Is there a specific microphone for a vocalist singing Bass ie Southern Gospel Quartet

StepsToGlory

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Are there microphones available that boost low frequencies to add more bass range to a bass singers voice? Will this be accomplished without affecting the top end frequencies? (i.e. Will the mic keep the vocalist from sounding flat or sharp?)

We are performing one song that goes so low our bass vocalist in the process of performing lead on the verse loses power or just can't quite hit that lowest note when following the song?

In this process I am constantly having to adjust his volume on the mixing board to accommodate for the problem.

Is this a normal process of operating a mixing board?

We only perform live we have not went to a studio for professional recording.

Thanks to anyone that may have some information about a product or any advice.

Respectfully,
Steps To Glory
 
A) A microphone (*any* microphone) won't make a vocalist sound flat or sharp. If it does, something is seriously, desperately wrong with it.

B) You can add low end at the EQ. Most mics tend to have low *cuts* - not low boosts.

Mic choice... Sennheiser 441 (big, stand-mount only really, but fine for live use and recording) would be high on the list.

If it's strictly for recording, Shure's SM7b has quite the low end response (but it's great for pretty much any close vocal). I say "strictly for recording" as it's a rather large mic that isn't really stage-friendly - Although I use them live for people who care more about the sound than if the audience can see their mouth every living second. It's really no more obnoxious than a 55.

If it needs to be hand-held, a Beyerdynamic M88 would be at the top of a very short list, assuming he's a "real" bass - If he's "faux" bass (soft, breathy, etc., generally a baritone "trying" to sing bass), then something substantially more sensitive (such as a Neumann 105) would be nice.
 
It's also quite normal for voice to not have a lot of power in the low range.

Not really sure if this is the way to go but I'm tempted to suggest EV RE16 as it is a mic that allows me to hear low pitch better because it doesn't boost the bass.
 
A compressor on your bass singer might help. By limiting his volume to a narrower range, you can bring up his volume overall without him peaking so much when he's singing higher/louder.

I'm sure it wouldn't completely eliminate the need to ride the fader, but it might minimize it.
 
Mic choice... Sennheiser 441 (big, stand-mount only really, but fine for live use and recording) would be high on the list.

If it needs to be hand-held, a Beyerdynamic M88 would be at the top of a very short list, assuming he's a "real" bass - If he's "faux" bass (soft, breathy, etc., generally a baritone "trying" to sing bass), then something substantially more sensitive (such as a Neumann 105) would be nice.

Id push the Senn MD421 as well as the 441...441 is clearly better for the low voiced girls too...but overkill for this guy.

I like the M88...I was lucky to see 2 for $50 each last month...best bass drum mic I have now too.
 
Nope...I never had to blow anyone for that deal...it would have to be a u47 or something to warrant that.:p

BTW...WTF did you do to it...they are built like an SM57...lol.

I watch craigslist in my spare time...you would shit if I told you I bought my Senn MD421 for only $10.
 
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That was the problem - It just "quit" - No warning, no excuses. Old, sure. But it's not like I'm really tough on my mics (for crying out loud, I barely ever *use* them!!!).

The only nice part is that the $175 was all-new guts. All of it. So it wasn't the worst thing in the world. Still pissed me off though...
 
Yo Steps to Glory! One odd looking mic that does that job pretty well aside from MD421 is AKG D112. Usually used by this crowd as a kick drum mic, it was designed for recording standup bass, and it's a much better vocal mic than most people realize. It may not boost bass, which would likely be a bad thing, but it won't fail to pick it up. As far as the SM7b that Massive Master mentioned, it's just a *great* mic that works really well for live vocals.-Richie
 
Well to be fair the MD421 costed $125...but came with 12 SM58 mics and 5 SM57 mics and some assorted others in a suitcase full of mics...ultimately it costed me nothing and I made about $700 off the ones I sold.

And to further piss off Massive master...I only have one of the M88s now...I sold one of them for $250...so in a way I paid myself $200 for it. :)
 
I use a cordless sm 86 but what I really want to know is how to set my sub up for the bass vocals can any body help thanks
 
And he actually had the problem in the palm of his hand when he said he had to push up the fader for the weak low note, which is what a sound engineer is supposed to do! Microphones should be bought from the wand shop, they are clearly magic!
 
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