Live Sound / Live Music
Course 8: Basic Miking Considerations

You’ve learned what makes a good microphone and which types are best for live performances. But even the best mic in the world isn’t going to help if you don’t know how to position it. With this course, you’ll learn the proper placement of microphones for vocals and instruments as well as venue considerations.

When playing in an arena with a huge stage, chances are you’ll need an army of microphones to ensure everything gets heard–even in the back. However, at a more intimate gig, not every instrument needs a mic, just one or two will do. Understanding the limitations of a venue is just one of the things you’ll learn during course 8.

The most important thing to remember when preparing for a show is to make your artist or band sound their very best, and proper mic placement is key. You’ll learn how to set up mics for a drum kit, guitars, bass, piano, horns, and other instruments. There are also a few ways to record a live show with multiple mic configurations.

In course 8, you’ll learn how to mic for any situation, both for sound clarity and safety. Remember, more mics mean more cables and you want to keep the stage as clean as possible. You’ll have another mixing assignment as well as the usual quiz, blog entry, and scheduling with your Academic Facilitator.