Vocal Microphones

• It's important to use the right kind of microphone for live sound. The classic live microphone type is the dynamic cardioid. A dynamic cardioid mic is "directional," meaning that it is designed to pick up only the sound generated in front of it. A classic studio "room" mic could pick up noise from the band, too, giving the engineer real problems when trying to mix the vocal into the live sound. A good example of an affordable and reliable live vocal mic is the Shure SM58.
  
  

Microphone Placement on Stage

• Get the microphones set up on mic stands. This allows you to control the position of the mics on stage. Make sure that no amplifier or drum is placed in the path of the vocal mic, as this could lead to a "spill" of that sound source onto the mic, which in turn could lead to feedback. This is why, when the singer is positioned center-stage, the amps tend to be moved to either side of the stage. Some singers prefer to hold the mic themselves. In this case, you need to be extra vigilant for feedback coming from their channel, as they may move the mic across the path of another loud sound source.
  
  

Getting a Level

• While the sound engineer needs to check all on-stage sound sources individually to see that there are no problems, she will also need to hear the band playing together before showtime. It could be that the band are just too loud to allow the vocals to come through, in which case, they will need to turn down. Creating a volume competition by turning your vocal up to match is a recipe for disastrous feedback. You may therefore need to explain to a musician, in a tactful way, that his instrument is too loud. Musicians can be a little touchy, so diplomacy is an important skill for a sound engineer.
  
  

Fine-tuning

• Using equalization ("EQ") can help you to deliver a good vocal sound. Cutting down the bassy, low frequencies on the vocal channel will minimize the plosive "pop" that can happen when a singer emphasizes a strong "p" in her lyrics. If possible, use a low-cut filter (also known as "high-pass filter") to eliminate frequencies below 100 Hz. This also allows you to turn up the vocal channel without causing an overbearing "rumbling" sound. With female singers who are using a higher register, the low-cut filter can be turned up more, eradicating frequencies below 250 Hz. At the top end of the sonic spectrum, you could use a high-cut (or "low-pass") filter to cut sound above 8 KHz out of the vocal channel. This will prevent noise from the high-pitched cymbals from leaking onto the vocal mic.