Mastodawn

inpc Oct 21

@adhdeanasl and for extra fun, hold the microphone vaguely near the hole in your face the sound emits from.

JPeck Oct 21

@adhdeanasl 🤣
So true. I love when people say they don't want to use it because it makes their voice sound weird. Hate to point it out to them, but that's what their voice sounds like... and yeah, it's weird

categulario 🐍 🦀 🦎 🇵🇸Oct 21

@adhdeanasl amen

Cy Oct 21

Oh man, those poor guys at the garden club last night. Trying to show off their weird mutant impossiflowers, and over and over someone would have to shout "Use the microphone!"

glasspshr Oct 21

@adhdeanasl you don't have to shout! YOU DON'T HAVE TO SHOUT! (sobs uncontrollably)

@glasspusher Not if you’re using the damn microphone, you don’t.

Chip Unicorn Oct 21

@adhdeanasl You might be able to project to the back of the room. Good for you!

You can't project your voice to the people watching online. Use the microphone.

@Chip_Unicorn In my experience, people who think they can project to the back of the room often can’t.

Space Hobo Oct 21

@adhdeanasl @Chip_Unicorn I once started giving impromptu voice lessons when someone did this. "No, don't speak higher: take deeper breaths and let your jaw hang lower as you speak and your throat open wider..." I pissed them off so much they grabbed the mic to speak over me (because I actually CAN project my voice to fill a room, when necessary).

Supermoosie Oct 21

You may be able to project to the back of the room.

But you can't also project to the people on the sides of the room at the same time.

@Chip_Unicorn

MJ Ray Oct 21

@adhdeanasl but sometimes that reason is so that someone can mute opinions they disagree with. The best approach IMO is full projection plus also use the mic. If it lights the sound board up, the tech operator should deal with it.

Axomamma, Antifa from birth Oct 21

@adhdeanasl And this goes triple for fucking litigation attorneys appearing in court.

You motherfuckers will be the death of me.

@adhdeanasl STRONGLY disagree. I have attended many, many meetings where a microphone was present because there is a huge variety in volume in speakers. A room that my voice booms through easily may be one that another colleague struggles to be heard in.

I have no doubt that there are meeting spaces where the presence of a mic is done with thought and intentionality. I think that is the vast minority. The only reason there's a mic at that meeting is because they brought a mic to the meeting.

aarontempler Oct 21

@Amoshias @adhdeanasl It’s an accessibility issue. You don’t know who can’t hear you. Use the microphone.

@aarontempler @adhdeanasl can you think about what you just said for a minute?

I am saying that I am loud enough to fill up a good sized room with my voice. I understand that there may be some people in the room who have difficulty hearing. But what you are suggesting is that, in order to give them a slightly easier time hearing me, I should use a microphone to significantly increase the volume of my already loud voice. How do you think the rest of the room is going to react?

@Amoshias Think about what *you’re* saying. You’re so sure your voice “booms.” Your voice doesn not boom for everyone. Hearing impairments exist. Modern sound systems won’t deafen those with good hearing. Use the mic. @aarontempler

@adhdeanasl @aarontempler no, I hear you just fine. Thank you for the order, but it's clear you haven't thought about this at all. I am not going to blow out everyone's eardrums because there might be someone in the room who couldn't hear otherwise.

I strongly suggest you go back and edit your original post. This is reasonable advice that I think should be followed:

@adhdeanasl @aarontempler the "If you're considering refusing a mic, think about the fact that there may be people with difficulty hearing in the room and err on the side of using it if you're not sure you will be loud enough for everyone to hear."

There you go. Then you won't be ordering to anyone to do something, which is good, and you'll be suggesting they do something that's actually useful, which is also good.

@adhdeanasl @aarontempler you can even add what you say in your original order, which is that people often judge themselves to be louder than they actually are! That's very reasonable advice.

@Amoshias Say whatever you want. Believe whatever you want. I’m an interpreter who works frequently in public speaking settings. There’s always someone who absolutely knows they’re loud enough to reach the rafters. They’re never loud enough. Use the mic. @aarontempler

@adhdeanasl @aarontempler

@adhdeanasl @aarontempler I'm someone with 35 years of public speaking experience and in a variety of room sizes from small court chambers or classrooms to large auditoriums. I've not only taught public speaking but I have tested the exact problem you're dealing with.

Your appeal to your authority does not move me at all.

You are wrong. It is as simple as that. Very few rules are one size fits all. You are hiding a good and important point by believing you are absolutely right.

What makes you think you’re so magically special?

If you are too loud, the tech can turn you down… or you can just tone down your own voice - if you’re such a public speaking “expert” I’m sure you can manage that. But if someone only thinks they can project then people simply won’t hear, especially people online or someone using a assistive tech, and there’s nothing that can be done about that.

Use the equipment provided, it makes life better and easier for everyone, and you really aren’t that special.

@DavidM_yeg @adhdeanasl @aarontempler sigh. Okey dokey, buddy. You have a nice day too.

Dr. Dr. Bethan Tovey-Walsh Oct 21

@Amoshias

Here are a couple of articles that explain some of the (perhaps unexpected) reasons why using the microphone is important, even for people like you and me who have well trained, loud voices and a lot of public speaking experience. I'm not trying to start a debate with you, just offering some information you may not have considered previously.

https://rockymountainada.org/news/blog/why-microphone-matters

https://catchbox.com/blog/please-use-a-microphone

Why the Microphone Matters

@linguacelta these are both great articles that lay out some of the factors one they want to consider when making a decision as to whether or not to use a microphone.

I don't understand why attending and reacting to the circumstances seems so difficult for so many people. Let me ask you - you are in my office. You are giving me a quick presentation on an issue. My office is about 10x10. You know I have adequate hearing for a man of my age. Do you use the mic you see on my desk?

Dr. Dr. Bethan Tovey-Walsh Oct 21

@Amoshias
The original post you responded to specified "meetings where microphones are used" - so your example is a red herring. If the meeting organizers have provided microphones and asked for them to be used, you should always oblige. Those articles explain why. Nobody is asking you to go searching for a mic when you pop into your colleague's office for a quick update, and pretending that they are is a pretty bad faith tactic.

@linguacelta 1. The original poster didn't like the idea that someone was slightly disagreeing with him. I can't read that original post. My apologies, my intention wasn't to be disingenuous.

2. However, the point remains. It should be blatantly obvious that the circumstances matter. If you are not paying attention to the circumstances, SOME OF WHICH are clearly going to say "of course you use the mic," you are doing everyone a disservice.

Dr. Dr. Bethan Tovey-Walsh Oct 21

@Amoshias
But your original objection was that your voice is "loud enough" that you don't always need the mic.

Of course circumstances matter. I just don't think they matter as much as you are making out. In a situation where a mic is needed, it should be used by everyone. If nothing else, it means that people in the back of the room don't have to keep adjusting their focus from the speakers right above their head to the unamplified voice coming from the other end of the room.

@linguacelta "in a situation where a mic is needed"

You're literally presuming that your point is true, and then saying that I'm wrong.

I 100% agree with you that a mic should always be used when a mic is needed. Not even the tiniest disagreement.

I would hope that you agree with me that not every meeting where a microphone is present is a situation where a mic is needed, or one where the organizer of the meeting is asking people to use the mic, etc.

aarontempler Oct 21

@adhdeanasl Sheesh - I’m sorry to have triggered a Well Actually Guy in your thread. You never know what’s gonna bring them out I guess.

@aarontempler I’ve blocked that person, so no worries. Obtuse knuckleheads are a dime a dozen on the Internet.

Zimmie Oct 21

@Amoshias @aarontempler Any halfway competent sound person is going to run you through a channel strip with a preamp, compressor/limiter, de-esser, and expander/gate all before the mixer, let alone the power amp.

Use the mic.

I’ve watched a lot of traditional, non-amplified opera and performed in a few. Even with well-designed stages in a well-designed building and a quiet audience, there are spots where the performers are barely audible over the breathing of the person next to you.

@bob_zim @aarontempler ...

Are you assuming that every company meeting has a professional sound person?

Please let me disabuse you of that notion.

It sounds, though, like what you're saying is 'be aware of the situation, and when the situation is appropriate - such as when there is a professional sound person working - you should use the mic.' we are totally in agreement.

MWT Oct 21

@Amoshias @adhdeanasl microphones are there for accessibility and inclusion, and you absolutely should use one if they're there, no matter how loud you think you are. Even more so if they're trying to make a recording.

@mwt @adhdeanasl if they're trying to make a recording?

So you were saying that people should pay attention to the circumstances, and change their behavior when the circumstances warrant?

I completely, 100% agree with you.

MWT Oct 21

@Amoshias @adhdeanasl sure, and if the circumstances include that there is a microphone to use and they've asked you to use it, you should use it.

They could always ask you to stop using it if you really are too loud.

@mwt @adhdeanasl great! You're pointing out some really good circumstances here that speakers should pay attention to. I like the fact that you're looking at this in a nuanced way, as opposed to the original poster. I totally agree that if you are asked to use the microphone by the organizers, you should do it. One size doesn't fit all, you shouldn't always be using a mic, but there are lots of circumstances that say you should.

@mwt I have never, ever, met anyone “too loud for the microphone.” I’ve met plenty of people who think they are but aren’t. @[email protected]

@mwt I’ve blocked that person because I don’t need selfish people who don’t know a damned thing polluting my timeline. @[email protected]

MWT Oct 21

@adhdeanasl yeah I think so too. But I needed something to do on the way in to work this morning to distract from the loud obnoxious teenagers in the back of the bus.

ts 🚇Oct 21

@adhdeanasl and pro-tip (PLEASE) if your microphone looks like the standard that we imagine (🎤 ) then it really helps to just grab the ball in your hands and make sure to keep the end of your thumb poking your chin. This wll keep the mic close enough to your mouth. (The amount of times I've witnessed people waving a microphone around is a lot - and super frustrating to those who would like to hear.)

Joe Cooper 🇺🇦 🍉Oct 21

@tsyum @adhdeanasl don't cover the ball with your hand, though. Hold it by the handle. You're not in the Beastie Boys, you're trying to be understood.

ts 🚇Oct 21

@swelljoe exactly - about the sound. I'm not suggesting to *cover* the mic but this is a simple way to keep the thing close enough to your mouth. The end is open. Otherwise, most people can't help but move their hand all over the place - takng the mic away from their mouth

Jonathan Hendry Oct 21

"Are you Brian Blessed? No? Then use the microphone."

@adhdeanasl i agree

@adhdeanasl
I hear you

There’s kind of person who will avoid using the microphone in a sort of perverted modesty - “I’m not special/bold enough to be amplified”, but in doing so make themself the centre of everything because no one can hear them, thereby unconsciously totally making themselves the “special/bold” centre of attention for being the only one who doesn’t use the tools everyone else does. 😬

Zimmie Oct 21

@adhdeanasl Oh my goodness. I was once in a whole-office meeting shortly after the company had been acquired. Everybody couldn’t fit into the room at once, so the rear wall was opened up to allow overflow into the break room. The amplified sound was down, and the SVP running the meeting *put the rumors on the slides rather than the truth*. People in the back couldn’t hear anything, they just saw stuff like:

• This office is closing
• We are all being laid off
• No severance for anyone

It was so, so bad. Would have been better to cancel the meeting.

AS THE MAIN CHARACTER OF THE UNIVERSE, I RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE.

LRRR

Oct 21

@adhdeanasl I MEAN, *I* CAN HEAR MYSELF.

@LRRRonEarth This sounds vaguely familiar. I think I’ve had this conversation already under this thread

ANOTHER MAIN CHARACTER? THAT CAN'T BE RIGHT.

Sadie Oct 21

@LRRRonEarth @adhdeanasl
If you are the main character in my life, that would explain some things.

GayDeceiver Oct 21

@adhdeanasl I can relate at so many levels.

Voracious Reader Oct 21

Or, as I saw the other day, you can just ask "Anyone who can't hear me?" … 🤦‍♂️

SpaceLifeForm Oct 21

There are people that like to shout. It makes them think they are important.

Chris Vreeland Oct 21

@adhdeanasl Also. If you have a PA, even a little one, someone on hand needs to have an inkling about how to run it.

Geoff Berner Oct 22

@adhdeanasl or maybe, and this is of course taking things too far, but maybe people could even PRACTICE using a microphone before unleashing their comical techniques on groups of people.

si2mev #antifa lover Oct 22

@adhdeanasl Teachers can. It was proofed in a 2 day workshop in a hotel last week. With 170 teachers (and other personnel) where the microphone and speakers didn't work well. No problem at all. Especially the sports teachers.