Mic placement (PA probs)

[uninvitedm]

Hiya. My band's got a practise space - it's a nice room with a vocal PA. Problem is the PA speakers are on the wall and the volume of the mic is sooo quiet over the music. If we turn the mic volume up on the mixer, it feeds back like crazy. Does anyone have an ideas how to sort this? Like moving the mic to a different position relative to the speakers and amps? I've heard that you should try to get the mic closest to the middle of the speakers coz the mic is usually behind the PA (but we cant do that coz they're on the wall).

Thanks
Mike

[airborne50caliber]

EQ to lower the critical frequencies - even muting them won't affect the sound much when practicin

[KKKKKocaine]

Check your E.Q. put them to '0', if they are turned up it's feedsback easily.
Take the mic into account, what polar pattern is it? where will the sound source reach it? Where is it being held?

There are a few things you can do, but one may simply be that the band is too loud for your PA, get them to turn down, you don't really need the guitar on full e.t.c.

[apacherosepeacock]

yeh thats pretty much it.... if its only for practicing slight alteration of the eq, and check the mic pattern.... a cardioid mic would be best as it would help isolate the vocal sound

[uninvitedm]

Thanks for the tips guys, that's really helpful. If it helps, I use this mic (http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/1972). Well before it was a crappy mic that was free with the room, a bit dented. But going to use this one now. I hope it makes a difference. Do the mics really have an effect on the feedback like that?

As for the EQ altering, is this just a case of experimenting or would it typically be like the HIGH and MID ranges that should be lowered?

Thanks

[KKKKKocaine]

Thanks for the tips guys, that's really helpful. If it helps, I use this mic (http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/1972). Well before it was a crappy mic that was free with the room, a bit dented. But going to use this one now. I hope it makes a difference. Do the mics really have an effect on the feedback like that?

As for the EQ altering, is this just a case of experimenting or would it typically be like the HIGH and MID ranges that should be lowered?

Thanks

Yep, mics would have an effect. Some pick up differently, some pick up mostly fvrom the front and slightly from the back, some pick up equally all around e.t.c.
Naturally an omni-directional mic (one that picks up from all sides) isn't good for live vocal use as it will pick up more from the back.

[Aes820]

Yep. Use a cardoidal mic and keep the angle between the mic and the speakers as large as possible. You may be able to EQ out some of the offending frequencies, but at this level it may be detremental to your tone.
Only use the EQ method to eliminate the offending frequencies if other the methods fail.