Karaoke Forums

As if we needed another topic to divide us.. haha.. here goes!

As a guy coming from a live band into the world of Karaoke, I started out providing one stand for every microphone.. and in the early days.. i'd provide four mics for singers.

Actually the first few gigs I also included an overhead boom that i'd mix in when there was a group singing.

Within a year I was down to three mics.. then two.. then by the time the 5 year mark rolled around, i'd done away with mic stands all together.

I used to have a little dual head thing that went on a regular mic stand that held the two mics about waist high for singers to grab one.. but that broke and I never replaced it.

Now I just hand them a mic when they walk up to sing.

So where do YOU stand on mic stands? Is it a must have necessity, or just another useless thing people lug into shows?

I like to provide at least one stand, as I do have singers who like one. I use the QuikLok pistol-grip style, as they are easy to adjust. And I use a rubber wireless mic clip, as that ends up being easier for all types of mics to be put into.

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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.

I use 1-2 mic stands as a general rule. If I'm in a small space - I hold on to the microphone and hand them to the singers individually.

If I was doing a regular show in a bar, I'd likely go with one of these.

http://www.allprosound.com/catalog/prod ... MH-346.htm

Normally no stand for me. As you in the past I had 2 stands for each mic and then a 3rd mic I used for announcements and would hand out for groups etc.

Now I just hand out 2 mics ..period

I used to use stands but no longer do. First, I found that singers had one hell of a time figuring out how to get the mics in and out of the clips. The result was they'd either miss the start of the song, or fail to get it back in correctly at the end and mics would fall to the floor. Second, at my shows, very very few people actually used the stands anyway. Especially with the wireless mics, most would just come up and pull the mic out right away, some would even move the stand aside. So I got to thinking, why bother. Third, I got tired of my stands getting damaged. The singers that would use them would stand on the legs, whip the stands around banging them into walls and such or would use them as guitar props and drop them or whatever. I just didn't see any value being added by having them up there so now I just hand out the mics as needed. The other nice side effect to this is that I don't have to worry about an uninvited singer running up and grabbing a mic to try and sing along. Doing it this way gives me more control.

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

Sounds like you and I play the same kind of shows.

I like the spring loaded clips.. and every night someone grabs the mic out of the stand and the clip grabs the cord on the way out.. so they fiddle with it and i'm trying to explain to them to squeeze the thing, but they for whatever reason squeeze the end that has bitten the cord... finally I have to come around and help them and by then, I have to restart the song.

+1 on the uninvited singer thing, too. Of course, I mute channels not used, so the uninvited walk up singer who decides to 'help out' the current singer isn't heard over the PA.. but they start the old 'treat the mic like a tom tom drum' and say "Hey! This isn't on!!"

Handing the mics out to the singer pretty much kills that problem.

Now that i'm starting to use the wireless mics almost exclusively, it also helps cut down on battery usage.. since I turn the mic switch on when I hand the singer the mic, and then switch it off when they hand it back to me.

I of course still keep a corded SM58 on the side for the few singers who actually prefer a corded mic. Most of them not because they like the way it sounds any better.. but because they like to have a cord to hold in their other hand.

I can only work out front.
I have to use stands.
I also have tried different clips.
The singers never do seem to get it.

Four mics, four stands.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

I came to a similar conclusion as letitrip for the much the same reasons. I started with to mic stands and 2 mics. It wasn't long before I ditched the stands completely and now I just hand them out when I call them up. I keep them on top of my powered mixer and have complete control over who can grab them, etc. The bonus is two less pieces of equipment to carry in!

I like stands.

I thought it was no big deal at first but I got specific complements from a few people who thought it was a good extra touch. Since then I have talked to musicians who commented that they felt using stands was more natural for them than actually holding the mic.

It is no problem to remove the mic from the stand and singers can make the choice themselves. For myself sometimes I use a stand and other times I do not when I am singing.

Probably a little plus for some singers and not a minus for others so for me it is a no-brainer to go for them. For a long time I brought my own stands but lately I have been using the stands that the bar owns and uses for bands.

For getting loyal singers it is finding the little extra thing that attracts them to your show and keeps them coming back. A mic stand is not going to make much of a difference most of the time, but sometimes it is that little extra thing.

I love stand; it give that extra style. Just like when I go caving or a night hike, i like both hands free and wear my torchlight on my head.

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

I use stands, because some people like to pick up the stand with the mic in it and use them as a prop when they perform and within reason I don't mind that -- it sometimes adds a bit of pizazz to their performance.

I have a love-hate relationship with my mic stand for all the above reasons and am still on the fence. Some of my singers love it, and know how to use it (as do I). When they do, it looks very cool. For the other half it becomes the dreaded prop that people like to continually screw with...especially the drunks. More than once I have had to call down a drunk who started to swing it around, and mine is the basic "cast iron base" model. Not at all safe.

It is funny though when somebody tries to do that "Usher" move where you throw the stand, then step on the base to pop it back upright...and it smacks them in the face.

My tv stand has a place for two mics altho one of them has almost broken off. I may just stop using it when both of them break..

We have two stands as we have a "serious singers" mic and a cheapo wireless mic and we leave them both up for people to choose. We have a few singers who like the "hands free' singing style and luckily, no one has thought to mess with the stands. Knock on wood. We also have a few who like to play inflatable guitar or whatever while singing.

I prefer a stand as a singer. I offer 1 stand on stage.

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

I have 2 mic stands. One for the singer and one for me. If there is a duet and they want to use mine I let them. I find some people are lost without a mic stand. It's like their Binkie. It makes them feel more comfortable.

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

I use 2 stands for 2 mics. I also have the mic I use, but no stand. As a singer, I like to use the stand, so my hands are free to "speak". Some of my singers just push them aside, and others use them for their intended purpose. I personally like the round based "weighted" stands the best, but do use the boom stands as well. I have both, but have gone through several over the years. I like the "pistol grip" type stands the best, but can't seem to find the best one. Have had 3 different ones, and all three have had issues because of inferior construction. They just don't last. If I could find one that would last more than a year, I am all ears.

I take it you have tried this stand:

http://www.quiklok.com/catalog/?p=produ ... Name=A-498

I have had no trouble with it, but I will confess I don't have as tough a crowd as some. This stand has done 75+ gigs without trouble, but I know that night-in, night-out use is different.

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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.

I actually have that exact stand. It's the one I use now, but it has a crack in the top part where the head attaches to the stand. I had to tape it up, just to keep the top from falling off. It still works, but I still would like to find one more durable. I've only had this one about 6 months. I saw one in a show in Las Vegas a couple of years ago, but didn't think to look at the brand and model. It had a smaller trigger at the top. I used it and really liked how smooth it was and how easy it was to operate. Some people just are morons, and the simplest things are over their head. They try to "push" the stand up and down, without pressing the trigger. Dumb Dumb Dumb!!! That is what happened to my second trigger type. Brand on it was "Ultimate", and I only had it for less than 2 months when the idiots trying to use it, just plainly wore out the trigger mechanism. Still looking for the perfect one.