Microphones are wonderful, but occasionally you'll get a mic that picks up anything, no matter what, and blasts it through the sanctuary, auditorium, classroom, etc.--particularly if you have a powerful voice.

Here's a trick I picked up in my college radio days: If you're too near the mic, extend your hand in front of you between your mouth and the mic and spread your fingers. The thumb should be near your mouth, while the tip of your pinky should just barely touch the mic. In my case, that puts abour six inches between your mouth and the mic, and if need be, you can adjust it to meet your needs.

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keepin' the beat goin' and passing it on!

A few extra notes, pun intended.

When singing the word "the," keep in mind that if the next word begins with a consonant, it's better to sing the "thuh" sound. If the next word starts with a vowel, use the "thee" sound, as:

"The first Noel, the angel did say" would come out "Thu-uh first Noel, thee angel did say..."

When singing a short "i", it sounds smoother if you sing it almost as if it were a long "e" sound, as in:

"Holy Spirit, come into our lives" would come out "Holy Speer-it, come eento our lives."

And, whatever you do, avoid holding a final "r" sound for an extended period. It sounds a bit like a car's starter motor whirring and comes out a bit annoying.

Try the "Boston" approach and lose the "rrrr." For example: "Strange dear, but true dear, when I'm close to you, dear" sounds much smoother as "Strange deah, but true deah, when I'm close to you, deah."

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keepin' the beat goin' and passing it on!