hanging mic placement

[Torch]

so currently we are doing a musical, and its in a small confined space. we are using two hanging mics for a single scene to pump up some of the quieter "customers" volumes. we cannot hang them from the grid because the speakers are too close to the mics and will just pump more music, not voices. plus there is a feedback problem if we hang them. if we use them as floor mics, we hear footsteps, and they just look ugly. my solution was to hide them inside one of the open boxes in the set, yet the volume pick-up is still too low., and if i put the volume any higher, then the mics give feedback, anyone have any solutions.suggestions. we open tomorrow o.O

[DHSLXOP]

you don't by any chance have a flyrail do you?

[6ftstudios]

do you have an eq on the mics other than a 3 or 4 band on the sound board? If not, I'd definitly suggest that you use a 31-band EQ inserted into the individual mic channels. You can also send them to a sub group and insert the eq there. (if your board has sub masters).

[Torch]

well the thought just came to me as i loked through our "OMG" (one of two closets). we have a mixer with a power-amp that has seperate 3 ban eq's with gain andvarious other settings, as a musictian i kinda know them well and was able to get it to work, thank you though.

[highschooltech]

I don't think a three band is going to help you much. When ringing a system there are certain frequencies that mics are more sensitive to. In order to get out specific frequencies you need a large (8+) band eq. The fewer bands there are the more freqs you will take out, so inescence turning down all the frequencies will work like turning down the gains defeating the purpose.
However, you powered board still might be useful of you can turn off the on board amp (don't use powered boards, prefer powered speakers, so you might not be able to so). In order to use you would patch the hanging mics into it. Run it through a graphic eq (possibly rented?), then into the main board.

[SHARYNF]

If you place the mics on foam, you will minimize the pick up of foot steps which are transmitted thru the floor it self.

Not clear where you are placing the mics, they should be behind the foh speakers NOT thru the monitors and so you should not have feedback problems, I'd check the placement

Another option is to string a wire across the stage so that you can hang the mics from it and have it up above the sight lines of the audience.

Sharyn