Karaoke Forums

Hey all..

Every so often i get some one who likes to wrap ther hand around the bell of the microphone the way rappers do.. nothing wrong with that is looks cool and all but tends to cause a horrendous feed back

any one else encpuntered this problem and/ or got any suggestions for a fix??

cheers

Mighty

I'd get a compressor.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

A compressor makes your gain-before-feedback worse in many situations.

I just tell the wannabe-rappers not to hold the mic that way, and if they keep doing it I turn the gain down. Feedback makes me look unprofessional, and I don't care if no one can hear a singer who won't listen when told his mic technique is the cause of his problem.

I had some actual rappers the other day -- live sound job, not karaoke. It was a pleasure working with them, and they knew how to use microphones correctly.

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Jeff Wheeler, moonlight DJ/KJ

Agreed, a compressor will not help you in this case. The only thing you can do is either get them to not do it or use your EQ to pull out the mid-range (that's typically what will feedback in those situations). Assuming you have a sweepable mid-range on your channel EQ for the mic, set it to what would be somewhere between 2.6 and 4 kHz and then take it out until the feedback quits. They'll sound terrible, but they're going to anyway once they cup the mic like that.

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

I have had the same problem. The problem is that in rap VIDEOS they hold the mic this way. If you see the same rapper in concert, he is using the mic correctly.

I do as Jeff does. I just turn him down so it doesn't feedback. If they ask, I tell them why. 99% of the time, they don't even notice.

If a singer at my show is holding the mic that way, I go right up to them and tell them that they can not cover the top of the mic, and that they are causing the feedback.

Then, after they finish, I'll tell them this:

You can get that same "look" without the feedback by placing all of your fingers BELOW the center ring of the mic grille then placing just your pointer finger over the top of the mic.

That is the technique professionals use on stage, and it works with no feedback, assuming the singer doesn't require a high gain in the first place (which most rapper-types should not).

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Agree with TOny, if you have a sweepable mid, turn the frequency to 1-2.5K & turn it down, this will help with the feedback quite a bit.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

The frequency of that feedback depends on many factors, like:
* model of microphone
* what part of it the retard singer is covering up with their hand
* how flat the frequency response of the mic/monitor path is in the first place

The best thing to do if you want to get rid of feedback is to practice and teach yourself to recognize what frequency it is happening at so you don't hack the signal up too badly. There are PC programs to help you, like "Sound Feedback Trainer."

Personally, I don't see the point in busting your (@$%&#!) to try to fix someone who is doing the worst thing possible to the sound right at the source (microphone.) Just turn something down, either the singer's mic or the monitor sends, until the feedback goes away. There is only so much you have time and energy to mess with when it comes to karaoke; and I would rather spend my time on the customers who use the mic correctly.

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Jeff Wheeler, moonlight DJ/KJ

You can try to teach, but 90% don't learn in my experience. It doesn't take much to do a quick adjustment on the channel eq to pull that mid frequency, I adjust each singers eq anyway, so it's not any extra work to work the mid a little more.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

A free feedback trainer that I use:

http://sft.sourceforge.net/

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

Hi all:
Has anyone seen those mic collars that you can slide a mic into ints center. They are typically hexagon in outside shape to keep the mic from rolling off of the table. I feel that with this collar on, it would be difficult to cup the mic.

I have looked all over the net trying to find these, and have had no luck. my first gig used these. Any Ideas?

Felix the KJ

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1 ... _Roll.html

more can be found if you google "microphone anti roll"

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Dave's not here.

Felix , i've used the anti-roll collars for years and they don't stop the wannabes from cupping the mic.

I have a sign on my viewer tv that reads Please "DON'T SCREAM or CUP The MICS"
and i know most of my regulars and their rap songs and find it better to turn off all effects (ie. reverb, echo,delay) to their microphones to prevent further feedback.

Telling everyone "not to cup the mic" before handing it to them may cutdown on the interruptions.

It's gonna be a mid-range frequency that feeds back in these situations, so if you put the frequncy somewhere in the range Lon and I have given and pull it out hard, with the low Q of the 3-band EQ's of modern consoles, you're going to get the frequency you need. It varies so little between mics that the general rule that Lon and I have provide will work without requiring the KJ to be able to identify the exact frequency. The solution Lon and I specified is designed to be a simple quick fix for any KJ regardless of their skill level. I don't know if you just felt the need to try and justify your knowledge or what but I can't understand why you're disagreeing with what we've described.

I don't see this as busting my butt, it takes 2 seconds to make the necessary adjustment, it's part of the job of mixing. Most times your mid-range control should already be in that frequency range anyway, so grab the mid gain and pull it down and you're done. It's not about making them sound good, it's about protecting my equipment. And I certainly don't share your condescending attitude toward customers who do this. Most of these folks don't know any better. They see what the pros are doing and try to emulate it (part of the fun of Karaoke). Few if any of them know anything about mic technique, most are not pros and typically have only handled a microphone a few times in their lives. I'll try to educate them if I get the opportunity, but in general, if that's what they want to do so be it. They'll sound crappy, I'll let them know that they do because of what they did with the mic. If they choose to continue, oh well, I'll do what i have to in order to save my rig and the ears of the folks out in the venue.

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

They still sound crappy with a huge cut required to eliminate the feedback, so that is why I don't bother. It's not like I don't care, or am mean to the customers. I would just rather they use the mic correctly, or turn it down, than still have them sound bad.

Being a KJ is all about multi-tasking, as everyone here knows. I choose not to spend extra time on bad singers. I would rather be a good host, talk to the customers a lot, be patient with the "can I sing next?" people, and spend time on the really good singers.

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Jeff Wheeler, moonlight DJ/KJ

All that happens when they cup the mic is it basically turns it into complete midrange. You cut the approx frequency & give a slight boost to the lows and maybe the highs, and they don't sound nearly as bad as someone that is not adjusted. I agree proper mic technique is key, but again, most people that do cup are not going to change their ways.
Besides it also makes me look bad as someone who can't adjust sound, so I try my best to make them sound as good as possible - cupping or not.

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