My opinion and experience on the use of wireless mics differs greatly
from Greg's.
First: Although the caller is the most well noticed person in a dance
hall, even she is often not looked at. Dancers look at each other, not
the stage. Greg's descriptions of on & off stage use of wireless mics
pertains far more to shows than dances.
Second: When using a wireless mic at a dance, where I want to
demonstrate something, and feel the need of saving my voice by using the
mic, I call attention to myself, that I'm using a wireless mic, and
where I am going. No mystery there!
Third: I have found it useful at times to assist a dancer through a move
(like pointing where to go in Contra Corners) while calling. I do this
from the floor, during a dance. At this time, dancers are not looking
to the stage, and finding a disembodied voice, they are looking at each
other. I've had many thanks for such assistance.
Fourth: I often do sound and call. When doing this, I can call, and
walk around the room to see how the sound is, walk to the system, back
out in the hall, keep calling. Can't do that easily without a wireless mic.
Finally, I can check my own sound. I am pretty sure I had my reputation
severely damaged when calling at Brasstown Christmas Week a few years
back. I, mistakenly, thought: experts at camp, no need to take my own
wireless mic. During the week I often had to ask people to go back a
move or three during walk-throughs. Didn't know why. Towards the end
of the week I was told that they had a wireless mic, which I immediately
requested to use. At that point I could go out in the hall, and when I
did I could not believe how poorly and muffly they had EQ-ed my voice.
After I fixed it, I had far fewer problems with dancers understanding my
calls. But it was too late: the feedback I was given was that I was
difficult to apprehend...
Now I will never go to a gig without my own wireless mic. If some
organization has a mic that I think is as good or better than mine, I'm
happy to use theirs, but I won't do a gig where I can't check my own sound.
That said, I hate head-worn wireless mics except for teaching couple
dances, like Waltz or Hambo to large groups. I love a hand-held, where
I can speak into it, hold it away and talk to someone, speak into it,
etc. Thus I recommend the hand-held over the headset.
I recently upgraded to a Line-6 XD-V75. It has built in mic-modeling.
I found one of the mic models the EV N/D767 works so well for my voice
that I need almost no equalization.
Prior to this I used Shure wireless mics. I still have two of them: an
old VHS system with a Beta 87 head that I really liked, and a newer one
with a Beta 58 head that works fine, but not as well as the line 6.
These are all in the $500 to $700 range. To get better than these for
our purposes, I think one needs to go to the $1500 to $3000 versions.
~erik hoffman
oakland, ca
On 1/5/2014 4:27 PM, Donald Perley wrote:
During an orientation, at least as I usually see it, everyone knows
where the teacher is. Maybe in the center of a circle. So, wireless
mike not a problem for me here.
During an actual dance/walkthrough, yes, disconcerting to hear the
voice and not know where it's coming from.
I have seen it work ok in a set that small enough that having the
caller dance really helps; could go without a mike at all in this
case, but not everyone is comfortable belting it out loud enough.
On Sun, Jan 5, 2014 at 7:19 PM, Greg McKenzie <greken...@gmail.com> wrote:
Lindsay wrote:
We are looking at buying a headset mic to help people who are teaching the
beginner's lesson.
Do any of you have recommendations...
I would recommend you consider the option of *not *buying a headset mic.
I'm not sure if I've posted my reservations about headset mics here before,
but I think it is worth bringing it up again.
As a caller, a talent booking coordinator, and as a dance manager at open
public contra dances, I have worked for years on strategies and techniques
for making the dance hall a place where everyone can feel safe and
comfortable. I believe this sense of a "safe space" is essential for
putting first-timers as well as regulars at ease in order to facilitate a
comfortable, fun social event where there is little stress or tension.
This is a subtle point but one that I have learned is critical for
integrating newcomers and for making the event an exciting, fun, and
relaxed social occasion.
The primary issue for me is not wireless mics, but *off-stage* mics--of any
kind. Michael Jackson--and many other performers--have used wireless mics
professionally *on-stage* with great success. This technology is
particularly useful when dancing or demonstrating. Note, however, that
even when used on-stage, wireless mics are usually used in conjunction with
a follow spot. The purpose of the follow spot is to help the audience
follow the action in the absence of a mic stand that acts as an anchor. At
contra dances, where stages are typically small, a headset mic used *on
stage* will seldom confuse the dancers. (A caller using a headset mic to
play bodhran while calling, for example.)
An *off-stage* mike, however, can create unease in the dancers when they
look for the caller--who may have moved during a demo, for example. That
moment of confusion--as the dancer looks right and left--is likely to make
many dancers feel a bit silly or clueless. These are feelings I work to
avoid during a social dance. I want both the regulars and the first-timers
to feel confident at all times. A live mic on the dance floor can be
unnerving. (Callers who call from the dance floor using a headset mike
often come across as confused about their own role at the event.)
There are techniques to keep the dancers/audience oriented while using an
off-stage mike, without a follow spot. Taking care to only change location
after you have earned the attention of all of the dancers is one such
technique. (That way dancers who look to the last place they saw the
caller will always find them there.) Talking *off-mike* to make your
position clear before switching on the wireless is another. These
techniques, however, require experience and practice. I personally would
not use an off-stage mike without a follow spot or a prepared plan.
I find it interesting that the off-stage mike is often used in stagecraft
to deliberately create tension in the room. A darkened room with a
dis-embodied voice will always create drama. In my view the less drama at
open public contra dances the better.
There can be other issues such as mic clarity, volume, and feedback. It
would seem to be a good idea to have a sound engineer at the mixer board
whenever an off-stage mike is being used. Feedback is always a sure way to
create stress in an otherwise relaxed social event. I know that I
personally get a little uneasy whenever I see a caller or teacher lead an
optional newcomer's orientation while wearing a headset mic.
Yes, wireless mics can be useful, when in the hands of an experienced
professional. But these devices are often used inappropriately. I would
be cautious about purchasing one to make it available for general use,
without some kind of practice or training.
Just a thought,
Greg McKenzie
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