Why do some people have mic when they don't sing a word?

[chimi]

Have you ever gone to a gig and watch the roadies set up microphones for the bassist or lead guitarist when they don't even sing a single word? Just wondering what the reasoning behind this is? Not to offend the person that doesn't sing?

[Bubbluz]

Maybe they sing if they have to alter the set-list for whatever reason.

Maybe they like to scream obscenities occasionally.

[mrbrown49]

Probably because they asked for one at the start of the gig. Doesn't mean they have to use it.

[jak83]

I noticed Dustie in BTBAM using a mic stand as a pick/slide holder last night, no mic. There's lower key ways to go about it, but it's one reason.

[mrbrown49]

...oh yeah. And {censored} happens. Maybe they want a mic just in case the singer/guitarist's amp or guitar needs attention and somebody has to fill time with stage banter. It looks more professional to jump up to a mic in front of you than to jog across stage to the other one.

[Belva]

...oh yeah. And {censored} happens. Maybe they want a mic just in case the singer/guitarist's amp or guitar needs attention and somebody has to fill time with stage banter. It looks more professional to jump up to a mic in front of you than to jog across stage to the other one.

 

I don't sing much right now but still have a mic. I do some harmonizing on 3 tunes so the mic is still needed. And I did once use it to fill space while the lead singer fixed her bra strap.

[Pope on a Rope]

So they can order a drink without going to the bar and disrupting the set.

[mutant_guitar]

And I did once use it to fill space while the lead singer fixed her bra strap.

 

I bet the guys in the audience wouldn't have minded on that occasion if you didn't fill the time

[snowaie]

I noticed Dustie in BTBAM using a mic stand as a pick/slide holder last night, no mic. There's lower key ways to go about it, but it's one reason.

 

 

ahh, ive noticed that aswell.

[pvwolfgang5150]

I've been wondering the same thing for a while....

[CoqBelliqueux]

I was forced to have one. Not kidding. I was tired of telling them my voice is garbage, I'm not even going to try. They still put one up there.

[Steadfastly]

I like to have one even though I don't sing. I have it up a little over my head. It gives me protection when the audience throws things at me.

[poolshark]

If you think that's bad, listen to this.

 

A local indie band was playing at a venue where my buddy ran sound. They mic'd everything but the drums, and this included the second guitarist's Hotrod Deville. The guitarist, not a singer or front-person of any kind, ran her Deville super quiet, which baffled us; I mean, as a guitarist, who turns down?

 

Anyway, every time my buddy would try to bump her up to a reasonable level in the PA mix, she would turn down until she was inaudible. This happened several times without fail; my buddy would boost her in the PA, she would turn down yet again. We concluded that she was most definitely a band girlfriend.

[Belva]

I bet the guys in the audience wouldn't have minded on that occasion if you didn't fill the time

She went off stage. I thought it would've been great if she just took off the damn bra and threw it into the audience (she's got a huge set).
Phillup would've been happy. Phillup Datipjar that is.

[BoneNut]

So they can order a drink without going to the bar and disrupting the set.

[Slave2TheAudio]

If its a big enough venue, its so the guy who can sing can move to multiple locations to sing. I've seen it with bands like AIC.

[Orange Jackson]

Sometimes you have to say to the crowd, "Hey, shut the {censored} up out there."

It's rare, but when you need to do it, it is nice to have a mic.

[stevenjuel]

If you think that's bad, listen to this. Anyway, every time my buddy would try to bump her up to a reasonable level in the PA mix, she would turn down until she was inaudible. This happened several times without fail; my buddy would boost her in the PA, she would turn down yet again. We concluded that she was most definitely a band girlfriend.

 

 

she might have been a pity member. My friends band had a guy in there for a while that they kept in for like a month because they were all good friends with him and felt bad for kicking him out so at shows they just told the sound guy to turn him down so no one could hear him.

[Fusion1]

What's worse is the singer with a guitar strapped to themselves that they never play and they just pose with it. Bon Jovi comes to mind as well as some of those American Idol losers from years ago.

[stevenjuel]

What's worse is the singer with a guitar strapped to themselves that they never play and they just pose with it. Bon Jovi comes to mind as well as some of those American Idol losers from years ago.

 

 

tim amrstrong comes to mind. he spends most of the show offstage

[Brian Krashpad]

There are several reasons for this.

First, at a multi-band gig, the next band up may have more singers, or singers who stand at different locations onstage. So those extra ones may be there for convenience in a multi-band scenario.

Also, having a mic allows you to communicate with the sound board person(s) without having to use hand signals, in order to get different instruments turned up or down in your monitors, or to have your overall monitor mix for your individual monitor turned up or down.

[nuke_diver]

And you can say Thank you...thank you very much (Elvis style)...when you are introduced and the crowd applauds

[Angry Tele]

I dont sing but I did have to learn how to whistle once for a cover song

[csm]

Jeff Beck has a mic onstage ...

 

For his guest singers ... and so he can talk to the peeps between chewns.

[Angry Tele]

Jeff Beck has a mic onstage ... For his guest singers ... and so he can talk to the peeps between chewns.

 

 

I went to see ex-The Exploited drummers punk band play and all but him are from Texas, so between each song he would talk in his heavy british accent...pretty funny I thought.