Sound quality is one of the most important aspects of any event, whether it's a conference, a concert, a wedding, or a party. Poor sound quality can ruin the mood, the message, and the experience of your attendees. How can you ensure optimal sound quality at your events? Here are some tips to help you plan, test, and troubleshoot your sound system.
The first step to ensuring optimal sound quality is to choose the right equipment for your event. This includes the speakers, the microphones, the mixer, the cables, and the power supply. You need to consider the size, the shape, and the acoustics of your venue, as well as the type, the number, and the location of your sound sources. You also need to make sure that your equipment is compatible, reliable, and well-maintained. You may want to consult a professional sound engineer or hire a reputable sound company to help you select and set up your equipment.
Invest in a suitable sound system for the venue, including speakers, amplifiers, mixers, and microphones. Employ an experienced sound engineer to manage settings, monitor levels, and troubleshoot during the event. Strategically place speakers considering audience size and venue layout. Calibrate the system in advance through thorough testing. Minimize ambient noise using barriers and absorbent materials. Choose the right microphone type and placement to prevent interference. Provide monitors for performers. Ensure a stable power supply to avoid issues. Keep backup equipment and consider redundant systems. Communicate with performers about technical requirements. Perform regular maintenance for optimal equipment performance.
Best practices for optimal sound quality at events: 1. Invest in a high-quality sound system, appropriate for the space size. 2. Understand the acoustics of the venue and make necessary adjustments to optimize sound quality. 3. Hire an experienced sound engineer. 4. Conduct thorough sound checks before the event. 5. Properly position the speakers to ensure even coverage. 6. Implement feedback prevention techniques to minimize unwanted audio feedback. 7. Use signal processing equipment. 8. Establish clear communication channels between the sound engineer, event organizers and performers. 9. Consider the comfort of the audience. 10. Evaluate the sound quality and gather feedback from attendees and performers after the event.
For a fully remote virtual event, you may find that not all of your presenters have the right equipment. Here's a list to keep in mind for starters and to point them all in the right direction: 1. Wired USB mic (not their earbuds. and for the love of all that's holy, put those customer service desk headphone mics DOWN...no one likes hearing nose breath): A simple Blue Snowball mic will work wonders for most people 2. A correctly placed and angled camera: doesn't have to be $5000+DSLR camera. It can be as simple as your iphone (those cameras are AMAZING). Just ensure they've got it in landscape...not TikTok mode. And get it framed correctly. That means at least the top 3rd of them should be seen without cutting off the top of their head.
Something that I learned early on is to pack for inevitabilities - cables will fail, you’ll need longer extension cables, someone will want a wireless mic at the last second, etc. Keeping a stock of common items that may be needed will help avoid unnecessary distress, and will demonstrate your preparedness and ability to anticipate needs.
Find a venue that has equipment such as a local theatre. Usually, this type of venue will have someone who is in charge of the equipment and can tell you what will be compatible with the theatre’s setup. At least one week before the event, you should go to the venue for a rehearsal with all of the groups or individuals who will be using the equipment. Therefore, you should make rehearsal time a part of your event planning schedule and make sure all involved can attend. Presenters should be told about the type of equipment at the venue, as well as what they will need to adapt to what is available. Each presenter should be allowed to rehearse at this time, so they can become comfortable within the venue and with the equipment.
The second step to ensuring optimal sound quality is to test your sound system before and during your event. You need to check the volume, the balance, the clarity, and the feedback of your sound system in different areas of your venue. You also need to test your microphones, your speakers, and your connections for any interference, distortion, or noise. You may want to use a sound level meter or a spectrum analyzer to measure and adjust your sound levels. You should also have a backup plan in case of any technical issues or power outages.
Test. Your. Sound. System. I don't care if it worked yesterday, you're testing it again. Test. It. You will not like it, nor will your audience, if the audio or video doesn't work.
If you are in control of you sound and working on testing. Make sure to go volume up higher than what you expect to present/perform at. This will blow out any bugs or sound issues and you can get ahead of these before your event.
Yes, please test your audio equipment to ensure that the quality is good. I know things happen at times but a lot of audio mishaps can be avoided prior to the event. This is one of the most embarrassing moments at an event where a presentation or singer performing and the sound system goes out. As an event planning the audio sound checks need to be at the top of the list.
The third step to ensuring optimal sound quality is to troubleshoot common problems that may affect your sound system. Feedback, echo, and noise are some of the most common issues. Feedback is a loud squealing or humming sound that occurs when the sound from the speakers is picked up by the microphones and amplified. To prevent it, you should position your speakers away from your microphones, use directional microphones, lower the volume or the gain of your sound system, and use equalizers to cut out the frequencies that cause feedback. Echo is the delayed or repeated sound that occurs when the sound from the speakers bounces off the walls or other surfaces of your venue. To reduce it, you should use fewer speakers, place them closer to your audience, and avoid pointing them at reflective surfaces. Additionally, acoustic treatments such as curtains, carpets, or panels can be used to absorb the sound and improve the acoustics of your venue. Noise is any unwanted or distracting sound that interferes with your sound system. To minimize noise, you should isolate your sound system from other sources of noise, use shielded cables, avoid crossing or coiling your cables, and use filters or noise gates to remove or reduce noise.
We make sure we attend ( when possible ) a live event in the proposed venue. We sit in different spots and take notes on any out of the ordinary sound issues. We then discuss during pre-production meeting and share those concerns with the venue prior to booking.
The fourth step to ensuring optimal sound quality is to train your staff on how to use and monitor your sound system. You need to have a dedicated sound technician or team who can operate your mixer, adjust your levels, and handle any problems that may arise. You also need to have a clear communication system between your sound technician, your presenter, your performers, and your audience. You should also provide your staff with the necessary tools, such as headphones, microphones, batteries, and spare cables, to ensure a smooth and successful sound operation.
What also helps would be to have a little “educational”chat on positions on stage or holding mic upright and not facing the monitors for example . In my experience, mos inexperienced singers are not aware of what they should ask for in their In-ear monitors so it helps the process if there was a chat about these things .
Designate one to two people to be the tech people, if you don't already have them. They should know what to do, when you need audio or visuals, and how the sound system in the venue works. Run through it with them there and adjust to what they say.
One thing I have found that works for us is to involve the entire team in the walk-through of the venue and have the "sound" discussion in the room with the venue's Technical Director and Sound Director so that they can hear my vision and ask informed questions in our pre-production and production meetings.
The fifth step to ensuring optimal sound quality is to get feedback from your audience on how they perceive and enjoy your sound system. You can use various methods, such as surveys, polls, interviews, or social media, to collect and analyze your audience's feedback. You should ask your audience about the volume, the clarity, the balance, and the overall quality of your sound system. You should also ask them about any problems or complaints they may have, and how they affect their satisfaction and engagement. You should use this feedback to improve your sound system and your event planning for future events.
The sixth and final step to ensuring optimal sound quality is to keep learning and improving your sound system and your event planning skills. You should always stay updated on the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in sound engineering and event production. You should also seek advice and guidance from experts, peers, and mentors in the field. You should also evaluate your own performance and identify your strengths and weaknesses. You should always strive to deliver the best sound quality possible for your events.
One thing I have found helpful is to always ask questions of Sound Designers and Technicians. They usually are ahead of the learning and equipment curve.
Make any presentation you do actually interesting to watch and sit through. Too many times, people do marketing presentations that sounds interesting on paper, but it ends up being watching a screen for 45 minutes to an hour. Doing that ten times a day is nowhere near as interesting as you think it is. Give your audience something to chew on and engage with, whether it's trivia or hands-on things, if you can.
Wen in doubt leave soundcto the experts. You have enough to worry about. So have a great relationship with your audio team. Get to know their staff so they have an investment in your success.