Live Sound Mixing Tips

A microphone has a property called proximity effect. The closer that the mike is to the sound source the more low and low mid frequencies are reproduced.

Proximity effect can be enhanced or reduced by the physical engineering of the microphone. Some are designed to minimize the proximity effect and some are designed to include more proximity effect. Many vocal mikes are designed with a fairly strong proximity effect while instrument mikes may be designed to minimize the proximity effect.

Proximity effect can give some added warmth to vocals. The singer needs to understand how to use the property of the microphone to the best advantage. If the singer backs off of the microphone the sound will be thin and as they get closer to the microphone the voice will fatten up. Mike technique is something that is important for a vocalist to learn.

Have you noticed the proximity effect in vocal mikes?