drop that frequency out of the main mix by no more than 3-4 db.
do that for all of your microphones.

and finally and most importantly, teach everyone to "close-talk" the microphone.

basically eat the microphone, don't be afraid to stick that thing right in your mouth and really sing your heart out.
you need to hold the microphone so it is perpendicular to your mouth

http://www.funfry.com/data/2/mouse_singing_microphone_funfry_resize.JPG

http://www.lisaramirez.com/www/images/Lisa%20singing%20w-microphone.jpg

http://xf1.xanga.com/1ecb63261013345284705/b30585681.jpg

this should help.

[87PRS]

WoW sabian pictures ...even, noticed one thing though, none of them peeps are sweating....or half un-dressed....lol...back in the sixties we didn't have monitors, none of the music was that loud for starters, what with the Beatles, surf music and majority Mo-town sounds, and eventually it all got alot louder by the seventies we were blasting the PA and using anything we could get for monitors including those ol' Kustom tuck'n'roll cabs (remember?), a powerful PA was like 500 watts for a club band, Altec/Lansing was big for mains. Feedback has always been a problem, and sometimes desirable (guitar players haha) So...saying I have set up thousands of PA systems isn't bragging and from what I gathered from the original post it appears to be a young band gettin' its s--t together. I have played in bands where the singer didn't want to hear the monitors, but only the mains, some wanted the monitors so loud you wondered if they heard any of the music, and eating a mic?.....breakfast of champions. We give our opinions, some good, some ya can't understand and most rock singers are going to take heed to the advice, but still in the heat of a jam....point their mic at a cab.....r i n g. I know this ain't much advice, more story than anything, but keep the mic in a stand, mid stage front and center when you are setting up, and use that for your point of reference, did any of this make sense?:eek:

[Pazza]

I get the same.. a like muffling sound when I listen to my recording. Does the above stop that?

[jmail]

And whatever you do, don't let the singer do their Roger Daltrey imitation and start spinning the mic around by its cable... Our 1st lead singer did that. Almost ended up with a lawsuit from Mrs. Kelley when it hit her upside the head. Knocked 'er silly, it did...

I like that furry lead singer, sabiang... Gotta be careful tapping the beat out with your foot around him/her, though...