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We started a new venue on Tuesday nights. It's a small bar with horrible acoustics; the sound just echoes in the place. I have never had much problem with feedback before. I just move speakers around if it is a problem. But here, there's nowhere else to place them. There are two speakers...each within 8 feet of the singer. Mics are two Shure SM58s. We seldom have to use the cordless, but when we do, they are Vocopro. They feedback less than the Shures. If singers hold their mics down at all, they feedback. When two people are singing, and they get their mics close together, they feed back. The stage area is very small, so this is unavoidable. What can I do?

I'm sure the pros will pop on at any minute and give you tons of good advice that will work. I'd say if you have EQ on your mics and your lows are too high, you'll get that feedback. Also, on your board do you run your sliders at U (unity) and adjust mic volume with trim? (or whatever those little black buttons are at the top of the channels). We use powered Mackies and corded 58s and you can literally stand right in front of the speakers and sing without feeding back. I'd try those two things first.

I'm assumimg your speakers are placed in front of the singers?

Are you using a monitor? and where is it placed?

What type of equipment are you using? mixer etc...

Usually it is speaker placement, so lets rule that out first. Could you give us more details of your lay out.


I work in a small venue with a steel ceiling and a small stage area. I have to be careful with my monitor settings as to not create feedback. The speakers are placed in front of the singers and the monitor sets off to the side about 3 feet off the ground.

I too have experienced feedback when the mics get to close, but that is only if they are on top of each other and I have them turned all the way up. I explain to people before they start what may happen if they get to close to each other. I'll never understand why people want to put their mics directly up against each other and both sing into both mics.

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As an aside, if you have that much echo in the room, you could probably get away with no effects on the mics. I was in a venue in the past withthe same kind of issue and I found that turning off effects really helped. Really, it wasn't needed since the room provided all the effects necessary!
Also, like Babs, I would like to know more about you layout. Where are your singers standing in relation to the speakers? How far away?
I symapthize with you. I know how hard bad rooms can be.

The stage area is very small, up against the wall. Try to imagine, since I can't draw, the singer is against the wall between two speakers. The speaker on the left of them is about 4-5 feet from them depending on where they stand. This speaker is beside them. If I push them or the speaker out any further than they are, they will be in the middle of the floor. The speaker to the right of them is about 6-8 feet away from them, and it is placed slightly in front of them. Diafel is probably right about not needing effects on the mics. Babs, i will try your suggestion about turning down the lows on the mics. I will not know if any of this helps until Tuesday night. Maybe this will help you about my set-up. thank you guys. You are the greatest!!

Is there any way to turn the speakers out, on an angle away from the singers? Even it's a little towards the wall, it may make enough of a difference. Also, can you raise them up any higher, above where the singer would be holding the mic? I know in one of my venues I have to raise the speakers very high or I get feedback because of where I'm forced to be.

absolutely. Adjust the speaker angles as they point out. You may have to even point one or both of the speakers at the wall if you're getting feedback from one of them... are you using monitor speakers? If you are, I'd recommend discontinuing them.

I do not use a monitor; I think it would worsen the already bad situation. I do point the speakers away from the singers as much as possible. I've tried everything I know to do at this point. The only thing I haven't tried is turning the lows down on the singer or taking out the effects that they mentioned before. Thank you guys so much. If anyone else knows anything I could try please tell. I'll try everything.

Try sticking the speaker on the other side of the room if possible & aim back towards the singer.

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You may have to sacrifice optimal sound by moving your speakers, but it sounds like you have no choice. I agree with the others about placement. You may also try putting your speakers as high as possible. I've seen this work with speakers placed behind the singers also, but with your tight space it may make things worse.

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Ditto with the above....also turn the Gain on the mic channels as low as you dare

If the room is that small try using only 1 speaker? maybe less music bouncing around will cut out some feedback ??

We thought about cutting down to one speaker, but no matter where we put it, one side of the room would barely be able to hear. It is sort of L-shaped. I don't know any way to get the sound throughout the room if I take one out. The speakers are turned different ways to provide the sound to each side of the room. It would work well if there were speakers in the back of each side of the room. Then a monitor would do the trick. I could see about doing it that way. Thanks everyone!!

A hard wall behind the singers will cause feedback due to reverbs reflected back into the mic. They should be at least 3 feet from the wall.

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THANK U EVERYONE!! Last night, I moved one of the speakers further over last night. I also turned the lows down on the mics as well as the bass on the music. The acoustics in this bar are so echoey that you can practically turn the base off and still hear it. It's so wierd! Anyway, when I moved the speaker (again), and a combination of your suggestions worked!! It sounded great. You guys are great.

I'm so glad everything got figured out. There is nothing worse than getting feedback and you can't figure out why.

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