Jun 4, 2026 · 45 min · 12 segments
In Episode 143, James and Gary discuss the many types of handheld microphones, including what they’re designed to do, how to properly use them, different pickup patterns, and much more. The Church…
James AttawayHost
Gary ZandstraHost
Let, let, let's talk about, uh, first of all, the different microphones that we'll probably cover today.
'Cause, you know, the first is the, the, the mic choice, and, uh, you know, the headset mic being the most common, you know, for a senior pastor.
So why don't you let us, let us know what you've seen used and maybe, uh, have been asked to try and failed and whatever else.
Well, I think the, uh, the old school method is the lavalier mic, right? So, uh, it's a clip-on mic that goes on their shirt or the lapel of their jacket or sh- you know, tie or something.
And that places the mic so that they can have their hands free, right? They can still, you know, gesture with their hands.
But that microphone is considerably farther away from their mouth than, say, a headset mic would be.
So that's, you know, a older version that, uh, had significant challenges with turning it up before it would start to ring, or we would call that gain before feedback, how much you can turn it up before it will ring.
We don't have to turn it up as much, so we can turn it up more, or the source they're speaking is louder in that microphone just because it's closer to it.
The other type of microphone that we'll typically see is either a handheld microphone, so this is, looks just like your singer would have.
Uh, and those are basically meant for singing for the most part, but they can be adapted for speaking.
Uh, and their tone can be a little bit more forgiving than when people are singing, also because there's not usually a loud sound source right beside them with a drum kit or electric guitar or piano.
Uh, but the, the handheld mic is a, a trusted go-to, and they're actually pretty simple as long as you get 'em placed in the right spot, right? When you move that microphone farther away from your mouth, as people that are speaking for a long time are, uh, tend to do, then that's when we get into problems, again, of gain before feedback.
It makes it harder for us to turn it up enough before it wants to ring through the main speakers.
Well, and let me add in one more microphone here as well, um, that we don't see near as much but used to be a mainstay, and I'm sure is still, uh, used very commonly, particularly in a liturgical setting, and that's the podium, or as we called it, the pulpit micUm, where the microphone is fixed to the podium, and the hope is the person is nervous enough, they grab onto the side of the podium and stay close-
It's something about, "I can't get within three foot of the holy of holies," or something like that, and so, you know, they'll stand back and, and you're trying to, to do that.
Let, let, let's talk about, uh, first of all, the different microphones that we'll probably cover today.
'Cause, you know, the first is the, the, the mic choice, and, uh, you know, the headset mic being the most common, you know, for a senior pastor.
So why don't you let us, let us know what you've seen used and maybe, uh, have been asked to try and failed and whatever else.
Well, I think the, uh, the old school method is the lavalier mic, right? So, uh, it's a clip-on mic that goes on their shirt or the lapel of their jacket or sh- you know, tie or something.
And that places the mic so that they can have their hands free, right? They can still, you know, gesture with their hands.
But that microphone is considerably farther away from their mouth than, say, a headset mic would be.
So that's, you know, a older version that, uh, had significant challenges with turning it up before it would start to ring, or we would call that gain before feedback, how much you can turn it up before it will ring.
We don't have to turn it up as much, so we can turn it up more, or the source they're speaking is louder in that microphone just because it's closer to it.
The other type of microphone that we'll typically see is either a handheld microphone, so this is, looks just like your singer would have.
Uh, and those are basically meant for singing for the most part, but they can be adapted for speaking.
Uh, and their tone can be a little bit more forgiving than when people are singing, also because there's not usually a loud sound source right beside them with a drum kit or electric guitar or piano.
Uh, but the, the handheld mic is a, a trusted go-to, and they're actually pretty simple as long as you get 'em placed in the right spot, right? When you move that microphone farther away from your mouth, as people that are speaking for a long time are, uh, tend to do, then that's when we get into problems, again, of gain before feedback.
It makes it harder for us to turn it up enough before it wants to ring through the main speakers.
Well, and let me add in one more microphone here as well, um, that we don't see near as much but used to be a mainstay, and I'm sure is still, uh, used very commonly, particularly in a liturgical setting, and that's the podium, or as we called it, the pulpit micUm, where the microphone is fixed to the podium, and the hope is the person is nervous enough, they grab onto the side of the podium and stay close-
It's something about, "I can't get within three foot of the holy of holies," or something like that, and so, you know, they'll stand back and, and you're trying to, to do that.
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