Help me attach a microphone stand to my Halloween costume.

October 1, 2009 8:38 AM

I have a H'ween costume idea that involves a person standing behind a microphone on a stand. I do not want to carry around a microphone + stand all night. What can I make so that the mic+stand moves with me all night without me having to carry it?

I have a microphone, and I have a stand (which several years ago lost its heavy solid base). I'd like to use the actual thing, if possible, but could make something lighter and easier to deal with out of wooden dowels or something. What would be the best way to secure something to my costume so that it always looks like I'm behind a mic stand?

(Note: Actual costume intentionally not mentioned so that I don't get alot of responses saying "I don't think you need a microphone + stand for that costume".)

posted by 23skidoo to grab bag (8 comments total)

Where are you planning to wear the costume? A crowded party might make the stand really encumbering.

Does it require the microphone and the stand? Or could you attach the mic to your left wrist and attach the wire to you somewhere on the right side of your body to give the appearance of a full cord?
posted by 26.2 at 8:47 AM on October 1, 2009

Could you attach a wheel to the bottom of the stand, and push it around?
posted by Lucinda at 8:49 AM on October 1, 2009

Use PVC pipe instead of wooden dowels. It's much, much lighter. The gray electrical conduit stuff should be the right thickness for you. Also, PVC is really easy to glue together with plastic cement, so constructing a frame that would hold the "mic stand" away from your body wouldn't be that hard.

Use a back brace from CVS (on backwards) to strap the stand on to your body. Use something flat and rigid that you wouldn't mind having pressed against your midsection to brace two parallel PVC pipes that extend a foot or so away from your body. Then the mic stand, which would be painted black, would be cemented perpendicular to said parallel supports. You could use the actual mic stand you own here, if you use thumbscrews to allow yourself to secure the stand to the parallel frame. Making the stand detachable would be nice as you'll want to sit down at some point.

One other option, if it would be okay to look like you are leaning forward to croon into a mic (musician vs stand-up comic) would be to make a sort of mic stand holster for your belt.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 8:52 AM on October 1, 2009

You need something like what color guards use to carry flags.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 9:21 AM on October 1, 2009

I would make some false arms that hold the stand as part of the costume, leaving your own arms free. The arms can just be the sleeves of the costume stuffed with paper attached to painted gloves on the end (skin tone or just gloves, depending on the costume) and the stand would be dowelling. Light and easy.
posted by Jakey at 9:28 AM on October 1, 2009

i would not ever want to have a real microphone stand hanging around the base... They're intentionally heavy as shit so you don't knock them over. I think you can get away with a pie pan, a painted thickish dowel or pvc, and a facsimile microphone (foam ball and a toilet paper tube).

Your attachment point is pretty much limited to waste-up... some sort of shoulder holster/harness could work. does the thing need to go all the way to the ground? It's also possible that if you don't want to carry around a microphone and stand you shouldn't make a costume that involves them.
posted by CharlesV42 at 11:01 AM on October 1, 2009

Something like this cigarette girl tray? I'd say a fake microphone/stand would be better than a real one.
posted by JoanArkham at 11:05 AM on October 1, 2009

So, i'm hoping this has nothing to do with Police Academy.
posted by fyrebelley at 2:43 PM on October 1, 2009