Why Holding the Microphone Head Can Ruin Your Live Performance: Tips for Aspiring Singers

Before, what was the audio engineering major? I saw a post where Bao, who studied audio engineering, was angry at idols and rappers for grabbing the microphone head, so I looked into the reason. 

When you grab the microphone head, it distorts the sound, makes it muffled instead of spreading, and even causes howling. This makes it extremely difficult for sound directors to manage the audio. Of course, it also makes the sound less appealing.

It’s okay to grab the head occasionally to create an effect for a specific part while singing, or unconsciously (after all, holding the head is ergonomically stable). However, holding the head throughout the entire performance or live show indicates a lack of understanding of sound engineering and vocal skills. Some vocalists with weaker skills might feel it helps with breath control, but that’s a misconception. 

Looking it up, I found quite a few posts from sound directors angrily telling performers not to grab the microphone head. They must be pretty frustrated!