588 Chapter 16
hinges that can be easily removed for this purpose.)
Fairly distant micing may also sound good.
16.13.4.4 Vocals
A single vocal, either speaking or singing, is usually
recorded with one microphone placed within 2 ft (0.6 m)
of the mouth. For popular music, it is common to have
the singer very close to the microphone; in a recording
of a classical singing voice, a greater distance is appro-
priate, even up to several feet may be used if the room
acoustics permit. Speakers at a lectern usually are 1–2 ft
(0.3–0.6 m) from the microphone.
16.13.4.5 Singers
Although vocals could be recorded in stereo, with any
of the techniques previously described, it is customary
to record the voice in mono. It is basically a point
source, with little directional information. In a superior
acoustic environment, such as a good concert hall,
natural reverberation may be mixed in with additional
microphones. But most often artificial reverb is added.
It can be stereo and add considerable depth and width to
the voice.
Condenser microphones, placed very close to the
mouth, are the usual choice in the studio. A pop filter
will be necessary for all but the most careful singers.
This prevents explosive sounds from being produced
when the vocalist sings a word containing Ps or other
hard consonant sounds. It is important to remember that
the output level of the microphone will adhere to the
inverse square law, which states that if the distance from
the source to the microphone is doubled, the level will
be reduced to one-quarter. Experienced vocalists are
well aware of this phenomenon and may even use it to
obtain certain effects. The inexperienced or inattentive
singer will probably require electronic processing (i.e.,
limiting) to obtain a satisfactory performance. This
problem is further complicated by the trend toward
mixing vocals quite low in the musical track and relying
on processing to maintain intelligibility.
In the studio, it is often necessary to provide an
acoustic environment less reverberant than normal for
the recording of vocals. Cutting down on reverberation
could be accomplished with a separate vocal booth with
highly sound-absorbent surfaces, or it can be obtained by
placing absorbent baffles around the singer and micro-
phone in the studio, Fig. 16-181. On the other hand, it
may sometimes be necessary to emphasize the reverber-
ation for a special effect by distant micing or by mixing
in another microphone placed some distance away.
Proximity effect can be a problem with vocals. Many
microphones have provision for a bass roll-off, which
can be used to correct this deficiency. This approach is
often superior to using equalization in the control room,
especially if a limiter is used before the equalizer (the
limiter would respond to the emphasized bass and thus
not accurately track the vocal intensity). Some singers
prefer the effect obtained from proximity, using the bass
boost in their performance to emphasize certain words
or phrases.
In a live performance, large studio condenser micro-
phones would be inappropriate. With their suspensions
and pop filters and the large microphone stand required,
they would obscure the singer’s face. What is needed is
a relatively small, rugged microphone that can be hand-
held if desired. Although there are a number of
condenser microphones that can be used this way, the
usual choice is a compact dynamic microphone with
built-in pop filters, integral shock mounting, and
switchable bass roll-off.
Good directionality is required of a live perfor-
mance microphone. The usual practice of providing the
singer with a stage monitor loudspeaker, usually placed
within a few feet of the microphone, requires good
rejection of sound from off axis to minimize the possi-
bility of feedback and reduce the degradation of the
sound from the vocal microphone picking up the
monitor’s reproduction of the other instruments and
voices. Some microphones designed for live work have
their direction of minimum sensitivity oriented toward
the direction where the most unwanted sound would
come from (i.e., not directly off the back of the micro-
phone, but at some intermediate angle).Figure 16-181. Vocal mic’ing.Optional baffles0–24 in typical
(0–0.6 m)