A Voice That Carries

Technical Tips For A Vocalist

There they are!  The band has arrived!  You see them loading in.  All that hair!  All that gear!  And here comes even more!  Yup, there's the drums that are too big for the venue, along with the guitar amps with too much ear-piercing treble and enough raw power to fill four rooms that are twice the size of the one being used!  And here's the PA system that sounds harsh and usually too loud except to anyone other than the already deaf or the dead.  Like the unveiling of the gods, out come the plethora of guitars soon to be dangled at knee height for maximum cool factor with the least amount of musical control.
But with all of that hair and equipment now on stage, there's something you usually DON'T see.  Hey!  Where's all the gear for the lead vocalist?  That's right... the lead singer has shown up in all his greatness and glory, and he's pretty much empty handed!  Not a lick of gear!.  After all, he is indeed the star of the show and the star doesn't carry gear, right?!  I don't get it... for some reason, the voice of the band is the one that sings into the road-beaten, crappy sounding Shure SM57 mic that came with the PA.  What else could  he possibly need besides some more eye liner and tattoos???


Well, here's a few tips for ya, boys!  In case you didn't realize it, the vocals are perhaps one of the most important factors in a band.  And most commonly, they are the factor that gets the least amount of attention.  Not only are most band vocals off pitch, they sound lifeless, being buried below the drone of the music as an afterthought for the boys about to rock your world.

So what does it take to have vocals that no other band around can touch?  Well, besides those well-deserved, overdue and much needed vocal lessons, having the right gear that will enhance your vocal prowess couldn't hurt.  There are two pieces of equipment that can help you achieve complete vocal bliss!

Of course, there is the mic.  As a vocalist, this tool should be selected wisely through a well thought out and deliberate method.   Knowing what a mic sounds like with your unique voice will help you make the right choice.  There are a great many mics available today with amazing advances in technology, giving you total control over how your sound is delivered to your audience.  I could recommend many different mics, but let me just say that this is a tool that you do NOT want to go cheep and cheezy with.

My personal favorites are now made by a company called Heil Sound.  I use their mics for all my personal vocals and have been amazed at the clarity, punch, richness and fullness from the lows to the highs.  These mics are not any more expensive than the others that are sold in the category of professional stage mics, yet they have taken over many professional stages, and for good reason!  I personally love my Heil Fin mic with its blue lighted windscreen.
The Heil Fin has that retro/deco look I wanted.  What is astounding is that this mic sounds even better than it looks, and at a price right around $200.00, you can't go wrong!  But a mic is only part of the equation.  The part that REALLY makes 'em week in the knees can only be achieved with a vocal processor.

In the category of vocal processors, there really is only one choice that puts you on top, unless your willing to spend 5k or more.  So, for the musician out there in the trenches, the casinos or the clubs, the choice is a no-brainier.  Sure, there are numerous brands with all kinds of goodies for you to play with, but only TC Electronics can do the job the right way, in my opinion.

TC Electronics makes a complete series of vocal processors they call the Helicon.  Some of these are fairly inexpensive, costing up to $200.00, and some, like the VoiceLive 2, are more spendy.  I personally use the TC VoiceLive 2 for every show I do.  It is a vital piece of equipment that I refuse to gig without.  From overall compression and EQ, this unit will also add my own reverbs, delays, chorus, loops and more.  The real fun begins when you use it's amazing ability to add vocal harmonies, all based off of the notes you sing!  The features on these boxes are designed with the performing musician in mind, and are packed with all the right tools.

The simple combination of having the right microphone and vocal processor will make such an amazing difference to your vocals and professionalism, that you will never again leave home without your own vocal gear.  It can change the dynamic of a band so dramatically, that people will actually LISTEN to music rather than attempt to talk over it!

Do yourself a favor and check these pieces of gear out!  Once you do, you will join the ranks of those who are the trend-setters and the movers and shakers!