Open Forum

I'm not sure where to start.  I work in a public school that has a large auditorium.  It is very old but a few years ago a church spent some years using the auditorium for Sunday Service.  Unfortunately they moved on but we got to keep some of the sound equipment.  We use the auditorium for "inside" recess.  The students watch movies during the rainy weather and we do have a permit to do so.  No one knows how to work the sound board or microphone.  Everyone including the principal will not touch the setup because the projector and sound both are working.  If we start poking around the setup might not work correctly. All I want to do is have access to a microphone that doesn't interfere with the projector and sound set up.  There is a sound board in the balcony.  It has some things plugged into it.  I don't know where they go.  The stage, has a microphone jack but when I tried plugging in the microphone, it didn't do any thing.  I don't know how to use the sound board.   I don't even know if the microphone outlet has electricity, if the microphone is operational or if the microphone cord works.  Any advice would be more than welcome.  Our veteran's Day assembly is coming in fast and I know they don't have a plan.  I tried to include pictures of the sound board, the microphone, the hdmi cable from the DVD player, which I think can be operated with an I Pad.  Thank you for any help.

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Richard Brown
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Hi there... a couple o thoughts or you.  What you are asking for is not complicated.  Adding a microphone to you existing setup should be pretty easy, BUT getting help here is going to be tough.  You don't indicate your location, but you likely need some local help. Was the church moving on a positive parting?  Could you contact them and ask their sound people for a bit of help?  If that's not the case, then talk to a couple of the larger churches in the area and get in touch with their sound/technical team.  I'm sure you could find someone to come over and help for low or no cost.  Last option would be to find a production company and pay them to have someone come over and help with your system.  I know I couldn't answer your question... but I hope this gives you a path forward.

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Kirk Longhofer
Theatrical Sound Design, Audio Production, Editing and Engineering
Systems Design and Consultation
www.technopraxis.org
kirk@technoprasix.org
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