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Your Front Ensemble: Mic’ing, Mixing, & Modern Sounds: Marcus Neudigate
from 2017 May TEMPO
Your Front Ensemble: Mic’ing, Mixing, & Modern Sounds
Marcus Neudigate Reprinted from Missouri School Music
Creating a well-produced live sound is a delicate balance between microphones, mixing, speakers, and a variety of other factors in-between. We’ll work through the process all the way from choosing the right microphones to mixing your full sound. Your Front Ensemble is about to get dialed-in.
Microphones:
For our purposes, we’ll consider the two types of microphones you might use for mic’ing your front ensemble: Dynamic microphones and Condenser microphones. In a nutshell: • Dynamic Microphones: Close range (6-8”from source), sturdy, relatively inexpensive, no power needed • Condenser Microphones: wider frequency response, more range, requires phantom power, more delicate than dynamic mics • Condenser microphones are ideal for the keyboard instruments, picking up clarity in both attack and resonance: this is especially noticeable when varying mallet selections throughout your show.
Dynamic microphones can be used for acoustic keyboards, but lack the clarity achieved with condenser mics. Marimbas often need 2 microphones to pickup the entire range of the instrument, while vibraphones only require 1.
Microphones are not often used for xylophone or glockenspiel, but rare cases where they are needed, 1 microphone should do the trick.
Audio Technica PR037 • The Audio Technica AT2035 is a large diaphragm condenser microphone that includes a shock mount with purchase. The quality and price of the AT2035 makes it a top choice for many top ensembles in the activity, from high school to
DCI and WGI.
Mounting:
Properly attaching microphones to keyboard instruments will give you the best pickup pattern, while simultaneously reducing unwanted noises (frame noise, pedal noise, etc.). Mounting microphones under the keyboard is the best option for balancing attack and resonance, while maintaining a clean cabling system.
Mounting Options:
• Highest Recommendation -
Keyboard’s manufacturer clamp + desk stand • Runner up - Manufacturer clamp + gooseneck • Budget - Bungee ball tie + Velcro cable ties • ***For Clip-on Mics - Metal
L-bracket
The manufacturer clamps for your keyboards (Adams clamps for Adams keyboards, Yamaha clamps for Yamaha keyboards, etc.) are designed to attach to the keyboard frame to mount accessories. The company OnStage sells a telescoping microphone desk stand that is perfect to use for attaching AT2035’S and supplied shock mount to your keyboard. The desk stand is stable and not likely to move during keyboard. **Yamaha vibraphones require the OnStage Posi-Lock Side Mount Boom to attach below keyboard.
The keyboard’s manufacturer clamp can be combined with a gooseneck mic attachment and a microphone-specific clip to attach the Shure SM57, Shure PGA57, and Audio Technica PR037. For clip-on microphones, you can tape or zip-tie a small metal L-bracket on the underside of your frame. For the most budget friendly option, loop Velcro cable ties around your microphone while attaching bungee ball ties. Use a series of bungee ball ties to hang the microphone from keyboard rails, which will allow the microphone to dangle freely under the keyboard.
This also acts as a shock mount, but can be very inconsistent after travel - ***not recommended for the AT2035.
Placing microphones in the correct position is just as important as choosing the microphone. The right microphone in the wrong position will not produce
the desired results. Here are some good starting points: • Vertical Placement should be approximately 18”-28”for condenser microphones or slightly closer for dynamic microphones • Horizontal placement depends on the playing areas for each performer; vibraphone mics can go in the center. For marimbas, you can divide the instrument into thirds and place a microphone on each dividing point.
Cabling:
Cable maintenance is an important part of effective sound reinforcement and is often over-looked. Keeping a clean and organized space allows for faster setup/tear down, quicker troubleshooting, longer cable life, and will help maintain a safe environment for your performers.
Daisy Chaining:
This is a method where keyboards plug in to one another until reaching the desired plug-in point (usually, a snake) and is often used in setups where keyboards are relatively close to each other. It requires a bit more extensive preparation and initial setup as well as requiring many cables to be zip-tied to each keyboard, but is the cleanest and fastest on-the-field setup. Troubleshooting can be difficult at times; but if done correctly, can greatly extend the life of your cables. Another option is to run a cable from each microphone to the desired plugin point -this can get very messy very quickly. This is a much more budget friendly route, but may end up costing more in the long run as you replace broken cables and risk the safety of your performers.
Synthesizers:
Modern synthesizers come with a myriad of built-in sounds that can help create depth of sound for your program. If your marching band music is premade, then chances are it comes with some kind of synthesizer staff that should fit most programs, but sometimes does not. When those sounds don’t seem to work for your show, adaptability is key. To give your program a feeling of being “larger than life”, you can use the synths to reinforce the low end of the frequency spectrum. Strings, choirs, and synth pads are great options to enhance your low end. You can also use the synths to reinforce mid-range sounds that may be getting lost because of drill. For instance, a mellophone counter-melody coming from far backfield may be doubled by a synth voice. Again, strings and choirs are helpful sounds here; however, it’s important to keep articulation and style in mind. The right sound should blend attack and decay with the sound it is reinforcing.
Strings and choir sounds are popular choices for reinforcing wind sounds, but don’t forget how guitar, harp, or even 80’s sawtooth sounds can enhance percussion-only moments. Most modern synthesizers have the ability to stack sounds on top of one another and split the keyboard in half. For instance, it’s possible to program the synth where every note below Middle C produces a Bass Guitar sound while every note above produces a Harp sound.
To most effectively utilize your synth performers, make sure to use both a Sustain pedal and an Expression pedal. The Expression pedal will allow the synth performer to control their dynamics hands-free. When your front ensemble is rushing onto the field, it’s also important to consider boot-up time. Quick-Tip: you can start up your synth off the field with a UPS battery pack, then plug in when you get to the field.
Recommended Synthesizers: • Yamaha MOTIF series (XF7, XF8) • Yamaha Montage series (Montage 6, Montage 7, Montage 8) • Korg M3 • Roland Juno-G
More Modern Sounds - Sampling:
Many groups are relying heavily on sound samples, which range from voice narration to bass drops and electronic sound effects. Whether you’ve hired someone to create these sounds for you or are doing them on your own, one thing is for certain: you’re going to need a device to trigger them. Many programs rely on the Yamaha DTX MULTI12 which features 12 trigger pads on one machine with 64 megabytes of WAVE memory to add samples. Since the method of playing these pads is usually striking with a drum stick - this is very friendly for front ensemble members. Another popular choice is the Roland SP-404SX which features 12 touch pads and up to 32 gigabytes of expandable memory. The method of triggering on the SP-404SX is by finger buttons, which is friendly for synth players. Recommended Sampling machines: • Yamaha DTX MULTI12 (Drum pad triggers, easy to use, limited memory) • Roland SP-404SX (Finger button triggers, more complicated, expandable memory)
Mixing:
Most of the competitive programs in the activity have switched to Digital mixers from their Analog predecessors. Digital mixers allow for advanced grouping options, enhanced processing power, remote iPad mixing, and so much more. Since most people are using digital mixers, let’s focus on a few of the more frequently used features of digital mixers.
Scenes:
With many digital mixers, you have ability to set levels for a certain portion of your production, then save those levels as a “scene.” Many mixers will have available space for up to 100 scenes; this makes it much easier to create consis-
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