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For floor mics, the gold standard is probably the Crown PCC160 PCC160 - Professional boundary layer microphone | AKG Acoustics

They're expensive - about $350, and depending on the size of your stage, you'll need at least 2, if not 4. They're good for reinforcing sound, but they won't take the place of headset mics.

Bartlett Mics (www.bartlettaudio.com/collections/stage-floor-mics) are designed by the same person (Bruce Bartlett) as the Crown PCC-160, but have improved performance.  A newer version of an industry standard.  Also be aware that you can mount this type of mic to the ceiling of a set piece or to a vertical column so they are closer to the performers.  They also work well on tables and podiums.

For overhead hanging mics (good for choral and orchestra performances, too), consider the AKG HM-1000 (www.akg.com/pro/p/hm1000) with the CK-31 capsule (www.akg.com/pro/p/ck31).  these have very low self-noise compared to most mics.  They are industrial strength professional mics that will last just about forever - a good long term investment.

Learning to set-up your sound mixer (and/or train your mixer person) to attenuate mics that are not necessary for each scene will greatly reduce your feed-back (squealing & screeching).  The more mics you have open at one time, the lower your feedback margin is.

Work on your actor blocking around microphones.  If there is not a direct line-of-sight between the actor's mouth and the mic, then they will be muffled and thin sounding.  Scenery and other actors block a lot of sound in the upper registers that make speech more understandable.

Having mics is not an excuse for poor vocal projection.  Must drill this into the performers skills.

Lear to use the High-pass (low cut) filters on your mixer.  There is very little useful vocal audio below about 150Hz, so cutting this range will reduce the rumble and pop from plosive vocals like P's, B's, and D's.  It also may reduce the HVAC and foot-fall noise you pick-up.

As usual, Erich has some great advice.  Particularly about blocking the show around mic locations - every mic needs to be place with purpose.

A boundary mic placed on any firm flat (ish) surface , other than the floor will provide great results, especially if the mic is closer to the actor's mouth.  The entire flat surface effectively become part of the microphone and "catches the sound".  

I come out of a Concert Touring and Opera Theater background and have had the good fortune to use some ridiculously expensive and esoteric gear, and it wasn't until I started helping out the theatre department at my daughters middle school that I realized that not everyone has the budget for the BEST, or even the ADEQUATE. Since then I have dedicated myself to finding equipment that provides exceptional value for money while producing near best in class performance.

While I love my PCC160s (not tried Bruce's improved version), if the mic is to be placed where it will NOT be kicked, trodden on, rolled over etc, I have had great success with the little Audio-Technica Pro44 - it is still cardioid (well half cardioid once placed on the hard surface), is small about 2": x 3" and sells for about $100.  AT also have the Pro42 which is small, made of plastic and has a fixed 25ft cable for around $75 - pretty much the same performance and just 1.44" x 2.14".  

For overheads - almost anything with a cardioid pickup pattern works OK.  Specialized "choir hanging mics" provide nice low profiles.  Condensers tend to have better sensitivity, and hence a little more gain before feedback.  I personally use AT PRO 45 (also available in white) - a condenser hanging choir mic at about $100 or the Behringer C-4 Cardiod small diaphragm conderser mics that are about 4" long with clip (2 for around $60) - mount mic in clip, loop the cable into the thread of the clip - now you can suspend it from the cable, adjust the angle with the clip, and the direction by "tightening" or "loosening" the clip on the cable loop.  If I run out of these I fall back to my collection of SM57/58 style handhelds - mount the same as the Behringer condensers ... Overheads are probably the last thing to spend money on if you have general purpose mics laying around.

Always available to chat, offer advice or opinion - 908-899-1277

Attachment(s)

StageMics.pdf   373 KB 1 version

Hey,

We work with a company, ALL PRO SOUND, out of Florida. They not only have very good prices but the offer consultative services as well. I recommend that you reach out to them with the specifications of the space and see what they come up with.