As a worship sound pro, the top three questions asked of me are, first, How can I make my system sound better? Second, How can I make my worship band sound better? And third, How can I make my choir sound better? This month, my friends, we will investigate some suggestions on question three.
That stated, the first thing you want in your choir is a group of people who can sing on pitch and in time. That may seem painfully obvious, but many wonderful churches will let anyone who feels a calling sing in the choir. If that’s you, more power to ya. However, if you want your choir to lift up the congregation and bring them closer to the true divinity, it helps if they sing like angels. So let’s assume everyone in your choir is proficient in their singing skills.
So your job as a worship house mixing pro (or volunteer) is to make your choir sound as good as possible. Unfortunately, no mic in the universe can fix a flawed performance; however, the quality of the mics you do use to capture the voices is an important aspect in how good your choir will sound. Also, the sound system and acoustics of the worship space will greatly influence your choir’s overall sound. This month, we’ll concentrate on the type of mics you use and where you are placing them.
If you are looking to buy some new choir mics, I have some suggestions. But if you just want better sound from your current mics, I have some input on that as well.
From the Top
Let’s start with those small mics suspended from the ceiling that hang in front of your choir. These mics are almost exclusively condenser types, and they can sound very good if they are positioned properly (we will discuss placement a little latter). AKG, Audio-Technica and Shure (in alphabetical order) make some fine hanging condenser mics. I have not used every choir mic brand and model, but I do like the Shure MX20CB, Audio-Technica U853R and the AKG HM1000. All these mics sell for less than $200 each and offer good sensitivity and reproduction.
If you are only miking a choir with possibly a light accompaniment, the hanging microphones will work really well. Once you add a worship band, you will need a different approach to miking your choir. I have tried just about every microphone configuration to get a great sound out of a choir competing with a worship band. About a decade ago, I placed eight dynamic mics in front of my choir. I figured I would close-mic my four choir sections and put their voices out in front of the band. It worked pretty well, but choir vocalists are not lead singers and close miking put some of the more powerful singers too far up in the mix. In my mind, a choir can sit back in the mix a little as long as you have a nice blend of the voices.
Today, I typically use two condenser mics on my choirs. I say “typically” because if my choirs are more than a dozen people, I will use three mics and possibly more. The reality is that I don’t have huge choirs to mic. Six to 10 participants is my norm. Large-diaphragm condenser mics are expensive; however, I have used a variety of these with really good results. The point is, getting an excellent sound doesn’t require the most expensive mics. Good mics are important, but the placement of your mics can make or break the overall sound of your choir.
The 2-by-2 Rule
So, where should you put those mics? Is your choir in a single row or semi-circle — or do you have them on risers? Let’s start with risers. Assuming you have two rows of five singers per row on a one-step riser and whether you have your mics on stands or hanging from the ceiling, I use the “2-by-2” rule. You will position your mics two feet in front of your front row of singers and two feet above the heads of the back row of singers. This may put your mics up pretty high on a stand or above the heads of your front row, but it actually works well, especially if you’re using sensitive condenser mics.
If you have small choir standing in a single line of semi-circle (I like the semi-circle myself), you can use a few as one mic. Place this mic the same distance from the center singer as from the end singers. In other words; if you have a six-foot line (or semi-circle), this places the single microphone three feet from the center singer. This position should be three feet from your end singers. If this does not match up, adjust your choir and mic position accordingly.
If you have enough room, put your singers on one side of the stage and your worship band on the other. Condenser mics are generally more sensitive than dynamic mics and sounds from the band — especially a rocking worship band — can bleed into the choir mics. Should you have a relatively small platform, at least place your singers as far away from the drummer as possible. Of course, if your drummer plays behind a Plexiglas shield, that will help tremendously with the isolation of the percussion sound. And lastly, sound check your choir before you add in the band. This will give you a chance to hear the pure choir sound before there’s any bleed from the band. This also makes it easier to adjust tweak the choir once the band is playing.
