Mic-ing for Jazz Ensemble
I have been asked what mics I use for my Jazz Bands for soloists and vocals. I usually use Audio Technica ATM31a handheld condenser mics for both. These accept phantom power, or run with a single AA battery inserted. I would like to pick up a number of additional mics for my jazz band and am considering the Shure SM57 and SM58. I am hoping for some knowledgeable input from my readers out there, especially Nick Ellis and/or Joe Fischer. Let me know what you use and what you would recommend.
July 23rd, 2008 at 5:17 am
You can’t go wrong with the Shure mics for live performance. Put your SM57s in front of the instrumentalists and use the SM58s for singers. With a live school performance you probably don’t need the nuances that a condenser will give you – your audience really won’t notice. Save the condensers for the studio, or for picking up the cymbals if you’re miking the drums. With dynamic mics in a live performance you don’t have to worry about condensation (i.e. spit) from over-nervous players, you don’t have to worry about damage if a well-meaning but clumsy 8th-grader drops the mics while setting up (this has happened to my AKG condensers and I have the dents to prove it), and you don’t have to worry about damaging your mics by the same over-zealous 8th grader who forgot whether or not you’re supposed to engage phantom power before or after connecting the mic! Using the Shures together also lets you have one basic level set for everything on your board – you can really set it and forget it with all your levels and EQs. You could even bus them all to the same EQ and effects if you wanted. This would be a pain with condensers, especially with kids “approaching” the mike in different ways when they do their solos.