radio-mic use in amateur theatre and schools
Tue, 17 Oct 2006, 10:16 pmDavid Ashton14 posts in thread
radio-mic use in amateur theatre and schools
Tue, 17 Oct 2006, 10:16 pmI frequently deliver a load of radio mics to a theatre group or school and the director is relieved that all his[her] problems are over.We just clip on the mics and the weakest voice will come thundering out, in tune, over the band next to the stage.Oh dear.Radio mics are complex devices,mine have 700 channels but that does not mean you can use anything like that number because they interact with each other and other radio sources in unpredictable ways, so you have to select the dozen or so frequencies that will work in the venue and set these on the transmitters and receivers.Each transmitter also has a gain control which needs to be set correctly.You then have to plug in the actual lavalier mic into the transmitter and fit it to the actor in such a way that they don't rip it out during the dance routine.Then you can fit fully charged batteries and you can start to plug them into the P.A.Now working a 16 channel mixer is difficult at the best of times but with actors entering and exiting the stage at rapid intervals keeping track of which channels need to be live and more importantly which ones need to be off can be a nightmare even more so if actors are changing mics to save hiring more.Just to make life more interesting the omni-directional mics usually used on beltpacks will pick up all the sound in their location, so a weak voice next to a band will only be amplified relative to the band.So who's your sound operator? well Fred missed out on a part in this show so we thought he could do it.Oh dear.I know I'll be out every night, the problems will be ,mic ripped out,flat battery,lost antenna,channel changed on belt pack,etc.Now you are wondering why this rant.The point is please don't use radio mics unless you absolutely have to,a good voice teacher would probably be better value.If you really must use them prepare to spend a lot of time getting them right and rehearse with them a lot.Finally your sound operator must be good and keen and will probably need an assistant to keep tabs on which mics are 'live'.Finally be prepared for something to go wrong, you are using a highly complex system and the scope for things stuffing up is significant, always have a spare.Sorry to be so complex but it was hard to explain any other way.
laziness
Sun, 10 Dec 2006, 11:20 pmworking in opera, where you don't use mics, I can tell you projection has nothing to do with volume and everything to do with the edge or cut in your sound. It's certain frequencies in your vocal sound that allow your voice to carry over the top of the 60 piece orchestra and be heard clearly. you develop this cut with training, and balance your 'edge' with your tone to produce a pleasant, even beautiful, sound! Good sound will fill a space, and use the acoustic of the room to 'biggen' it. i have heard many loud singers disappear in an orchestra.
of course, opera conductors, most being full-time professionals (not a lot of amatuer/community operas out there- at least with a full size orchestra), will listen and balance the sound of this vast band accordingly.
unfortunately, many shows these days just play, and let the sound guy do the balancing, thus expecting of a technician the skills of a highly-trained musician. (Fortunately a large number of them are actually able to pull off this feat much better than we really deserve.)
This laziness is often a factor of inexperienced or unskilled MD's and directors, performers who are poorly trained or who simply don't listen, or combinations of these.
there is also the aspect of venues that are too large, and that are poorly designed acoustically. (think large school hall and a 12 year old trying to be heard over electric guitars, drums, keys and horns- all amplified)
radio mics are not the be all and end all. If you must use them, you must rehearse with them. The sound guys have to have time working on the show to get to know it intimately (as well as your MD at least, as you are expecting them to do their job for them), and everyone needs to be prepared for disasters, as they will happen.
unfortunately, too many productions do not and will not spend the time (and money) to do this. Therefore, I think you are better off not having them at all, and taking the time to teach projection.
however, why am I left feeling as though the same teachers/directors who would be unwilling or too disorganised to have their s''t together for radio mikes, would be the same people who wouldn't be particularly good at teaching projection properly?!
I think the rule is one I have learnt over my career- listen to your tech guys, and involve them from day one. They can save you a lot of grief and wasted time, and at the end of the day, they'll be the people who save you from looking like a complete tool.
Nev
ps- strangejuice, I think he was being sarcastic?!
It's the simple things stupid...