Happy New Year, ya'll!

Last time I talked about set-up and tuning of your wireless system to get the best results. The next step is making sure the mic pack and accompanying element are placed correctly on your actor.

Starting with the mic pack... There are lots of places a mic pack can live on an actor's body with reasonable comfort. The most common is the small of the back, and the most typical, cost effective, and user friendly rig is simply an elastic waist band with a pouch sewn on to hold the pack. This works in about 50% of applications. However, mic pack placement can become a real challenge if you have a cast who are physically active. If you're doing a lot of lifts, falls, or rolls, the small of the back can not only be a bad place for the health of your mic pack, but can hurt the actor as well. Sometimes simply swinging the pack from the small of the back to the side of the waist can take care of the problems... other times another location needs to be determined all together.

Another thing I recommend, just like laying out your console and planning who gets what mic and element, you should give advance thought to where a mic pack is going to live on the actor when they're in costume. Relying on pack placement when you're in rehearsal can be deceptive since actors rehearsal clothing isn't necessarily what they're wearing in the show. For example if you're doing a a musical in period costume say from the 50's or 60's, and you've got women in authentic or vintage clothing, putting a mic pack in the small of the back may be a physical impossibility based on the structure and fit of the clothing. The same goes for a girl in a corset. If you have a costume designer, look at their renderings and have a discussion with the designer or draper about the clothing and where they think the best place will be to hid a pack. If you're just pulling from stock, talk to your costumer about what folks are wearing so you can be prepared. Also, think about the fact that you want your cast to look as nice as they can, and adding a lump to someone's back in a tight fitting dress or shirt may be more Hunch Back of Notre Dame than Bell of the Ball. Great alternate placements that reduce visibility include under the arm, high on the actor's thigh like a garter, or (though not my favorite choice) in the front of a dance belt. If your actor has a fitted top but a flared coat or big skirts, the hip or gluteus maximus may be an alternative also. All of these locations can be rigged with various elastic configurations for rehearsal. If you have an on-site costume shop with time to help, or you or a crew member can sew, a great route is having pouches sewn onto foundation garments or in costumes themselves. Wherever you place the pack, you want to make sure that both the pack is safe and the actor is comfortable. Whenever possible avoid somewhere that the mic connector and antenna on the pack are going to be subjected to a lot of bending or flexing. Someplace like the hip is great for someone who doesn't dance. It can be both damaging to mic pack, mic element, and actor if they squat or jump. Also, don't be afraid to try someplace unusual. There are times extreme or different placement is necessary. Although I've never had to do it myself, I've known an engineer who had to place a pack in a wig as the actress was naked, another who used a pack with an extra l long element that was worn in a cowboy boot, and another instance where a pack was hidden in the padding of a bra. That must've been one heck of a bra.

After the pack has a home, you need to place the head of the element itself. The "easiest" place on the body for a mic element - the lapel - is also typically the worst sounding. Unless you have an actor who never moves their head, placing an element on a lapel is a bad idea. Yes, wireless mics come with lapel clips. This isn't because that's the best way for a theatrical performer to use them - the lapel clip is intended for reporting or presentational situations - lectures or speeches - i.e. static bodies and controlled environments without much singing or dancing. Lapel placement is also susceptible to a lot more noise from clothing, movement, and feedback. Yes. Feedback. Because the element is farther away from the actors mouth, you have to turn the mic up more. The higher the volume you have, the more likely you are going to ring. Ideal placement of a mic element is low on the cheek, just up from the corner of the mouth - headset mics are designed to accomplish just this. That said, many directors, costume designers, producers, etc. aren't interested in SEEING a mic element that prominently - particularly on a period musical - and the words "but that's what they do on Broadway" don't tend to help. The next best choice is higher up the cheek just beyond the ear, or, if the actor is wigged or has lots of hair naturally, over the center of their head with the element on their forehead.

There are lots of ways to attach mic elements to actors. The most useful, inexpensive starting place is clear medical tape. A few rolls can last you an entire performance, and can be safe to use on the face, neck, and body if necessary. Latex free varieties are common for folks with latex allergies and aren't any more expensive. If you have an actor or dancer who sweats so much that the standard medical tape doesn't stick, you can look at surgical tape or wound tapes/dressings that will stick under hotter/sweatier conditions, although they are, of course, much more expensive. When dealing with young actors with sensitive skin, I've used paper tape to help with the discomfort of removal. (There are also so great adhesive removers available for all ages of cast to help them keep from getting tape gum buildup on their necks and faces.)

If you have headset mics, you won't need much else outside of the tape, as the mics will fit over one or both ears and are self contained.

When dealing with a traditional element, ear pieces can be made or bought, toupee clips (which are designed to clip toupee or other hair pieces on) can be attached to the element with thread or elastic and serve to clip the mic element in into an actor's hair. (Pictured right are three colors of toupee clips - the top "blond" clip with elastic tied to the clip for attaching to an element.) Toupee clips can occasionally be found at beauty supply shops or wig stores, but the best idea is to shop around for them online. They run anywhere from some change to $3 a piece. Don't buy from the first place you find them!

Bobby pins can also be used to the same effect, though they don't stay with the mic had have a tendency to get lost. Both bobby pins or toupee clips are great under wig caps. Although not one of my favorite choices, elements can be attached to a loop or circle of elastic (or even a store bought hair band) and held on that way.

If you're using a mic element with a large head, or a flat head (like the Shure WL93) a great supply to add to your expendables is toupee tape. (Which is a double sided, skin friendly clear tape made for false hair pieces. It's sold in beauty supply stores, wig shops, as well by theatrical suppliers and from all of the above online. A single roll can be a bit pricey, but since you use it in small pieces, you don't need much.) Toupee tape is great cut into small pieces to attach the end of the element to the cheek or forehead. Not only does it keep the element in place, it keeps the "out" side (that is receptive to sound) facing out.

(Pictured above left: three types of toupee tape in rolls. Also sold in strips. Right, a close-up of the tape, and below, views of top-stick tape applied to the back of the head of a Shure WL93 mic element.)

Harking back to Chapter 1 - it's well work taking the time to see what each actor will be wearing (not only as on their bodies) but on their heads to help you plan element placement. Wigs are great to hide elements, but also can be problematic if an element gets tucked up under wig lace or under the wig itself. Make sure that elements are free of hair, wig lace, or jewelry, and is hopefully in a position that doesn't see a lot of sweat. (Sometimes that's about impossible.) Hats are also a challenge for placement as well as EQ.

Once you've settled on a placement, the important thing is that the element goes in EXACTLY the SAME SPOT EVERY TIME. When you're dealing with a lavaliere mic, a few inches can mean a huge difference in volume, which can leave your engineer struggeling with the mix, not knowing what's going on, but knowing something isn't "right." Wig lace, jewelry, and hats can make a lot of unwanted noise. If the element is buried under a wig, you may not get any sound at all. If you are working with an inexperienced cast, it is important to remind them about placement frequently, if not daily, and the mic technician (if you have one) engineer, dresser, or even stage manager should spot check people to make sure the mic element is where it ought to be.

Other mic pack reminders:

Check your mics (element AND pack) EVERY performance. Just because they worked the show before doesn't mean something didn't happen to them when the show was over, or that something wasn't done right during set up. Check not only that the pack works, but that there aren't any kinks, pinches, or other problems with your element. Checking the connector to the element and antenna on the pack are good ideas, too.

Just like a phone, CD player, or any small piece of electronic gear - sudden impact is bad. Don't drop mic packs - and encourage your cast and crew to be mindful of the same.

Always use fresh batteries. Batteries are expensive - but ALWAYS use fresh batteries for each rehearsal/performance. These days, rechargeable batteries are sophisticated enough that they CAN hold enough charge to power a wireless reliably through a performance - IF they're high quality and if they're managed. I recommend using high quality batteries and METERING them EACH TIME to make sure they've charged properly prior to use.

DO NOT have performers turn on and off their own mic packs. Yes, you may be preserving battery life, but what happens if they forget, or get off a switch and turn on the mic pack when it's supposed to be turned off? Mic packs can also encounter interference or reception drop out problems if they're frequently re-powered. Leave the on/off in the hands of your engineer. If your mic packs come equipped with a power lock feature, power lock them. If not, tape the switch so the mic can be inadvertently turned off.

If you don't know how to solder or repair electronics, never open a mic pack. If your pack is under warranty, don't open it if you do! Send it in for a warranty repair.

All for now cats and kittens... Until next time!

Cheers, ~R