Hello steemian hordes! In anticipation of the upcoming debut of the #steemitlocalmusicsociety on discord, I wanted to start posting some tips for all you musicians out there.

I've been running live sound for fifteen plus years now, and I've seen just about every sort of mistake you can make as a performer.

Did you know you can doom your performance from the get go, without missing a single note? #truefacts
It is entirely possible for your performance to suck really bad, even though you gave the best that you had. That's because if your sound sucks, your performance sucks... No matter how awesome your cover of radioactive was.

So, I'll start with my biggest baddie.

A number 1 guaranteed to make you sound awful.

mic cupping

Don't do it. It looks cool too those who don't know any better, but if any professional anywhere sees you doing it, they'll immediately think "Amateur City."

It sounds terrible. Your sound guy will hate you because your significant other is bugging him to turn you up all night long.

Little do they know, you have maxed out all your headroom on that mic. I can't give you any more volume, because it will feedback terribly... Because you are microphoning wrong.

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Let me give you a run down on how microphones ACTUALLY work.

First: the diaphragm.

This is a small medium (usually paper or cloth, but higher end mics have gold speckled mylar and other fancy alloys,) think of it as a tiny trampoline

with magnets attached... that basically sits inside a tunnel of coils. As the pressure waves from your voice or instrument hit the diaphragm it bounces around in that tunnel, and that movement is converted into electricity. Simple right?

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Wrong!

Cause that's not where it stops. It also has little tiny diaphragms on the back side. And through phase cancellation anything that comes at the back of the mic is cancelled out of the signal.

When you cup the mic you cancel the phase cancellation!

Thereby reducing that mics built in feedback cancellation.

In other words, cupping the mic makes feedback! So I can't turn your volume up without gnargly gawdawful noise!

Not to mention that you cut off almost all of the midrange, which is where intelligibility in vocals is strongest.

Which will definitely not showcase your awesome lyrics!

So, to conclude: STOP THAT. Your sound guys will love you, your crowd will finally understand what the hell you're saying, and your S.O. will get off my back and enjoy the show!

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Read about Steemit Local Music Society here:
https://steemit.com/originalmusic/@jessamynorchard/steemit-local-music-society-on-discord-is-almost-ready-we-need-your-help

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Bona Fides

-I have been a professional live and studio engineer for fifteen years in the southern Missouri area.
-I was a production manager for Music City Center in Branson, where I singlehandedly ran sound, lights, video and lasers for the Trans Siberian Experience on a system a designed and implemented.
-I was Stage Manager for Scott Shipley Music (one of Johnny Cash's guitarist) and ran over a hundred dates.
-I Ran the Pro Audio Dept at G.C. for eight years, selling and servicing systems of all sizes
-I am currently the Resident Engineer at The Old Glass Place in Springfield MO., And the on call engineer at Lindbergs Tavern in Springfield

• I am also currently the lead system designer for an AVL systems integrator here in Springfield.
  -finally, I'm a father of four... So I know how to deal with noise...

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Image sources:
https://m.imgur.com/gallery/4sAdLkW

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If you found this helpful or informative at all consider tossing me a vote, or even a resteem. If these sound advice articles do well, I'll keep em coming!

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Lastly,
If you're a Steemit musician get your ass involved in the steemit local music community!
https://steemit.com/originalmusic/@jessamynorchard/steemit-local-music-society-on-discord-is-almost-ready-we-need-your-help