by robsimmon
It truly amazes me when singing teachers spend endless classes training their pupils on microphone technique! A student’s time and money is best invested in understanding how to sing with correct singing technique. You don’t have to pay tens, even hundreds of dollars per hour to learn how to use a microphone.
It’s easy! I can sum it up for you in a few minutes, and this is what I will do in this article.
Firstly, you don’t have to control all of the volume changes. The sound engineer Many Kinds Of Audio Engineering - Audio engineering is a branch of audio science that deals with recording and reproducing sound using mechanical and electronic devices. Aspiring sound engineers must be proficient with various recording equipment and often specialize in one aspect of the process. There are several key areas that an engineer can choose from: Studio engineer: Works in a… will most likely have you going through a device called a “compressor”. This will simply turn you down if you sing too loud! So, don’t be afraid of singing too loud into the microphone.
Follow these simple directions:
If you are singing from quiet to medium volume, you need to learn to sing as close to the microphone as possible. I mean really close!!! Position your mouth a few millimeters from the front of the microphone.
You see, it’s highly unlikely that the sound engineer will ever have too much volume from the singer. It’s easy for them to turn it down if it’s too loud. Problems happen when the singer is not loud enough…
…this is what happens when you’re not close enough to the microphone!
So, sing really close to the microphone at low to medium volumes.
If you reach a loud section in the song, pull back slightly. Not a lot, just 2-5cm. This will easily bring the level down enough to blend perfectly.
Learning to sing this way is easy, and should not take too much practice. In fact, it can become instinctive quite quickly…
Leave any other changes to the sound engineer. If you try to control the dynamics beyond this point, it will be impossible for the engineer to do his job.
For example, if you pull back much further than this, with sounds in the background, your voice could disappear almost completely!
So…
Quiet to medium = as close as possible Loud to very loud = 2-5cm from the front of the microphone
Oh, one more thing…
Sing into the center of the microphone!
Learning to sing into the center of the microphone will have you sounding your best and clearest. This is the spot that will pick up the brightness in your voice. These frequencies are important for you to be heard clearly!
So, follow the above rules on distance, and sing into the center of the microphone…
…you might just stun your audience!
Advanced Strategies on Learning to Sing with a Microphone
A slightly advanced technique is to aim slightly to the side of the microphone for every word that begins with “P” or “B”. This is because these letters can cause a “popping sound”.
Just use this technique when you have mastered the technique described above. It won’t matter too much if you pop a little. People are used to hearing pops from time to time, so they generally don’t even notice it.
But, if you’re looking to refine your microphone skills, practice aiming away from the mic on the P’s and B’s. Just shift your mouth slightly sideways, so the burst of air caused by the P and B passes safely past the side of the microphone. When you’ve finished the letter, resume your position singing straight into the center of the microphone.
Manuel Marino is a seasoned Senior Producer, Music Composer, and Artist with over a decade of experience. He specializes in branded entertainment across various mediums, including video games, films, and advertising campaigns. With 20+ years as a game music composer, Manuel has worked on numerous platforms, creating diverse orchestral soundtracks. HIRE ME