Best Man’s speech, Groom’s speech or the Father of the Bride, correctly using a microphone at a wedding can make the difference between being heard and not. Here we explore how to use a microphone to best effect and highlight some simple techniques to make sure that your wedding speech can be heard.
Microphone Techniques for Speeches at Weddings
We’ve all been to weddings where we’ve struggled to hear the speeches. There is nothing worse than a screeching microphone to interfere with an emotional anecdote or to experience so much distortion that it’s virtually impossible to hear what the person is saying.
The screeching noise comes from ‘feedback’ – a process where the speakers are picking up the sound from the microphone and then pumping this audio back out again, which in turn, is then collected by the microphone once more and so an endless loop of noise occurs.
Distortion occurs when the person speaks into the microphone too loudly. Sometimes when this occurs, the microphone can cut out for a split second as the microphone’s own protection mechanism takes over.
So how do we use the microphone correctly for a wedding speech?
To some extent it will depend on the type of mic you are using but as a general rule:
Feedback can be eliminated by positioning yourself away from direct sight of the PA speakers. Often it’s enough to stand with your back to the PA speakers so that your body acts as a barrier between the mic and PA.
Distortion can be minimised by holding the microphone in the correct position and by speaking slightly across the top of the microphone. By tilting the mic at a 45 degree angle you will also avoid the possibility of that annoying ‘popping’ noise.
You don’t want to ruin a speech that you’ve spent ages preparing by using the microphone incorrectly so follow these simple mic techniques to ensure that wedding guests are able to hear your every word.
About the author: Simon Ross is co-founder and joint Director at Live Events Group, a Wedding DJ and Mobile Disco Hire company in the UK.
