This Is Not A Candle: How to Properly ‘Light Up’ a Room
Don't be embarrassed, everyone has done it
Unless you grew up with a professional speaker for a parent, you’ve probably made this mistake.
What am I talking about? Well, if you've watched enough TV or movies, you've probably at some point seen a scene where someone is walking around in their pajamas at night with a candle lighting the way.
Like this:
If you read my blog last week, you know I know a thing or two about sound and volume.
A big part of why I started the work that I do was due to frustration. Frustration around several simple things that event hosts/organizers get wrong or overlook that diminishes what could be a really great event experience. But as they say - don’t bring complaints to the meeting if you don’t also have solutions in mind.
I wrote weeks back about Signage. That’s an easy one that I am still shocked gets overlooked as much as it does.
But another really simple one I see often is - let’s call it ‘mic etiquette’.
As you can see by the header image, I haven’t always been a pro myself. But great leaders don’t just learn to be better and keep it to themselves!
There is an easy way to remember today’s lesson - with 3 Vs.
Vocation, Volume, and Vibe.
Vocation (Job/Career)
If public speaking (or singing in a band) is not what you do professionally (or often) it makes total sense why a person would not be an expert at how to position yourself relative to a microphone (or vice versa).
But if you work in a field where you DO occasionally need to speak at an event or tradeshow or conference, it’s worth knowing better because it will absolutely make you seem more credible and authoritative.
It’s such a tragedy when someone with valuable experience and deep wisdom is trying to enlighten an audience, but they sound shy and unconfident just because of some slight mis-positioning of the mic.
I used to HATE telling people I was an accountant because I know everyone thinks we have no personality and that we couldn’t motivate a room full of sandbags.
Kind of like everyone thinks Lawyers are Liars or Marketers are Maniacs.
Honestly, accountants would be well-served to get speaker coaching. Even ‘dry’ and technical content can become engaging when you can speak dynamically and enthusiastically about it.
Just because someone is coming to you for help with their taxes doesn’t mean you can’t leave them ‘wowed’. Take it from me, the accountant turned standup comedian and professional speaker.
Vector (aka Angle)
Okay, so you’ve had some coaching and you’ve got a bit more confidence now. Great! Except… there’s a catch.
No one taught you how to speak confidently and no one taught you how a microphone works. (It’s about vectors aka path/direction).
The good news - it’s honestly very simple, and it will make a BIG difference.
I’ve used my handy-dandy photoshop skills to make a simple illustration for you.
There are 2 main types of microphones. You don’t have to remember their technical names, you can pretty much think of them as ‘stage mic’ vs ‘podcasting mic’.
The strength of one is the weakness of the other (and vice versa) - hence why they’re used for very different purposes.
Stage mics pickup sound basically from one direction - the ‘top’. This is good so singers on stage can get their vocals (and only their vocals) through very clearly.
The thing is, if you turn your head away from it (or even just pull away a few inches), you’re not projecting directly into its sensitive spot, you’re going to sound quieter even if your vocal volume hasn’t changed.
Podcasting mics (aka studio mics) pickup sound from ALL directions (even the bottom, though not as well). This is more ideal for a recording studio set up because you can turn your head or lean away a bit and it will generally still pick you up pretty well (within reason).
The reason podcasting mics aren’t used on stage is because of something EVERYONE knows and fears: Feedback. That ear-piercing shriek (or hum) that makes people run for the hills with their hands over their ears.
(feedback is also a result of vectors, but I don’t want to over-complicate this)
That’s the catch - stage mics ISOLATE, which helps minimize feedback, but that means you actually need to emote directly into them.
Podcasting mics are great for their flexibility with direction and proximity - but since they are so sensitive, they can pick up every rustle, cough, or phone notification ding.
This second illustration gives another way to think of it. A stage mic is like a tight-beam flashlight. A podcasting mic is like a flood light.
Remember folks - speak INTO the stage mic - it is not a candle!
Of course, it’s not just about the volume of the person with the mic, you also need to have the amps turned up appropriately.
Another common mistake I see is (especially if there is no dedicated sound person) the amps are at whatever volume they are, the host doesn’t know how to fix it, and either people can only half-hear them, or they might resort to just shouting to the crowd. Which obviously is NOT ideal.
So when it comes to ‘mic etiquette’, think of it as volume plus vector: the direction matters as much as the loudness.
Vibe
Once you get the speaking confidence down, hold the mic right, have the PA turned up appropriately, then it’s just about the vibe. And as we all know, the vibe is the secret sauce.
Let’s try a thought experiment - imagine two people.
One of them is speaking clearly, directly into a microphone, with solid volume on the PA, but they’re flat and have no discernable passion or enthusiasm. They seem like they’re just lifelessly reciting something (Bueller?).
The other has no microphone, but knows how to project their voice, and is clearly BRIMMING with enthusiasm. They will happily blow their voice out if it means getting the chance to tell the room about the thing they want to tell you about.
Who is going to have better vibes?
Probably the second person, right?
Which is why it’s not always as simple as ‘just hold the mic right, dummy’.
At the end of the day, great mic skills are just one piece of the puzzle.
Great experiences come from a variety of factors - from signage to seating to sensory design. Every detail matters when you want people leaving your event saying, ‘That was AWESOME, I can’t wait for the next one!’
Because you don’t light up a room with a candle. You do it with the magic mix: confidence, awareness, and the right tools.
That’s what NeuroMix Consulting helps you bring to every event. The magic mix of experience, technical knowledge, and the passion to help make your event great.
SOLACE. Great Events through Better Design.
Lacey Artemis (she/they) is a neurodivergent speaker, consultant, and media producer. She is the founder of Neuromix Consulting which provides sensory accessibility and neuro-inclusion consulting, as well as anti-burnout play workshops. You can find out more at www.neuromixconstulting.com.
LinkedIn • YouTube • RedBubble • Buy Me A Coffee • IG • FB • BSKY