5 Tips To Improve Your Microphone Technique

Singing with a microphone is slightly different to singing without one. You need to avoid feedback, muffling, and distracting noises, and understand where to hold the mic to get the best effect. It’s almost a whole new skillset on its own! Here are “5 Tips To Improve Your Microphone Technique” so that your next performance is your best.

Hold The Microphone Properly

This is one of the simplest mic tricks but it can make all the difference to how your voice is projected to a crowd. Firstly, you need to get comfortable with gripping the length of the microphone. You need a firm enough hold that you won’t drop the mic (you don’t want to have to keep replacing it, after all!) but not so hard that you cause your arm to become tense.

Its also a good idea to practice holding your mic with both hands. That means if your hand does get tired, you can switch hands. But do this in between songs – switching while you are signing can be distracting. And don’t fidget while holding the microphone either. If your hand is tapping or moving up and down the shaft, you’ll sound muffled and you risk accidentally turning it off.
Mics come in different sizes, lengths, and thicknesses, so when you find one you like, make a note of it. When it does come to replacing your microphone, you’ll want to find the same one again, if possible.

Keep The Microphone At A 45° Angle

Hold it between two and three inches from your mouth, at a 45° angle. It should be pointing towards the centre of your mouth but slightly to the side. When you hold it directly in front of your mouth, you create more distracting noises, like popping ps and tutting ts. Your microphone will also pick up more breathing sounds. Holding it slightly off centre reduces this.

The distance and angle will help produce the best sound quality of your voice. Try to maintain that position as you sing, to keep that quality consistent.

Except For When…

There are exceptions to the no-moving rule. When you want to hit the highest notes, for example, you’ll need to pull the mic further away. This is because your voice will get naturally louder, and you’ll want to move the microphone away to compensate for this. Otherwise you’ll blow your audience’s ears off!
Equally, when you go to sing lower notes, your voice will get slightly quieter. You’ll need to draw the microphone closer in these cases, to help project your singing.

Get Your Posture Right

When it comes to posture, singing with a mic is the same as singing without one. You need to stand in a way that best lets you project your voice clearly and without excess exertion. Chest up, shoulders back, and chin up. If you are concerned that focusing on your posture is going to make it difficult to control where you hold your microphone, then use a mic stand. This allows you to keep the mic in one place so you can focus on posture while you practice. Just be mindful that you might not have a mic stand in a performing situation, so you’ll eventually need to practice without one too.

Pretend The Mic Isn’t There

The purpose of a microphone is to help you project your talent further, not do all the work for you. So once you’ve got your technique down, sing as though the microphone isn’t there. You still need to make sure your voice is heard by the people at the back of the room and change your intonation and levels according to the song.
That said, don’t try and strain or exert your voice more than necessary. You’ve got to look after your most precious instrument.

Once you’ve mastered all these tips, there is one more really important thing you need to do. Stand away from the speakers! There is no other noise in the world that is guaranteed to turn off your audience than that screech that comes from the interference of being near the speakers! Step away and give the performance of your life!

If you need more help, then get in touch. Our singing teachers are expert performers and they can train you to be one too! Whether you want to sing on your own or In a group, there is a class for you at the London Singing Institute.