All the hard work and tremendous efforts you do on honing your vocal techniques, singing style, and song choice are done to achieve a quality voice and elevate your live vocal performance. But, all that practice goes in vain if you don’t know how to sing through a mic efficiently. So here are few effective microphone tips to help you improved your live vocals.    

Choose The Best Mic For The Singer

Give a singer the right mic and watch him/her cast a spell on stage. It is very important to choose the microphone that is right for you than to just settle for any microphone that does the standard job. The quality and model of microphone you use will definitely determine the quality of your voice. A good vocalist needs to get comfortable and easy with the microphone, in order to avoid loss of vocal quality. Some microphones are designed for loud voices while some are designed for acoustic and intimate vocal tones. Evaluate the microphones available in the market and choose the one that fits best for you. You can check out a few of our own suggestion in the article below.  
  microphone Quality Dynamic Live Vocal Mics - We take a look at a few outstanding live vocal microphones that we feel stand above the pack!    
 

Know Your Angles

If you sing into a microphone from an inappropriate angle, then you will lose important tonal qualities. Focus your voice into the center (also known as the “nose”) of the microphone to get better tonal qualities. Don’t try to push your voice very hard into the mic as it will distort its amplification. This tip needs a lot of practice before it becomes your natural way of mic handling. Holding the microphone straight towards your mouth would hide your face and also your facial expressions. In order to communicate well with your audience, you need to be connected to them through your song and facial expressions. Hence, hold the shaft of the mic and angle it, in such a way, that it is slightly below yet pointing towards your mouth.  

Hold The Microphone Correctly

This is one of the most effective tips for holding the microphone. If you hold it by its head, it will lead to muffling of your voice. When you sing, your listeners would want to understand what you are singing. Hence, do not drift away from the microphone and focus your mouth towards the nose of the mic, especially, when you sing through last phrases of the song.  

The Importance Of Proximity

The proximity of the microphone makes a huge difference. Vocalists should move closer to the mic when they are singing softly and move farther away from it when they are loud. Avoid speaking too closely into the microphone as it reduces the clarity. If you are singing a quiet, seductive song, it is advised to sing at a distance of 1 inch from the mic. And if you are singing loud songs, then consider maintaining a distance of a minimum of 6 inches. On the other hand, many singers use the proximity effect of a microphone to their advantage. You can read more on the proximity effect in the article below.  
  voice Quick Tips: Using The Proximity Effect -  The proximity effect can either be a blessing or a curse, depending on how it is used. A singer can get a deep, earthy sound by singing very close, then change to a more penetrating sound by singing louder while moving the microphone away. This kind of creative use takes some practice but can be very effective ...


A Word On Consonants

Don’t give special importance to consonants while singing through a mic. Stressing on consonants will give disorderly sounds. Hence, give consonants equal attention and air, as their accompanying vowels.   It's said that practice makes perfect, and that's definitely true. Every singer is unique with his/her own style and qualities. By honing these microphone techniques, you will feel more confident for your live vocal performance. So go on, cast a spell by your voice and own the show!    

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What are some other microphone tips that singers should know about?

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