GC1971 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 You know the score, Conference for the smart academic types, professors everywhere, about 1000yrs worth of tertiary education in the room but common sense? http://www.huffingto...26pLid%3D271091 What do you do? I've tried a quiet word to the chair, a piece of paper on the podium, even a monitor speaker with a massive arrow on it, What do you lot do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indyld Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 It depends why you think people do it. I used to feel personally afronted by various "can you hear me at the back?", "is this thing on?" etc. as I thought it a fairly public questioning of my competence as well as sounding amateur. However, I've since mellowed on this because I believe people do it as an ice breaker or even countdown to 'their bit'. It's an air filler. (thinks) Ok, I'm at the mic, I have to start my 'bit' in a second. I can't say Are you alright at the back? as I'm not Michael Barrimore.... Are you ready to partaaaaaay sounds a bit over the top. What shall I say first, before I start properly? Best not bother with mentioning the weather, that looks a bit lame and English.... Or the traffic...." "Hullo, is this thing on?" Also, it is not unreasonable to ascertain if people can hear you before you start to speak. It's almost good manners as well as logistically not a bad idea. I just keep a hawk like watch for Mic Tappers and mute the thing every time they look in danger of banging it. There is really no need for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkPAman Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 I just keep a hawk like watch for Mic Tappers and mute the thing every time they look in danger of banging it. There is really no need for that.Then they think it's not working & hit it harder - that is how you switch it on isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerry Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 On the odd occasion that I speak I start off with "Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen" CheersGerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 http://www.huffingto...26pLid%3D271091 Er, that link currently goes to an article on the plans to build a real warp-drive spaceship..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dosxuk Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 I blame films. Everyone knows that mics turn on with a loud squeal of feedback, so if you don't hear that when you stand up you know it can't be on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkPAman Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Er, that link currently goes to an article on the plans to build a real warp-drive spaceship.....But she bangs the mic at the start. I blame films. Everyone knows that mics turn on with a loud squeal of feedback, so if you don't hear that when you stand up you know it can't be on.I'm pretty sure it's always the same loud squeal of feedback too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Er, that link currently goes to an article on the plans to build a real warp-drive spaceship.....But she bangs the mic at the start.Ah - I didn't play the vid as I thought the article would be pertinent to the topic, not the content in that way :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilary Watts Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 I think Rob's got it about right but there's also the fact that the speaker may have a (possibly unconscious) psychological need to re-assure him/herself not only that the microphone is actually working but what it will be like to use this particular microphone in this particular venue. There is first a fear of embarrassment in case it isn't working and the speaker doesn't realise it isn't working - how long will it be before someone in the audience has the courage/temerity to point out the problem? There is also the question of how many of the speaker's pearls of wisdom or 'impromptu ad-libs' designed to get the audience on his/her side will have been lost (they never work quite as well if you have to start again from the beginning of your script!). There are also the practical questions "How close to this thing do I need to be, how loud do I need to speak in order to be heard, and what will it sound like to me once I am speaking - will it make it hard for me to concentrate on what I am going to say?" You will know what it feels and sounds like to stand at the podium in your venue with your system, but the speaker may not. The speaker may be a world leader in his/her field of study but nevertheless may find public speaking a torture and the presence of the microphone and sound system adds an additional problem. The tapping and inane questions are a device for dealing with this particular problem and getting it out of the way at an early stage in the proceedings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesperrett Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 I've been to plenty of academic conferences where the mics don't work as expected and the tech doesn't seem to have much of a clue. If your mics are working properly at the start of a talk then that's an exception to the sort of thing that these people generally encounter. One other thought - can you give them some kind of soundcheck during a break in the proceedings before they are due to speak? Maybe at the same time as they load their presentation slides onto the presentation computer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleah Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 The banging - as in the video clip - is a pet hate of mine too.<rant>You never see a musician thump a violin or bang a flute on something hard, no, they play a couple of notes, quite possibly for that extra confidence the strings are tight or the reed hasn't moved. Perfectly acceptable, even if a little OTT. If a muso were to 'bang' their instrument there would be shock and horror!So why do people think it's acceptable to abuse our instruments? A microphone is obviously intended to pick up sound, not be used as a blunt instrument."Hello, hello" "Is it on?" "Can you here me?", like the muso playing random notes, quite acceptable if it helps their confidence :) I wonder if you handed one of these 'bangers' a flute and asked then to try and play it, would they first bash it against the back of a chair to see if it was 'on' before attempting to play it? Sadly, I suspect they might!!! :o </rant> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timsabre Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Blowers are worse than bangers, and it's harder to spot it coming. You think they are just going to say a few words then they blast the front few rows of the audience away with a massive rumble of noise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter18 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Blowers are worse than bangers, and it's harder to spot it coming. You think they are just going to say a few words then they blast the front few rows of the audience away with a massive rumble of noise. I also have a thing about blowers of mics. I am old enough to have worked with Reslo ribbons back in the day and although it might have been working fine when they started blowing, chances are it would not be when they had finished!I usually try a gentle scratch with a fingernail on the windshield just to check all is well before a proper sound check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revbobuk Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 I was taught to tap the cable gently - although I don't do it any more, preferring to recite a bit of the 'is this a dagger' speech from 'the Scottish play'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 I balance my annoyance with the quiet smirk that they're really insecure and untrusting people, who need to check everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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