A well-functioning sound system in Orange County, CA is a critical part of a graduation ceremony and any other large-scale event. After all, the sound system will be the means through which the audience members will be able to hear music played during the ceremony, the announcement of each student’s name and the speeches that are given by students and faculty during the course of the ceremony.
It’s important to have someone who is well versed in operating sound systems to act as the point person in charge of choosing a rental sound system and then operating it during the ceremony. This person should be someone who knows how to set up microphones, speakers, musical instruments and anything else that might be used in conjunction with the sound system during the ceremony.
Then, this person should be expected to report back to the event coordinator to provide status updates about the sound system. There should be a strict timetable in place for getting all equipment up and running properly, and they should have clear instructions as to when each segment of the graduation ceremony begins and ends.
It is our professional recommendation that facilities have sound tests that take place both days and hours before the ceremony actually occurs. This provides you with some extra assurance that the sound equipment will work properly once the event goes live.
Audio problems to address before your event
Now that you understand the importance of making sure your sound system operates well before your event, it’s also important to know which specific audio problems you should be watching out for.
First, you should know that all presenters or speakers at a graduation ceremony will speak at different volume levels. Having an audio technician who is experienced in working these types of events will make it easier for you to adjust to these different volume levels on the fly so you can deliver a sound that is more uniform from person to person. But you can also make some adjustments on the sound board even before the event begins to plan for these variations.
The best way to account for these volume variations is to have everyone who will be speaking at the event give a sound check before the program starts, which will allow the audio technician to calibrate the settings for each individual presenter. This should only take a few extra minutes of prep time.
The other most common type of problem is improper installation or other systemic issues. When working with an experienced technician, you’ll generally be able to avoid these issues, but it’s still worth going back and double checking everything before you have your sound check and long before the event is actually up and running.
These are just a few examples of sound considerations you should keep in mind when preparing for your graduation ceremony. For more information about selecting sound systems in Orange County, CA for graduations and other similar large-scale events, contact Larson Lighting & Audio today.