Announcements, microphone phobia help??

[Muzikmania]

Hi,

I have recently been taking my nephew out to do Discos with me and he is a little shy and refuses to use the microphone to make announcements, hes 16 and i have told him that he has nothing to worried about, he says that people will laugh at him.

Do any of you get shy or don't like using the microphone because of what others think, and if so how did you conquor this phobia?

Any help will be brilliant.

Connor

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I don't think he has anything to worry about as we've all been there at one point or another.
It will become second nature over time once he's done it a few times. Personally even after all the years I have been doing the job I still get slightly anxious but I am told that's a good thing as it shows I want to do the best I can every time I go out.
I don't tend to think about it that much anymore. Years ago I may have worried about it but not anymore.
Don't concentrate too much and just try to be natural and confident and it will become easy. It may sound strange but I don't tend to take much notice of faces, I just get on with it.

Not sure if that will help but tell him not to worry.

[Pe7e]

I think his real fear is forgetting his announcement half way through, getting tongue tied, or suffering brain fade, I think we've all been there at sometime or another in our past. Simple solution would be to compose a 'crib sheet' with all the common announcements on it, learn them off by heart then practise saying them out loud, first on his own, then in front of friends. When this has been mastered, try them in a live gig situation, I think his problem will probably have disappeared.

[pgw71]

I think the thing that worries me most is that the levels will be all wrong the instant I open my mouth. We can set levels all we like beforehand - but its always a bit different once people are in the venue!

Once I get talking, and feel that I've got the levels right (if necessary, a little tweak), then I'm fine....

[yourdj]

Practice in the venue when no one is about.
You can then sit at the back of the room and give CONSTRUCTIVE critique.

Or at the best give encouragement. Get him to do request shout out's to start with as you can't really get that wrong.
Write down in bold all the main things like "congratulations to xxx who is 16 today - happy birthday" etc. etc.

Main thing - and its lots of DJ's downfalls - teach him to turn the music down/off when he speaks and don't mumble or speak too fast.
i wish i could teach every DJ that as its the main thing that people take the p out of after crap music selections. ;)

[DazzyD]

I think the thing that worries me most is that the levels will be all wrong the instant I open my mouth. We can set levels all we like beforehand - but its always a bit different once people are in the venue!

Once I get talking, and feel that I've got the levels right (if necessary, a little tweak), then I'm fine....

You wouldn't believe the number of times I've started talking only to find I've got the channel on mute still, have turned up the wrong channel slider or some other reason that means my voice is not coming out of the speakers! It looks to the audience like I'm miming or something and they all give me weird looks! Still, I'm used to it now! :o

[Sapphire Disco]

I expect the more you do it the better you will get, practice makes perfect although I apparently sound like a bingo caller :D

[BeerFunk]

Some good advice already, I'd add that you could record some sets including microphone announcements (when the neighbours are out, so that you can simulate volume levels closer to a live gig). Listen back to the recording, and hear what it sounds like. It won't be exactly what the audience will hear, in fact, the quality will generally be better as it hasn't gone through the PA system yet (and let's face it, no PA system is built for an audiophile).

I like Toby's suggestion better - if possible, practice in the venue. Most likely there will be bar staff about, but if you don't mind them, then it's ideal! :)

[musicology]

I remember thinking I sounded like a total twit when I first started and felt as embarrassed as hell! But I knew I really wanted to do this so kept at it and practised at home with the disco set up, sometimes just with it all going through the headphones in case I was overheard! I was in exactly the same position in that I started working with someone more experienced and started off just filling in but was really scared of the mic.
Even now I sometimes get a little nervous (even after 30 odd years!) but have learnt how to come across nice and relaxed.
So my advice to him would be PRACTICE. My biggest tip is to think through EXACTLY what you are going to say and how you are going to say it and hit the play button. Try talking over the intro (dipping the fader when speaking). ALWAYS record it, play it back, do it again...until it starts to sound right and you don't feel silly saying it.Then do a bit of introducing live, just maybe 3 or 4 songs, do it again at the next gig, and slowly your confidence will build.

[Jonny Boy]

It's going to sound a little pretentious to some but other than actual 'rehearsal' that other have mentioned, encourage him to do some quick vocal warmups before he even speaks over the mic. Yes really. It's not just for singers.

They can be done out of the way so no guests have to see, BTW!

Roll the shoulders & neck, do a few lip trills (horse noises!), massive fake yawns alternated with screwing his face up tiny and/or half a minute doing exaggerated chewing motions. These all loosen the muscles in mouth/neck and tongue - so even make it a daft thing you do together - if it makes you laugh it'll also reduce the stress.

This will *help* save his voice locking up/croaking/squeaking - the vocal folds will naturally tighten with nerves/stress anyway, so loosening the muscles earlier is good prep to negate this for everyone using a mic IMHO. (To greater and lesser degrees.)

Most of all deep breaths before he starts speaking and good breaths planned within longer sentences. Script this 'beat' (pause) within announcement to breathe in at the same time as adding emphasis/anticipation.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

I had the same when I started, it's all about confidence and just throwing yourself into the announcements.

That said I do put on a voice rather than just talk into the mic.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I think sometimes we may think we put on a voice when we're on the mic but I think we actually project our voices as it comes with confidence.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

When I first started years ago, I used to exaggerate my voice to project it a little further. It was a bit cheesy DJ, but then that's what people expected back then. Invent yourself a persona and stick to the voice.

I used to listen to the radio or music and think of things to say in between songs. This of course is all a bit old school, but will help improve confidence.

Get him started with easy things, like announcing the buffet.

[mattydj50]

When I first started, microphone use was a necessity as we only had one turntable to work on.

And before you ask, it did play 33s and 45s (not just 78s).

[ckpr2]

When I did my first gig the other DJ just disappeared to the pub and left me with half a dozen kids to entertain.
With just 6 punters there wasn't a lot of pressure.

He just needs to decide what he is going to say upfront so there is no pressure trying to come up with something on the hoof.

Things like "That was Billy Idol and white wedding" then "Now we are going way back in time now to 1966 and Diana Ross and Baby Love."
He will build up his repertoire of things to say as time goes on.

[DJ Jules]

I'm not a natural on the Mic by a long shot, but I found that if I prepare what I'm going to say in advance and then give myself a deadline for saying it, I won't wimp out. I set myself a deadline of 10mins from the start to pick up the Mic at kids gigs, and 30mins from the start for adult functions and I don't allow myself to break those deadlines (sounds stupid I know, but it works for me).

It's also worth pointing out to him that the first announcement on any given night is always the hardest one, once you've talked to a crowd once the second/third/fourth announcements are easy :D

[Excalibur]

I'm not a natural on the Mic by a long shot, but I found that if I prepare what I'm going to say in advance and then give myself a deadline for saying it, I won't wimp out to start to pick up the Mic at kids gigs, and 30mins from the start for adult functions.

I set myself a deadline for putting the mic down at those points. . :D