[Ansteorra] Sound Systems in Court (was Just a Question)

[Burke McCrory]

At 09:59 AM 6/30/2003 -0500, you wrote:
>From: "R. Smith" <russ at randomgang.com>
> >Some have brought up modern niceties like sound systems.  Sir Burke, the one
> >at ATYC was not a bad thing -- that hall is hideous for acoustics, as you
> >well know, and indeed, many of the courts in which I have felt like I was
> >witnessing the aforementioned private meetings have happened in that hall
> >(even when I have been seated in the third row!)  The ampitheater at Dakani
> >was also dicey for audibility and worse for visibility, as you pointed out.
>
>
>I could be proven wrong by someone, but I do believe that for running 
>sound systems at an event, I have done so more than any other person in 
>the Kingdom.  I organized the sound systems for the coronations of Drake & 
>Kayleigh, and Timo & Alysson, as well as having organized them for several 
>other events such as Elfsea Defenders & Springfaires.  I also happen to 
>have a bit of first hand knowledge as to what it takes to herald a court 
>so that it can be heard.
>
>On the table, yes, Canton's hall is a acoustic nightmare, and Ennis isn't 
>a heck of alot better.  But the real problem with sound systems is that 
>they come in two flavors.
>
>The first involves, as Sir Burke had done at ATYC, a simple stand 
>microphone.  It gets people heard, but is immensely intrusive into the 
>feel of our Courts.  The Crown is suddenly a subject of the microphone's 
>kingdom, being forced to enter it's presence in order to speak to their 
>subjects.
>
>The second is the type I am more comfortable with, which involves the use 
>of wireless microphones, lots of them.  To do a Steppe's 12th night well 
>takes, as an opener, 9 wireless microphones and having a stand microphone 
>would be very good as well.  This then requires at least a 10 input mixer 
>(which none of the regular sites we use are equipped with) and someone 
>trained to run it.  This assumes that amplification and speakers are 
>already equipped in the hall (ala Canton & Ennis).
>
>In either scenario, a Sound System is intrusive to a medieval feel.  One 
>worse than the other, but intrusive either way.  Use of a sound system at 
>a Coronation has a notable effect on the 'noise' level of the hall, but it 
>does not get rid of it.  So being able to hear is a definite factor.

Several years ago when Wiesenfeuer use to hold its annual Yule Revel in the 
old armory in Edmond, Ok we had similar problems.  As you might suspect and 
armory is not the best place for acoustics and court was held on a raised 
stage at one end of the hall.  With the hall full of people you have had 
the same problems that Einis or Canton has.  To fix this I rigged a single 
area microphone and placed it on the floor in front of the stage.  It was 
hidden behind some yule greenery so it was not visible and was adjusted to 
only pickup strong sounds from the area in front of it.  The sound volume 
level was set so that the system acted as a boost for the court proceedings 
but didn't pickup every conversation.  The herald still had to project his 
voice and the Crown/Baron/ess still had to speak up just like a normal 
court but it kept the audience involved in the court while still allowing 
the principals to have private conversations when necessary.  Something 
very similar to this could be rigged at almost any indoor court using a 
stand-up or spider microphone.  Of course wireless is the best but Even if 
you only use three mics (Crown and Herald) it will still be expensive to 
set up.  I wonder if we could get someone to donate the equipment?  Just a 
thought.

Sir Burke