Microphone Planning for Live Events: What We Settle Before Load-In

Why we plan microphones on paper first

Over the past few seasons we have changed how our live sound work begins. Instead of arriving on the day and building an input list from whatever the band brings, we now ask for a short stage plan and a draft channel list a couple of weeks before the event. It sounds like paperwork, but it saves more time at the venue than almost anything else we do.

The reason is simple. A microphone plan decides how many stage boxes, cables and channels we bring, where the monitor positions sit and how long the line check will take. When that plan is vague, everyone loses minutes in the hours before doors, and those are the minutes the sound check needs.

I handle the scheduling side of Live Sound Engineering at venuemix, so this note comes from the production desk rather than the mixing desk. Daniel Whitfield, our senior sound engineer, reviews every plan before it is confirmed.

The plan does not have to be elaborate. A hand-drawn stage layout with names, instruments and rough positions is enough to start with, and we refine it together.

What we ask organisers and bands to send

When an enquiry comes through the contact page, we reply with a short list of questions. The first is the line-up: how many acts, in what order, and how long each set runs. The second is the stage plan for each act, including who sings, who plays and where people stand.

We also ask about any playback, laptops or click tracks, because these change how we route signals and who needs a monitor mix of their own. Acts that bring their own in-ear systems should tell us early so we can plan radio frequencies sensibly.

None of this is meant to make life harder for performers. A band that sends a clear plan usually gets a better first song, because the engineer is not guessing at the input list while the audience is arriving.

If an act cannot supply a plan, we say so in the written quotation and allow extra time in the schedule instead.

• Line-up, set order and running times
• A simple stage plan for each act
• Details of playback, laptops or click tracks
• In-ear or wireless equipment the acts bring
• Any special requests for vocals or speech

Front-of-house and monitors are separate jobs

A common misunderstanding is that one engineer and one desk can do everything for a small show. For a solo singer in a café that may be true. For a band on a raised stage, the front-of-house mix and the monitor mixes pull in different directions, and each needs attention.

The front-of-house engineer listens to the room as the audience hears it. The monitor mix is about what performers hear on stage, which is often a very different balance: more of the vocal, less of the bass, a touch of the kick drum. Getting those wedges right helps the whole band play tighter and keeps stage volume under control.

We tell organisers plainly which setup we recommend for their event and why. Where a single desk is enough, we say so. Where a separate monitor position would improve the show, we explain what it adds and what it costs before anything is agreed.

Tuning the system to the room

System tuning is the part audiences never see. Before any band plays, we position the speakers, check coverage across the room and adjust the system with a measurement microphone and a few familiar tracks. A village hall with a low ceiling and hard walls behaves very differently from a tent in a field, and the same settings will not suit both.

In autumn we often work in older halls, barns and function rooms where heating, curtains and the number of guests change the sound as the evening goes on. A full room absorbs more high frequencies than an empty one, so we leave time to make small adjustments once people have arrived.

We note the speaker positions and settings for each venue we visit. If you book us again at the same place, that record shortens the setup and gives us a sensible starting point.

Seasonal points for the coming weeks

As the evenings draw in, indoor events become more frequent, and a few practical points repeat themselves. Doors opened and closed during the night bring cold air and noise into the room. Coats and bags pile up near the stage. Guests arrive later than planned, and speeches run over.

We plan for these things by keeping some slack in the schedule, placing the mixing position where the engineer can hear the room properly, and agreeing in advance who gives the signal to start. A clear running order, shared with the venue team and the performers, avoids most of the confusion.

If an event includes speeches, awards or a presenter, tell us early. Spoken word needs different handling from music, and a reliable microphone for the host matters more than most people expect.

• Allow time for a full line check before doors
• Agree who starts and stops each act
• Keep the mixing position clear of foot traffic
• Tell us about speeches and announcements early

How the booking process works

Our process is straightforward and written down. You send an enquiry through the contact page with the date, venue, expected audience and a rough idea of the acts. We reply with questions, then issue a written quotation that sets out what is included, such as equipment, crew and setup time, and what could change the price.

Once you confirm in writing, we send an invoice, payable by bank transfer. Cancellations and refunds follow our payment and refund policy, which you can read on the site before you decide.

Our prices page gives the current rates for live sound work. If your event does not fit neatly into those, we say so in the quotation and explain what we would adjust. The aim throughout is that nobody is surprised by a line on the invoice or a gap in the plan.