Why don't singers have signature mics?

[Securb]

And yet our pickups are pretty much just mics. Does the producer/engineer tell the guitarist what pickups to use that often? Maybe what guitar.

This is an interesting conversation that will hopefully go on a while.

True, but the application is very different. Different pickups can assist in accenting and benefiting a guitarist's playing. Case-in-point: if I am using a cheap, low-powered single coil pickup, it will have little sustain or bloom, the finger sensitivity will be non-existent, and notes will decay quickly. The pickup "could" make it difficult to pull off certain riffs or pieces of music. Whereas a singer will have the same sustain, range and control no matter what mic they are standing in front of. Yes, some will sound better, less distorted and have a better tone. However, an inferior mic will not impede a singer from delivering their performance the way an inferior pickup will affect the guitarist.

[JOLLY]

The Milli Vanilli Signature Live Mic

[Inflames626]

"The pickup "could" make it difficult to pull off certain riffs or pieces of music. Whereas a singer will have the same sustain, range and control no matter what mic they are standing in front of. Yes, some will sound better, less distorted and have a better tone. However, an inferior mic will not impede a singer from delivering their performance the way an inferior pickup will affect the guitarist."

I guess this is where I disagree, because I think a bad/improperly matched mic will totally destroy what s singer is trying to convey.

At the same time, if the mic falls short, other adjustments can be made, just the same as if a pickup falls short, you can make adjustments elsewhere.

And also, have many times have bands had to rent a backline that wasn't optimally their choice, and they made it work?

If I had a mic that didn't fit my voice, what I was trying to sing, or what I wanted to do, I would feel as if I had been given a hammer to do the job of a screwdriver.

Yet, especially in a live experience, it seems guitarists reserve the right to be all finicky about their setups, but singers just roll with whatever is there.

[Inflames626]

The Milli Vanilli Signature Live Mic

You'd have nowhere to put that nowadays. It would be on a USB thumb drive, ideally whatever delivers the best tone. Kingston vs. Sandisk vs. Samsung.

[Securb]

I guess this is where I disagree, because I think a bad/improperly matched mic will totally destroy what s singer is trying to convey.

I get what you are saying but I think it is necessary to separate the singer's performance from the show's performance. No matter the mic the singer will still perform at that same level. The "performance" being the show will suffer greatly. Conversely, if a guitar player can not pull certain notes, harmonics, and textures out of their instrument because of a subpar pickup both his performance and the show will suffer. I think of a lead like Comfortably Numb with long sustaining lines. With a dull sustain-less unbalanced pickup even Gilmore would have trouble pulling it off.

And yes I agree the better the musician the more likely they will overcome subpar equipment.

[beaubrummels]

You'd have nowhere to put that nowadays. It would be on a USB thumb drive, ideally whatever delivers the best tone. Kingston vs. Sandisk vs. Samsung.

That's why Milli Vanilli can't gig any more.

[beaubrummels]

This is also a thing, which is sort of thinking along the same lines I am, but it's done with software as opposed to a hardware piece of kit tailored for a certain sound.

It's also coming at it from the mic end instead of letting the singer overshadow the mic.

https://www.uaudio.com/microphones/ua-sphere-dlx-modeling-microphone.html

A better solution was the Korby Kat mic system. It had several different capsules that sounded like different famous vintage mics.

https://reverb.com/item/74845093-korby-kat-4-47-67-800g-rare-251-2010-s-white

[Inflames626]

I get what you are saying but I think it is necessary to separate the singer's performance from the show's performance. No matter the mic the singer will still perform at that same level. The "performance" being the show will suffer greatly. Conversely, if a guitar player can not pull certain notes, harmonics, and textures out of their instrument because of a subpar pickup both his performance and the show will suffer. I think of a lead like Comfortably Numb with long sustaining lines. With a dull sustain-less unbalanced pickup even Gilmore would have trouble pulling it off.

And yes I agree the better the musician the more likely they will overcome subpar equipment.

My observation with this might be if the singer is mismatched to his or her mic, they will hear they are sub-optimal, and their performance will suffer.

I mean, isn't this a thing with custom mixes in monitoring situations and why there is still some debate with in ears vs. floor wedges? You might sound fine, but if you don't *think* you sound fine then your performance will suffer.

I used to have the X pickup won't do Y thing so I played badly back in the 90s. Now with software and infinite gain it isn't as much of an issue, but your point is well taken.

[Inflames626]

A better solution was the Korby Kat mic system. It had several different capsules that sounded like different famous vintage mics.

https://reverb.com/item/74845093-kor...1-2010-s-white

That's pretty cool, but I'm guessing you have to buy each capsule you want and they are expensive/hard to find?

[beaubrummels]

That's pretty cool, but I'm guessing you have to buy each capsule you want and they are expensive/hard to find?

Real vocal mics aren't cheap. They are precision-made technical instruments. That one is live on Reverb now with all the capsules. You just have to drop the coin.

[Inflames626]

Real vocal mics aren't cheap. They are precision-made technical instruments. That one is live on Reverb now with all the capsules. You just have to drop the coin.

Do you think those mics are distinguishable from modeling software at this point?

All this also comes back to the quality of the mic capturing the performance before the software even does its work.

[Inflames626]

That's why Milli Vanilli can't gig any more.

That, and they got caught cheating.

[Mincer]

That, and they got caught cheating.

Funny thing is...'cheating' is the rule now in live music, rather than a scandal (at least at the upper end).

[Inflames626]

Funny thing is...'cheating' is the rule now in live music, rather than a scandal (at least at the upper end).

We have come to rely upon and demand the Autotune and backing tracks we once condemned. People would be disappointed if they didn't hear the record live.

[jeremy]

for some i guess. i dont want any of that crap. actual people making live music is what i choose to pay for. if someone wants to pay $300 a ticket for lip syncing, thats their choice