Tips for gigs in tight spaces

JackB1 · #1 08-03-2022, 08:58 AM

I had to play a gig this weekend and my setup space was very tight and I had no choice but to put my speaker almost directly behind me above head height. My entire area was about 5'x5'. I was having feedback problems between the mic and speaker whenever I turned up the volume to a decent level. I am using a Sennheiser E935 and the JBL Compact. Would a mic with a tighter pattern help? Any solutions other than going wireless and putting the speaker in another spot away from me?

Chriscom · #2 08-03-2022, 09:12 AM

Spaces differ but 5X5 is often just enough room to place the speaker directly to your left or right, ideally to the side that protects the guitar soundhole more (or just use one of those soundhole plugs) though you don't indicate that was an issue. That combined with angling your mic away from the speaker gives you your best shot, other than phase shifters and the like. Singers who really eat the mic and stay right on top of it can often prevent that feedback as well.

There are mics with tighter patterns of course. I haven't been space-challenged like that and I love my e935.

JackB1 · #3 08-03-2022, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chriscom

Spaces differ but 5X5 is often just enough room to place the speaker directly to your left or right, ideally to the side that protects the guitar soundhole more (or just use one of those soundhole plugs) though you don't indicate that was an issue. That combined with angling your mic away from the speaker gives you your best shot, other than phase shifters and the like. Singers who really eat the mic and stay right on top of it can often prevent that feedback as well.

There are mics with tighter patterns of course. I haven't been space-challenged like that and I love my e935.

You bring up a good point which is to turn down the mic and really sing on top of it. My old habit is to make the mic hot so I can hit high notes without having to push too hard. Yes I love my e935 but its quite a hot mic. This space was so tight that I couldn't put the speaker to either side...there was no room.

MarvinLee · #4 08-03-2022, 10:57 AM

I play gigs like this all the time. I use a combo amp with an SM57. It has a pretty tight cardioid pattern with rejects off axis sounds better than the SM58 or your e935. The combo amp is on an amp stand on the floor, tilted slightly back. Get plenty of volume this way.

Rudy4 · #5 08-03-2022, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackB1

I had to play a gig this weekend and my setup space was very tight and I had no choice but to put my speaker almost directly behind me above head height. My entire area was about 5'x5'. I was having feedback problems between the mic and speaker whenever I turned up the volume to a decent level. I am using a Sennheiser E935 and the JBL Compact. Would a mic with a tighter pattern help? Any solutions other than going wireless and putting the speaker in another spot away from me?

I have good luck with this type of setup. The amp can be pulled up immediately to my right side and I can get a fair amount of volume by angling slightly away so it doesn't feed back into the vocal mic. You can pull things up close to fit in a very small space. The amp works well as a side fill monitor so you can hear enough of yourself if you wish.

Goat Mick · #6 08-03-2022, 02:36 PM

I play in really tight spaces like this all the time. I like to keep my amp low and directly behind me or to the side a bit. I really don't have many issues with feedback like this and I have several different systems I play through. Here are a few gig pics for reference. If you're using a full size speaker stand, that may be the thing taking up all of your real estate.

Nymuso · #7 08-03-2022, 02:41 PM

Almost all of our gigs are tight set ups. We use two Bose L1Cs which is a great help in diminishing if not negating feedback from the vocal mics, and I've gone to a chambered guitar (Godin A6U) which all but eliminates it from the instrument.

However, you want to know what you can do now to reduce feedback while sacrificing a minimum of volume.

With respect to the vocal mic I'd say be careful with your highs, reduce them to what you absolutely must have to preserve your natural voice. Also go easy on the effects, reverb, delay, if you use them at all. With respect to the guitar I'd add a notch filter into the signal chain to help you attenuate the offending frequency. A Baggs PADI is one tool you could use. All of this, of course, in concert with optimal speaker positioning - which, as we know, is the root of the problem given the space limitations. Good luck.

TobyB · #8 08-03-2022, 03:03 PM

Not quite the same ... but the ceilidh-barndance band I play in is often cramped onto small stages or corners. To manage, some of our instruments have piezo's to mix in so less mic gain needed. And a large graphic EQ for finely cutting feedback frequencies has become invaluable.

DavidE · #9 08-03-2022, 03:11 PM

I would say put the tip jar at least 3-4 feet from you. People will be more inclined to approach the tip jar if there's some distance.

Wait, that's not what you meant?

5'x5' for a solo using the JBL Compact sure seems like plenty of space to me. Don't feel like you need to set up center stage. Set up in a front corner and then put the speaker in the diagonal corner. That should work. I've been having a tough time with very high pitched feedback from a Sennheiser 935. Notching it out with a parametric eq on my Bose T1 mixer hasn't worked as well as I would have expected. Makes me wonder if it's the mic.

leew3 · #10 08-03-2022, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidE

I would say put the tip jar at least 3-4 feet from you. People will be more inclined to approach the tip jar if there's some distance.

Wait, that's not what you meant?.

This is where I went as well! On a practical note, as others have said I've had success with an amp (LB Artist or S1) on the floor either behind me or directly to my right.

JackB1 · #11 08-04-2022, 07:47 AM

Some great tips here...thanks everyone. Here's some things I will try:

-maybe a different mic with a tighter polar pattern, like an Audix OM2
- turning down the mic gain and turning up the volume instead
- turning down all the mic effects - echo, reverb, etc.
- using the EQ to target the high frequencies (low pass filter)
- working on positioning of the speaker in relation to the mic
- turning the mic volume down and really eating the mic instead of my usual 2-3" from it.

One last resort is to use my wireless XLR connector and position the speaker somewhere else in the room, but then I have to worry about wireless interference. Last time I tried that in this room I was getting a lot of interference and noise with the wireless.

KevWind · #12 08-04-2022, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackB1

You bring up a good point which is to turn down the mic and really sing on top of it. My old habit is to make the mic hot so I can hit high notes without having to push too hard. Yes I love my e935 but its quite a hot mic. This space was so tight that I couldn't put the speaker to either side...there was no room.

. Couple thoughts
#1 the prototypical tendency to sing the more difficult highs more quietly is the reverse of what we need to do. I struggled with this and still do .. But I finally took some voice lessons and the teacher pointed out,, it takes more pushing air to correctly hit the notes at the top of your range, just need to practice enough to gain the confidence ..

#2 too tight to have the speaker at your side ? I'm confused -- Seems to me 5 feet is plenty of room for you your guitar guitar and the speaker and stand ???
In any case
I have done several things.

#1 put the speaker behind me like you did but make sure my body is between the direct line from mic and speaker

#2 (arguably the best) put the speaker in front and to the side of me, but still above me like when behind me this has proven to be the most effective as it eliminates any direct line from speaker to mic

Bob Womack · #13 08-04-2022, 08:17 AM

Pull in your elbows.

Bob

Goat Mick · #14 08-04-2022, 08:34 AM

With the speaker at the height the OP described, I believe he is using a full size speaker stand to get it up there. Those things eat up a ton of real estate on the stage. I believe finding a way to eliminate that stand or move to a compact speaker stand will help a lot with the available room on stage to get everything set up. I use this one with my Bose S1 Pro for times I need to elevate the speaker a bit, but most of the time I place it a few feet behind me in the upright and tilted back position.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...-speaker-stand

Rudy4 · #15 08-04-2022, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goat Mick

With the speaker at the height the OP described, I believe he is using a full size speaker stand to get it up there. Those things eat up a ton of real estate on the stage. I believe finding a way to eliminate that stand or move to a compact speaker stand will help a lot with the available room on stage to get everything set up. I use this one with my Bose S1 Pro for times I need to elevate the speaker a bit, but most of the time I place it a few feet behind me in the upright and tilted back position.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...-speaker-stand

The mini speaker stand is what I use, also. I trimmed about 6" off my stand to allow the Cube EX to sit even lower, since I use it in conjunction with a low chair often.