Kinesiology Tape for mic packs

[stagemanagement]

Hey All

 

Does anyone have any experience of using Kinesiology tape for holding mic packs onto performers?

I've got a run of The Full Monty coming up and the inevitable question of pack fitting has come up; "I don't know, I'm not responsible for wardrobe!" hasn't worked.

 

Kinesiology tape is surely adhesive enough and strong enough to hold a Trantec S5 pack onto the small of the back; but I'm wondering how it reacts to sweat over a time period?...

[ImagineerTom]

correct me if I'm wrong but from memory isn't the show structured so that during the strip scene they don't have dialogue specifically so that there's no mic issues?

[cedd]

Can’t come t prcifically on the tape but...

Having asked these questions myself recently I found a few solutions;

 

On the professional production the wireless packs lived in their hats and the piece was choreographed so the hats only came off after the last sung line.

I’m using click track at the director’s request. I’m actually doing the recording session this Sunday.

Theatre Sound supplies have some nice looking elasticated pouches which come in a white flesh colour. You might have to get some dye for Horse!

Or the other option (my preference but not taken up sadly) is simply don’t hide the mics at all. Get red “lacy” pouches (actually red children’s trainer socks and shoe laces) and make a thing of them. It says “we’re mic’d and doing this live”.

[MarkBarl]

An am-dram production a couple of years ao I did, the packs were sewn into the hats.

[sandall]

Saw a Japanese version of "J C Superstar" a few years ago, which opened with him DSC dressed in just a loin-cloth, & with only a normal amount of hair (no hat). Definitely heavily mic'd (sound op was a bit late on the fader), but from front row of stalls (it was a freebie) absolutely no wire visible when he turned his back.

 

I've recently had far more experience of surgical tape than I might have wished for, & can vouch for its sticking properties. It is a lot less visible than kinesiology tape, so a quick spray of the packs in invisible paint & away you go.

[PeterT]

Did it years ago and used hand-helds for the end. it was a well choreographed routine with guys sharing mics and knowing when to put them down.

[cedd]

I made the hand held suggestion and think it would have been a great way of doing it. Choreograph the use of the mic stands to really fit in with the piece - think Freddy Mercury or Michael Jackson and their use of them. It could have been a great prop and addition to the scene.

 

Sadly the director has been in the show before and that was clicked, so that’s how it’s to be done.