Harold_Hill
Member
Hello there. Found this website after doing a search for 'hanging mics'. Seems like there's lots of good stuff here. So here's my scenario-- and please bear with me. While I do have some experience as a member of a rock band whom regularly perform live, the whole theatrical stage sound thing is new to me. So here goes:
I am doing the sound for a high school musical. They just purchased a Wenger series 400 unit which basically is comprised of a Soundcraft 12-channel mixer-- nice!-- a power amp, 3-band EQ and a set of 15" two-way speakers. They opted to hang mics over the stage as they have always had problems with the performers being able to be heard over the pit band. So here's the setup and then I'll tell you what I think is wrong with it, and then maybe someone can give me their feedback.
4 Shure D880 super-cardioid mics were hung approximately 15 feet over the stage, roughly 8-10 feet apart. and ~10feet from the front of the stage, or mid-stage whichver you prefer. Their cables run down to the mixer which is positioned backstage- stage-right. Here's the first problem already. How can I monitor the sound from backstage? OK, so I fire everything up and in order to get even the remotest signal I have to cracnk the gain up to about 50Db. This still only brings my levels up to about 50% at full projection and I can only really hear anything if I crank my headphones waaaay up. But with the gain cranked this high I can only bring the faders up to about -15 before I start getting lovely feedback.
So before I even tell you how the speakers produce barely enough sound I place the blame on a. the mics. From what I understand Shure D880's are vocal mics meant to be used at the front of the stage i.e. like in a rock band. b. mics are hung too high. This was done because the cables are not long enough to reach from their height down to the mixer and also because any lower and they would begin to obstruct the view of the scenery and personally I think that just looks awful.
So I'm gonna stop here because I think I already know my problem but if anybody has any thoughts I'd love to hear them.
I am doing the sound for a high school musical. They just purchased a Wenger series 400 unit which basically is comprised of a Soundcraft 12-channel mixer-- nice!-- a power amp, 3-band EQ and a set of 15" two-way speakers. They opted to hang mics over the stage as they have always had problems with the performers being able to be heard over the pit band. So here's the setup and then I'll tell you what I think is wrong with it, and then maybe someone can give me their feedback.
4 Shure D880 super-cardioid mics were hung approximately 15 feet over the stage, roughly 8-10 feet apart. and ~10feet from the front of the stage, or mid-stage whichver you prefer. Their cables run down to the mixer which is positioned backstage- stage-right. Here's the first problem already. How can I monitor the sound from backstage? OK, so I fire everything up and in order to get even the remotest signal I have to cracnk the gain up to about 50Db. This still only brings my levels up to about 50% at full projection and I can only really hear anything if I crank my headphones waaaay up. But with the gain cranked this high I can only bring the faders up to about -15 before I start getting lovely feedback.
So before I even tell you how the speakers produce barely enough sound I place the blame on a. the mics. From what I understand Shure D880's are vocal mics meant to be used at the front of the stage i.e. like in a rock band. b. mics are hung too high. This was done because the cables are not long enough to reach from their height down to the mixer and also because any lower and they would begin to obstruct the view of the scenery and personally I think that just looks awful.
So I'm gonna stop here because I think I already know my problem but if anybody has any thoughts I'd love to hear them.