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suedehead

Joined: 28/02/06
Posts: 56

How does Bono sing so close to his mic and yet... new

#922454 - 25/06/11 09:43 AM

there are no plosives? I watched the Glasto concert last night on the telly and he sings right up close to what looked like a Shure wireless '58 and it's just a really clear sound - when I try that all I get is "PUHH" and "BUHH" AND "SSS" sounds. He really belts 'em out too. I can use a popfilter when I record with my Neumann TLM103 and that sorts it but sometimes if it's a rock song I use a dynamic in my hand, usually a Shure 55SH and that's when I get the plosives. Anyone got any tips for me?

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Bob Bickerton
active member

Joined: 20/12/02
Posts: 2521
Loc: Nelson, New Zealand

Re: How does Bono sing so close to his mic and yet... new

[Re: suedehead]
#922458 - 25/06/11 10:10 AM

Vocal technique......... Or maybe he just sings on the in-breath?

Bob

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www.bickerton.co.nz

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Hugh Robjohns
SOS Technical Editor

Joined: 25/07/03
Posts: 18383
Loc: Worcestershire

Re: How does Bono sing so close to his mic and yet... new

[Re: Bob Bickerton]
#922475 - 25/06/11 10:56 AM

Yes, vocal technique. It makes a heck of a difference and really sorts out the pros from the wannabees.

hugh

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Technical Editor, Sound On Sound

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turbodave

Joined: 25/04/08
Posts: 2105
Loc: derbyshire uk

Re: How does Bono sing so close to his mic and yet... new

[Re: suedehead]
#922559 - 25/06/11 11:15 PM

I spent a good few years as a lead vocalist and the skills developed with mic in hand are quite remarkable....one gets to understand on an instinctive level the distances required from mouth to mic and shape of mouth to get the best results. dave

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My head hurts!

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hollowsun

Joined: 20/01/05
Posts: 4510
Loc: Cowbridge, South Wales

Re: How does Bono sing so close to his mic and yet... new

[Re: suedehead]
#922569 - 26/06/11 01:48 AM

He might be just a singer in a rock n roll band but Bono DOES have a hotline to God and the Pope, etc., in his mission to be canonised.

That might have something to do with it.

That and the ridiculous sunglasses he wears even when going to bed. Perhaps they have some audio refractive qualities that deflect plosives and sibilance somehow.

Who can say when one thinks they can walk on water, feed the 5,000 and stash his wealth away in offshore accounts while preaching to the rest of us to give our money to the needy!

A bit like lecturing us to become vegetarians to save the world...

While tucking into a sumptuous roast beef served with quail and a side dish of pheasant and venison!!

Cynical? Moi?

But 'hypocrite' does have a plosive that could cause some microphonic awkwardness!

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Website / Music Lab Machines / Blog

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Chevytraveller
member

Joined: 13/05/00
Posts: 658
Loc: London

Re: How does Bono sing so close to his mic and yet... [Re: hollowsun]
#922572 - 26/06/11 04:20 AM

I think it's probably because the mouth moves, but all the hot air come out the other end..

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MBP 17", PC 100(Nubus Protools) Motu 896, X-Station, Logic9, Reason6, Korg legacy, ACE, Alchemy, Emax II, E-Synth, Evolver MEK, Waldorf Pulse and Blofeld, AS Telemark, AS Leipzig-S

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vinyl_junkie
active member

Joined: 24/06/03
Posts: 1436
Loc: Kent, UK

Re: How does Bono sing so close to his mic and yet... new

[Re: hollowsun]
#922655 - 26/06/11 04:08 PM

Quote hollowsun:

He might be just a singer in a rock n roll band but Bono DOES have a hotline to God and the Pope, etc., in his mission to be canonised.

That might have something to do with it.

That and the ridiculous sunglasses he wears even when going to bed. Perhaps they have some audio refractive qualities that deflect plosives and sibilance somehow.

Who can say when one thinks they can walk on water, feed the 5,000 and stash his wealth away in offshore accounts while preaching to the rest of us to give our money to the needy!

A bit like lecturing us to become vegetarians to save the world...

While tucking into a sumptuous roast beef served with quail and a side dish of pheasant and venison!!

Cynical? Moi?

But 'hypocrite' does have a plosive that could cause some microphonic awkwardness!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2OQxma_1ps

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LRS
member

Joined: 23/04/03
Posts: 166
Loc: New Zealand

Re: How does Bono sing so close to his mic and yet... new

[Re: suedehead]
#923212 - 28/06/11 11:42 PM

I've found that while the proximity effect is obviously greater the closer to a cardioid capsule the plosive sounds are greater when you are a little bit further away from the mic, probably around 2 to 3".

I am a great fan of the Heil PR35 and certainly find that if you pretty much treat that particular mic as an icecream you have no problems but back off a bit and I'm winding off frequencies in the bottom end to try and get rid of the popping.

Cheers
Graham

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