Booking a Comedian can be easy…
What’s harder is combining them with your space to optimize your event, making sure the return of laughter is as good as it can be! To help you prepare for a comedy event, we wanted to give a series of pointers, starting with this one: book a comedian who can engage your audience and bring energy to the room. And then please realize:
NOT ALL AUDIO SYSTEMS ARE CREATED EQUAL
If you say to yourself, “well as long as we can hear them it’s fine“, then we’re afraid you are part of the problem. It’s not your fault, these aren’t things you are supposed to be savvy to, just like we can’t tell you how Netflix actually gets into our houses, or why they didn’t renew Mindhunters.
So we’ve got three types of audio each, 3 good, 3 bad, and we’ll attempt to elucidate why when booking a pro comic the extra amount of work to secure proper sound can really elevate the evening.
The Worst Sound Systems to Use When You Book a Comedy Act
#1- No Mic AKA “Why can’t they just project?“
There’s a saying that “good comedy ain’t cheap, and cheap comedy ain’t good“. This is also true of your audio tech. And nothing is cheaper and worse than well, nothing.
Do people really hire a comedian and not a PA (public address) system? Well, it’s not common. But it happens. Maybe someone saw improv in a local theatre and thought “if comedy works like that here, then it’ll work like that there!“. Framed like that, it may be an easy mistake to make.
But the theatre was built for projecting the human voice, and the conference room you’ve rented at the hotel is not. Furthermore, compared to a live event like improv, stand up comedy can be a personal space, with a comedian discussing vulnerabilities and using changes in volume and speed and nuance to enhance their jokes. For this and SO MANY OTHER REASONS, RENT A MIC.
PROS: Costs nothing.
CONS: Could cost you everything.
#2- The Podium Mic
Lots of important people stand behind podiums. They make someone seemed organized and powerful.
But obstructing a comic’s mobility and forcing them to crane their neck and speak into the tiniest of microphones is not what we’re going for here.
When you book a stand up comic, you want all the energy and entertainment they can provide. The jokes may consist of words, but communication is so much more than what we say! What is our body saying? Does the act get more excited when the energy elevates? It all dies behind that podium. You paid full price for the act, why hide 3/4ths of it?
PROS: Your CEO feels comfortable and can read their notes.
CONS: The comic is handcuffed to a tiny microphone and cannot fully entertain your crowd. The energy is severely diminished and your money isn’t well spent.
#3- Flat Ceiling Speakers
This audio choice is a bit harder to explain, as it kinda is a mix of social psychology and science.
As people, we are more tuned into our senses than we realize. Our sense of hearing is like this, and we always seek to connect a sound to it’s source. In a traditional public address speaker setup, speakers are positioned to project their cones of sound outward at the audience- placed near the source of the sound so as not to confuse. Could you imagine if you booked a comedian and were watching them onstage but the sound was coming from behind you? DISORIENTING!
Well that same idea would be true from sound booming directionally downwards from a ceiling. It creates an automatic disconnect from the person onstage. Though not as pronounced a difference as audio coming from behind someone, our brains just don’t like it as much compared to the sound coming from the same area as the comedian.
PROS: Often the system supplied by a venue, but if you ask they may have other, better options.
CONS: Disorienting, impersonal, audio often not optimal quality
The Best Sound Systems to Use When You Hire a Comedian
#1- Lavalier Style Microphone
As seen on TED talks (remember those?) and some theatre/arena comedy, this is a wireless, handsfree system where a transmitter is used to beam the audio to a receiver connected to your speaker system. It consists of a headset mic which is worn and connected to a transmitter box.
This set up is utilized a lot by keynote speakers and other people who make a living giving presentations. It typically is used by someone with a level of pre-existing comfort onstage (like a pro comedian for hire). It is a good option, though not universally preferred in comedy, as some comedians have become quite used to holding a traditional mic and report they feel different performing without it.
PROS: Can free up hands of performer if they desire such a thing, can be connected to different types of PA system with receiver.
CONS: Reliant on batteries and strong transmission signal, not typically what your act is used to using.
#2- Wireless Handheld Microphone
The freedom of wireless! Like the lav style mic, it transits wirelessly, and can be connected to a PA system with directional speakers. Like it’s wired friend below, this microphone’s shape is the most traditional in comedy, the big focus with these units sound be sound checking before a show to ensure transmission is good, test audio while moving around the performance area to ensure feedback isn’t an issue. And make sure you’ve got fresh batteries, as you could imagine the mic going dead in the middle of the act is not the momentum boost anyone is looking for.
PROS: Familiar to comedian, connects to proper PA set up, allows freedom of movement
CONS: Relies on strong batteries, need to do an area check for signal strength
#3- Corded Microphone- THE WINNER
How do you know this is the best mic system for comedy? Just take a look at what’s onstage at every comedy club!
Don’t mess with a classic. Get two speakers, put on on either side of the stage, point them at the audience and connect this microphone. This is the set up stand up comics are most used to. Bonus points for it being cheaper than it’s wireless friend right above us when you rent it. Per night rentals on an average PA system utilizing this microphone style are typically quite cheap, and the sound is great. A constant supply of power means no worrying about the microphone dying in the middle of a great joke.
Like any audio system, a sound check will still be needed, but unlike wireless we don’t have to worry about transmission strength. Upon set up, ensure connections are secure, and that the cable that plugs into the microphone will no easily come loose. Renting a microphone stand alongside your speaker can be very helpful as well, and bring a little comedy club vibe into the room.
PROS: The GOAT, cheap, easy to set up, familiar to comics
CONS: Loose cords can affect audio so check thoroughly upon set up. Requires plug in power source for speakers.
Thanks for reading!
If you made it through, chances are you may be thinking of booking a comic!
Here at comedy connection, we offer comedian bookings in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and beyond! We can help you build a gig from the ground up, catering to your needs and helping optimize your space and sound for the perfect show. To book a comic, head over and check out our comedians section or reach out through our contact page.
For gear rental, check out local music stores like Long and McQuade or for a more detailed set up there’s Rentals & Events | Inland Audio Visual
Keep laughing!
Brent @ Comedy Connection
