BillFitzmaurice.info

I was recently asked to help with the audio video tech stuff for our church. We are also providing a zoom broadcast for those who don't want to come due to covid stuff, but still want to watch and or listen to the sermon.
Currently we only using a small podium microphone ( i don't know the model number), which works well when someone is actually speaking into it. The system has an out that i can pick up with an 8th stereo jack into the laptop for the zoom meetings, works really well.
When ever we have the choir sing, or a musical number, of course the podium mic doesn't pick up anything and the zoom audio cuts in and out, sounds horrible.
I have the equipment to pipe in whatever other equipment i would want to get into zoom, but what kind of microphone would work best to pic up the Choir?
I would like to mic the piano, with an instrument mic?
What would you guys recommend for microphones for the piano, organ, Choir and sometimes we'll have youth play an instrument, like a violin?
Would like to know recommendations from top of the line, to budget friendly.

Lot of choices, but for all-around use on the sources you mentioned, I'd suggest a handful of small diaphragm condensers. They work well for distance miking the choir and for close up work like the piano. If the congregation doesn't need any support and it's just for the Zoom - you might be able to get by with just two mics catching everything - just pretend they are a pair of ears in the audience.

And they don't have to be stupid expensive - after all it's going over the computer through Zoom.

We have a boundary microphone attached to the underside of the baby grand piano lid. It sounds best when the lid is propped up on the short leg. Audio Technica mics are used for vocals, etc., and there is also a pair of matched Rodes M5 mics (strong gain) that are used for distant micing.

been researching small and large condenser microphones, wow there is quite a large price window.
Would these be too cheap?
https://www.amazon.com/MXL-990-991-Reco ... 200&sr=1-2

You could spend a couple of grand on high-end condensers....but, for what you want to do, it isn't necessary. I'd stick with small diaphragm vs. large. Unobtrusive. I'm guessing you just want to be able to hear the choir and piano the way it sounds in the room as opposed to a close-miked studio recording.


These will do the job for a reasonable price....I've got two of these in a venue I mix in....they are fine.
https://www.amazon.com/PreSonus-PM-2-Co ... 102&sr=1-7



These are a step up...don't know if you'd hear the difference over Zoom...
https://www.amazon.com/Rode-Compact-Con ... r=1-4&th=1

All condensers will require phantom power....I'm assuming you have that available on your mixer.

ok cool, thanks Bruce.
Yes I have phantom available.

Two examples of boundary mics that I was thinking about:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... microphone
https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/co ... ary/u851rb

Tom.
Interesting…. I’ve never seen those before. I’ll do some more research, thanks guys for pointing me in the right direction.
I’m leaning toward those condenser mics though, something more versatile

Tom Smit wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 9:34 pm Two examples of boundary mics that I was thinking about:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... microphone
https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/co ... ary/u851rb

The Shure Beta 91 has been around forever and also Countryman had the first boundary mic I ever saw.....probably from the 70s. Don't think they would work very well for a choir though. They are omnidirectional. A lot of folks put the Shure 91 inside a kick drum, then a Beta 52 or other kick mic at the hole.

Great for putting on a conference table to pick up everyone sitting around it.

Bruce Weldy wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 11:04 pm

Tom Smit wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 9:34 pm Two examples of boundary mics that I was thinking about:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... microphone
https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/co ... ary/u851rb

The Shure Beta 91 has been around forever and also Countryman had the first boundary mic I ever saw.....probably from the 70s. Don't think they would work very well for a choir though. They are omnidirectional. A lot of folks put the Shure 91 inside a kick drum, then a Beta 52 or other kick mic at the hole.

Great for putting on a conference table to pick up everyone sitting around it.

Yeah, the only thing I was thinking of to use a boundary mic is for the piano. For the choir, Rode M5's.

Tom Smit wrote: ↑Wed Apr 20, 2022 8:56 pm

Bruce Weldy wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 11:04 pm

Tom Smit wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 9:34 pm Two examples of boundary mics that I was thinking about:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... microphone
https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/co ... ary/u851rb

The Shure Beta 91 has been around forever and also Countryman had the first boundary mic I ever saw.....probably from the 70s. Don't think they would work very well for a choir though. They are omnidirectional. A lot of folks put the Shure 91 inside a kick drum, then a Beta 52 or other kick mic at the hole.

Great for putting on a conference table to pick up everyone sitting around it.

Yeah, the only thing I was thinking of to use a boundary mic is for the piano. For the choir, Rode M5's.

Yep, that's certainly a good option.

But then, there are a lot of ways to go about this.....just kind'a depends on what he wants to achieve.

Bruce Weldy wrote: ↑Mon Apr 18, 2022 7:10 am Lot of choices, but for all-around use on the sources you mentioned, I'd suggest a handful of small diaphragm condensers. They work well for distance miking the choir and for close up work like the piano. If the congregation doesn't need any support and it's just for the Zoom - you might be able to get by with just two mics catching everything - just pretend they are a pair of ears in the audience.

And they don't have to be stupid expensive - after all it's going over the computer through Zoom.

What Bruce said, totally. A few small condensers for the choir and one or two on the piano and you should be fine. No need to break the bank. Budget condensers are perfectly OK for what you describe.

Bruce Weldy wrote: ↑Mon Apr 18, 2022 7:10 am Lot of choices, but for all-around use on the sources you mentioned, I'd suggest a handful of small diaphragm condensers. They work well for distance miking the choir and for close up work like the piano. If the congregation doesn't need any support and it's just for the Zoom - you might be able to get by with just two mics catching everything - just pretend they are a pair of ears in the audience.

And they don't have to be stupid expensive - after all it's going over the computer through Zoom.

I second the two mic idea, on a stereo bar.

I wouldn't go too cheap though, budget SDCs can have a pretty high noise floor if you require a lot of input gain. Two decent, matched, SDCs and a bar to mount them on should break the bank though.

The piano is right up there with them.
I’ve seen several of the stereo examples, while researching. Will pick up the piano as well?

Would these work? And I assume I could use as a single when the situation arises, like just picking up a piano solo, or violin solo?

https://reverb.com/item/53825332-preson ... phone-pair

J_Dunavin wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 11:43 am The piano is right up there with them.
I’ve seen several of the stereo examples, while researching. Will pick up the piano as well?

Would these work? And I assume I could use as a single when the situation arises, like just picking up a piano solo, or violin solo?

https://reverb.com/item/53825332-preson ... phone-pair

That's the same ones that I suggested in my earlier post. Having done a fair amount of church sound in the past, I've often found that less is more when dealing with a traditional service......Praise music with a full band is a whole different animal.

Personally, I'd grab the ones you listed and put one on the crowd side of the piano facing across the piano toward the choir and the other in front of the choir back several feet. See if that works for you. The other option is close miking the piano and taking the choir from in front. But, if I'm understanding what you are doing - I'd keep it simple and use distant miking to pick up the choir and piano. If the two mics don't work, you can always add another for the piano and put two on the choir.