Karaoke Forums

This may be a daft question or it may be more for the "Techie" forum but it's also a bit of a rant.

The story is - one of my singers fancies himself as an opera singer. He sings stuff from Phantom of the opera, Il Divo songs etc - he's even had a go at Nessun Dorma.

He's not brilliant but he's not too bad either. Problem is he's got absolutely NO mic technique whatsoever.

Most of the songs start off with quiet vocals and as he can't project his voice in these parts I'm cranking up his mic slider.

Then he'll reach the crescendo near the end when he suddenly lets rip with full lungs of air literally blasting the words out. Trouble is the mic stays firmly stuck to his lips. The result is AGONISING but irononically he thinks it sounds great

If I don't respond with a quick reduction in the mic volume (and I usually do now) he blows the room away (and not in a pleasant way)

Now I know this could damage my speakers/ amps / customers ears etc if i don't respond with the volume slider BUT my question is this -

Could this damage the mic eventually ?? After all it does have parts not disimilar to a speaker (I think - but I'm not an expert)

Problem is I can stand there all night sliding the volume up and down to save the speakers but I can't control where he has the mic.

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[font=Fantasy][/font] "Travellin' at the speed of light"

Wow, sounds like you got a real dillema here mr.fahrenheit... maybe you could try using a mic stand with a screen attatchment so he can't get too close. You say he's a decent singer, I'm just surprised he doesn't know how to use the mic... that's the 1st thing I picked Up On after hearing my own recordings... pop goes the weazle !

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MUSIC+DANCE=LIFE

No, it won't damage a dynamic mic.


Do you run compression?

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

absolutely... get compression.

Don't be a mic adjuster... or enabler, or whatever you want to call it.

If the singer wants to sing such songs, then they need to be educated on how to use a microphone properly... how to hold it in close for the lower low key notes and to pull it far away when you hit a power note.

Chances are slim that the mic would actually become damaged. Like stated, get a compressor, i'd opt for one with a limiter as well for this case. The dbx 166XL would be a starting choice. Once set up properly, this will allow for the loud vocals to automatically be turned down just like you had your hand on the fader.
http://www.zzounds.com/item--DBX166XL
If you are an e-bayer, you may be able to find it a little cheaper.
What mixer are you using. Typically you would add the compressor to the inserts on the mic channels provided the mixer has them, otherwise you would need to run the compressor inline between the mic & mixer - not as effective results, but will work better than nothing.

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

Lonman: is there a model that works for 4 mics? I probably don't need it. 2 mics get used by the crowd regularly, the 3rd only on the occassions that a 3rd person is singing in the group. My 4th mic is mine, and does not get handed out. I doubt I need it on my channel, as I have mic control and never get feedback. I only on very rare occassions get any feedback, as I mix well, and train my singers on proper mic technique, but as stated above there is always on idiot who refuses to listen or learn.

Thanks,
Felix the KJ

thanks for the responses guys

I pretty much guessed you'd advise getting a compressor limiter thingy and really thats what i need to do, then his singing won't bother anyone.

ANDYGURL - yes I did say he wasn't a bad singer but I take that back. He's not really a good singer at all. I've just come back from a night out at a rival karaoke night, and he was there (as usual) and he sang the same old songs that he sings everywhere.

After listening carefully, as a customer - not the KJ, I've come to the conclusion that this guy is the type who gives karaoke a bad name. He never smiles, I've never once seen him laugh, buys very little from the bar - stands there with one hand in his pocket, eyes glued to the screen (even though this is the 1000th time he's sung the song) and though he appears to be a "serious" singer, the end result is awful.

NOTE Thats "Awfull" - NOT "Awesome"

AND GET THIS - in a room FULL of 20 somethings he gets up and sings "If I Loved You" by Rogers and Friggen Hammerstein !!!!

He really does my head in but of course you have to give him his turn to sing what he wants.

Sorry if this is turning into more of a rant but I've had a drink or 2.

I really should know better than to ask the question about mic damage when I think about the likes of AC/DC, Motorhead, and all the other rock singers screaming into the mic as they do.

It's just that I know that his singing really annoys a lot of customers and I can't think of a way round it.

Any suggestions welcome.

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[font=Fantasy][/font] "Travellin' at the speed of light"

My only suggestion would be to get that suggested compressor and have a special setting just for him and make sure that he's not upfront in the mix, blend him in the mix like he's singing in another room

Well not a cheap model that i'd recommend. dbx makes the 1046 that is a 4 channel. There are a couple lesser models, but wouldn't use them if the paid me to endorse them.

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

Hey, I've sang THAT song!

Take him aside. Instruct him that there have been some collective groans from the clientel, and that you have some suggestions on mic technique. Ask him to try to appreciate the other singers, clap for them, give the occassional shrill whistle in appreciation when someone nails a song. Be courteous to them, and they in turn will let him have his time on the mic with the SAME courtesy. As much as I hate to say it, try to involve him in with ((gasp)) a duet, try a kamikazee round where EVERYONE can sing something they've never done, or a goofy song, or whatever. Get out of his chosen field, and try to branch out.

Now if he refuses, don't push it. Ask him what that specific song was on the microphone before he hands it back. "Hey dude, I'm not into showtunes... what IS that song from?" Even if you know it.

I do know one local singer (in band) who has reportedly poped 2 sm 58s. im not sure what he pops but he lets out a big loud scream and poof silence.

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the voices arent real, but they have some good ideas

Probably his audio engineer hitting the mute button and then telling him he broke the mic

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

My advice is NOT to turn up the volume for him in the beginning. That way, there are no worries about popping speakers, and perhaps it will make him learn some mic skills. If not, at least the ears of the other patrons have been spared.

You could at the beginning of your show do a funny tutorial on how to properly handle the microphone. Have a friend or yourself use the mic in the proper way all the while being nice to your customers. just pic a song that shows a wide range of vocal levels. Or prepare a track with snippets of songs and show how it's done. An old KJ in the 8 track days did this. had the audience busting a gut, but they actually learned mic handling.

Couple of weeks back I had a few shows where there seems to be a rash of 'cuppers'. I think there were four of them over the course of three shows. I was thinking, 'Why the hockey sticks are they doing that? Sounds like crap.' Then I remembered some pretty crappy shows I've been to, where cupping actually made the vocals bearable. Since these weren't part of my 'nation', I assumed they'd come from one of these shows, and their bad habit followed them.

After the third one, on the third night, I made an announcement, but can't see doing something like that at the beginning of each show, for a couple of singers. If these folks aren't regulars they're not going to see the error of their ways until they've enjoyed some cupless success on a system where it isn't necessary, although one of them has been around consistently enough since, I pulled the mic out of his mouth at one point. I'll take someone offline and give them tips if I think they care.

I've been thinking about hanging a memo from my lyrics screen in big font that says "* Sing into the microphone. While you may see professional singers hold the microphone way out, remember they are pros. The microphone should be held about 1-5 inches from your mouth.

* Please do not "cup" the microphone. This causes feedback and problems for the operator mixing the music. No matter what you see your favorite performer doing on stage, this is not the way to use the equipment. "


Yes, I stole most of that from a post earlier this year and it is part of my "fun rules" out of the front of my book. I've actually went over and tapped several singers on the shoulder and reminded them not to cup the mic.

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

Funny, funny!!! You're probaby right. Aren't those things indestructable?

Cupping the mic... I've taken to telling the singers the microphone needs to be circumcised, reveal the head. It catches them off guard but they seem to remember!

I'll step up tpo the plate here. I am not a big fan of the Behringer line of products. Some of them are VERY good while others are less than stellar and a bit unreliable.


Lonman is a great tech (I have knowledgeable friends who have been to his shows) so his advice is sound, but I am also experienced, and have different ideas. There is always more than one right answer.

That said, one of the best purchases I have ever made for my system was the Behringer MDX4400 4 channel Compressor/Limiter. I have had it in my rack for about 9 years, now, and haven't looked back, since.

It has since been replaced by the MDX4600 which adds a gate to each channel. I have purchased one of these to go alongside my 4400, for when I need extra channels (i.e. when I mic drums and such for a band.)

I always get comments on how clean and well-controlled my sound is, and since these are part of the signal chain, you get the idea.

The only other piece of Behringer equipment I run, and recommend consistently is the DCX2496. It is functionally similar to the dbx DriveRack equipment (at a substantially lower price). It has been absolutely incredible, since I run a multi-amp system, using anywhere from 3 to 9 channels, depending on the venue and their needs.

Sorry for the rant, but there are other less expensive options that are still quite nice. Shop around and solicit the opinions and experiences of several people before making a purchase.