If you want to perform in any way, shape or form then you WILL need to know how to do a sound check.
At the very least you want to be able to make sure you can hear yourself properly over the band and then there’s the whole not wanting look like a dufus when the sound tech asks you to check your vocals at the bar in front of everyone.
However, there is a lot more to doing a sound check than just shouting ‘Check 1, 2…’ into the mic. So to get you started in today’s video I’ll explain a few of the most important things to look out for and make sure you sound great.
Nicola x
Video Summary
If you want to perform at any level, you will need to know how to do a sound check.[spacer height=”20px”]
Sound checking your microphone properly is one of the most important skills you should learn Basically if the sound coming out of your mic is not altered correctly to suit your voice then it can make you sound bad no matter how well you sing.[spacer height=”20px”]
So here are a few things to look out for next time you step up to the mic, to make sure you sound great, every time.[spacer height=”20px”]
1. Make sure your vocals are loud enough:[spacer height=”20px”]
The biggest complaint the audience has is when the singer isn’t loud enough. So make sure the sound tech turns you up enough through the Front Of House speakers (those are the speakers the AUDIENCE hears)[spacer height=”20px”]
I have no edge to my voice in that it is very smooth and doesn’t cut through. I’ve got a lot of low tones going on there and my voice gets lost in the mix with all the other instruments. so i need to tell the sound tech to turn my voice up. I tell him to turn the lows down and the mids up.[spacer height=”20px”]
2. Make sure the HIGH isn’t turned up too much:[spacer height=”20px”]
When a sound tech is mixing your sound, (so your sound goes out from your mic, into a mixing console and then through the speakers) : when he’s mixing the levels of your sound, at a basic level, has has four things to fiddle around with:[spacer height=”20px”]
The Lows: so the bassy tones
The Mids: the greys in your voice
The highs: the treble in your voice[spacer height=”20px”]
If you have a bad sound tech, he will have your HIGHS up way too much and this is when you get that horrible tinny, sound and at worst , that awful high pitched screech that comes through the mic. I get this all the time when they are trying to get my voice to cut through. They should mix the whole band properly so that you stand out. Tell them to lay off the highs.[spacer height=”20px”]
3. Make sure you can hear the other instruments properly through your own speaker. (These are the FOLDBACK speakers; so that you can hear yourself on stage.)[spacer height=”20px”]
I like to have a bit of the keys player come through my speaker because that’s the instrument I’m used to listening to the most for my cues. Some people like to have bass, other guitar, but you should be able to hear yourself clearly as well as the other instruments through your foldback speakers. Don’t be afraid to tell the sound tech what you want.[spacer height=”20px”]
So those are three important things to be looking out for during a sound check to get you started.[spacer height=”20px”]
Now I’d love to hear from you!
Did you find this video helpful? Are there any things you personally like to do in your sound check that I haven’t spoken about yet?[spacer height=”20px”]
Please let me know in the comments below.[spacer height=”20px”]
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Hi, Thank very much for your help but for me my problem is how to sing in the cord/key always my teacher telling me that I’m singing out of the key and another problem is fearing on the stage.
I hope you will send me other exercises for my improvement. I love you.
Hi Rhoda, You probably just need to do a bit of ear training. Try this video https://singerssecret.com/how-to-sing-harmony/ Nicola xx
What are technical words i need to know to communicate with the sound technician for check the sound?
Helped a lot ! Thanks
My problem as a Sound guy is the boost of energy the performer gets at the actual event which makes all other settings (monitor level, compresssion…etc) go off.
There is a significant (unintentional) difference to their power between Sound check and the actual event when they meet the crowd.
What I do is try to compensate for that boost during the Sound check. For example I add 5 more dB than I usually would to that singer during Sound check, and before the event I bring down those 5dBs to compensate for the boost he’ll get.
So far this works for me, but is there a better way?
Thanks