As a follow-up to my previous feature, What Audio Engineers Need Drummers to Understand, I would be remiss if I didn’t address an even more important topic: vocals. As audio engineers, we obsess over creating great sounds – the perfect snare, full, wide mixes, just the right amount of smack on the kick drum, aggressive yet balanced guitar leads, judicious amounts of sub energy, and the ideal dose of reverb. However, when it’s all said and done, and I’m sure your pastor agrees, nothing is more crucial during the musical portion of your worship service than the vocals. As I have stated many times before, no one ever said, “I really could have gotten to the throne if that guitar tone was better.” The voice carries the message, stirs the heart, and connects the congregation in a way that no instrument can.
If you’re familiar with my content, you know I firmly believe that the foundation for quality audio begins at the source, and this is especially true for vocals. In all my years of mixing audio, I’ve seen the best and worst when it comes to singers’ styles and methods. Unfortunately, I’ve witnessed very bad advice on microphone technique passed on to vocal teams as though it were gospel by well-meaning yet uninformed leadership.
I spent a season with a church blessed with multiple great singers. All of them had the talent and skills to lead worship at almost any large church. They were diligent in perfecting their vocal parts, which is typically an audio engineer’s dream come true. They worked together during the week around a piano and came to band rehearsal fully prepared and ready to go. But when they picked up the microphones, they lost the magic. Some of them were way too quiet on the mic, while one of the male singers was practically kissing the mic the entire session. These extremes made achieving a vocal blend almost impossible. We’ll call the guy who was a little too intimate with the microphone Jack. Jack told me he had been taught early on to always sing as close to the mic as possible. One of the “too soft” singers, we’ll call her Cindy, had a beautiful voice but struggled with her IEMs and therefore tended to hold back on the mic. It was clear that while this amazing group of singers could blend beautifully around a piano, they had never been coached as a group on how to translate that from the rehearsal space to the stage.
Microphone technique is everything, especially when trying to achieve well-blended vocals. For some great singers, it just comes naturally. They intuitively know, or have learned over time, what works. But many just need some coaching and practice to raise their game. Unfortunately, a lot of leaders are either teaching their teams bad habits or ignoring proper technique altogether.
Before we get into the nuts and bolts of proper vocal and microphone technique, a gentle reminder: In my role as a consultant, I am often asked to help with various aspects of worship arts. However, if I am working as a guest engineer on a limited or one-off basis, I don’t typically offer opinions or advice in this area unless the client specifically requests it. As an audio engineer, it’s important to know your role. In a previous feature, Building Trust Between the Stage and the Booth, I discuss how to build relational equity with the worship team and when it’s appropriate to engage in these types of conversations.
Microphone Techniques: Proximity Effect vs. Off-Mic
Some of the worst advice I’ve ever heard presented to a group of vocalists was: “Always sing as close to the mic as possible and take one of your in-ear monitors out.” This statement is covered in wrong-sauce—actually, two sauces, and they are both wrong. We’ll get to the use of one IEM shortly.
Our friend Jack was actually onto something with his excessively close mic technique. What is commonly referred to as the proximity effect can be a great thing when you are leading a song. Much has been written about the proximity effect, but basically, the closer your mouth is to the mic, the louder and boomier your voice will be when translated through the audio system. For an audio engineer, this can be a blessing or a curse. The louder the signal, the easier it is to engage a limiter, compressor, or other processing. If you’re going for an intimate, rich tone, the proximity effect can be very helpful. It also helps reduce the bleed from other sounds on stage.
When singing harmonies or in unison with other vocalists, using an off-mic technique can be incredibly beneficial. By holding the microphone 3 to 6 inches away from your mouth, you reduce the proximity effect, resulting in a more natural and blended sound. This approach is particularly useful when multiple singers need to create a cohesive vocal mix without any one voice overpowering the others. Using the off-mic technique allows voices to blend more naturally both on stage and through the audio system, creating a more pleasing and cohesive sound. Most seasoned audio engineers agree that “space and depth” in a mix are valuable, and the more these properties occur organically from the stage, the better. Multiple vocalists singing off-mic helps create an organic space that is difficult to simulate electronically.
Best of Both Worlds
I often work with a church that routinely features a large group of front-line singers, typically 5 or 6, but sometimes as many as 12. On any given Sunday, 3 or 4 of these vocalists may sing lead on a song or at least a verse of it. Ultimately, the responsibility to ensure the designated leader is sonically out front falls to the audio engineer. However, if all the vocalists who are not singing lead at the moment adjust to an off-mic position and the leader takes advantage of the proximity effect, the group is essentially self-mixing. This creates a more natural vocal experience that the engineer can enhance. Additionally, let’s not lose sight of the fact that in most cases, the vocalists set up their IEM mixes during soundcheck and rehearsal. This method helps the singers get a more realistic impression of their actual blend.
If vocalists take the time to get educated, they can contribute significantly to the success of the group by knowing when it’s appropriate to use the proximity effect and when not to. Broadly speaking, when singing lead or a stand-alone harmony part, using a close mic technique is helpful. However, when singing in an ensemble with multiple teammates in harmony or unison, the off-mic technique will produce better results. While there are always nuances and variations, these general guidelines can make a big difference.
In-Ear Monitoring: Help, Not Hurt
Let’s not forget our friend Cindy. Sometimes singers need help getting the most from their IEM mixes. In Cindy’s case, no one had ever really worked with her on building an effective IEM mix. It’s common for singers to set their own voice too high compared to the other singers and instruments. This may seem counterintuitive, but if your voice is substantially louder in the IEM mix, you may subconsciously hold back because you hear yourself so much louder than everything else, and you won’t have anything to blend with.
In a previous feature, I discussed mixing for in-ear monitors in detail. For groups of vocalists, many have found success by setting their personal voice just 10 to 20% louder than the other singers, and panning the others slightly left or right, while keeping their own voice in the center of the stereo field. This enables you to distinguish your voice from the others while hearing enough of them to blend.
Now, let’s address the myth about using only one in-ear monitor. Some well-meaning but misinformed leaders suggest taking one IEM out to hear the stage better. This is like saying you should drive a car with one eye closed to see the road better. Using both in-ear monitors is crucial for accurate pitch and timing, and it helps protect your hearing by keeping the volume levels consistent and safe.
Removing one of your IEMs is a bad habit, and for many people, it has become just that—a habit, maybe even a crutch. If you find yourself repeatedly removing one of your IEMs, it’s probably time to start from scratch and rebuild a foundational mix.
When our front-line worship leaders get the hang of these principles, the whole worship experience levels up. Good mic techniques, solid IEM mixes, and knowing when to use proximity effect or go off-mic can make a world of difference. With some learning and practice, singers can make sure their voices blend perfectly, adding to a powerful and unified sound.
I’m looking forward to hearing how your vocal teams are growing. You can reach me at rcochran@worshipfacility.com. Until then, don’t forget to listen!
