Re: Free Me from Feedback

["M. N." <mnessmith@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mike Due wrote:
"I got to play out with a full band this past weekend, after two years of 
woodshedding on other instruments. <snip> I was playing through a Sure SM58 
cuz that's the mic I had bought years ago as a vocal mic. I'm also playing 
through an effects pedal to add some overdrive to get a good rock tone. 
During the sound check, I sounded real good, very happy with my sound and 
level. Once I joined the band during the second set, and started playing, it 
became evident that they'd all turned up a bit during the first set ... 
there were some feedback issues. I tried to keep my mic pointing away from 
the monitors, and that helped, but it was a bit of an annoyance having that 
running through my mind while
trying to also focus on playing. <snip> So, with that said, can anyone 
recommend a mic that will help me reduce stage feedback that can also serve 
as a good vocal mic?"

==========================================

When I first started playing in front of people at jams and such, I had this 
same problem. First, I think that SM-58 is perfectly fine for blowing harp 
into a PA. That's a good, solid mic and it's not the problem. I had fewer 
problems with a 58 feeding back in that setting than most any other mic. I 
would definitely suggest trying it without the pedal. When I first started 
playing out, I borrowed a guitarist's DOD overdrive pedal reckoning I'd plug 
in and get instant overdrive and, as you said, a good rock tone. Wrong. All 
I got was more feedback and it sounded like crap. The best way to get fat 
tone is by playing from the gut with resonance, and by cupping the mic 
properly. The best way to get distortion when playing through a PA is to 
rely on your technique - what's going on from the reeds back. Tongue 
blocking, octaves and chords can help you acheive this. James Cotton 
breathes fire through a vocal mic plugged straight into a PA, no effects; so 
do a lot of the greats. There are no easy answers - the good news is that 
you don't have to buy another mic.
MN

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