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[Brad Harris]

Again this weekend I struggled & failed with getting the (amateur) speakers/orators at the mic anywhere near loud enough.  I've never found a good solution to this:  The more I turn-up the more they back-off... till the system's at the threshold of feedback (40+? dB of gain) and the orator is 2ft. back from the mic and whispering... with the on-going/end result being that their delivery is roughly the same as if they were speaking to the audience in their normal voice and there was no PA.  I explain "be on the mic and project"... that lasts a max of about 2 seconds.  Turning off the monitors helps... some, but: Any suggestions?

1/ Higher Q speakers .... not just on paper, but in real world and down low in frequency.
          If they can't hear themselves as well from the main system while standing at the lecturn (or wandering around on stage), then they won't speak as quiet as easily. Also second benefit, typically better GBF as well.


2/ Delay speakers
          You can keep the level going, even if the lecturer tries not to.


3/ Decoy audience member to yell "speak up!" every 8 seconds after they start talking quietly again ... and again ... and again






Brad

[Dave Pluke]

I wouldn't even bother with monitors for spoken word, especially corporate.

Agreed. The only things I send into the monitors at corporate or HoW are Q&A mics and Audio from Video.

Dave

[Brian Jojade]

=
3/ Decoy audience member to yell "speak up!" every 8 seconds after they start talking quietly again ... and again ... and again

Sucky thing about that is that non decoy audience members will blame the sound guy each time, even though it's not the sound guy's fault.

[Scott Helmke]

- Put the smallest screen possible on the podium if they're talking to a powerpoint or otherwise, forces those with bad eyes (and even good eyes) to stay close enough to read lol

One time I had somebody push the mic out of their way so they could lean in and read their notes better.

[Bob Stone]

One time I had somebody push the mic out of their way so they could lean in and read their notes better.

Damn lol

[Mac Kerr]

One time I had somebody push the mic out of their way so they could lean in and read their notes better.

"ONE" time?

Mac

[Mike Caldwell]

"ONE" time?

Mac

Yea, only one time!!!

Had a person speaking at a lectern and was actually ok on the mic......until they moved to the
side of the lectern to face cross stage to look at the people they were speaking about.

There was just this in the Study Hall section  https://www.prosoundweb.com/learned-improvement-musing-on-the-potential-of-a-microphone-boot-camp/

[Wayne Smith2]

Some people just feel uncomfortable being heard.

There is a band I work with pretty regularly, musicians that I've done sound for in several bands going back to the 80's, the keyboard/bass player is impossible to get in the mix, I turn her up and she turns herself down, very frustrating. On Friday she tried to explain it like a pasta salad, she likes it all to blend in perfectly. How about you let me worry about the blend of peppers in the house pasta salad and you worry about it on your plate? She says fair enough, then proceeds to turn herself down every time I get her into the mix and whisper when she sings lead, close to 40 years this has been happening 

I wouldn't normally presume to suggest this but if you haven't already, my nature would have me doing a few house/front mix recordings for her to hear the situation 'in context.

[Bill Hornibrook]

I've run weeknight karaoke shows for years, and this is a common occurrence with young newbie singers. If they tell me "My heart's beating so hard it feels like it's coming out of my chest!" I know they're going to be quiet as a mouse. And their table of friends are telling me to turn them up while they keep backing off the mic.

This will usually dramatically correct itself with experience and when the alcohol kicks in. Then it's the opposite I have to deal with.

[ProSoundWeb Community]