by Peter Berryman
Ringing Out a Room
I'm no expert on sound but have received many requests from sound-crew volunteers to explain what we are doing when we "Ring Out a Room." So this episode is for folks who know how to set up and run a basic PA system but are mystified by the Graphic Equalizer ("graphic EQ") built into many of them, which is used for this procedure. The illustration accompanying this episode is a .gif, less than 30k in size. Please let me know if you have trouble with it.
The graphic EQ consists of usually 8 to 12 or more "sliders,"
each representing part of the sound spectrum. This device provides
a way to compensate for those overly lively frequencies of a given
room which distort sound, ruin intelligibility of lyrics, and
at their howling worst, build into dread "feedback."
Before Beginning:
Set up all microphones and instruments. Turn off reverb. Start
with main volume all the way down. Set individual volumes at about
where they will be for the show.
Note 1: The illustrations show a four-slider EQ. As I mentioned,
most have at least 8 sliders, and many have more. The same technique
applies to all.
Note 2: This is best done delicately, with the touch of a safecracker.
More Random Notes:
--In acoustically good rooms, you may find
no offensive tones at all. That's great! Just leave all the sliders
in a straight line.
--There are many other aids in reducing feedback and distortion;
Ringing Out the Room is just one of them.
--This article covers only the very basics of the technique. At
best, it's a good starting point for further experiments.
--Almost forgot: This operation is best conducted before the audience
arrives!
More than ever, I welcome comments on this Whither Zither, including whether or not the above graphic comes across clearly. Please email them to me at:
THANKS!!!!