Proximity effect

Finally Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli two subtly different techniques, he is singing slightly down she is singing straight out.

To be honest I wonder just how much miking is actually going on as these calibre of singers can sing fantastically well unaided.

Sarah Brightman - voice of an angel 

You are so right of course. Here is the start  of another (challenge worthy) misunderstanding.
I don’t advocate miking instead of singing. If the singing is rotten, no mic kan save the show.
But I think that the mic is the distribution part, therefore part of the instrument.
To catch the voice in the most favorable way, you have to be aware that using a mic is a technique in itself.

Frank Sinatra was known to get really pissed at people he could hear breathing in the mic. He told repeatedly that the people (women mostly) he caught breathing in the mic didn’t have a clue about the instrument. Untill his daughter did it and then there was little comment left. He himself breathed in through the corner of his mouth.

So yes, singing is very important, but nowadays we hear nothing without a mic.
Kind regards, Gus

Look how she actually drops the mic to fit her stature too.

Check out the slight proximity effect at 1:24 when she looks down at herself as she sings the word "up". You can hear the slight tonal difference in that word as her mouth gets closer to the mic.

Good spot @Leonard Scaper and thinking about mouth shapes is important too. Check out 4mins 50 secs when she adopts a certain mouth-shape for a particular held note. We learn some of that stuff in choir singing as it can have a great impact on what comes out. Even for non-professionals like us it's worth trying singing things in different ways. Certain techniques can make for a much more controlled performance.

Hi @robertkc   … to the left of your screen below the members name in their post you'll see a heart and the bracketed text [ one karma coin for you]  … you click that.     … maybe a few times !      I like even numbers. 

Thanks @Bill from November Sound - I`ll practice on a few karma hearts!

Very cool!

@LePlongeur  - I kind of do that angled down slightly above for her most of the time already. Although that suspend from the ceiling contraption looks like a nice piece of new gear to me!   

You know @MrBouzouki  the sing across the top of it ala Sarah Brightman looks pretty cool. ( love Sarah Brightman - btw    ...) Of course here and especially with the Josh Groban this is really top quality equipment in a really top quality hall or room .....  so it might not be the best in a lousy bedroom studio.