There is a choir in almost every church who want to sound beautifully to inspire people coming to the church. Also, choir performances occur often and competitions are hosted on a regular basis. Miking and recording choir is one of the challenges the choir conductors come across. So many people are singing but the performance should be balanced despite the number of performers. It’s important to achieve natural sounding and place the choir mics to make them invisible. Such assignment is rather challenging. In this connection the question arises – which microphone is suitable for recording of beautiful choir audio?
The models of microphones differ considerably, even within the particular group of mics. How to determine the best one? The customer should be informed when buying the mic intended for choir performances. The best microphone should suit the particular situation – the application should correspond to it. However, along with it’s important to solve other issues. How many mics should be installed for excellent performance and recording? Where to position them? All these issues are of particular importance as they affect the ultimate result.
Choir Microphone Reviews
Shure CVO-B/C Overhead Condenser Microphone
The offering of this brand is always the best alternative no matter what the purpose is. The mics of these manufacturer enter different categories and always take the top positions there. Shure has earned remarkable reputation since its foundation in 1925. The American corporation survived in the face of severe depression, overcame many obstacles to dominate the market of audio products. The model offered for the choir comes in two colors: black and white, so it suits the rooms with different décor. The hanging microphone is unidirectional and is placed overheads above singing people to reproduce the sound evenly. It’s designed to be suspended over a stage and connected to a sound board supplying phantom power. These stage mikes will amplify any choir performance without distortion.
The microphones have a focused area for pickup being less affected by direct-path feedback. The mic is hard-wired to a cable, which is 25 feet long but can be shortened in case of necessity. It’s possible to connect XLR cord to professional mixers. The microphone delivers crystal clear sound just what is needed for the church choir. Several mics are able to pick up the whole stage fabulously. Even three of them are able to create amazing effect. The condenser provides plenty of coverage. But even best microphones need to be configured correctly before usage.
In case the customer faces the situation when the spectators can’t hear the ensemble of children, this is an excellent solution.
Looking for outstanding microphone, pay attention to this model. Powerful pickup is guaranteed with it.
The mic looks reliable and solid. It’s also worth noting that the microphone for recording is resistant to strong audio signals.
It can also be used for videoconferencing, discussions and meetings where each person should be heard.
Rode M5-MP Matched Pair Cardioid Condenser Microphone
The equipment is presented with a pair of choir mics and the result is certainly different from the effect achieved by the model described above. Placed at diverse angles, the devices can capture full sound in stereo mode. The best intended use of the microphone is choral and acoustic music recording in a controlled environment. The mics are a great value and their sounding is nice. The consumers are able to achieve neutral sounding, which is slightly warm.
These devices function as microphones for recording similar to expensive choir mics and don’t feature shrillness evident in low-cost mics. Those who want to enjoy the phenomenal result, should try this best mic known for excellent representation of the voice. It’s accurate and honest. Being pleasantly surprised with level of overall sound, the users post many positive reviews. These little condenser is able to beat even the best mics in performance. Choir sounds fantastic with these great microphones.
As for the pricetag, the condenser is affordable. Especially taking into account its smooth design. The quality build is excellent. The pair of condensers is also well-packaged. The microphone is suitable for the case when a set of best mics is required to run live sound for a choir, quartet or ensemble vocals. There’s no choice better when the source is presented by several people and the overall sound should be amplified without focusing on some single source.
Audio-Technica PRO 45 ProPoint Cardioid Condenser Hanging Microphone
Audio-Technica PRO 45 Review
The Audio-Technica PRO 45 microphone is small but delivers really…
A pair of such items will make a considerable difference for performance. The cords are long and the hangers are reliable and robust. If the microphone is used correctly, this is 360 degree mic. The price is affordable. It’s easy to record a large group of people with choir microphones of this model. An excellent microphone for church choir. It’s sufficient to have a couple of such mics to equip the choir of small church with amplifying gear. Though the effect depends upon the number of rows involved. Though it can be touch to suspend them but it pays off eventually. The installers should hang them in the proper direction to get the desired effect. The cord is adjusted afterwards.
The wire holder enables that and offers good flexibility to adjust the desired degree of angle. The clarity is exceptional. Don’t doubt about purchase of the microphone if you need the best choir mic with tons of useful applications. It can be used for orchestra, ensemble, vocal and other performances. Picking up all sounds in its vicinity, the microphone doesn’t skip any air streams. It’s hard to go wrong with AT products – they are always superb and this mic is a great example of this rule.
Mic Features We’ve Judged Our Recommendations On
What microphones were chosen for this selection? What principles did we base on when we came up with these offerings? The best choir mic should have the following characteristics:
- It should present hanging design.
Good audio can be achieved only when microphones are suspended above the heads of singers.
- The cord should be long enough.
The cord is adjusted in accordance with the circumstances and conditions of the performance.
- The pickup pattern is unidirectional.
It will help to cancel out the noise coming from other directions in the room. The choir mic should be focused on voices in a choir ignoring background noise of the audience, especially, when it’s big.
- Additional features for good
Advanced technologies open new opportunities for us and new features appear improving the quality of audio. For instance, feedback rejection is one of them. It’s also necessary to block the interference of other devices to function correctly therefore microphone with radio frequency filters is rather efficient.
How to Mic A Choir
Why Mic from Above?
The scheme of this kind is used for choirs and orchestras to achieve pure reproduction of audio. Sometimes the sound is blocked due to incorrect placement of the gear. When microphones are placed before the first row, the rear ones are not heard equally well. The audio isn’t even then. It should be homogeneous. The voice should blend into one beautiful audio. The microphone placed above the choir helps to achieve this effect.
Church choir microphone for recording should be placed on the level of the height of the tallest individual in a group. But not all agree with such opinion and think that additional couple of feet should be added to the height of the person. When the mic is raised, the singers in the first row won’t dominate over the voices of the rear row. All performers should be equally far from the church choir microphones.
Using Multiple Mics for Choirs
There shouldn’t be too many microphones to mike the choir as it increases feedback. Also, it’ll be tough to adjust the balance when many mics are employed. The experts say that one choir mic provides coverage for about 20 singers in case it’s installed in a proper way. If there are up to 45 people in a choir then 2 or 3 devices are necessary for good audio. In other words, fewer the number is, the better the result in the event everything is done correctly.
The distance between the microphones is defined easily. It should exceed the distance between the singers and choir mic three times.
Conclusion
One shouldn’t be a specialist to attain good sounding or choir recording in a right way. Using the experts’ advice one should get the desired effect. Much also depends upon the environment therefore even professional sound engineers can’t deliver universal rule for all. Practicing different schemes with high quality microphones, the balanced audio recording can be obtained without effort.
Choosing the right microphone for choir performances can be as harmonious as the melodies they produce. With the right equipment, even amateur conductors can orchestrate a symphony of sound that resonates with clarity and warmth. While each product offers its unique advantages, the key lies in understanding the needs of your choir and the venue’s acoustics. Remember, a well-placed, high-quality microphone can transform any performance space into a cathedral of sound. So, whether you’re leading a church choir or preparing for a competition, invest in the right gear, and let your voices soar!