Phase cancellation

[Frogger52]

I remember years ago reading about/seeing vocalists using two vocal mics taped together and that they were out of phase. The idea being that background sounds coming thru both mics would be cancelled and singing thru just one would allow this signal thru. Is this still use and how is it done? My drummer uses a dynamic mic for live vocals and has the mic pointed sideways and we get way too much bleed thru his mic. Thanks.

[imnotded]

You could use a gate if there isn't much dynamics to his vocals.

[dennis a]

Back in the day, the Grateful Dead used the double vocal mic concept when experimenting with the "Wall of Sound". It was awkward then and it's awkward now.

 

Dennis

[Dogoth]

It's still a valid approach and does work very well but...... Yes I agree it's awkward. I have a collegue that used this just recently when he was asked to put a band IN FRONT of the city's new stadium P.A. (obviously a show designed by a commitee of politicians). After some experimentation the gig went off without a hitch (the GBF was amazing). But yes it is not for the inexperienced and requires a lot of tweaking to make it work right.

[TimmyP]

I tried it once, and it worked OK except that the cymbal bleed was just as bad.

 

For the singing drummer, there are two parts to the solution:

 

PLAY the drums instead of beating the crap out of them.

 

Visit a vocal coach and try to become "no longer the wimpiest singer in the band".

[dboomer]

In order for the differential mic technique to work very well the mics must be identical ... not just the same model, but identical.

 

The Dead used very expensive B&K mics that were matched and had special transformers to combine them.

 

Crown used to make something called a "differoid". They work but are difficult to use because at about 6 inches away they are nearly silent.

[Dogoth]

 

Crown used to make something called a "differoid". They work but are difficult to use because at about 6 inches away they are nearly silent.

 

 

That's what my buddy found out as well. They ONLY work when you're right on the mic (otherwise they cancel out). I think he used 57s (no ball to get in the way of alignment) and put a foam screen on the nearest one. I know he said it took a lot of time to get the distance just right. I'm sure it didn't work as well as the B&K setup (I saw the dead on that tour and for it's day, the wall of sound was AMAZING :>) but it did work amazingly well.