Single Microphone With Alternate EQ Settings

[2PhatCC]

Hey all! I run sound on a QU-32 for a youth theater organization. We often have multiple kids using the same mic pack and I end up having to find a happy medium when it comes to EQ. The directors also have to spend a ton of time figuring out who’s voices are similar enough to share a pack without having to make drastic changes on the EQ in the middle of the show. I’m coming here to see if anyone has a suggestion on how to make this easier.

I don’t think there’s a way to do this, but does anyone know of a way to make separate profiles for a channel and apply different settings to different scenes? I know Digico boards have aliases, but don’t think there’s any such way to do that with this board.

My other thought is getting a dSnake and routing the same mic to multiple faders. Would this allow me to have separate EQ settings on each of the faders I route the mic to? Then only turn up the fader for the settings I need at that time?

Is there another alternative someone has?

[Mike C]

You can add channel eq’s to the library. Just save the needed changes as a scene on the plays scene by scene basis, do global safes for unneeded recall changes.

You don’t need a stage box to split channels, just make up a Y,Y,Y cable based on the number of splits needed, how many splits would be needed per mic?

[2PhatCC]

Typically looking at 23-24 mic packs, with anywhere from 5-8 of those packs being shared among 2-3 people each. If I’m doing EQ changes on a scene by scene basis, I don’t think I’d ever make it through mic checks when I typically have around 85-90 scenes for a show.

You are the second person to recommend y splitters. I’m a noob, but is signal loss not a concern with that?

[Giga]

I’ve measured a 3,5 dB signal loss per channel when I use my ART S8 splitters. Easy to compensate with the gain knob. No further sound impact.

Giga

[airickess]

Having many years of experience with multiple-wireless mic shows performed by children, I have some advice.

Instead of coming up with custom EQ curves for many of the kids, the better solutions to multiple users of the same mics is twofold –

1. Insure proper placement of the microphone. You didn’t mention if the microphones are ear mics, headworn (forhead) or placed on the lapels of the performers. You should do some research and experimentation with the optimum positioning of the mics, then work with whoever is doing the mic switches backstage and show them the optimum position you want. Most of the time the folks backstage will nail the positioning. Also pay attention to the costuming of certain characters as you might have to compromise mic position based on costuming issues (masks, hats, metallic thread or sequins, etc.).

2. Get a frequency measurement of the microphones themselves. If you have worked with any sort of audio measurement software (Smaart, REW, etc.) then you can just use the mics on the packs as your measurement mic for the program. Then you can see the frequency response of the mic in the venue you’re using and it will give you a good starting point for a general EQ curve for the mics. Correcting EQ response issues with less expensive wireless lavalier-style microphones will go a very long way towards making the microphones sound generally better and lessen EQ issues from performer to performer.

3. If you do measurements of the microphones you should also do measurements of the P.A. you’re using in the venue. EQ any frequencies that might stand out (and that might be exacerbated by the venue’s acoustics).

Establishing a corrective EQ for the venue speakers and a corrective EQ for the make and model of microphone used will significantly improve the overall quality of sound for your shows. It will make it easier to mix too. Then, if you run into a compromising costume issue (as mentioned above) you can create a corrective EQ for that specific mic/performer moment, save it to the EQ Library and create a scene for its use.
All you need to do these things is time, but if you can make the time to do them initially then it will actually save you time down the road with future productions using the same setup.

[Author]

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