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  • TMV World Team
    So you've chosen an image. You're decked out from head to toe in a carefully-manicured fashion statement to express the persona you want to project. But while you're peering in the mirror, checking out your looks from the outside, now look if you've checked inside.
    Image is crucial in the music marketplace. It gets you gigs, fans, dollars. Without it, you're just another indie wannabe. But do you know what's going on in that private space of yours on the inside? That place where your hopes and dreams are brewing, loves and fears bubble, and life story lives? Do you take time to look at that stuff? If not, you should.
    I once had a friend who sang back-up vocals for a talented musician in a local band. One memorable gig was on a snowy evening where the audience consisted of two friends of the band, the girlfriend of the leading singer-guitarist, the soundman, and me. I couldn't figure out why the lead guitarist wasn't attracting larger crowds. Okay, blame it on the snow. His songs were well-written and even compelling, his guitar playing admirable. Now after some reflection, I remember that his vocal expression, as well as the voice of the lyrics themselves, were one-dimensional. It was as if he hadn't yet explored the tremendously rich landscape of personality and experience lying underneath the monotone of image he was trying to get across. Perhaps he would have projected a more colorful and multi-dimensional image on the outside if he had done the work of honest self-introspection and self-discovery on the inside topped with a heavy dose of self-appreciation as well. Think of some singers that have earned your admiration, and chances are they really know themselves inside-out.
    A singer is an actor and a storyteller. Give over that story with your entire mind, body, and spirit. Understanding your own story will allow you to give yourself over in the truest sense to your audience. And it will be a more meaningful experience for you as well.
    With blessings for your personal transformation,
    Devora-Gila Berkowitz

  • TMV World Team
    The 2009 Voice Foundation Symposium featured a half-day session on the speaking voice, with special emphasis on public speaking. Nancy Pearl Solomon, Research Speech Pathologist at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC, organized and moderated the session, with wonderful advice and guidance by Lucille Rubin, Director of Professionally Speaking in New York City. Solomon began with a challenge to the audience to search for the science behind the art of public speaking. She outlined general approaches that have been taken in speech and voice science, noting that typical speaking, singing, acting, and vocal loading have been well represented in the literature, but topics specific to public speaking have been virtually ignored. To educate and inform the attendees of the Symposium, the Foundation invited speakers to address various aspects of public speaking. Diane DiResta, founder of DiResta Communications, Inc., in NYC, gave a powerful presentation about how to speak confidently. She outlined the 10 most common mistakes made by public speakers and demonstrated how to avoid them. DiResta provided practical tips, flawless demonstrations, and an entertaining start to the morning!
    Deborah Rosen, Director of Healthcare Outreach at Temple University Health Care System, addressed the psychology of public speaking. Rosen explained that the fear of public speaking, or glossophobia, is based on the brain's error in judgment that public speaking is a potentially catastrophic event, thus invoking the fight/flight or freeze/faint response. As an existential psychologist, Rosen framed her approach to dealing with this phobia in terms of exploring one's personal meaning related to the event.
    Susan Miller, founder of Voicetrainer, LLC, in Washington, DC, and Clinical Associate for the George Washington University Voice Treatment Center in Washington, DC, provided valuable information about ways to assess and advise the public speaker from a variety of perspectives. She introduced an extensive questionnaire that delves into the goals, message, and style of the speaker. Her typical evaluation follows with acoustic and video recordings. As a speech-language pathologist, Miller pays particular attention to enhancing the use of the vocal instrument.
    A panel discussion followed, including the podium speakers as well as three invited guest panelists. Panelists were selected to represent various factions of the Voice Foundation membership: Donna Snow from the Theatre Department of Temple University provided the acting coach's view; John Rubin from the Royal National Throat, Nose & Ear Hospital and University College, London, invoked issues of importance from the laryngologist's perspective; and Ronald Scherer, Professor at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, provided the speech scientist's perspective. Scherer wrapped up the session by presenting a framework from which the scientific voice community might begin to develop programs of inquiry to address the topic of public speaking.
    Questions amongst the panelists and from the audience clearly revealed the broad and intense interest in this topic. Lively discussions continued into the coffee break and the lunch hour, and evidence for the effectiveness of the morning's sessions popped up throughout the symposium as scientific presenters reminded themselves to slim down content on their slides, not to look at the slides while addressing the audience, and to pause more effectively. Individual coaching sessions to enhance presentation style at the symposium have been provided by Lucille Rubin and Susan Miller for the past several years, and were especially popular this year. Just another perk of attending and presenting at the Voice Foundation Symposium!

  • TMV World Team
    Before to get started with the article I want to apologize for my bad English!!!
    Recently i received a letter (automatic) from Hilary Canto where was written:
    "We would like to see you raise your profile more and be seen! This can be done with your page, videos, music uploads and blogs. Tell a story and promote your unique talent! Enter into discussions on other posts and let members see who you are."
    That's gave me a courage to write something here, at last, instead of just reading.
    I decided to share my own approach for developing , but you will not find any advices about "How to sing" or something about the vocal techniques. I will share my way of THINKING about singing and to be a singer.
    I don't know whether this article will be helpful to somebody, but is written with love to all!!!
    So, let's get started:
    I. If you want to be a singer you must need to sing. If your mother or father wants to make you musicians - excellent - TRY, but if you don't like it - stop here.
    II. Оn the first place singers sings with his soul and on the second place with his vocal mechanism. When you become a professional singer and sing every night the things become a little bit different but you must try to keep the fire.
    III. When you try to find a vocal coach, - go, meet him and think about him not only like a person who will show you how to sing, but you must see a person who has the abilities to teach you how to think about the art of music, and the art of living.
    IV. So, you feel you want to sing, you have found a teacher - so... Of course, you must sing - when you're walking,, when you are at home, when you take a bath (it is not good for the vocal cords, but you get the idea;)). If you don't practice, and sing only when you have vocal lessons, you will not achieve too much.
    V. You will find many singers who are better than you - don't worry, may be some day you will become good like them. You must understand, that not everybody is born for the big stage (imagine if everybody become "stars"). The music is not competition, which is different of the music industry. The art is a way to to express yourself, to send message, to make somebody happy (including yourself). It's not need to be great even good singer to sing. I'm telling you this, because if somebody tells you "You can't sing good, why are you doing this?" - first of all, no professional will tell you something like that, the second - you make it for your enjoyment (you fill happy when you sing, etc.), and once again - nobody knows how good you can become .
    VI. You must listen different kind of styles. This will help you to find the best fitting genre for you, which depends on two things - whether you like it, and how capable are you to represent the songs from this genre. To choose the right song for singing is very important thing and as the number of the songs you have listened is growing up, your choice will be bigger, you will improve your technique (trying different songs, from different styles), your knowledge base will become wider and your self-confidence will growing up too.
    VII. Try to be good person as it possible. The hygiene of the soul is such important as the hygiene of the voice. Think about the problems of the world, about what you can change, help the others. Try to find inspiration for singing and writing your own lyrics and songs. And if someday you become a great singer, don't forget from where you started!
    (I wanted to add a point "Try to find friends - musicians", but obviously if you are here, so you want to do this )
    Good luck to all, and God bless you!
    Yours Sincerely!!!
    Dimitar (active working singer)

  • TMV World Team
    Introduced by Dr. Weiss, was designed as a voice coaching technique for singers and actors, This relatively new fascinating technique may become a powerful weapon against stuttering as well since it features not one good voice but a thousand of good voices...the patient is learning how to control his vocal output using minimal movements of his speech muscles, making it possible to change the voice output in thousand different ways, so you could have a different speech pattern every day...!
    Recommended for: Professional voice users, actors, singers, choir singers and opera singers, Professors, lawyers, teachers, secretaries, telemarketing people, salesmen, cheerleaders, rabbis, cantors, preachers, bartenders, waiters, and anyone with a hoarse, harsh voice that is using voice to make a living.
    Some limitations do apply: Since this is a highly sophisticated technique, not easy to grasp and demands between 30-45 minutes a day exercising - the patient should be at least 15 years old, should have undergo a successful previous full-length voice therapy technique or undergo a full-length voice coaching/singing/diction class…In some rare cases, a full length Yoga class would be sufficient (if a full scale of breathing exercises have been implemented).
    As an introduction let me explain the idea using a non-vocal muscle: Gravity exercise: Sit on the edge of the chair from the upright position curve your back to the right 10cm then go back to the start upright position curve your back to the right 5cm then go back to the start upright position curve your back to the right 2cm then go back to the start upright position curve your back to the right 1cm then go back to the start upright position curve your back to the right 0.5cm then go back to the start upright position  curve your back to the right 0.1cm then go back to the start upright position (the last one you almost moved only in your mind is a specialized minimal movement ! Now, do the whole process to your left side !.....In MMSM, you will learn to do this sort of highly sophisticated voice changing designated movements with the main 5 speech muscles: Belly, chest, larynx, jaw, tongue works like magic for professional voice users!
    Best of all, you don't have to be a voice patient, you can learn this technique as a part of advanced singing or acting curriculum. Also, you don't have to undergo a follow-up period to get used to this when you finish the technique you can actually use it immediately on a daily basis

     

  • TMV World Team
    Which Is The Best Vocal "Method"to Study? 
    A unique look at the approaches, challenges and insights of being a singing teacher.
    Advice from Vocal Coach Kathy Thompson © 2009
    Request permission to use in whole or in part by email: admin@purevoicepower.ca
    We study singing to get better at it just as we would study any skill. We are studying this art form in order to improve our ability.
    One of the foundations of voice work lies in building confidence. But more than that, we should study singing in order to acquire healthy technique when we vocalize. Notice that I said healthy rather than good. I try to avoid words such as good or bad, because they imply judgment.
    When you sing with correct and healthy technique, you are in fact maintaining your voice for longevity and stamina, as well as optimum performance. Good technique involves understanding your instrument to some degree, and employing recommended, safe habits when it comes to warming up or working out with your voice. Beyond that, continued study and vocal maintenance (regular practice routine) is recommended.
    Regardless of my teaching methods, there are constants and truths such as:
    Progress does not - and will not - happen instantly, overnight. As with developing any physical skill, developing one's voice takes time without force. If you practice regularly, you will see results. Everyone progresses at a different rate. In order to create something artistic, it helps to know the rules. That's the same with anything you want to excel at in life! We shouldn't assume that just because you know how to use your voice to talk and have sung songs, that you know all there is to know about how to do it better.
    Think of it this way:
    Just because you know how to run doesn't mean that you can automatically run a marathon. Just because you can use a sewing machine doesn't mean you can sew high fashion clothing. Just because you can talk with your voice doesn't mean you can sing expertly. Just because you can sing without studying doesn't mean you have the ability to sing like a seasoned professional with heavy usage demands on one's voice. I think we can agree that someone just learning to paint can paint any old picture without knowing what they're doing or studying it. Maybe they will get lucky and it will look fine. But it's usually short-lived. Pretty soon that passionate novice painter will want to know how it all works. So they study. Great painters know all about painting and understand how the great masters created such classic, unique and timeless art. I think it's the same with singing.
    What is a method?
    My dictionary defines METHOD as:
    A manner of procedure, esp. a systematic or clearly defined way of accomplishing an end; system or order in thought or action; the plan of procedure characteristic of discipline; logical or scientific arrangement.
    A method is the way in which we do something. Most everything we do has a method of some kind. You might have your own method of stacking the dishwasher or your own method of folding your towels. Use of a method simply implies that there is a systematic or specific way of doing something.
    If a singing teacher advertises that they are certified in a particular method of teaching singing, it's possible that they will be only able to deploy only that one method when teaching voice. They may not be allowed to utilize any aids, exercises or approaches that they as a singing teacher created themselves.
    I prefer not to work like that. To just use one method created by someone else would be stifling to me, no matter how popular that method is, or which masterful teacher developed it. I am the sum of my parts. All of my experiences as a singing student, actor, voice over artist and vocalist made me the performer I am today, and also the teacher I am today. I have studied voice with many singing teachers myself, taken workshops, and I was a voice major in college. I have experienced various styles of teaching voice as a singing student myself. I have developed my own approaches on how to connect with students as individuals over the years and I customize lessons to the way in which a student will learn best.
    (BTW- I myself, will continue to learn, read, research, develop, take workshops and classes for the rest of my life. We are never above learning anything new.)
    Which Teaching Methods does Kathy use?
    I believe that there are so many different approaches to teaching voice because there is no standard. That is a lengthy discussion which is best had elsewhere.
    When I teach voice, I use mostly my own “method”. That means I use partial things from a variety of other methods, or systems of teaching voice, along with exercises, games and handouts that I created. I draw from information from all forms of media, and my own personal experience as a singer. I would work differently with someone who is very soft-spoken and shy than I would with someone who is a high-energy extrovert. There are different kinds of learners and I take that into account.
    I never plagiarize anything from other singing teachers. I might take a seed of an idea I learned and tweak it, just as you would a classic food recipe. If I learn something related to singing from a science book, I will incorporate that. If I use a scale from another method such as the Seth Riggs SLS method, Frank Sinatra method, the Alan Greene workbook, or the Bel Canto method, I am sure to tell the student where that exercise came from and that they can pull on those resources. (The source is always quoted on their printed handout). I frequently tell my students about other singing courses!
    If a student is doing something incorrect during singing, I can imitate it in my own voice, identify where the error is occurring during the process, and then show the student how to approach singing that one thing with more correct technique or more economical way.
    Kathy's Approach
    I insist on visiting the basics at first and spend time accordingly on the usual things such as correct breathing, posture, vowel formation, etc. It's ongoing. I devote a part of every lesson to performance.
    I want you to be an original. I want to help you discover the leader within you. Every moment that we are singing a song, we are making decisions about how to sing it. The lyrics will mean something. The beat will mean something. How you phrase, deliver words, the volume or power you apply will shape the song. The vocal nuance or the boldness you choose will come into play. I think there is an actor in each of us and we can adopt characters for our songs. How you connect with your audience whether live on stage, or from a recording booth - will matter in the end.
    The main goal of lessons is not to CHANGE the inherent way your voice sounds. My goal is to take the unique sound of your voice and add to it; enhance it. We work towards uncovering and empowering the artist within you. We develop the voice you have and build upon that with a spirit of joy. You will discover new sounds.
    You can't force your voice to grow or do things it can't possibly do until you have trained to do it.
    (And yes, there is a difference between belting and yelling!)
    To me, singing is both science and art at the same time.
    I never try to change someone's natural sound. We only enhance it, help it flourish, take a holistic vocal evolutionary path and keep adding new musical layers.
    At the end of every lesson, I hope that these 4 questions will be answered yes:
    1. Did your voice get some good exercise / workout?
    2. Did you learn something interesting and new?
    3. Do you understand the assignment for next time; are there any questions?
    4. Do you feel motivated to sing and practice?
    I research. I test. In truth, science is still learning about human behaviour and how the brain works, which is paramount to the mind-body connection not only when it comes to singing or playing an instrument, but is related to learning and executing ANY physical skill. Science is still learning about the voice.
    What Makes a Great Singing Teacher?
    Let us pose this question to anyone who teaches a skill. For example:
     In order to be a fantastic football coach, does that person have to be a fantastic football player themselves first?  In order to be a fantastic auto mechanic teacher, does that person have to be a fantastic auto mechanic themselves first?  In order to be a fantastic singing teacher, does that person have to be a fantastic singer themselves? It's my opinion that the answer to that is yes. Ideally, at some time in their career the teacher, trainer or coach would have excelled at performing that skill themselves, which they are now teaching. If they themselves know what it's like to hit a home run on stage or in the studio, they can bring that experience to you through their coaching.
    Don't be too quick to judge the style of your singing teacher. If you are a raspy rock singer and you need to learn how to sing more healthy easy sounds during practice, you might not want to study with a person who only knows how to rock hard with their voice. You probably need warmer, richer, healthier exercises to sing; not more of the same. You need a little something in the way of therapeutic singing. Look to a variety of styles to study: R&B, folk/roots, classical, SLS, theatre, pop, etc.
    Internet Misinformation About Singing Methods
    There is so much misinformation on the internet, it's hard to believe what's true and what's not! Just because something is in writing doesn't mean that it is entirely accurate and absolute.
    There are literally hundreds of people out there calling themselves singing teachers, vocal coaches, starting schools and calling themselves experts. Should a singing teacher have academic credentials only? A degree? Stage experience only? What credentials does someone need to be a valid singing teacher? Suppose someone has performed on Broadway stages for years but has never been in a hit musical, is not famous, and they decide to teach singing. Does that mean they won't be a good singing teacher? Maybe maybe not. Don't be fooled by fame. Fame can be a result of luck and good networking skills. It's rare that anyone becomes famous by accident, including singing teachers. They have usually sought their station. That's not good, bad, right, or wrong just fact. A few times, a parent has asked me if I have taught anyone famous. Would that make a difference to the quality of my teaching? Not necessarily. Keep an open mind is all I'm saying and try not to think in absolutes.
    There are singing methods out there with certified coaches who are fanatical with the notion that they have the ONLY and the BEST method of teaching singing on the planet. Some attach to celebrity endorsement. Well there can be many, many amazing and valid approaches to working with people on their voices. I think that some popular methods are far too technical and the student gets hung up on the mechanics of singing. Some methods recommend things like warming up with very high quiet tones, or never talk about vocal mechanics, and assorted approaches.
    Here’s something that made my eyes pop wide open. I saw video of a celebrity voice coach working with a famous rap superstar that I found to be very disturbing. He had his female rap star actually moving her jaw sideways, quickly sweeping it back and forth, fast and hard, as a part of the vocal warm-up! You can almost guarantee TMJ medical issues from that. In fact, it could possibly warrant litigation. This NY singing coach was charging an astronomical hourly fee into three figures (but included back massage).
    I like to base things in fact. I have kept a log of internet untruths about singing.
    Here is just one of many, and more benign than most:
    There is a website I saw which has the word musician and university in the name of the site. Under singing, it says, Singing is easy. Anyone can do it. But what most singers do not know is that your voice is just like an instrument. 
    I don't think that's true.
    No, singing is not easy for everyone. Some people are very challenged with vocally interpreting and recreating sound as they hear it (* research the word amusia), and require different amounts of, and approaches to- ear training for accurate pitch placement. Some people are in poor physical condition and have a hard time understanding breathing, believe it or not. Some people were raised in a culture where silence was encouraged and they are ashamed to use their voice in a singing fashion. And so forth.
    The human voice is the only musical instrument located within the body. It is prejudiced with emotion. A piano is not. A violin has no emotion. A guitar has no emotion. It's the players of these instruments who can bring emotional interpretation to sound production. But our voice is within our body; the player and the instrument are one.
    Furthermore, I can see all other instruments as I play them. But you cannot see your voice as you play it. You feel it. You operate this instrument of voice as your brain sends neuromuscular impulses to your voice and various other muscles and systems in the body. For fascinating information on this, I encourage you to investigate The Alexander Technique for Singers. (FYI, it's a little technical.)
    I don't mean to scare or intimidate anyone. Connect with the person you want to work with. See if they make sense to you. Use your instincts and common sense when it comes to information at large. If something sounds astonishing or weird, perhaps try searching university and academic websites which are usually loaded with true and verified information.
    When we sing, let there be unconditional joy.
    Kathy Thompson, Vocal Coach, Toronto

  • TMV World Team

    Deliberation by Ronn Boef
    "Polygraph" is a portrait of human relations turning from sweet to sour, hinting at the necessity and difficulty of constant genuineness. The suite lasts about 10 minutes and is composed of the following four sections : Exposition, Confrontation, Deliberation, and Vindication.
    "Confrontation" aims to depict the often difficult yet cathartic experience of having to stand one's ground and defend one's views when criticism or outright attack threatens one's balance and inner peace.
    "Deliberation" is intended to evoke the following phase during which the contents and effects of the aforementioned exchanges are assessed and reflected upon as the heat of the confrontation slowly subsides.
    The Music Of Poligraf series are reposts of writings and audio clips that have been originally published on The Goal Was So Near from November 2008 to April 2009, made available for those who missed the original Clip Of The Day series.
    If you enjoy what you hear, you are invited to visit the Music section of our website and support our efforts by pre-ordering our first album entitled Samsara.

  • TMV World Team

    Quarryman by Gustave Courbet
    "Stonecutter" is intended as an anthem to perseverance and is based on the following quote byJacob August Riis :
    It's one of my favourite quotes and it has helped me on several occasions.
    The composition counts exactly 101 hits on the snare drum, with the 101st corresponding to the climax, the hammer hitting the rock one last time and breaking it.
    The Music Of Poligraf series are reposts of writings and audio clips that have been originally published on The Goal Was So Near from November 2008 to April 2009, made available for those who missed the original Clip Of The Day series.
    If you enjoy what you hear, you are invited to visit the Music section of our website and support our efforts by pre-ordering our first album entitled Samsara.

  • TMV World Team

    Ashram by Nicholas Roerich
    An instrumental in 4 movements (The Ordinary, Running Out Of Breath, Dweller On The Threshold, Jambudvipa), the composition aims to evoke the progress of an individual getting fed up with their day to day life to the point of taking an extended time off for reflection and introspection. In the cosmology of Buddhism, Jambudvipa is the name of the continent of the terrestrial world where ordinary human beings live. From Wikipedia :
     
     
    In a way, both the ordinary and Jambudvipa can be taken to be coextensive, or sharing the same spatial extension if you prefer, as it is the mindset or attitude of the individual that determines in which they abide. In other words, the ashram that is referred to isn't necessarily a physical location, for instance some building located in India, but can also mean a mental construct, or a way of doing things. In that sense, the piece depicts an inner journey beginning from over-activity and ending in temporary seclusion, where reflection and healing can take place.
    The Music Of The Goal Was So Near from November 2008 to April 2009, made available for those who missed the original Clip Of The Day series. Poligraf series are reposts of writings and audio clips that have been originally published on
     
    If you enjoy what you hear, you are invited to visit the Music section of our website and support our efforts by pre-ordering our first album entitled Samsara.


     
  • TMV World Team
    Should The EV PL80a Be Your Choice Of Vocal Mic?

    Choosing a live vocal mic is a personal thing for most vocalists. Every voice is unique and different mics accentuate different qualities that can bring out the best or worst in a singer. In addition, when choosing a live vocal mic, it is important to choose a microphone that is rugged and durable, cuts through a live mix and can take a lot of gain without feeding back.Has Electro-Voice delivered on these criteria with the PL80a?
    Putting The EV PL80a High-Performance Dynamic Mic To The Test
    I was eager to test the EV PL80a and see how it compared to the Shure SM58, the world's most popular live vocal mic which can be found in countless recording studios and live music venues. The EV's stylish Memraflex grill and unique body shape certainly make the PL80a a more attractive mic than the SM58, and the weight of both microphones is quite similar. Unlike the cardioid pattern found in the SM58, the PL80a features a super cardioid polar pattern which helps reject unwanted room sound and system feedback. It also boasts a powerful neodymium magnet structure and an "EQ friendly" sonic contour which helps the vocals sit nicely in the  live mix without being harsh.
    use the 50% Discount Code for 
    "Review my singing" Forum:  
    TMVWorld50

    EV PL80a High-Performance Dynamic Mic Test: Live Use
    I recently had the opportunity to put the mic to use at band practice. Our band has a habit of practicing a lot louder than we should and it's often difficult to hear my vocals over the guitar player's stack and our aggressive drummer. Often times I find myself struggling to get a good level of vocals in the PA without experiencing any feedback. The first time I plugged in the PL80a, I noticed that I didn't have to turn the level on the PA as high as with the SM58 and my voice sounded a lot more lively and clear. It was as if a blanket had been lifted off the sound of my voice, which actually helped with my singing because I could focus more on my technique without straining to sing over the other instruments in the room.
    EV PL80a High-Performance Dynamic Mic Test: Comparison
    I was so pleased with the results that I wanted to make sure I wasn't just imagining a difference, so I plugged in my SM58, and sure enough, the new found clarity I was hearing with the EV was gone and I had to turn my PA up to bring the Shure to an adequate volume. While singing right on top of the microphone, I noticed it had slightly less proximity effect than the SM58 which I actually preferred because I could get my lips right on the grill without the sound turning to mush while still enhancing the low end of my voice. Although the PL80a was designed primarily as a live vocal mic, the manual suggests that it also works well as an instrument or amplifier microphone, although for, the purposes of this review, I did not test it on any instrument other than the voice.

    An important and sometimes overlooked quality of a live vocal mic is how well it can stand up to years of rugged abuse on the road and on stage. The SM58 is legendary in its indestructibility and could double as a hammer or blunt weapon if need be and still function without a problem. While I have not road tested the EV PL80a, based on EV's reputation and the quality feel of the mic, I would have no problems taking this on the road with me and throwing it into my duffel bag without worrying about it breaking.
    WRAP UP
    Although I have not tested every vocal mic on the market, I have used plenty of other mics that cost more than the PL80a's $150 street price, however, I wouldn't say that any of those mics are better. At this level of quality and price range, it all comes down to testing the mic to see how it reacts to your own unique voice and choosing the one that inspires you to sing the best. I will say that I absolutely love how my voice sounds through this mic and would have no problems recommending it to other singers who are looking for a high performance, yet affordable mic. For those of you who have been singing into a low cost generic dynamic microphone, this mic would be a huge step up. Personally, I am looking forward to testing this mic out at my next live performance.

    Review by Travis North
    *This product review is a courtesy of The Modern Vocalist World and is endorsed by The Vocalist Studio International.

  • TMV World Team
    Testing The Audix OM2 Microphone
     
    You may recall a few months back we at TMVJ happened to get our hands on a rather svelte yet excellent sounding  Audix VX5.  Well as luck would have it our friends in Wilsonville, Oregon have again been kind enough to bestow upon us yet another offering from their lineup. This time, around we have in our only slightly greasy paws [ I promise! ] the Audix OM2 dynamic vocal microphone. Unlike the condenser VX5, however, the OM2 represents the all-around workhorse performance mic of the lineup.
    Audix OM2: Look And Feel
     
    Representing one of Audix's more budget minded offerings in terms of price with a street tag of $99.00 the Audix OM2 certainly doesn't feel like corners were cut in terms of build quality.  While the Audix OM2 ditches the polished mesh trimmings and pad/lo pass switches of the VX5 in lieu of the classic yet durable black Audix finish with matching black mesh grill the Audix OM2 would feel right at home alongside its bigger brothers the OM5 and OM7.  As with its brethren, it retains the slim yet comfortable tapered shaft design and gold-plated XLR connection.  Construction is all alloy giving the mic a nice weighty yet balanced feel in hand.
    Audix OM2: Pricing And Competition

    My initial concern with the Audix OM2 before even giving it the juice was the fact that at a sub $100 the sheer amount of competition at this price point.  For reference the venerable industry standard Shure SM58, EV 767a, and Rode M1 [ the latter two we reviewed earlier this year ] all retail for $99.  While no two mics sound the same and I cannot stress enough that each singer should choose the mic that best matches their respective voice the primary question in my mind was how the Audix OM2 stacked up against the competition given the other solid alternatives.
    Audix OM2: IN PRACTICE
    For the test environment signal chain the Audix OM2 was run through a TC Helicon VoiceLive 1  to a Mackie 1604VLZ mixer into a pair of Mackie SRM450 mains. EQ and effects were removed from the signal chain.  Since the OM2 is dynamic no phantom power was required.  As always I prefer to test a vocal mic both with solo vocals as well as with a backing band to get the best overall feel for its strengths and weaknesses.  Sometimes a mic which sounds excellent in an acoustic scenario will later cause the vocals to get 'lost' in the full band mix for lack of enough cut. For others, the reverse scenario is true.
    Audix OM2: TEST 1
    Starting with the solo vocal test, I began with my usual series of vocal warm-up exercises which service to work out my entire range.  This can be a good window into a mic's given sweet spots.  Not knowing what to expect from the Audix I found the Audix OM2 to have a pleasantly balanced sound.  I did not to find its overall frequency response to have any necessarily hot spots nor did it sound dull. In a word, it sounded relatively natural.  I found it to have quite a bit  more clarity and sibilance than the Shure SM58 and Rode M 1 without being harsh on S's and C's. Getting right up on the grill resulted in a moderate proximity effect which was well controlled and sounded a bit more natural than that produced by the EV 767a. At times, I found myself wanting a bit more sparkle on the top end, but this was easily corrected with a bit of EQ.
    Audix OM2: TEST 2
    Continuing the test with the full band setup, I found the Audix OM2 to perform rather admirably as far as providing enough 'cut' to be heard over the rest of the band.  My vocals sounded a bit more full as compared to the big brother Audix OM5 but without feeling boomy like the EV 767a has a tendency to do.  With the mains at significantly higher levels than with the acoustic session I often find myself reaching for EQ to compensate for other mics being on the verge of feeding back but I found the OM2 to perform quite admirably in this respect.  Not at one point did I need to attenuate any EQ settings.  I would have to say arguably in this particular scenario the OM2 demonstrated some of the best feedback rejection than any of the other mics we have reviewed recently.
    WRAP-UP
     
    As the weeks wore on and I became more comfortable with the Audix OM2 I started to find it becoming my go-to mic.  It's balanced sound, high gain before feedback and hyper cardioid pickup pattern offerin g excellent feedback rejection make it an excellent choice  as an all-around performer.  It's relatively flat response curve would likely work well with most voice types as well.  This would be the mic I would take gigging with me to an unknown venue and/or with a bored half deaf sound engineer. The OM2 while priced more like a budget mic certainly doesn't sound like one.  TMVJ can decidedly issue this one as recommended.
    Audix OM2: SPECIFICATIONS
    Transducer Type Dynamic
    Frequency Response    50 Hz  - 16 kHz
    Polar Pattern  Hypercardioid
     Output Impedance  250 ohms
    Sensitivity   1.7 mV / Pa @ 1k
    Capsule Technology   VLM Type B
    Off-Axis Rejection   > 25 dB
    Maximum SPL 140 dB
     Power Requirements  None
    Connector    Switchcraft male XLR connector
    Finish  Zinc Alloy / Black E-coat
     Weight   307 g / 10.8 ounces
     Length   176 mm / 6.9 inches
    www.audixusa.com
    info@audixusa.com
    503.682.6933
    Review Travis North
    *This product review is a courtesy of The Modern Vocalist World and is endorsed by The Vocalist Studio International.
    use the 50% Discount Code for "Review my singing" Forum: TMVWorld50  
  • TMV World Team
    To The Rescue: The Lampifier 111 Vocal Mic
    Certain things just work well together.  Think Peanut Butter and Jelly.  Ham and Cheese. Gin and Tonic.  With that in mind those of you who use a bit of compression on your vocal mix raise your hands.  Nearly everyone?  No news there.  Who among you get tired of either dragging around an extra piece of gear just for that purpose or would rather not have to bother depending on the bored sound engineer who looks like they would rather be anywhere but sitting behind the mix console optimizing your mix?  Well boys and girls, today is your lucky day.  Like our beloved PB&J, American ingenuity has come to the rescue again by way of a new type of professional vocal microphone: the Lampifier 111 Vocal Mic!.
    Lampifier 111 Vocal Mic: No Setup Required

    Say hello to my new little friend: the super-cardioid phantom-powered Lampifier 111. So what you say?!...There's a million different handheld vocal mics out there.  Well sure, but nobody except Lampifier has gone a step further to incorporate user programmable built-in dynamic sound processing i.e compression directly into the mic.  What's compression?  Quick 30,000ft overview:  an audio compressor reduces the volume of loud sounds and amplifies the volume of quiet ones by narrowing or "compressing" an audio signals range.
    The brainchild of inventor Gary Osborne  Lampifier was the result of his quest to create an easy to use product that would consistently deliver superior sound results for whomever the end user be it a vocalist, speaker, or other instrumentalist - no setup required.  While they haven't been on the scene long Lampifier has already seen some notable recognition most recently being awarded "Best Audio Product Microphoneâ€� award at the Worship Facilities Expo (WFX) in Atlanta, GA in November 2010.
    Lampifier 111 Vocal Mic Technology: Lighting Up
    So what makes it tick?  Time to talk turkey.  For today's lesson we take a trip back to the 1930's when audio compressors first started to become popular to boost the overall sound without clipping in noisy movie houses.   These early audio compressors utilized a rather simple yet unreliable  light bulb solution in the audio circuit and generally had a short life-span due to the power requirements to keep the bulb lit.  It wasn't long after that the photoelectric cell became more popular from both a reliability standpoint as well as from a cost basis. Light bulb or opto-compression has been used off and on over the years in higher end pro-audio offerings (think big old Neve consoles) but never has it been scaled down and simplified to a size which fits completely inside of a handheld mic.  In the spirit of simplicity the Lampifier circuit is 100% analog and features 2 preamplifiers bookending a specialized audio bulb and a load resistor.  On a basic level when a signal is fed into the first preamplifier it in turn drives the audio bulb which as the bulb filament heats up increases the electrical resistance of the filament.  This in effect changes the input drive to the second preamplifier and in effect the output to the mixing board.  As the signal level drops the reverse occurs. Simple right?
     
    In addition to the base program the Lampifier 111 comes programmed (with in my case the Pro Concert Vocal program). The Lampifier is user configurable with over 30+ different programs.  Now keep in mind reprogramming will require removing the electronics and moving some jumper cables but just about anyone with a few basic tools and the ability to read some simple instructions should be just fine.  Lampifier even has a slick little programming tool on their website which allows to to tailor the exact sound you want.
    Lampifier 111 Vocal Mic: Design And Durability
    According to Mr. Osborne the baseline sound for the Lampifier 111 is modeled loosely on the industry standard workhorse Shure SM-58. Indeed even the overall look and ergonomics of the Model 111 would make it easy to confuse with its long-standing brethren.  Personally I felt the overall look to be fairly me-too and not particularly attractive considering its street price of $155.95.  That being said the construction and fit and finish are right up there with the best of them.  Club owners take note:  The thick alloy construction and durable grill would likely do a pretty good job of protecting the innards when subjected to that one problematic singer that likes to throw things.
    Lampifier 111 Vocal Mic:Test
    I degress.  In live room testing with a full band consisting of guitars, drums, and bass I decided A/B the Lampifier up against another mic in the TMVJ test barn - the Rode M1 - an excellent mic previously reviewed by TMVJ a few months back.  Since I did not have access to an SM-58 and the M1 is a mic that I feel based some of its design around the warmer easy-going sound of the SM-58 I felt this would be an appropriate choice.  Both mics were run straight into the board with no additional effects or EQ.
     
    After a relatively short amount of testing it became clear who the clear winner was going to be.  The Rode possesses a rather warm natural sound with a slight tendency to sound a little flat and muffled.  While it generally sounds nice by itself when the full band was introduced into the mix I found myself starting to over-sing to be heard through the mix.  I was able to overcome some of this by driving the mic a bit harder with additional gain and this helped for more dynamic vocal passages but the problem returned during quieter whisper like sections in my material.  Short of introducing some EQ to add a bit more crispness and some additional processing by way of an external compressor I found the M1 by itself leaving me feeling a bit shortchanged.
    Switching over to the Lampifier with the identical flat EQ settings I was immediately aware of the additional amount of presence and cut introduced.  Top end is well executed and gives the vocals a nice amount of shimmer without being over the top or shrill.  While my vocals took on a little more of a scooped effect than I generally like it wasn't over the top and decidedly sounded just fine in the mix.  The Lampifier actually has a nice proximity effect when you get right up on the grill which thanks to the compression is well controlled without getting too squirly.  It's a nice tool if you want a little extra girth in a particular passage.  According to Lampifier if you want even more proximity effect you can do so by removing the ring located below the grill.  Additionally I found the way compression circuitry can also act as a gate to be especially useful for controlling feedback when the mic is pointing places other than directly in front of the mouth.
    WRAP UP: Believe in the Light
    As per their slogan "Believe in the Light" I believe that Lampifier might just be onto something here.  Some of us either don't have the knowledge, the money or just plain don't want to mess around with additional outboard gear.  Sometimes we just want to plug in and sound good.  The Lampifier 111 is a huge step in that direction.  Is it perfect?  No.  Is it nice to look at?  Not really.  But it sounds dang good.  Good enough that it could hang with a lot of the big boys at Shure, Audix and Rode among others.  And for $155.95 you get a mic AND a compressor.  Hows that for a deal?
    Contacting Lampifier
    www.lampifier.com
    Lampifier Company
    c/o Music44.com, Inc.
    5348 N. Tacoma Avenue
    Indianapolis, IN 46220
    317-225-5509 phone
    317-222-1327 fax
    Review by Travis North
    *This product review is a courtesy of The Modern Vocalist World and is endorsed by The Vocalist Studio International.

     


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