Today’s tech tip is a few helpful hints on wireless lav microphone use. In my 25 + years as a sound tech this little unit has managed to give more headaches, heartaches, and pain in the you know what aches then any other microphone I can think of. Many people just plug in the receiver, clamp the lav mic unceremoniously in a convenient spot on the speaker, and spend the next few hours battling feedback. It does not need to be this way. Lets run down a quick list for success regarding Lav microphone usage.

1) Place your receiver on the stage near the performer and not 100 feet away back at the soundboard. Think of your cordless phone. When you walk too far into the backyard you usually start to get drop outs and fuzzy reception. The same holds true for wireless mics.
2) Place the body pac transmitter on the same side of your body as the receiver. In other words (or these exact words) if the receiver is on a table over to the right of you, you should place the transmitter on the right side of your body so it can transmit without having to go around (or through) your body.
3) Place the antennae of the transmitter you are wearing on the outside of your clothing and the same for the wire that connects the lav mic to the transmitter. Any rubbing of the cable or antennae against your clothing (especially true for wool) can cause dropouts and static.
4) Most Important! The placement of the lav mic itself. Try to get the mic up near the neckline of the collar and avoid placing it too far down on the chest which will result in a “hollow” sound. Don’t be afraid to gently move the mic around while your subject continues speaking in an effort to achieve the most natural sound. Be patient, as this may take awhile. Everyone has a “sweet spot” when it comes to this and if you are patient you will find it. It is always better to do this than to start spinning knobs trying to add highs or lows. You must get the lav in the right spot first.
5) If you have the luxury of an extra EQ, don’t hesitate to use it on the lav mic. In the pro ranks this is actually a standard procedure in getting these tricky little devices to sound their best. At our Church I use a 31 band graphic eq to shape the sound of our ministers mic.

I sure hope some of this helps in some way to aid you in your quest to get the best sound you can from what I consider the trickiest mic of all. The wireless lav. I have a huge weekend coming up as we host the second annual Canadian New Thought Conference here in Winnipeg. I am the audio tech for the entire weekend in addition to performing so I will be a little tired to say the least. Looking forward to the banquet on Sunday evening to kick back with friends and good food. Take care and see you next week.
techtips@mts.net