JPF Home Page Forums Musician Gear and Techniques Microphone and Vocalist Forum Acappella mic

I'm thinking about using a single Shure 155 mic for 3,4 or 5 acappella singers on an outdoor stage, using a small 400 watt per channel P.A. Does anybody have any suggestions?

Well, bluegrass groups gather around a single microphone sometimes. However, mic volume drops off rapidly as you move away from the mic, although a condenser mic like this one is less susceptible to dropoff.

I guess it would be O.K. if the singers have strong voices and are singing loud.

It sounds as if it might work if the singers are well placed and are balanced matching each other for volume. I suggest suspending the mike so it is hanging just above or in line with your heads and forming a semi circle below or a boom placed in front and gather close together around it. Remember the more distance between sound source and mike the more probs with obtaining decent undistorted balance and gains. Only concern is 400w per channel may not be enough to handle outside conditions and put out enough volume to be heard properly.

You're right Colin, its for bluegrass back-up singers and harmonizers. I wanted to project an image of the old blue grass style singing into a tin can.

Alas, as Jim points out, I may have to rethink the presentation. It is outdoors, and I don't have a lot of power. The singers are quite good, well rehearsed and professional. Maybe it'll work.

What in the world is a Shure 155 mic?

Oops! Typo, should be just a 55SH.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/document?base_pid=270169&cpd=0OEY&doc_id=99371&index=0

Not going to do the job.That's an OK mike for a vocalist (see avatar) but is not going to cut it for the scenario you've proposed. If you do go with a single mic you'll need, IMHO, a good large diaphragm condenser mike with a cardioid pattern or, depending on the room, an omni pattern. I'd get the thing up in the air and pointed toward the center of the group and they, the singers, will have to work the mike to keep things in line as far as who is supposed to be more pronounced or carry a lead & etc. Another thought, if the mike can be a distance from the group, would be a shotgun type mike.
The key here, I think, is going to be practice.

Thanks Dak, I'll get to try out a Lg. diaphram condenser this week. Probably try to get them to stand sideways like the old bop-shu-wop singers. Hopefully they will present themselves to the mic within 18". If it doesn't work everybody gets a beta 58.

Another though that may work. A good condenser stereo mike just may work as well. It should widen the pick up field just a bit.

If everyone gets a SM58 is a VIABLE option then I would go with that. Each mic can then be balanced for individuals volume and tone.
Watch out for feedback as several mics placed close to each other is notorious for bouncing off each other and causing such problems. I also thought that originally you were referring to a condenser large diaphragm mic as I am not too "shure" pardon the pun about shure mics and their model numbers. I prefer other makes.