Memorial Day is the most sensitive ceremony of the school year. Most of it is quiet, and every sound fault is heard by everyone. A humming microphone during the minute of silence is what people remember. This guide covers what to plan in advance.
Start from the running order, not the equipment
Before speakers come the running order: who reads, when the choir sings, where there is playback, when a video plays and when the silence falls. The number and placement of microphones follow from it. A printed running order at the mixer is the most important tool of the evening.
Microphones by role
- Narrators: a microphone on a stand or lectern.
- Choir: directional microphones aimed at the rows, not one handheld passed around.
- Musicians: their own input or microphone.
- Guest speakers: a wireless microphone ready to go.
Playback in one folder
Songs and videos arrive from several classes in several formats. Put everything in one folder, numbered in running order, so nobody searches for a file mid-ceremony.
The minute of silence
When it is quiet, the system must be truly silent. A poorly tuned system hums, and the whole courtyard hears it. We test for this at the rehearsal by muting every source and listening.
The dress rehearsal
The rehearsal is where you find that the choir microphone is too far or a song is the wrong version. Better to find out the day before.
