Tips on Sound Systems
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Simple Tips for Leaders using PA Systems

Successful sound is a partnership between the person behind the sound desk and the people producing the sound. A lot of simple problems can be quickly solved with a little knowledge if you're the one holding the microphone.

We'll expand this section shortly, but here are 10 simple helpful things you can do:

1. Speak at a consistent and close distance to the microphone, even with your mouth on the metal - the closer you are the less sensitive the microphone needs to be so it will pick up your voice really clearly and avoid most feedback
   
2. Avoid standing close to or directly in front of a speaker, this can easily cause feedback (really high pitched noises)
3. Never cup your hand over the microphone, it does the same thing as putting a shell to your ear, causing noise which then starts to feedback, likewise putting a mic down on a music stand or chair can cause the same issue
   
4. Try to avoid standing on cables, they're more sensitive than you might realise and you can easily pull one out
   
5. Give any music or video to the sound person as early as possible prior to the event, this means they can check the level of the music rather than guess. Guessing means it can come in too loud or they start it quiet to avoid this and it takes a while to get it up to the level, possibly ruining the effect you hoped for - remember that every piece of music has a different level and it won't necessarily work because it did last time. It also gives the sound guy a chance to listen through the piece and not make it too loud at the start. This is particularly important for video which is harder to set up and might require more setup
   
6. Wireless microphones need some care especially as many people use them, if you're giving the mic to others to use then try to encourage them to keep the mic close to their mouths otherwise the sensitivity level needs to keep being adjusted
7. If you want to start speaking and it isn't obvious because you are sitting down, make sure you catch the attention of the person at the desk first so they can take your microphone off mute, otherwise no-one will hear you and you'll have to repeat yourself and break the effect
   
8. Tie-clip and lapel mics sound good only if they are positioned correctly and nothing gets in their way. Avoiding jewellery and necklaces really helps (they make scratching noises), as well as ruffles or fluffy things around the neck, and avoiding low-cut tops helps get the mic into the right position.
9. Microphones only pick up within a certain area, so you need to turn with your microphone, particularly a tie-clip/lapel mic. Think of the pickup area like a lightly inflated small balloon
10. Avoid looking down and speaking into a mic or hand gestures in front of your body if using a lapel mic, both can incrase the volume of what you say