Re: [Callers] How to "Ring out a (microphone) channel"

Will wrote: "Your overall goal is to adjust the sound coming out of the house speakers to get as much volume as you can without any 'ringing' sound." Thank you Will for this information. I understand how this process would work for most PA system setups at musical concerts and other performances. It is certainly targeted at minimizing feedback--a worthy goal in any situation. I have concerns, however, if this is the best way to set up a caller's mike. When I attend dances I find that the caller's mike is often set up with a lot of low frequency response and little high frequency. I wonder if that may be because the audio person has followed this very advice. With little high frequency response the caller is likely to have difficulty being understood clearly because the highs are essential for hearing the speech articulation sounds that help us to distinguish between words. The words "left" and "right," for example, will sound almost identical when the high frequencies are removed. A concert is a very different situation than a social event. At a concert the fans already know the words and those who don't can simply buy the album and read the insert, (if that kind of thing is important to them). The voice is really being used as a musical instrument and clear articulation is not vital. The context of words in a song will often reveal the meaning without being able to make out every word. In any case there is no pressure to catch every word either sung or spoken. Do you remember the sound of a PA system on a military ship? You've heard it in movies. The voice is transmitted through metal horns that are very tinny, reproducing all of the high frequencies with great effectiveness. This may not sound soothing or melodious but in a critical situation--where lives depend on instructions being understood clearly--this setup is perfect for cutting through the roar of the sea, the engines, and the wind to make the message understandable. At a contra dance we don't need the blare of a ship's PA system, but the principle is an important one. English is not a tonal language and fricatives, stops, and glides are essential for communication. We need to hear these speech elements clearly, and they all occur in the higher frequencies. Contra dances are social events. As such the PA system is really there for reinforcement only and high volume does not need to be the primary goal. Perhaps our efforts would be better directed at discussing the skills a caller uses to earn and hold the attention of the hall so that we can lower the overall volume. For many dancers this would be greatly appreciated. It would lower stress levels in the hall and encourage a more sociable and gracious tone. I find that at a lower volume I can crank up the treble on my mike without feedback problems. It is much easier to be understood at a lower volume with the high frequencies emphasized. Thank you Will for educating me on this technique. I can see why it is done and I can also see how it can create problems for a dance caller. I would be very interested to hear what others think of all this. Just a thought, Greg ********* At 06:42 PM 5/6/2009, Will wrote: