How to Choose a Live Vocal Microphone
We’ve put together this guide to help vocalists choose a great live microphone. Whether you’re choosing your very first mic or want to learn more to inform your next purchase, we’re here to help!
What makes a microphone great for live vocals? And which features should you expect to see reflected in the price of the product? In this guide, we’re going to be covering everything you need to know when choosing the right live vocal mic for you!
To make everything as easy as possible for you, we’ve broken this guide down into 3 main sections: A quick guide on the key details, a section on the brands to look out for and a final in-depth section that goes into much more detail.
If you'd like to learn more about what makes one PA speaker better than another, check out our How to Choose A PA Speaker guide here!
Dynamic or Condenser?
The two most common microphone types are dynamic and condenser, each offering unique benefits and drawbacks depending on application and environment.
While dynamics have been mainstays for live singers for the longest time, it’s becoming more common for condensers to play a role in certain live situations. There are rules of thumb you can follow but it’s always worth exploring options, trying things out, and seeing what works.
If you want to play it safe, then choosing a dynamic microphone is generally the safest bet for live vocals, especially if you’re new to microphones in general. Dynamic mics are often coloured, meaning they enhance or subdue certain frequencies with features like a presence boost and/or low-end roll-off (and sometimes even a high-end roll-off). By removing or boosting desired frequency ranges you can fine-tune your sound.
Condenser mics are most commonly seen in studios however there are plenty of handheld condenser mics designed specifically to be used on stage. Condenser mics have a wider frequency response and capture more of the true detail and nuance of a sound however they can be more susceptible to feedback so be careful!
Check out our Ultimate Guide for more info on both Dynamic and Condenser mics!
Polar Patterns
A crucial factor to consider when choosing a microphone for live use is the polar pattern of the mic. To quickly summarise for those who aren’t familiar - the polar pattern of a mic dictates where it will and won’t pick up sound from.
Cardioid capsules are a great all-round choice for vocalist, as they’ll pick up your voice (or whatever you’re pointing the mic towards) but will actively reject other audio sources nearby. It will predominantly reject best from the back.
Super or Hyper-cardioid capsules are even more directional than a standard cardioid, meaning you need to be even more straight-on when using them. They also reject sound mostly from the sides; therefore, they are less susceptible to feedback from well placed stage monitors.
We’ll go into more detail on Polar Patterns in the Ultimate guide later!
Which features affect cost?
Capsule Quality & Frequency Response
A mic’s capsule - which contains the diaphragm - is the part responsible for capturing the sound. This is the most important part of the microphone: the better the capsule, the better the microphone. It’s as simple as that really.
The materials that are used to build this, including precious metals used for their conductivity, impact the price of a microphone. When considering the price of any microphone, be sure to make sure you’re getting a worthy capsule for your money!
Capsule quality also impacts the frequency response of a microphone. For example, a Shure Beta 58A has greater sensitivity with extended low-end and high-end compared to their SM58 model. It’s worth bearing in mind that while you’ll often pay more money for a mic with greater frequency response, you might find this doesn’t suit the style or characteristics of your voice. Try things out and see what works best for you.
The max SPL (Sound Pressure Level) of a mic is also something that will be reflected in its price. The max SPL of a mic tells you how loud of a source it can record without distorting. A higher SPL mic could be useful for other applications beyond vocals, such as recording a snare drum or a guitar amp.
Build Quality & Durability
The quality of the mic’s housing as well as the internal components makes a world of difference to the quality of your recordings. It’ll be one of the main things that you’ll pay a bit more for. Investing in decent quality gear, including mics, will save you money in the long run. A better built mic is less likely to get damaged and need replacing through general use compared to a cheaper counterpart.
Cheaper models of microphone often also suffer from unwanted handling noise – low frequency rumbles and thumps from your hands contacting the mic. This kind of unwanted noise can be a real distraction for both the singer and the audience so if you’re looking at cheaper models of microphone, it might be worth considering that this could be an issue.
Shure
From Elvis to Martin Luther King Jr., from the GRAMMYs to the Olympics - iconic performers, leaders and communicators across industries regularly put Shure mics to use. From microphones to headphones to conferencing gear, Shure make products that help you define your sound. Whether you’re a musician, audio engineer, podcaster, lecturer or simply a music lover, Shure has an innovative audio product to exceed your expectations.
Sennheiser
With over 75 years of history and experience behind them, Sennheiser help performers to keep on-track and performing with confidence. They offer a wide range of vocal microphones fit for just about any style or application there is in music or performance. From the sturdy road-proof handheld to the powerful stage mic, they offer it all.
sE Electronics
As a brand on the rise, sE mics have been seen in the hands of artists and engineers such as Amy Lee (Evanescence), Andy Meyer (FOH - Justin Timberlake), Devin Townsend, and many other industry legends. If you're looking for the perfect first microphone or even expanding an already extensive mic locker, sE have a wide selection to choose from!
Sontronics
Launching in 2005, the Sontronics name has become a global reference for class-leading microphones featuring a signature smooth high-frequency response. With a reputation for exceptional value for money and outstanding customer support, along with the added benefit of a lifetime warranty, Sontronics are a great option for taking your recordings to the next level!
Austrian Audio
Austrian Audio opened its doors in 2017 following the closure of the AKG engineering facility and factory in Vienna and set out to create something new and respectful to its heritage. The new company started with a core team of previous AKG personnel and today they produce a wide range a critically acclaimed headphones and microphones to suit absolutely any performer or stage setup!
Capsule Types
Dynamic
In live settings, you’ll most commonly find dynamic mics. Dynamics are known for their robust construction and their ability to handle high Sound Pressure Levels (SPL).
Dynamics are less sensitive to transients and the attack of sources, and often give a smoother, more rounded tone to vocals due to the way that they roll off the lowest and highest frequencies somewhat.
Condenser
Condensers are more commonly found in recording studios but that’s not to say they can’t be used live on-stage as well. As we mentioned earlier on, there are plenty of handheld condenser mics designed to be used on stage.
In previous years, performers didn’t use condensers live on-stage very often due to issues with feedback, however as in-ear monitors become more prevalent, it’s less of an issue than it once was. If you don’t have control over monitors or you’re playing in a smaller room, air on the side of caution.
Condensers are far more sensitive than dynamics and will pick up a wider frequency range and more detail of an audio source. This can be great if you’re wanting to capture nuance in a voice, and this is exactly why they’re very commonly used in studio situations, however you may end up picking up feedback from other audio sources.
Polar Patterns and their Applications
The best microphones for vocalists will feature a cardioid polar pattern in some form, which is far more directional and predominantly picks up sound from one direction.
Cardioid
A cardioid polar pattern primarily picks up sound coming directly into the mic from 0 °, which means it’s great for rejecting external sound sources that you don’t want to capture especially from the back of the mic. Not only this, but they also actively reject and nullify any sound waves coming from the rear which can be extremely useful.
Cardioid polar patterns are the most used patterns when it comes to vocal mics, as they actively reject external sound sources and block feedback, helping the vocalist to capture just their voice as intended while allowing some leeway in terms of the singer’s positioning.
Super/HyperCardioid
There are also super and hypercardioid mics that are even more unidirectional and take the feedback-blocking benefits of a cardioid to the next level. Super and hypercardioid patterns are even more precise than standard cardioid patterns, which can be great for rejecting external audio sources on stage.
However, there are some drawbacks to using these polar patterns. These mics require the singer to be extremely consistent with their positioning relative to the mic. This means it probably is not the best option for a singer who likes to move around on stage.
If you’re someone who doesn’t move very much while performing or you keep your mic clipped to the stand, this may suit you. It could also be very useful on a particularly noisy stage!
A lot of microphones offer the ability to switch between various polar patterns which can be extremely useful if you find yourself needing to adjust your feedback rejection to suit certain environments.
Proximity Effect
Directional microphones exhibit the proximity effect, which increases the mic's bass response as the sound source gets closer to the microphone.
Proximity effect can help add low-end warmth and power to a vocal but can also quickly muddy up the sound.
Choosing a microphone that sounds great at a distance is important for vocals. Picking a microphone with a built-in high-pass filter (which allows you to reduce the amount of low-end response) will also benefit vocals as it combats the proximity effect.
Front-to-Back Ratio (FBR)
To measure the FBR of a mic, we look at the frequency response of a signal presented from the front of the mic compared with a signal presented from the back of the mic. The difference between these two values is the FBR.
For example, an omnidirectional microphone picking up sound evenly from both the front and back will have a FBR of 0 dB. More directional mics, such as one with a cardioid polar pattern, will have a greater FBR as it’s designed to receive far more signal from 1 specific direction.
Sound Pressure Level (SPL)
SPL stands for sound pressure level. A microphone’s max SPL level refers to how much sound pressure level it can take without distorting. To make sure you’re getting a clean, crisp recording, you want to make sure your microphone can handle the volume it’s receiving without distorting. Most new mics are capable of recording very high sound pressure levels. Examples of a high SPL source include a hard snare drum or a loud guitar amp.
Frequency Response & Vocal Range
Vocal range describes the range of fundamental frequencies a singer may sing with their voice. These ranges vary from person to person and are often defined in music as bass, baritone, tenor, alto, soprano, etc.
The lowest note of the lowest vocal range (Bass) is E2 and has a fundamental frequency of 82 Hz. The highest note of the highest vocal range (Soprano) is E6 and has a fundamental frequency of 1319 Hz.
The range of human hearing spans from 20Hz up to 20KHz, and the range of a human voice can typically span from 82Hz to 10KHz so it’s worth making sure your microphone offers decent coverage across these ranges
Check the frequency response of your microphone to make sure it covers as much of spectrum as possible!
More Info
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