SwissMixx Audio Presents

Audio101

Marco's no-nonsense guide to fixing sound problems -- before they ruin your event.

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Step 1

Who are you?

Pick your crew and I'll highlight what matters most for YOU.

Pick one or more -- tips for your crew will light up through the guide.

01
Chapter 01

The Screech

Why does it go EEEEEEE?

That horrible screeching sound has a name: feedback. It happens when your microphone hears the speakers playing back what it just said, then plays THAT back too, getting louder and louder in less than a second. It's a sound loop that went crazy.

Aha Moment

Feedback is not broken equipment. It's physics. The mic got too close to a speaker, or the volume got too high. Move one thing and it stops.

Quick Fixes

  • Move the mic away from the speakers.
  • Turn down the channel fader a little.
  • Aim speakers forward -- never sideways toward the mic.
  • Always sound check before guests arrive.
Bride Church DJ Band Venue Corporate Theatre Festival
The Loop MIC SPEAKER EEEEEEEE! THIS IS FEEDBACK
02
Chapter 02

Too Quiet -- Too Loud

The Volume Waterfall

Sound has to travel through a chain of steps before it reaches your ears. If any step is turned down too low, you'll have no volume -- no matter how loud you turn up the last step. If any step is cranked too high, it will distort and sound awful.

Aha Moment

Think of it like filling a water glass. If there's no water coming from the tap, the glass stays empty. You can't fix "no water in the glass" by tilting the glass.

Quick Fixes

  • Check mic gain first (the first step).
  • Then the channel fader.
  • Then the master output.
  • Work from the source forward, not backwards.
Church Venue Band Corporate
The Signal Chain MIC GAIN CHANNEL MASTER SPEAKER LEVEL THE SIGNAL FLOW Each stage needs a healthy level -- mostly green, a little yellow, never red. Good Loud Distortion
03
Chapter 03

Which Mic Is Which

Not all mics are the same

Some mics are meant to be held and sung into. Others clip to your shirt. Some sit flat on a table. Use the wrong one and it will either feed back or sound muffled all night.

Aha Moment

The most common handheld mistake: holding it at your chin. A mic needs to be 4-6 inches from your mouth -- roughly one fist away. Too far and the system has to strain to hear you, which is exactly when feedback starts.

Mic Types -- Pick the Right Tool

  • Handheld -- singers and speeches. Hold it 4-6 inches from your mouth. Not at your chin.
  • Lapel / Lav -- tiny capsule that clips to your shirt or collar. Best for presenters who move.
  • Boundary -- flat mic that lays on a table or floor. Hears everything above the surface.
  • Headset -- clips behind your ear. Stays the same distance from your mouth no matter how you move.

Polar Patterns -- How They Listen

  • Cardioid (Directional) -- picks up from the front only, ignores the back. Best for live sound -- keeps feedback away.
  • Omni (Omnidirectional) -- hears equally in all directions. Easy to place but feeds back faster in loud rooms.
Church Corporate Bride Theatre
Cardioid vs Omni -- How They Hear CARDIOID vs OMNI -- HOW MICS HEAR CARDIOID -- DIRECTIONAL FRONT PICKS UP HERE DEAD ZONE PICKS UP FRONT -- IGNORES THE BACK Best for live sound -- fights feedback OMNI -- ALL DIRECTIONS HEARS EVERYTHING HEARS EQUALLY IN ALL DIRECTIONS Easy to place -- feeds back faster in loud rooms
04
Chapter 04

Where Do The Speakers Go

Speaker placement fixes 90% of problems

Most sound problems come from where the speakers are pointed, not the equipment itself. Speakers should face the audience, and microphones should always be BEHIND the speakers -- not in front of them.

Aha Moment

A speaker pointed at a wall bounces sound everywhere. A speaker pointed at people sends sound where it needs to go. This one change can stop feedback before it starts.

Quick Fixes

  • Aim speakers at the audience -- not the ceiling or walls.
  • Keep mics behind the speakers.
  • Tilt speakers down toward the crowd.
  • For big rooms, use delay speakers instead of one loud source.
Splay -- Your Speaker Has an Angle

Every speaker has a splay angle -- the width of its sound beam, kind of like a flashlight. A 60-degree speaker covers a narrower cone. A 90-degree speaker spreads wider. That number is usually printed on the box or in the manual.

Why it matters: if you know the splay, you can aim the speaker so the sound beam lands on your audience and stops at the back wall -- not bouncing off it. You also know where it is safe to walk with a wireless mic. Stay outside the front of that cone and you avoid the feedback hot zone.

When to Stop DIY

When your single powered speaker/amp cannot fill the room cleanly without cranking it all the way up -- that is the room telling you it is bigger than one box can handle. Cranking causes distortion and feedback before you ever get loud enough.

That is exactly what a single stack line array is built for. It throws sound farther and cleaner than any standalone powered speaker/amp because the elements stack and focus the beam. A single array stack rental can cover a room that would take four or five regular speakers to even attempt.

Bride Church Venue Festival Band
Room Layout TOP DOWN ROOM VIEW BAD MIC Speakers fire into each other. Mic is in the crossfire = FEEDBACK. GOOD MIC (safe) Speakers cover the audience. Mic stays behind the blast zone = no feedback. Speaker (top view) -- wide end = front (sound out)
05
Chapter 05

Cables: The Silent Killers

The broken cable you can't see

Most "no sound" problems are a cable. They look fine on the outside but the wire inside can break from being stepped on, rolled over, or wrapped too tight. XLR cables (the three-pin ones) are the best for mics and speakers. The 3.5mm aux cable (the headphone plug) is fine for phones and DJ controllers into a mixer -- but only for short distances. It picks up hum fast.

Aha Moment

Always test your cable first by swapping it with a known-good cable. One minute of cable testing saves 20 minutes of guessing.

Quick Fixes

  • Swap the cable first -- always.
  • Use XLR cables for mics and speakers.
  • 3.5mm / AUX is fine to a mixer -- not for running to speakers directly.
  • Never wrap a cable around your arm (it breaks the wire inside).
  • Label both ends.
Bride Church DJ Band Venue Corporate Theatre Festival
Know Your Cables FOUR CABLES TO KNOW XLR Mics & speakers USE THIS 1/4 INCH TRS Instruments GUITAR/KEYS RCA Home stereo only NOT FOR PA 3.5mm / AUX Phone, tablet, DJ ctrl SHORT RUNS ONLY INSIDE A CABLE GOOD Wire is connected end to end. BROKEN INSIDE Looks fine outside -- wire is snapped inside. SWAP THE CABLE FIRST. ALWAYS.
06
Chapter 06

The Wireless Mic Rules

Wireless mics hate three things

Wireless mics are amazing until they cut out right during the wedding vow or the pastor's key point. They fail for three reasons: dead battery, wrong frequency, or standing too far from the receiver.

Aha Moment

A wireless mic running on a battery that is 50% dead will cut out without warning. Always put in a fresh battery before every event. Every single time.

Quick Fixes

  • Fresh battery before every event -- no exceptions.
  • Stay within 100 feet of the receiver.
  • Point the antenna toward the stage.
  • Keep the transmitter away from your body when possible.
  • Consumer wireless mics can clash with nearby WiFi -- pro-grade systems handle this automatically.
  • Other RF sources also interfere: cell phones on calls, walkie-talkies, other wireless systems running on the same band, and some LED light fixtures with wireless dimmers. When in doubt, switch to a different channel on the receiver.
Bride Church Corporate DJ
Three Danger Zones MIC RECEIVER DANGER 1 BATTERY Dies mid event DANGER 2 100 FEET MAX Past that -- dropouts KEEP WITHIN RANGE DANGER 3 RF CONFLICT WiFi, phones, LED WIRELESS SYSTEM Mic -- Radio waves -- Receiver -- Mixer
07
Chapter 07

No Sound -- The Checklist

Start here when nothing works

No sound coming out is almost always one of five things. Go through this list in order before you panic or call for help. Most of the time, you find it by step 3.

Aha Moment

99% of "the system is broken" is actually a muted channel, a turned-down fader, or an unplugged cable. Check the simple stuff first -- every time.

The 6 Step Checklist

  • Is it powered on? (Check every device in the chain.)
  • Is it muted? (Channel mute button and master mute.)
  • Are the faders up? (Channel fader AND master.)
  • Is the cable connected? (Both ends.)
  • Is the correct input selected? (Right channel, right input.)
  • Is the gain / trim up? (First knob on the channel strip.)
Bride Church DJ Band Venue Corporate Theatre Festival
The Flowchart IS IT POWERED ON? Every device in chain YES IS IT MUTED? Channel + master NO FADERS UP? Channel + master YES CHECK CABLE + GAIN NO PLUG IT IN And hit the power button YES UNMUTE! Biggest gotcha on earth NO PUSH 'EM UP To the 0 dB mark START HERE WHEN THERE'S NO SOUND
08
Chapter 08

That Annoying Hum

The ground loop monster

A low, constant humming buzz that never stops is called a ground loop. It happens when two pieces of equipment are plugged into different power outlets and their electrical grounds don't agree with each other. It's not broken -- it's confused.

Aha Moment

The fix is almost always a DI box with a ground lift switch. Flip that tiny switch and the hum disappears. It's like magic -- but it's just science.

Quick Fixes

  • Plug everything into the same power strip or distro box.
  • Use a DI box with ground lift.
  • Move power cables away from audio cables.
  • Try a different outlet.
Band Church Venue Corporate
Fix The Hum THE PROBLEM Outlet A Outlet B Guitar Amp Mixer BZZZZZZZZ... THE FIX: DI BOX WITH GROUND LIFT DI BOX GND LIFT IN / OUT / GND QUIET
09
Chapter 09

The Sound Check

10 minutes that save the whole event

A sound check is when you test everything BEFORE the event starts, while you have time to fix problems. Skipping it is like driving a car without checking if it has gas. You will run out, just at the worst possible moment.

Aha Moment

The room sounds completely different when it is full of people. People absorb sound. If you sound checked with an empty room, you will need to make adjustments when guests arrive. Plan for this.

Sound Check Order

  • Check all cables connected.
  • Turn on equipment in order: sources first, powered speakers/amplifiers last.
  • Test each mic one at a time.
  • Set gain (not too quiet, not clipping).
  • Set monitor mix so performers can hear themselves.
  • Walk the room to check coverage.
  • Save your settings if you have a digital mixer.
Bride Church DJ Band Venue Corporate Theatre Festival
The Timeline SOUND CHECK -- 10 MINUTES 1 CHECK CABLES 2 POWER ON: SOURCES FIRST, AMPS LAST 3 TEST EACH MIC ONE BY ONE 4 SET GAIN -- NOT CLIPPING 5 SET MONITOR MIX FOR PERFORMERS 6 WALK THE ROOM, CHECK COVERAGE 7 SAVE YOUR SETTINGS
10
Chapter 10

Talking To Your Sound Person

They are not psychic

Sound engineers cannot hear what you hear from where you are standing. They cannot see your face from behind the mixing board. Communication is the most important part of any event's audio. Tell them what you need in plain language -- they want to help.

Aha Moment

Instead of "it sounds bad" try "the vocals are hard to understand compared to the music." Specific problems get specific fixes. Vague complaints get guessing.

Communication Tips

  • Use "more" or "less" instead of "louder" -- everything is relative.
  • Say what you hear, not what you think the fix is.
  • Do a sound check together before guests arrive.
  • Have one person communicate -- not five people at once.
  • Ask "what do you need from me?" before the event starts.
Bride Festival Corporate Church Venue Band
Speak Specifics VAGUE "IT SOUNDS WEIRD." SPECIFIC "The bass guitar is louder than the vocals -- can we bring the vocals up?" SPECIFIC PROBLEMS GET SPECIFIC FIXES
Your Quick Guide

Built For Your Crew

Pick your audience above and your cards light up here. These are the tips that matter most for the job you actually do.

No audience selected yet.

Scroll back up and tap one of the eight cards to unlock your personalized tips.

DIY Bride / Event Host

  1. Use a wired lavalier mic for the vows, not a handheld.
  2. Sound check the day before, not 10 minutes before.
  3. Hire someone to run audio -- it is worth every dollar.
  4. Keep speakers at the front of the ceremony space.
  5. Test every music cue before guests arrive.

Church / Worship Volunteer

  1. Set monitor levels before turning on the main speakers.
  2. Walk the room every single service.
  3. Use less reverb than you think you need.
  4. Keep a labeled cheat sheet on the console.
  5. Never change too much at once -- one knob, listen, repeat.

DJ

  1. Speaker placement stops feedback before it starts.
  2. Test your wireless mic before the first dance.
  3. Keep a wired backup mic within arm's reach.
  4. Green and yellow on meters is good. Red is distortion.
  5. Bring a spare XLR cable for every mic you use.

Band Member / Musician

  1. Never cup the mic -- it kills the pattern and causes feedback.
  2. Ask for YOUR mix in YOUR monitor, not a stage blend.
  3. Keep amp volume lower on stage -- the engineer runs the house.
  4. If feedback starts in your monitor, step back from it.
  5. Tune quietly. Open strings are not a sound check.

Venue Manager

  1. Know where your breakers are -- before you need them.
  2. Keep a list of all input locations in the building.
  3. Stock spare XLR cables on-site.
  4. Know the difference between monitor mix and main mix.
  5. Label every cable, every input, every speaker.

City / Festival Planner

  1. Check local noise ordinance decibel limits first.
  2. Outdoor sound needs more power than indoor sound.
  3. Windscreens on every mic -- plan for weather.
  4. Use delay towers for large crowds, not one loud stack.
  5. Hire certified audio professionals for any large event.

Corporate AV

  1. Presenters need lavalier mics, not handhelds.
  2. Test every video and audio source 30 minutes before go-time.
  3. Keep a wired backup for every wireless mic.
  4. Mute open mics when presenters are not speaking.
  5. Brief every presenter on mic technique before they go on.

School / Theatre

  1. Fresh batteries every performance -- not every other one.
  2. Label every mic pack with the student's name.
  3. Build a mic check into every rehearsal.
  4. Never leave mic packs in pants pockets -- sweat kills them.
  5. Keep a mic repair kit backstage, stocked and labeled.

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