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Re: problem w/live looping using mic

this is my #1 problem onstage when looping on cello. i deal with it by:

1) being very specific in my stage plot about how i am positioned relative to the speakers. no speakers should be pointing at me and i try to be positioned at least 6 feet behind the nearest PA speakers. i.e. the back of the stage! some venues (dance clubs) have speakers pointing towards the stage, i get them to turn those off for my performance. and setups where the PA is angled and the stage falls in the sound arc. i won't play  those stages anymore.

2) related to that, if using an amplifier, set it in front of you and do your looping behind it.

3) don't do looping while on top of a subwoofer. often they are underneath the stage. find out where they are and move away from them.

4) certain kinds of microphones are worse than others. make sure your mic is directional and is not picking up sound behind it.

5) before soundcheck explain the technicalities of what you're doing to the soundperson. there is a physical limit to how loud i can go before sonic chaos ensues. i work with the soundperson to find this threshold during soundcheck so they can experience it.

6) in ear monitors.


On Sep 21, 2007, at 12:29 AM, Chris D'Errico wrote:


Greetings all...

I'm new to this list, & to the world of looping, but I have already run into a problem that I'm hoping someone could help me with:

When looping vocals/harmonica in live performance-- through a PA, or guitar amp, or both-- the microphone picks up the sound of the PA/amp & starts to record itself recording loops-- sort of like a "mirror looking into a mirror" effect... At low volume it's not much of a problem, but at the higher volume necessary to push the sound out to an audience in a decent size room, I can't stop the sound from the PA/amp from bleeding into the mic. It gets worse the more layers I try to add to the loop, with the live mic rerecording the sound, it eventually causes a thin, tinny, high pitched feedback sound that destroys the process & performance. I never use monitors because that just makes it worse-- the mic picks that up also.

Other singers out there who create live loops must be familiar with this problem, it's got be very common. Is there any possible way to counter this? Any ideas on a workable set-up?

I use an old Shure mic into a few stompbox pedals into an Akai Headrush loop pedal & out to an old tube amp which has a line-out that I run into the PA system when needed. 

Thanks for your time & attention,

Chris D.
Las Vegas, Nevada 
_________________________________________________________________
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Zoë Keating
Avant Cellist & Composer

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