Microphone Prescense 101

[Robert Are]

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Microphone Presense 101

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ok folks..here we go...
First..I see this as the MC Education 101 forum..therefore...this is not only textceeing..its about real Emceeing too...

Now..lets get into microphone presense...
The main thing an Emcee can have is Microphone presense..this can be described in the following:

Sound
on beat
dominating the beat
voice
breath control
mic grip


sound
^^this is how one sounds on the microphone..many different factors go into how a person sounds on the mic..one could be the mic your using..If your are trying to drop audios and you are using the Gateway mic that came woth your 200Mhz computer...you are probly getting a shitty sound in your voice..since Money is always an issue..I say go get the Sony f-v220 microphone..its $20 (cheap!) and it gives a a very throaty sound(method man)..very strong bass pick up on this mic..its omnidirectional..so grip it right, but well get into that later on..now for the more focused emcee..go with the Shure SM-58 microphone...by far the best for the money microphone that an emcee can get..its not a condensor mic or anything, but it gets the job done , and gets a beautiful sound to your voice...

on beat
^^this is your ones being in tune and with the respective beat that he is rockin to on the mic..now an emcee's second main weapon is his beat riding..doing this properly will make even the shittiest lyrics at least sound better(maybe..nah..probly not..lol)but how is this done...can it really be described how to stay on beat...hmm..the best way I can explain it first to FEEL the beat yaknow??...
then find the snare..no hiphop beat is even a beat with out the snare..
listen to the snare...when it hits is mostly when u want to ryme ..for example..

verse blah blah blah back, blah blah blah wack
track bom bom bom SNARE, bom bom bom SNARE

I suggest try yourself to stay on the snare..it will keep you in line..and you will also have automatic flow..also flow entails having a certain rhythm to your words..dont just spit some shit and expect it to flow together in realtime...spit something, and listen to it...if it doesnt work...try a differnt saying or ryme shcme...I would suggest readin RC's FLOW peice..really it helps in text and audio....and in mic pressence

dominateing the beat
once you have found the way to stay on target, and stay on beat, and your flow is straight..next you need to dominate the beat...take that summabitch by the throat and punch it in its eyeball!!...what I mean here is..dont let the beat dominate you..it makes for a wack Emcee..even with ill lyrics..if your on some ol softspoken shit you are letting the beat do your job...you are the MC..Move the Crowd.....nuff said

voice
hmm...voice..one cant really change their voice..if they sound wack they sound wack..howeverif you have some level of bitch to your voice..you can change that...EMceeing is alot like singing..stand the fuck up..let the words come from your diaphram..alot of times..a head will write their words down..then spit them..NO NO NO!! you cant do this...you can put any felling into a peice if you rae sitting down and just saying some shit you wrote down...memorize your verses..and spit them, STANDING up with emotion...I can damn near GA RON TEE your voice will sound better..

breath control
lol...KRS's favorite topic..as an emcee..when spitting a verse.you MUST have breath control..no question...what do I mean??..ok..
alot of heads..after posting here for months , want to write some shit, then spit it in audio...NO..cant do that..heres why..the text world and real lyrics are two different things...and whereas you can fit like 75 words in one line in text and sometimes get away with it..you will NEVER get away with it if the beat doesnt allow it...so..if your find yourself getting out of breath and dont know where to breath after four lines...your breath control sucks...this could be from your writing...look at Wizzes shortening of lines posts..it works in all fronts..
secondly in text you dont have to have breath points when u write, but in the real emcee world you do...when you write..write with the intended beat, and say ryme to that beat numerously..find you natural breath points and exploit them..it will help..

mic grip
yeah..this is probly the most overlooked element of microphone pressence..WHY??..because its overlooked..I dont know..but ..heres the thing..the way you hold a mic greatly effects the sound you will get out of it..the mics internal working make for it to be held a certain way..thus gettin a certain sound...holding the mic up at the top with your lips touching the spit gaurd wont give you same sound as if your are holding the mic at the base..spitting 5 inches away...I suggest practicling with different grips, and finding which one gets the sound you are lookin for..I personally hold mine toward the top..about 2 inches away... but its up to you...

I hope this helps in any way...
knowledge knowledge
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I found this & thought some of you might need it [I know I do]. Hopefully, it helps, I definitley will use this.

[Grimy]

Props, good lil tutorial, will help people.