A lot of musicians would diss this, but I am absolutely sold on using a mixer in line, prior to the QSCs. I ditched the mixer a year or more ago. But when I had the chance to listen to the mix in my studio, using the Zed 6fx again, I quickly became convinced that the Zed preamps make all the difference in the world. Case in point: I tried the Crown mic through my 4X board and directly to the QSCs. Pretty good. I tried the Crown through the Zed and to the QSCs - OMG. In fact, the Crown was as good, or better than my SM7 studio mic! So, more pieces to the gig, but you have one chance to make it right (repeat business).

Jim, when I eliminated a mixer from my system, I added a TC Helicon Harmony-M, which I fed directly into the Line In of my PSR-S950. The harmony-M had it's own effects, which in combination with the keyboard's mic effects, were just incredible - far better than when I was feeding the same mic directly through the mixer. And, as you have discovered, the Crown CM311A is probably among the best headset mics for live entertainers. A lot of folks have tried headset mics and went back to using their old, hand-held mics, but most that tried the Crown CM311A never looked back.

Good luck,

Gary

Gary, you are correct about the Crown!

I really like the Crown, in addition to its great sound, the freedom to move around is paramount. But I have to say it's going to be a whole new level (live) through the Zed. I bought a Zed 10ifx for my studio now and taking the 6fx live

Hey, better than buying another keyboard - yikes

The thing about a headset mic is, you live or die by how good and well set up your compressor is. There’s no ‘working the mic’…

Like Gary, I use an upstream mic processor (TC Helicon Perform VK) before I hit my BK-9’s mic in, but that’s because the only thing the Roland’s mic in had was a (non-editable) reverb with a mix knob. On the other hand, I think I’m better off with a processor from a company that specializes in vocal effects than something from a keyboard company that isn’t really a market leader in vocal effects.

But a headphone mic for being able to move around? I find it hard enough to convince the average audience that I’m actually playing anything real even if I stay at the keyboard. I’m pretty sure that belief in what you’re playing pretty much evaporates if you step away from the keyboard and the music keeps going!

I guess if you’re primarily billing yourself as a singer/entertainer, that loss of belief isn’t a big deal, they still SEE you singing everything. But if you want to be believed that you’re actually playing, I don’t think walking away from the keyboard while it keeps going without you is going to help. 🎹

I have always been fortunate in that I never needed to work a mic to improve or enhance my vocals. And, there was only one song where I actually walked away from the keyboard and walked through the audience singing - "Fever". I didn't use a midi file, but instead, just used a finger snap and the "A" variation of the Pink Panther style, which was primarily the bass and a finger snap in place of the drum kit. It was a neat style, and lent itself to the song very well. I just fired up the keyboard, hit a short intro, then left it playing in Am while I walked through the audience singing to the ladies. Didn't have to hit the E7 for the word "Fever", no one caught on, the ladies loved it and they were the ones that tended to keep my tip jar filled.

The freedom that a good headset mic offers provided me with the ability to play the keyboard and sing, while at the same time looking at audience members without worrying where the mic was positioned. The Crown CM-311A had a relatively small mic head, about the size of a quarter, and I sprayed the puff filter and boom of the mic skin tone color, which almost made it invisible to much of the audience.

I employed a wireless transmitter that fit into the belt box and was black, and about the size and shape of a 12 gauge shotgun shell. The receiver, at the time, was the size of a pack of cigarettes and hidden inside my custom console. Unfortunately, they stopped making that Samson Airline system, once in a while you will see one for sale on Ebay.

Now that I am fully retired from working in the musical entertainment field, I still find a few hours a week to play, which helps maintain what little sanity I still have.

All the best,

Gary

I never really thought of working the mic as a compensation for vocal technique weakness, just a way to get more different colors from your voice. Moving in and out and working the proximity effect can add a lot of presence and intimacy when you want it, and remove it when you don’t…

Maybe it’s a more recent phenomenon, but the trend towards karaoke may have increased the audiences’ tendency to assume that’s what’s going on. Maybe it’s the increase of singers doing pro jobs that have a ‘show’ keyboard in front of them (like Elvis’s guitar!) and totally fake playing. But I certainly wouldn’t blame a non-musician audience member that saw me come out front while my backing kept going (no matter how stripped down) and got the impression it was ALL tracks. The odds of anyone knowing the difference are pretty slim..!

That’s why NONE of my tracks have solos. That’s why I look in dismay at newer keyboards like the Event that will happily inject a sax solo along with your chords without you playing a note (on the sax, that is!). And that’s why I’ll NEVER let my arranger play itself and walk out front. It took too much effort to convince them that ALL the solos and much of the comping is actually me. I don’t want to make that effort for naught…

Diki, an accomplished, professional singer/vocalist can also produce the proximity effect effectively, with vocal control. And as far as stepping out in front of the keyboard and singing to the ladies, well, that's why it's called show biz. When I walked out on that stage and sat down at the keyboard, I often positioned myself and gear sideways so they could actually see me playing the keys. The headset mic made this much easier, again, because I was able to maintain eye contact with the entire audience without worrying where the hand-held mic was positioned. When I stepped away from the keyboard, and played "Fever" I snapped MY fingers in time with the music. I was putting on a show to entertain my audience, and that's why they were there - to be entertained.

Additionally, prior to a performance, I often gave a short explanation about the keyboard's ability to produce the sounds of various instruments, piano, guitar, trumpet, brass, strings, etc..., and gave them a quick demonstration of how they sounded. It made a big difference when you provided the audience with an education about the instrument you were playing. Granted, some didn't comprehend the information, but the vast majority did. They knew there was not a full orchestra on that stage, and for the most part, they didn't care, as long as they were being entertained.

Gary