Mic for live choir using boom stands?

[Grayson73]

I need some mics for a live choir using boom stands placed about 5 feet in front of the choir. I'm thinking 2 or 3 mics even spaced. Overhead mic is not an option because we are renting the facility.

 

I'd like to keep price as low as possible. Any suggestions? Am I looking for a Cardioid Condenser mic?

 

Will these mics work?

 

Nady CM 90 Cardioid Condenser Mic:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Nady-CM-90-Cardioid-Condenser-Mic?sku=277087

 

Nady SPC-25 Condenser Microphone:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Nady-SPC25-Condenser-Microphone?sku=277522

[agedhorse]

You wantto find a very flat response mic... something the Nady mics are not. You will get the best and most predictable performance if you can get the group to bunch up close together (rather than stringing out in a wide line) and have them several rows deep (or as deep as they are across) for several reasons. The first is that it simplifies the placement and minimizes the number of mics required, and secondly it hleps the group hear each other which reinforces their own singing levels/confidence. Also, do not use monitors on the choir mics, it's a battle you can not ever win.

 

If you can do this with 1 or 2 mics and still get adequate coverage, the less mics the better. This is a good example of where renting something good is a better idea than buying junk. I would look at an AKG-414 (in cardiod), 451, SM-81, or even an AT-4033 or 4050 might be ok.

[turcmic]

I used 2 AT3035 for a kids choir micing and recording a couple weeks ago. It went great even if I didn't have time to rehearse or talk with their teacher. In fact, I had 40 minutes to unload my car, install and plug everything, make a few tests and press the play/record button...

 

I used a wedge at the lowest volume possible because the way the FOH was set, they couldn't hear the cd. Most of the groups were lined up in front of the stage instead of closer groups (didn't have time to inform the teacher on how to put the kids together). Anyway, here are a few cuts from the shows : [ATTACH]253950[/ATTACH] Funny because you can hear the weakest voices

 

My advice : if you use large diaphragms, watch out for feedbacks cause they are very sensitive. Group the singers as much as possible and tell them to sing as loud as they can. If the mics are far from the singers, you'll end up amplifying the room instead of the voices, which is not good.

 

By the way, it was my first experience at recording live but I know what I'm going to do next year in order to improve the final product. Good luck!

[Imwithpepe]

This might be getting out of the price range that you are looking to work with, but Heil PR30 or PR40 would be great mics for your situation. I used three, last summer, to mic a 25 member children's marimba group. (also included 2 SM81s at the front of the stage angled inward toward the center).

 

I was shocked at how great these mics performed and have been more than willing to praise them to no end since.

 

Now, you are looking at anywhere from $240 - $340 a piece for these. Depending on the number of members, you could probably get away with 2 x PR40s.

 

Either way, good luck!!

[BillESC]

At the very least I'd recommend the Pro 45 caridoid condenser mic from Audio Technica. Although pictured as a hanging mic it comes with a stand adapter for use with boom stands.

 

 

Hi-SPL handling is ideal for suspension over choirs and orchestras

 

Wide-range condenser element with low-mass diaphragm for superior performance

 

Self-contained electronics eliminate need for external power modules

 

Flat, smooth frequency response

 

25' (7.6 m) cable permanently attached between microphone and XLRM-type connector

[windbag]

Well, it may not be a text-book solution, but I had great results with a pair of Rode NT2s on a single high stand with a choir in a church. The mics were set to cardioid pickup and mounted 8" apart and angled out 110 degrees. This is the ORTF-devised stereo pair pattern and it does work very well. Bear in mind these were the older NT2s and not the NT2As, but the secret is in the positioning. You have to be close enough in to get a good ratio of direct to reverberant sound, and high enough to get a good front to back ratio on the choir. A few inches in any direction can make a big difference, so you need to experiment. If the hall sounds nice, you'll get a wider range of reasonable sound, but if it sounds nasty, you'll probably want to get in a bit closer to exclude the ambient sound more. If you get i really close, you may have to put the best singers in the middle of the response area and sideline noisy breathers or enunciators to the edges. Of course, that's an option you may not have.

 

You may also find a pair of Rode NT5s or even a pair of Oktava MK012s can do the job. I don't know how good the latest Oktavas are. Anybody bought any recently?

 

None of these mics is stupidly expensive. You could get used Rodes for virtually nothing if you look around.

[agedhorse]

Windbag's suggestion is another possible approach. The key is good positioning of the mics and good "packing together" of the choir.

[Grayson73]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I was hoping to find two mics for under $300.

 

Looks like the only one that fits my budget is the Audio Technica Pro 45 at $79.99 each

 

What would buy if you were working with this budget?

 

Thanks,

Grayson

[Mike M]

Hello, I use four condensor mics with one for each voice part "section" (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) when mic'ing an 80 piece chorus in "pops style" settings. I use AudioPile c-61 mics and they work well.... plus they aren't too expensive. I think that a pair can be had for $140.00. Best, Mike M

[Not Serial]

i hate to nitpick but 8" apart is only an "ortf-like" pattern. the distance between capsules is ~6.69" or exactly 17cm.

 

personally i cannot stand ortf.

[windbag]

Coaster,

You're absolutely right about the spacing for ORTF, I just didn't look it up when I posted. But if anybody's planning to act on this, then look it up and get the spacing and angle just right. Other options are co-incident mics at 90 degrees or the same but spaced (I think) 12" apart for what they call NOS stereo. I don't have a problem with ORTF but then I generally use spaced omnis for classical anyway. Since that's probably even more contentious than any co-incident cardioid method, I didn't want to post about that ...

 

You need to trust your ears. I like the idea of a mic for each of soprano, alto tenor and bass but the choirs I've recorded have made that impossible owing to other factors limiting their own layout options (small English churches, mostly).

[Grayson73]

I'm looking for Mics $150 or less. Here are the choices based on your suggestions:

 

Audio Technica Pro 45 ($79.99)

Audio Technica AT3035 ($149.99)

 

Any other suggestions? I assume that the AT3035 would work better than the Pro 45?

[Grayson73]

 

This might be getting out of the price range that you are looking to work with, but Heil PR30 or PR40 would be great mics for your situation. I used three, last summer, to mic a 25 member children's marimba group. (also included 2 SM81s at the front of the stage angled inward toward the center). I was shocked at how great these mics performed and have been more than willing to praise them to no end since. Now, you are looking at anywhere from $240 - $340 a piece for these. Depending on the number of members, you could probably get away with 2 x PR40s. Either way, good luck!!

 

 

The budget is now $350 each for 2 mics.

 

If the mics will be on boom stands about 5 feet in front of choir, will the Shure SM81, Heil PR30, Heil PR40, AKG C1000, or Audio Technica AT-3035 be the better choice? This is for live performance.

 

Will the AT-3035 work well? At $115, it's only a fraction of the cost.

[PlatinumProd]

I need some mics for a live choir using boom stands placed about 5 feet in front of the choir. I'm thinking 2 or 3 mics even spaced. Overhead mic is not an option because we are renting the facility. I'd like to keep price as low as possible. Any suggestions? Am I looking for a Cardioid Condenser mic? Will these mics work? Nady CM 90 Cardioid Condenser Mic: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Nady-CM-90-Cardioid-Condenser-Mic?sku=277087 Nady SPC-25 Condenser Microphone: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Nady-SPC25-Condenser-Microphone?sku=277522

 

 

How many voice parts?

 

How many in each voice part (approximately)

 

Me, i like to mic each section. Get the parts close as AgedHorse advises, but I concentrate each mic at eqach section, if it is like a Gospel Choir with Soprano, Alto, Tenor and maybe Bass.

 

I can do amost anything with that mix. But, that's three or 4 mics right there. I agree, avoid monitors for recording.

[Grayson73]

There are 4 voice parts and about 40 people standing in 3 rows. The mics will be placed on boom stands about 5 feet in front of the choir (not sure how many feet apart). Mics are for live performance, no recording.

 

Looking for advice regarding the following:

 

Shure SM81, Heil PR30, Heil PR40, AKG C1000, or Audio Technica AT-3035

 

Will the AT-3035 work well? At $115, it's only a fraction of the cost. The C1000 is the next cheapest at around $200.

[Craig Vecchione]

 

There are 4 voice parts and about 40 people standing in 3 rows. The mics will be placed on boom stands about 5 feet in front of the choir (not sure how many feet apart). Mics are for live performance, no recording. Looking for advice regarding the following: Shure SM81, Heil PR30, Heil PR40, AKG C1000, or Audio Technica AT-3035 Will the AT-3035 work well? At $115, it's only a fraction of the cost. The C1000 is the next cheapest at around $200.

 

 

 

Hmm. 40 souls 2+ feet apart in three rows will be about 30 feet wide. I wouldn't try to capture 15 feet of chorus from 5 feet away with two mics.

 

You should probably consider the AT Pro-45 Bill ESC suggested. Your budget allows 4 of them, which would give you much better coverage and possibly allow you to group by vocal section.

[PlatinumProd]

Well ... if the group is that big, a stereo perspective might be better ... with two mics. But, you shold google about AB and XY mic configurations and see what works best for you. I have to run and can't go over it right now.

 

Also, if there are solo parts, you need a separate mic, close to the vocalist, for that.

[PlatinumProd]

I have still done a mic per section in this format: two to four dozen people, though, and like to work with that better. I'm a mix freak and want more control in the studio.