TBird
new member
Joined: 24/04/04
Posts: 12
Loc: UK
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Ribbon Mics on stage
#962408 - 07/01/12 03:17 PM
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I have a Golden Age R1 Mk II ribbon mic which performs very nicely at home. I would like
to try it out on stage with a local jazz band featuring a female vocalist. All the
standard advice is that ribbon mics are fragile and must be handled very carefully and are
not suited to use on stage; in addition pop shields must always, always be used.
So why do I see photos of jazz singers of the thirties and forties, like Billie Holiday
and Ella Fitzgerald, regularly using, what I assume to be, ribbon mics on stage with no
pop shield and no worries?
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Hugh Robjohns
SOS Technical Editor
Joined: 25/07/03
Posts: 18348
Loc: Worcestershire
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Re: Ribbon Mics on stage
[Re: TBird]
#962413 - 07/01/12 03:40 PM
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Partly beacuse those mics sometimes had thicker ribbons that made them more robust (but
with less fidelity) than today's mics, and partly because those singer's understood mic
technique!
In general, ribbon mics are far more robust than most people give
them credit for, but it only takes a moment of madness to wreck one completely!
hugh
--------------------
Technical Editor, Sound On Sound
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Guy Johnson
Joined: 02/05/03
Posts: 3954
Loc: Pembrokeshire
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Re: Ribbon Mics on stage
[Re: TBird]
#962417 - 07/01/12 03:57 PM
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If you use a fig 8 mic on stage, remember to put the monitor(s) in the null. You can alter
the mic's orientation a bit to help with monitor position. This works very well on
acoustic guitar by the way. Looks odd, works a treat.
-------------------- PA stuff on FB
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TBird
new member
Joined: 24/04/04
Posts: 12
Loc: UK
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Re: Ribbon Mics on stage
[Re: Hugh Robjohns]
#962472 - 07/01/12 09:46 PM
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Thank you Hugh. That is most enlightening.
One further question - If I decide
to persevere with this scenario, what specific piece of advice should I (carefully) convey
to the singer, re her potentially inadequate mike technique, to reduce the chances of a
'moment of madness'?
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TBird
new member
Joined: 24/04/04
Posts: 12
Loc: UK
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Re: Ribbon Mics on stage
[Re: Guy Johnson]
#962473 - 07/01/12 09:56 PM
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Guy, I take your point about null points and monitors. When you say it works a treat on
acoustic guitar, do you mean when miking an artist who is both singing and playing? And
why does it look odd? Where exactly is the mic?
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christianmurphy
Joined: 25/01/08
Posts: 297
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Re: Ribbon Mics on stage
[Re: TBird]
#962505 - 08/01/12 02:18 AM
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Quote TBird:
'to reduce the
chances of a 'moment of madness'?
No death metal growls whilst sticking her head in the bass bin.
I don't
see a problem with it to be honest. As long as it doesn't get to close to anything
chucking out loud bass. I think the danger is from it getting dropped, falling off the mic
stand if the performer moves it during a performance, things like that which are much more
likely to occur in a live situation. General good mic technique and common sense should be
all that's needed.
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Bob Bickerton
active member
Joined: 20/12/02
Posts: 2516
Loc: Nelson, New Zealand
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Re: Ribbon Mics on stage
[Re: TBird]
#962520 - 08/01/12 09:26 AM
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I think it's also to do with air blasts or plosives, which ribbons certainly don't
like. Place your hand where the mic will be and get the singer to sing "Peter
Piper" or a similar p or b intensive song to make sure they're not a popper! If you feel
the air from the singers mouth, you may have a problem. Alternatively place the mic out of
the path of plosives, which may compromise the live sound. Bob
-------------------- www.bickerton.co.nz
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Guy Johnson
Joined: 02/05/03
Posts: 3954
Loc: Pembrokeshire
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Re: Ribbon Mics on stage
[Re: TBird]
#962571 - 08/01/12 03:16 PM
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Quote TBird:
Guy, I take your
point about null points and monitors. When you say it works a treat on acoustic guitar, do
you mean when miking an artist who is both singing and playing? And why does it look odd?
Where exactly is the mic?
I
meant just miking the guitar. A vox mic can also be added of course.
As to
looking funny, see pic. It's a lot easier to do, than explain! And the much better sound
is lovely. Of course, there may be complicating matters such as other band members on a
small stage, PA bleed and so forth.
I use a large diameter condenser for this,
a CAD M 179, though I do have a cheap ribbon.
Back to the main point ... make
sure you use a pop-shield, as said it's the air-blast that can kill ribbons!
--------------------
PA stuff on FB
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