That Annoying and Embarrassing Feedback

What music ministry hasn’t experienced that annoying thing called feedback?  By feedback, I mean the high pitched noise or low pitched hum that occasionally arises from a hyper-sensitive sound system.  It is annoying at best and in church it is distractingly embarrassing.  Where it comes from and what causes it  depend upon a number of factors, but the bottom line effect is the same, it is annoying!  What is the most frequent cause? 

In my experience, and likely yours, it is simple.  It is pointing the microphone in the wrong direction.



One time in church service I angled the microphone down and away so I could whisper a question to a fellow band member, and zeeeeeeeep!  (It reminded me of the coming of the Christ in 2 Peter 3:10, “But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief, and the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise.”!!)  Well, I figured out later that that was the wrong direction to aim it—right at the monitor!  Embarrassing!  Another fool was born in need of forgiveness! 


Angling the microphone in the direction of a live speaker or monitor quickly facilitates the rise of din.  A microphone aimed at a speaker creates an amplification circle.  The microphone sends a sound to the sound system to be amplified.  The sound system sends it to the speaker which is picked up by the microphone, and … you get the point. 

Keeping the back of the microphone to the speakers is the best policy.  Just think of it this way.  Just like we can’t see what is behind our head, a microphone can’t hear anything behind it.  Nothing.  Nada.  It is totally deaf back there where the wire comes out.

(Also having the speaker volume set high is also a frequent source of feedback, but that is a great subject for another day!)

So, next time you hear that annoying feedback try to rear its ugly head, pay attention to the sound system speakers.  Where are they?  Aim the microphone away (and its back end toward) the speaker, and ding the awful din!

I’m curious to know if feedback is as common in other church sound systems as it has been in my experience.  What has been your experience?  Would anyone care to share their feedback nightmare experience for the music ministry community?  Click on "View and Add Comments" to share with us!

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