Gary, we finally are in agreement

Gary, you are right...most of the singers I mentioned were gone before quality headset mics were available.

I particularly agree about Mel Torme...backed him on nylon guitar once on a TV apprarance; then went to the desert to ride dual sport Yamaha's...one of his passions.

However, I can't see ANY of the people I mentioned EVER voluntarily using a headset mic, IF the primary task was excellent vocalizing.

Playing a keyboard like an arranger, with all the controls
makes the freedom of having both hands free a real attractive
option.

You're right. It is a personal choice.

It's not for me, and I just finished 48 hours in the studio, doing voice-overs and singing on projects for an international automobile manufacturer.

I don't enjoy singing at all, but a good 1/4th of my music income comes from vocal work; some for clients, including Lens Crafters, Sealtest Milk and others.

I've seen some of your performances and you handle the headset very well for the material you do and the audiences you play for.

Different strokes, for sure.


Be well,


Russ

P.S. You are right about Marty Robbins, too. Really enjoyed the quality of his voice in the late 50's, when I really started identifying excellence in music.

But, ELVIS? YUCK! He's in my Jimmy buffet category...don't even ask!(that's not something diners or jazz folks would want, anyway, thank goodness!).

Russ, once again, is it the singer or the song? Ton of great Elvis songs... but you don't have to do them anything LIKE Elvis!

You maybe need to step back from your distaste of certain singers, and try to listen to strictly the song. Many great musicians do... and the result is great performances of songs that perhaps you wouldn't have thought twice about doing. Rearrange it, twist it inside and out, reversion it, make it YOURS, not Elvis's, or Buffett's, and you end up pleasing not only yourself, but most of the people that bug you to do an Elvis tune, or some Jimmy! You'll get the odd one who wants it just like Elvis, but most will give you a lot of leeway. And, let's face it, if you do Bird, or Monk, do you try to do them JUST like the original?

I doubt it.

Chase the song, not the singer...

There is the issue of feedback with the headsets as they are omnidirectional. couldn't use them with the accordion- needed a super cardoid mic (Sennheiser 945) that didn't interfere with the condensor mics in the instrument. Same problem can occur with near field monitors. Or hot stage monitors. I usually mute the on board keyboard speakers after having trouble with feedback there too.

As far as singers, watch Tony Bennett (now or then) with a mic. Until recently, he could fill a theatre with his voice without a mic at all!

Sparky, feedback has never been a problem with the Crown CM-311A. It's a cardiod mic with a very short vocal proximity range. Take a look at http://www.crownaudio.com/media/pdf/mics/102546.pdf

Gary

For what it's worth, I'm with Gary.

I have used a dozen or more handheld mics, and the super cardoids have worked well as far as expression and feedback suppression is concerned. However, when I have a lot of moving to do, I grab my Sennheiser wireless. There is no feedback and the voice quality is exceptional.

Like Gary said, you have to get used to it, but the fact that I never have to run to the mic is worth the supposed lack of expression. Maybe I'm not expressive, but I doubt it..

Bernie

That's the thing about keyboard players... other than keytar users, you are static. How many of us move around a lot while we play? I've never seen a picture of you, for instance, doing anything but sitting behind your arranger.

And Gary, sorry, but you really ought to add this caveat to your blanket recommendation of headset mikes - IF you have a trained, experienced, broadcast quality voice with a lifetime of training for evenness, then headsets mikes MIGHT be the best thing for you.

But let's get real, here. How many, on this forum, do you think have one of those..?

Recommending a headset mike to singers trained and experienced on normal mikes, with singing voices of average ability and technique is like handing an F1 car to the average driver... a recipe for disaster!

Diki, Most of the folks that I've recommended headset mics to seem to have nothing but glowing reports about when comes out of their speakers. Now, as I've said dozens of times, they're not for everyone.

When I'm sitting behind the keyboard, I'm constantly moving my head while singing. I'm looking left, right, glancing at registrations, glancing at the PC with chord changes and lyrics, I'm able to stand when I need to, or sit down, all without worrying about where the hell the mic is in relation to my mouth. I don't have to worry about banging into the mic boom, either. (Oh how many times have I seen that happen!)

Something else just occurred to me, something that every that ever used a vocal harmonizer can confirm. In order to obtain optimum vocal harmonies from either the onboard or stand-alone vocal harmonizer, you DEFINITELY need voice/vocal control. Without it, those vocal harmonies sound like crap!

Cheers,

Gary

Diki, one of the very few good things about getting old is, I can be as obnoxious as possible and no one can do a damn thing about it(LOL)!

Don't like tunes associated with Bill Anderson (whispering Bill), Elvis, Jimmy Buffet and a few others. Not going to even try to make anything of them.

I'm known for a certain style and class of material. Live, I ONLY play white tablecloth restaurants, government and corporate functions, the Philharmonic and two country clubs.

The people who hire me are expecting what I do. Most other players don't/can't do the same material. I work as much as I want to, with several "cherry" jobs open whenever I get bored.

I'll leave Buffet, Elvis, Anderson and the like to the pack.


Russ

PS-I DO AGREE with you that, if I was not so set in my ways, I could arrange palatable versions of some of the material I'm not crazy about. And, if I were a generalist, I'd choose to to some of the material of the "terrible Trio". That's what the club owner and audience would expect.

I have a sennheiser and a shure in a box I may drag out. Interesting that the Crown is a cardoid. I have one of those tan thin ones, but it doesn't pick up well. Anyone use the countryman? They are supposed to be the best thin ones, but they are pricey..