Award-winning Reggae/Dancehall audio engineer and music producer Shane Brown has expressed concern about Jamaican artists who unwittingly compromise the standard of their performances through the use of their palms to cuff the heads of their microphones.
Talking throughout an interview on Reggae radio station Irie FM just lately, Brown warned that the way through which some artists maintain the microphone, could make or break their onstage supply.
“One of many one of many worst issues for artistes to do is cuff the microphone. I don’t know the place them get it from, or if it look cool to them or no matter, but when the microphone is what’s transmitting your voice, how are you going to cowl it? As a result of if I put my hand over my mouth now, I sound totally different,” he stated whereas giving an indication to host Okay’Shema Francis-Pitt.
“If you cuff that microphone, you might be placing a blanket over the identical factor that’s transmitting the standard of your vocals. So one of many issues I can inform entertainers: ‘don’t cuff the capsule of a microphone’. I don’t know if some a dem assume it make dem voice sound larger; it actually don’t. What you do is make your voice sound darker and extra distorted. Additionally, if you cuff the capsule of a microphone, there’s a sure frequency that it equalizes, so it’s greater than doubtless gonna have suggestions within the audio system under,” the God Is Love producer added.
Brown’s feedback got here after Francis-Pitt requested what recommendation he would give to entertainers typically, as to the “dos and don’ts of a microphone” and learn how to use it, since many weren’t holding the mics accurately, thus thwarting the success of their very own performances.
In agreeing, Brown had additionally stated that the cuffing of the microphones additionally has implications for sound engineers like himself.
“lt’s one of many worst factor for me to do a present with an artiste that cuff the mic, as a result of if the vocals not proper, your entire combine spoil,” he stated.
“As I let you know, the vocal is the loudest a part of the combo. And at the moment your entire combine spoil. You may’t get the crispiness that you just want from a vocal the music on a document. And even when you consider it now…if you’re in a studio you possibly can’t even contact the microphone. So what are you pondering to assume say ‘all proper now we’re happening, wi a guh cuff di microphone’. It don’t make no sense so it put the engineer in a really dangerous place at the moment,” he added.
The much-sought-after Brown has labored with the likes of Shaggy, Beenie Man, Beres Hammond, Popcaan, Capelton, Dennis Brown, Morgan Heritage, Taurus Riley, Dean Fraser, Shabba Ranks, over time, in addition to international artists resembling Lauryn Hill, Fugees, and Chaka Khan, has undertaken mixing initiatives at Sony and Common Music Corporations.
Noting that he has by no means had points with any of the artists with whom he has labored, he went on to hail Shaggy, whom he stated was a grasp at correct microphone dealing with.
“The artistes that I’ve labored with, them don’t have that dangerous behavior. I’ve toured with Shaggy for 10 years and him is one a di greatest. He was and nonetheless is among the greatest in the case of utilizing a microphone. That man don’t play a microphone joke. So it’s important to perceive, mixing and engineering the entire thing…,” he stated.
“So the artistes have an enormous duty man; the artiste dem have to cease cuff the microphones and it’s one thing that I observed even now greater than ever. As them come them hol on to the cap a di microphone suh,” he re-emphasized.
Added Brown: “Now whether it is that it’s it have one thing to do with sanitization – I don’t know – then purchase your personal microphone and carry your personal microphone to the reveals.”
A 2020 article by sound gear producer Shure, concurs with Brown, because it famous that “cupping your palms across the head of any skilled directional microphone destroys the polar sample”.
“The result’s usually poor sound high quality and acoustic suggestions. It isn’t advisable!” Shure famous.
