Be a Nuisance
Hover, and ask the sound engineer lots of questions. Scheirman suggested a few good ones: Do you have fresh batteries for the wireless mics? Is there a spare mic standing by? Are all the cables and wires taped down or covered with rubber mats? “All those questions put the audiovisual staff on notice that you are a discriminating customer,” said Scheirman.
Here are a few additional sound tips from Scheirman:
— Typically an overhead sound system has the best sound distribution because a speaker is close to most everyone, instead of the sound coming only from the front of the room.
— Conference centers, college and university campuses and hotels with an on-site conference center are often well equipped and staffed to manage sound requirements.
— If a facility’s staff says, “We don’t use wireless mics because we always get static,” its AV department is not up to snuff. Wireless mics will work well when professionals set them on the correct frequency for the area in which they are used.
For more information on AV basics, visit www.institute-of-event-management.com/audio-visual-basics-event-planners.
