Your Top Marching Audio Issues Solved: Troubleshooting Tips from the Marching Field

It’s almost spring. Soon, marching season will be in full swing, and all your thoughts will start wandering back to the 50-yard line. And while the “marching” part of the marching arts will always take center podium, one fundamental element you can’t overlook is your audio system. It can enhance your presentation and give your music a competitive edge, but your audio system can also come with unexpected headaches.

We asked Sweetwater’s marching experts what audio issues band directors frequently face. Here, we’ll address the most common ones along with trustworthy practical solutions.

Wireless Microphone Pre-performance LogisticsWireless FrequenciesBatteries

Sync Everything Together & Soundcheck

Optimize Microphone Choice with Consistent Setup ProceduresTips for Microphone PlacementWired MicrophonesWireless MicrophonesDrum-set MicrophonesSmall-diaphragm Condenser Microphones

Other Microphone Accessories

Map & Color Code Your Cable Management for Faster SetupCreate Buffers for Your Gear

Additional Cable Management Tips

Travel with an Audio First Aid Kit for Peace of Mind

Plan for Failures, Delegate & Methodically Test Your Marching Audio SystemTeach Students to Proactively Spot Technical IssuesTest Your Audio Equipment & Keep It OrganizedChoose Reliable Audio Equipment

Delegate Responsibilities to Others

Wireless Microphone Pre-performance Logistics

One of the most common pitfalls with wireless miking is not establishing pre-performance logistics. Getting your wireless mics and transmitters ready beforehand will save you precious time and prevent loads of frustration. If you don’t get these details right ahead of time, then they can derail your show before you even step onto the field.

Wireless Frequencies

Before arriving at the venue, research what frequencies are recommended for your wireless system(s). The transmitter frequencies that work well for rehearsals at your school may not be ideal for the performance venue and its RF (radio frequency) environment.

The best operating frequency for the field will likely be different at each location. Nearby radio and TV stations can interfere with specific frequencies you use locally. Likewise, wireless systems from the venue or other marching bands may interfere with your signal.

Event organizers and others in charge of the venue can recommend the frequencies that will be best for your band in that location. You can also use tools such as New Endian’s FreqFinder app or Shure’s Wireless Frequency Finder to see which bands will work best with the least interference for your wireless transmitter for the specific show site.

Batteries

Even if you know which frequencies to use, your mics won’t do you any good if they have no power! So, before each show, you’ll need to be prepared with new or recharged battery packs for your wireless transmitters.

Once you’re at the show site, make sure to replace the battery packs in your wireless mics and transmitters with fresh or fully recharged ones. It may seem wasteful to change batteries before each show, but you’ll have the assurance and peace of mind that your microphones will stay connected throughout the competition. After you’ve replaced the battery packs, use your wireless receiver’s scan function to assign the best frequencies to your microphone system.

Sync Everything Together & Soundcheck

With adjusted frequencies and fresh batteries, it’s time to put everything together! Sync the wireless mics to your system with the predetermined venue frequencies and do a quick soundcheck. Once all your mics are ready, keep your mixer and wireless receivers powered on throughout the competition. This ensures that they’ll stay connected during your performance. That said, have your performers wait to turn on their wireless packs until the band before you finishes performing. Then you won’t accidentally interfere with their performance, and you’ll still have time to check your wireless signals as your band is pre-staging.

Before taking the field, quickly glance at your mixer to make sure the microphones are still delivering a signal. If not, then you’ll have already established a process for troubleshooting these kinds of issues. Simply retrieve the wireless transmitter in question, resync it with your receiver, and ensure it delivers an input signal to your mixer. Finally, have a great show!

Recommended Wireless Microphone Systems

Shure SLX-D Series Wireless Mics

Shure QLX-D Series Wireless Mics

Shure ULX-D Series Wireless Mics

Sennheiser EW-D Series Wireless Mics

Sennheiser EW-DX Series Wireless Mics

Optimize Microphone Choice with Consistent Setup Procedures

Another common pitfall marching bands face is keeping a consistent setup. For example, the soloist’s microphone is perfect while warming up but is then angled the wrong way during the show, which leads you to boost their signal and cause feedback. These small details that go unnoticed can undo all your preparation and planning — even if you’re well organized and prepared.

One effective solution is to build consistency and accountability into your procedures. Have each soloist be responsible for setting up their own microphone before taking the field. You should also teach them to make necessary adjustments before playing their solo. Staff members and parent volunteers can also scan the microphone stands for placement issues and inconsistencies.

Another method for ensuring consistency is to use the front yard lines for mic and gear placement. The distance from the sideline to the track or turf can vary widely between venues. Remember: the yard lines remain the same and will always be your source of truth!

Tips for Microphone Placement

As far as microphones go, there are good and bad ways to use them in your ensemble. Here are a few general tips to help you get the most from your equipment:

Set microphones as close to the source as possible: Generally speaking, the closer the microphone is to the source, the better — especially in an outdoor setting.If a soloist is standing too far away or a small ensemble is too spread out, then you’ll have to compensate by boosting the volume on the mixer. But this can lead to feedback or picking up other unwanted sounds.

Set the input signal properly: In an ideal soundcheck, you’ll set the gain (the input signal) to the player’s loudest volume. Set correctly, the signal will be just below the peak on your mixer. This ensures you have a healthy input source that can properly be turned up or down as needed with the channel fader.

Communicate with band members for accountability and consistency: There’s a lot going on in any rehearsal or show, and something can easily slip through the cracks if directions aren’t clear. Assign students to set up specific mics, stands, and cables; make sure they understand what gear they’re responsible for.

Many issues in the audio world can be solved by choosing the right microphone for the job. That said, there is a wide variety of mics to choose from. Fortunately for you, we’ll detail the most popular choices to help narrow your options.

Wired Microphones

The Shure SM57 is like the Swiss Army knife of microphones — it works well with just about everything, and it’s incredibly durable. As a dynamic mic, it has a warm and smooth sound that helps tame any harsh high frequencies you may encounter. On the marching field, it’s perfect for miking front ensemble instruments and brass soloists. We also recommend using it with the Shure A55M shockmount mic clip and A2WS windscreento help mitigate handling and wind noise.

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Another common mic used for marching is the Audio-Technica AT2035. It’s a condenser microphone, which gives you a more detailed, brighter sound ideal for capturing those hard-to-hear woodwind soloists. Alternatively, the AT2035 is a fantastic choice for miking front ensemble keyboards, as pictured below. It’s a lot more sensitive than the SM57 and other dynamic mics, so we recommend getting a windscreen and a replacement shockmount to help reduce noise.

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Wireless Microphones

For wirelessly miking saxophones or brass players, you can’t go wrong with the Shure WB98H/C clip-on microphone. It’s easy to attach, and it has a flexible gooseneck to get the ideal mic position. Soloists can also keep it attached to their instrument throughout the show and perform from anywhere on the field — just be careful when performing visual moves!

For flute players and vocalists, try the Shure DuraPlex DH5 headset mic. DuraPlex headsets don’t need to be attached to the instrument itself but can simply be worn by the performer throughout the show. They’re also ideal since they’re resistant to moisture and come with a strong cable and connector.

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Drum-set Microphones

Premade bundles such as the PreSonus DM-7 or Shure PGA Drum Kit 7 make it easy to mic your drum set. Each kit includes mics for snare, kick, toms, and overheads, giving you a complete solution for miking your drums.

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Small-diaphragm Condenser Microphones

Use a set of small-diaphragm condensers to mic larger groups of players or solo woodwinds. Microphones including the RODE NT5 or sE Electronics sE7 matched pairs will do the trick. Try using them in an XY configuration or in another stereo mic configuration. You can also use each mic independently.

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Other Microphone Accessories

Selecting the correct mic for the job is only half the game. The right accessories can make or break the way you use your microphones. You can improve your setup with these recommended microphone accessories:

Shockmounts and windscreens: These simple accessories help prevent unwanted noise from entering your signal. Noise may come from the keyboard frame or from handling the microphone itself, which is where a shockmount comes in handy. As the name suggests, the windscreen helps reduce noise from the wind. Condenser mics are especially susceptible to wind noise and should not be used outdoors without windscreens.

Round-base mic stands: These are typically stronger and heavier than tripod stands. They’re ideal for outdoor settings since they’re less likely to topple over from the wind or an accidental bump.

Mic clamps for front ensemble instruments: There are multiple ways to mount microphones to your mallet instruments. Most outdoor frames have standard-size bars that work with most accessory clamps. Various clamps from Gibraltar, Pearl, and Gator Frameworks should universally work with those frames.

Cases for your microphones: You might have anywhere from 10 to 30 microphones in your ensemble. While some bands tend to leave mics on instruments or stands during transport, it’s a good idea to have a permanent home for them. That way, they’ll be kept safe and dry during the marching season and through the rest of the year.

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Map & Color Code Your Cables for Faster Setup

One of the hardest parts about marching band audio is how quickly and precisely everything needs to be set up! You may have the perfect gear that sounds incredible during the show, but you only have so much time to set it all up once you step on the field. Fortunately, you can do a few easy things to minimize your setup time and ensure everything works perfectly.

First, plot your front ensemble instruments, mixer, and speakers. You can do this with computer software or simply with pen and paper. Here’s an example, where “FM1” stands for Field Mic 1, and so forth:

Once you’ve planned your layout, you can map out where all the cables need to go. Use arrows to show where the cables are routed. In the example below, the speaker cables are stored with the main speakers and brought to the mixer cart (as shown in orange). The yellow arrow represents a large snake for receiving inputs from the pit to the mixer. The pink arrows show the flow of the microphone signals.

After you have your basic layout, you can plan other ways to connect your cables. You can bundle cables together or use smaller snakes for connecting multiple channels.

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One commonly used cabling technique is bundling microphone cables placed under the front ensemble keyboards. In this setup, the cables from each connected microphone pass beneath other instruments, creating a growing bundle of cables. For example, in the diagram below, two field microphones (FM1, FM2) come together at the first vibraphone. When the cable from the first vibe’s mic is added, three cables are bundled together. As the next vibraphone joins the chain, it adds its own to the bundle that passes along the existing cables, resulting in four cables continuing to the next instrument. You can add as many cables to the bundle as extra instrument mics are needed (though we recommend only bundling up to eight).

If you have eight channels at the end of your chain, then you can look into another solution, such as the D’Addario Modular Snake System. It’s perfect for clean, simple setups that need to quickly connect up to eight channels to a mixer. Since your audio setup may dramatically change from year to year, it’s a flexible solution that lets you adapt to multiple scenarios. One important thing to remember is you’ll always need all three parts: both ends (XLR Female on the microphone end, XLR Male on the mixer end) and a core cable in the middle of any length you need.

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Analog-over-Ethernet snakes are another great option for connecting multiple channels. Like modular snakes, they use an “end-middle-end” setup while offering extra benefits. For one, they’re generally more durable than modular snakes. They’re also available in customizable lengths. However, each Ethernet cable can only carry four mic channels, so you may need multiple Ethernet snakes. And if you’re using mics with 48-volt phantom power, then you WILL need a shielded Ethernet cable. Radial Engineering and Pro Co offer versatile connection options for EtherCON cables, and Pro Co makes a variety of EtherCON cables.

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Create Buffers for Your Gear

It’s essential to have a buffer cable or panel between your critical connections and any equipment that’s frequently plugged or unplugged. In simple terms, a buffer is a cable or panel that goes between your regular cables and your more expensive gear such as your mixer or wireless receivers.

Using a clearly labeled panel with only the necessary connections makes setup much easier for students and volunteers and helps prevent mistakes. A buffer also protects your more expensive gear: if a cable gets yanked or broken, then the stress is placed on the buffer instead of on the mixer or speaker. It is much easier (and cheaper) to replace a buffer cable or panel part than it is to repair or replace your larger gear... especially in the middle of marching season.

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Additional Cable Management Tips

Here are more tips to help you manage everything during setup and tear-down:

Use colored tape or cable ties to label your cables and inputs. Using colors can help you identify cables quickly as opposed to using numbers or letters.

Make sure to bring spares for every type of cable you use. It may be easy to borrow an XLR mic cable in a pinch, but snakes and Ethernet cables are harder to find in an emergency situation.

Make sure every member of the front ensemble is taught how the electronics work. This way, anyone can cover setup if a student or volunteer is absent or needs help.

Practice setting up and taking down your audio system multiple times with students, parents, and volunteers.

Travel with an Audio First Aid Kit for Peace of Mind

For your peace of mind and quality of life, consider putting together an audio first aid kit for emergencies. All touring artists and large-scale shows do this, as it can be a lifesaver on the road. Here are all the must-have items you should include in your audio first aid kit:

Cable tester: A device that can test any connection you need — XLR, MIDI, TRS, etc. They’re relatively inexpensive, and you can get a few of them for your band parents or pit musicians to use.

Spare cables: Have at least one spare for every kind of cable you use in case one fails or gets lost. You don’t need an entire duplicate audio system, but you should have redundancy for mission-critical cables such as modular snakes, network cables, or power cables. These spares can save you huge headaches down the line.

Extra gaffer’s tape: Have gaffer’s tape handy to secure cables and eliminate tripping hazards. This comes in black or bright colors. You can use it to mark gear, fix or secure things, and also mark set pieces for better visibility.

Cable ties or zip ties: Secure cables are happy cables!

Spare batteries or battery packs for wireless transmitters: Keep your wireless microphones working properly. The battery packs you need may be specific to your transmitters, so call your Sweetwater Sales Engineer at (800) 822-6752 to find the best one for you!

Extra microphone shockmounts and quick-release mic attachments: It’s always good to have an extra shockmount in case one breaks. Quick-release microphone attachments can also save you precious minutes of setup time and maintain consistency during setup. If you use quick-release clips, then always have spares.

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This whole kit can live in a Gator cable bag that can be carried by a parent on the sideline. The high-contrast lining makes it easy to find what you’re looking for, even in low-light situations. Make sure your kit is ready for whatever your marching season throws at it!

Shop etherCON network cables at Sweetwater

Shop JUMPERZ cables at Sweetwater

Shop board and gaffer’s tape at Sweetwater

Plan for Failures, Delegate & Methodically Test Your Marching Audio System

You may have heard the phrase, “go slow to go fast.” In the context of marching band audio, that means taking time early in the season to train your front ensemble in all things audio. Band camp and summer rehearsals are the perfect times to prepare them for potential pitfalls and troubleshooting issues. Then, when competition season comes marching in, they’ll be able to solve problems quickly and effectively.

Teach Students to Proactively Spot Technical Issues

Have students set up everything as if it were a real performance then ask them to leave the room. Change one thing and time how long it takes them to find the issue. Keep offering these small challenges then gradually increase the number and complexity. You’ll be amazed how quickly they’ll learn to check common issues first, such as power switches and loose cables, before moving to more complicated problems such as dead cables and frequency interference.

As the marching season goes on, be sure to keep an eye on any equipment that’s potentially sustained damage. For example, if a mic stand gets knocked over, then it’s advisable to suspect it may have been damaged. Have your students report the potential damage as soon as possible. This way, you can prepare by quickly fixing or replacing the equipment so it doesn’t cause problems in the future.

Test Your Audio Equipment & Keep It Organized

It’s absolutely critical that you test the inputs on your mixer prior to each show. While the rest of the band is warming up, it’s good practice to have the front ensemble test essential electronics to ensure everything’s working properly.

Your pit musicians can be more careful and methodical with their approach. Position your speakers, synthesizer, and mixer carts close together so you don’t have to fully uncoil all your cables (that have ideally been organized and color coded!). Uncoil just enough to reach the power source, confirm everything works, then coil it back up and head to the staging area.

Finally, every piece of gear needs a sturdy cart that rolls smoothly on pavement, grass, or artificial turf. Carts such as the ones by Pageantry Innovations will keep your gear safe and make it easy to load on and off the field.

Note: Lead times for carts and other marching equipment can often be longer than anticipated, so if you’re in the market, then be sure to plan ahead!

Choose Reliable Audio Equipment

Reliable marching audio equipment is a critical factor of your marching band’s success. At the heart of your PA system is the mixer. When considering what mixer to buy, you may want to look at digital mixers. A modern digital mixer can keep your audio setup clean and easy to use. It also allows you to store scenes for recalling consistent mixes at every show. Plus, you can mix your sound remotely with an iPad from anywhere around the field or in the stadium (just be sure to check the competition rules before doing so). That said, analog mixers will also do the job well while being more friendly to your school’s budget.

There are loads of options for audio gear and PA systems. Sweetwater offers a few complete PA systems designed specifically for marching bands. You can order these bundles or reference them when building your own solution.

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Delegate Responsibilities to Others

It’s all too easy to get caught up in your responsibilities and try to do everything yourself. But to make things easier on you — and significantly reduce your stress levels — you should delegate some responsibilities to your students, staff, and parent volunteers. Doing so will let you focus on big-picture stuff including the competition at hand. Plus, it’ll empower your students and foster teamwork among everyone involved.

March Confidently with Sweetwater

Have any specific concerns? Our marching band experts are on standby to offer free advice to set your mind at ease and put your band on the path to success. Call (800) 822-6752 or email us at institutionalsales@sweetwater.com for support today.
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