Microphone techniques – how to handle the mic and, uh, not

Dear PSUW,

This week we look at how you handle the microphone. Have you got a ‘microphone technique’ or not? Let’s hope it’s not this:

Utterly disturbing to watch, isn’t it? One can only hope it’s a joke. Looks like it’s a joke someone made on video…after the fact. Bloopers. Gotta love’em. Except when they’re yours. Careful now…what one fan might do to you…one day (publish one of your gaffs online).

Never mind. Here’s something to settle your churning stomach – a sheer act of genius by jazz guitarist Antonio Forcione who is known for his humor. Here, literally playing with the mic for effect, he’s in top form:

So, what’s he doing right?

He’s using the mic. He’s in control of it. He is manipulating it for vocal effect. Okay, so it’s theatrical. But it begs the question: how comfortable do you feel at the mic? I go through my own set of responses when I’m working with the microphone, in every new setting:

1. I set the stand where I want it.
2. I tilt the mic the way I want it.
3. I make sure it’s not pointing at a speaker (uh, feedback? shocking it is to me when a singer doesn’t know that pointing a microphone at a speaker/monitor will cause an ear-splitting screech).
4. I begin to work with the sound engineer to get the right sound (that’s an art all unto its own…see the last link in this article).
5. When I sing in the mic, I sometimes hold it, sometimes don’t, sometimes sing right into it, sometimes pull back from it. I think experience is what teaches you best how to handle a microphone – but it helps to consider the entire concept of vocal dynamics. An audience does not always want to be: whispered at, shouted at, sung at in monotones. Think: dynamics, in range, and variety. Practice at home if you have to.

Here’s an excellent article on microphone techniques for vocalists: http://www.vocalist.org.uk/microphone_techniques.html

And a fantastic article that gets into technicalities re. microphone placement, particularly good at the end in breaking down the why’s and wherefore’s for individuals and groups (it’s a downloadable PDF file): http://www.shure.com/idc/groups/public/documents/webcontent/us_pro_mics_for_music_sound_ea.pdf

Knowing how to handle a mic is one thing. Developing a relationship with it that inspires the audience, both visually and in an auditory way – well, that takes talent and gumption. Have fun!

Best,

Lorelei Loveridge

Founder/Rabble Rouser of PSUW

Connecting with others, personally and in meaningful fashion

Dear PSUW,

Today is about your approach to doing business through CONNECTING WITH OTHERS, PERSONALLY AND IN MEANINGFUL FASHION and, as part of that, we’re revisiting the good old blog, and how-to do/manage it…because this is such an important way to connect with your fans. Yet it’s so time consuming and it demands a lot of you, doesn’t it? Or does it?

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1. HOW TO BLOG ALMOST EVERY DAY
http://www.chrisbrogan.com/how-to-blog-almost-every-day/

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Considering the process of streamlining the never-ending number of tasks in running a business, and for many artists that includes blogging out to fans, I was impressed by the quality of suggestions in this article. The author gives practical tips on how to keep your blogs fresh AND manage the workload.

One of the best articles I’ve read on blogging in awhile.

But the bigger thing on my mind as of late is HOW TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO NETWORKING AND GETTING RESULTS…BOOKINGS, REVIEWS, ETC.

Check this out, an article that should just be called ‘BEING PERSONAL’, outlining a simple but thoughtful method that will get you farther than mass mailing, clicking and spamming.

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BEHIND-THE-SCENES ONLINE MARKETING FOR INDEPENDENT MUSICIANS
http://www.musicdish.com/mag/index.php3?id=12740

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It’s an epiphany that’s been creeping up on me in waves, and as I prepare to attend the UK Folk Music Industry conference in November, with my new label intern (more about that next week!), I’ve been mindful of the results of my last conference forays to MIDEM in Cannes, IN THE CITY in Manchester, UN-CONVENTION in Salford, WOMEX in Copenhagen…and various other experiences that have brought me in and out of touch with fans and music industry folks across the strata, independent to major.

I’ve been mindful and resentful at times of the ways in which people ‘connect’ or don’t connect at conferences. Then I had to look deeply inside myself: how was I connecting? how do I connect?

MATTHEW MORAN, our IT guru at PSUW and author ofhttp://www.TheSongwriterOnline.com/ , penned a blog about this business of ‘connecting…and it fostered further discussion on what connecting is not. It is NOT clicking, spamming, endless adding and ignoring. Read this and join in on the discussion:

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DO YOU REALLY NETWORK? AKA: A CLICK IS NOT A CONNECTION
http://networkedblogs.com/9beHu

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It’s all about REALLY connecting, not spamming. Really being effective, not wasting your valuable time and resources including money…on randomness. It is about quality not quantity, because again and again…it’s about nurturing your fans, and that includes your supportive colleagues/contacts, to ACHIEVE growth at a time when many economies and the music industry as a whole has been retracting.

I challenge you to defy gravity…and the majority…and CONNECT. Okay? Just as you build a band, build a lineage of contacts and real ‘friends’ who can help you grow your business this year.

(Next week: on acquiring a music intern/volunteer…stay tuned.)

Best,

Lorelei Loveridge
Founder/Rabble Rouser of PSUW