Garbage In Garbage Out

Garbage In Garbage Out (GIGO) is a well-used phrase in the tech industry. The basic sentiment is that in most cases the quality of the output of a system is limited by the quality of the input. For example you can write a novel using MS Word. MS Word can recognize spelling mistakes and can recognize some grammatical errors, but in general it is not going to translate your document into a world-class novel.

GIGO applies to sound systems as well. If a singer is off-key or an instrument is out of tune the sound system will simply amplify the error and make it more apparent. In a recording studio there are all sorts of magic tricks to enhance a performance beyond it's original quality, but in general the end result is a disappointment when you hear the performer live. The performer is unable to reproduce the sound you heard on the radio or the CD. For a classic example Milli Vanilli.

So, on to one of my pet peeves related to GIGO: proper microphone technique. In the church we are affected greatly by poor use of a microphone. If a microphone is given a bad input signal, it will produce poor output at the speakers. Here is a litany of things not to do:

1. "I don't need a microphone, everyone can hear me"
1. This is not true. People have different levels of hearing. Some people will hear you fine, others will not hear you at all, and even worse, some people will hear your voice but it will not be easy to understand. The A/V team is giving you a mic for both amplification and intelligibility. For example the people to your side or behind you will not hear you. Please use a mic when it is offered. As the A/V chair I get more complaints about this than anything else.
   
2. Treating the microphone as if it was a ice cream cone.
1. Some people hold a microphone in a vertical position and then talk over the top of the mic. The head of the microphone will not fall off! Microphones are designed to not pickup sound coming from the side. They are intended to pickup sounds coming directly into the top of the microphone. As a general rule you should lean the microphone towards you mouth. Instead of a ice cream cone imagine the mic is a flashlight. If the flashlight is oriented properly the light would illuminate your mouth. It should not hit the ceiling above you or the wall behind you.
2. This is one of the reasons a person's voice will sound different on a bluetooth headset than it will with a regular phone.
   
3. Holding the microphone at your waist
1. As a general rule you cannot be too close to a microphone. A mic held next to your tummy and pointing at the ceiling (or even leaning away from the speaker, yes I have video of this) will not produce good results. In general 2-3 inches from your mouth is good. If you are an American Idol singer or an operatic tenor then other mic positions are useful but in most cases 2-3" inches is about right. If the mic is too far away, we have to turn the gain up on the input channel and will probably get feedback.
4. Tapping the microphone or blowing into it
   
1. Microphones are sensitive instruments. Harsh handling can damage a microphones inner workings. It is simply much better to say "Can you hear me" if you have any doubts. We do not tap our cell phones or blow into them when the listener complains. We readjust the phones position and ask "Can you hear me now?". Treat a microphone with the same level of decency. Remember it cost more than your cell phone.

Microphones are tools. Learning how to use them properly will help everyone to more clearly hear what you are saying or singing. And that is the main point to using a microphone in the first place.