Best 'Single Mic' for Live, Solo Singer/Guitarist

Originally Posted by fitness1

The OP has a Heil vocal mic, an AT condenser for the guitar, and a Carvin AG200 with plenty of mixing capabilities. In my opinion, he's 90% of the way to the best sound he can get already.

Missed that, but it does mean he can try his single omni mic idea as long as he has his present mics in his case and ready to go. After one set he will switch them out and we will be able to get a sweet deal on the Omni.

[pops]

Single mic can work and some are switchable between 3 pickup patterns. A Gorack would be an important piece of equipment just for the anti-feedback part of it. Works well for a large diaphragm mic. We use two for an open band for square dances and run thru the Gorack can get volumes that will drive the dance.

[fitness1]

Originally Posted by pops

We use two for an open band for square dances and run thru the Gorack can get volumes that will drive the dance.

Using what kind of sound system? Assuming more than a single amp with two 6.5 inch drivers.

[GmanJeff]

I can see no functional reason to ever try to do this over much better alternatives. Unless, of course, your priority is to look "old-timey" rather than to sound the best you can. If that's what you're after, go for it.

I suggest the OP borrow or rent the mic he thinks will give him what he wants and take it for a test drive on his next gig, or at least in his rehearsal space.

[Ed-in-Ohio]

Originally Posted by pipedwho

I've never seen a single mic for vocal+guitar work properly outside of a recording situation. To do this, the mic ends up being at least 12 inches away from your mouth and the guitar, which either sounds 'distant' and quiet, or starts to feedback. It might be workable on a large quiet stage in a recital hall, but not usually in a smaller venue when you're trying to get over the crowd noise with your amp a few feet away from you.

As said earlier, two separate mics is almost always better for a singer/guitarist for live sound reinforcement. You don't need to be right on top of the mics, but you also can get each mic much closer to the sources than with a single mic.

Originally Posted by fitness1

I think it's also a matter of having the right sound reinforcement equipment - the OP has a Carvin AG200 with two 6.5" speakers in a small cabinet. I would think his venues would have to be "pin drop" quiet before a single mic would work well.

We all know we don't get too many venues like that

Originally Posted by pipedwho

I love my NT1 (newer version), great mic. But, there's no way I could use it live for both vocal and guitar. Like any cardioid mic, I'd have to have it at least 1.5 feet away from either source (guitar and vocal) to be able to pick up both equally. That's fine for recording, but tends to be way too open when being sent to a PA / monitor.

Of course, in a super quiet venue, if you have a powerful voice and a loud guitar, you might get away with this.

Originally Posted by fitness1

The OP has a Heil vocal mic, an AT condenser for the guitar, and a Carvin AG200 with plenty of mixing capabilities. In my opinion, he's 90% of the way to the best sound he can get already.

Originally Posted by GmanJeff

I can see no functional reason to ever try to do this over much better alternatives. Unless, of course, your priority is to look "old-timey" rather than to sound the best you can. If that's what you're after, go for it.

Thanks for all the wise and "real world" advice!

Over this weekend, with this potential change in mind, I've done some serious A/B/C-ing (pickup only, mic [Pro 37] only, pickup + mic) of all my guitars through the Carvin.

Doing these comparisons, even in the quiet, familiar, and controlled environment of my rehearsal room, I'd have to say (if I am totally honest with myself), that the sound quality difference between these three set-ups is pretty minimal. If forced to pick a "best sounding" set-up, I'd have to say that "pickup + mic" probably won for all my guitar/pickup combinations. This combination seemed to offer the most dynamic and complex tone with all of my guitars.

Combine this with the loss of separate EQ capability for vox & guitar, and I'm coming to the belief that the drawbacks of using a single mic outweigh the potential benefits.

Pickup + AT Pro 37 (aimed at the 12th fret) on the guitar, plus Heil PR-22-UT on vocals, seems to be the ticket for my best sound.

[fitness1]

Originally Posted by Ed-in-Ohio

Pickup + AT Pro 37 (aimed at the 12th fret) on the guitar, plus Heil PR-22-UT on vocals, seems to be the ticket for my best sound.

Try this with the mix between the mic and the pickup - do predominantly bass/mid frequencies in the pickup, and mids and trebles with the pickup....and do a midrange attenuation on the channel on each on the Carvin.

This is how I've had my best results over the years......typically about 60% out of the mic and 40% out of the pickup, then on fingerstyle tunes, you kick up the output of the pickup a bit to increase attack.

[ricdoug]

You can also mount two microphones on a single stand, if you are trying to keep the amount of equipment you carry into a gig minimal. Ric