For a professional DJ, speaking on a microphone should be the least of our worries. For others who may be called upon, it can be excruciating. Since all of our professions cross paths in one way or another in the course of making great weddings and events, perhaps we can help each other out by sharing this information with others who may need it for an event they are working on.

A bit of schooling for the layperson on how microphones work:

When you hear a microphone squealing, it’s called feedback. The sound is coming out of the speaker and going back into the microphone and through the system and back out the speaker and back into the microphone and a loop is created that sounds like a high pitched squeal. There are a couple of reasons that this may happen. The person using the microphone may walk in front of the high-powered speaker. They may cup their hand over the microphone in an attempt to speak to someone beside them and not have it be broadcast over the sound system. A cupped hand acts as a funnel and draws sound into the microphone and through the system and out the speaker and into the microphone again—feedback. Covering the microphone that way is also an indicator that they weren’t fully prepared to be speaking yet and should have finished preparations before they were introduced to speak. On occasion, the venue may not give the DJ the space needed to place the speakers such that there will be good stereo separation and that those who will use the microphone are far enough away from the speakers to avoid feedback in any case. I try to avoid all of these situations, but when microphones feedback, the DJ is the one who is made to look unprofessional.

To the wedding officiants: Brides and Grooms have often paid an extra fee to have a separate sound system set up for the ceremony itself. When I introduce myself to the officiant, I explain that the microphone is set in place and already turned on and that I will turn up the volume when they take their place. While shaking their hand, I’m also sizing up their height so that I may set the microphone stand exactly where it should be. It is on a boom arm so that it remains out of the way of their hands and their notes. I recently had a minister walk up to begin a lovely garden wedding ceremony and pick up the microphone stand and set it about 8 feet away, rendering it useless. His voice barely reached past the first two or three rows. The sound system provided all of the lovely music that had been chosen by the bride and groom, but more than half of the guests could not even hear the ceremony as it was spoken. Additionally, the videographer that had linked to my sound system to record those words got NOTHING!

If what you have is important enough to say at all, then let it be heard by all—over the sound system—USE the microphone! The DJ can inform microphone users on where to stand and how close to be to the microphone and he or she can even set up microphone stands exactly at the height of their mouths. Take the time to adjust the stand if needed. Trust the DJ to be the sound technician. Disregard what you think it sounds like and just speak clearly into the microphone. Let the DJ adjust the volume to reach the all of the intended listeners. Don’t suddenly step back from the microphone because you think it’s too loud or you dislike the sound of your own voice. What will happen is that the DJ will be forced to turn up the volume to try to capture what little amount of sound is reaching the microphone and risk getting more feedback.

Here’s to a great event!

~Curtis Whipple