Public Speaking Course:
You Must Have a Good Sound System
If it is hard for the audience members to hear what you are saying or understand
you, they will just tune you out. Preparation is a very important part
of what you will learn in your public speaking course, so when you are going to
be presenting you must have an excellent sound
system so you can still be heard while your audience is laughing. Stand-up
comics need good sound too, but they are a little different because
they tell a joke, then people laugh (they hope). They tell another joke,
then people laugh. A good public speaker will be continuing right along making
points, showing product features, telling stories, and dropping one-liners
and must be heard throughout the entire time.
A funny speech must have a better sound system than a serious speech.
During a serious talk, words can be missed and the main message can
still be very clear. In humor it doesn't work that way. If key words
are missed in a joke or story, it will ruin the effect of the humor. No one will laugh
and you will look like a giant goober.
As a "pro", the need for
a good sound check is another reason to be in the room early. You need
to check the microphone to make sure it works. You need to check to
see how far your mouth should be from the microphone. You need to know
how loudly you should talk.
Realize that during your check the audio level should be very loud.
People will absorb the sound once they get into the room.
Make sure the sound system is carrying to every area of the room. If
someone is speaking before you, try to go to the back of the room
to see how he or she is coming across. If you have someone at the presentation
with you, have them signal from the back of the room if changes are
needed in the public address system after you have started. Controlling
the environment is an essential function you will gain from a public
speaking course.
If the amplifier controls aren't handy after you have started, you
can adjust the sound by changing the distance between your mouth and
the microphone and/or increasing or decreasing the loudness of your
voice. Try not to use the latter method too often so you don't strain
your vocal mechanism.
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