Microphone Technique
A microphone should make the performance easier to hear, not become the most distracting object onstage.
Find the working distance
Most handheld stage microphones reward consistent placement near the mouth. Drifting the mic toward your chest at the punchline makes the exact line the audience needs hardest to hear.
Distance can be used deliberately for loud act-outs, but deliberate is different from accidental.
If the audience notices your microphone technique, something is probably wrong.
Mic Stand Technique
The mic stand can be invisible, useful, or an obstacle. Decide which before it decides for you.
Move it once if possible
If you do not need the stand, place it somewhere deliberate rather than repeatedly bumping into it. A clean stage picture helps both the room and video.
Do not throw venue equipment for effect unless the venue specifically permits that behavior.
Treat the stand like venue equipment first and a prop second.
Handling Bad Sound
Bad sound can destroy timing faster than weak lighting. The first goal is to diagnose the problem without turning the show into a technical meeting.
Know the common failures
Low volume, feedback, dead microphones, cable noise, delay, and monitor problems require different responses. If the audience cannot hear you, continuing at full speed is not bravery.
Signal staff quickly and clearly.
Fix audibility before blaming timing.
Technical Failure
A dead mic, broken projector, lost playback track, or power problem can interrupt the show.
Have a fallback
Stand-up often needs little more than a working microphone and light. Know the simplest version of the show.
Back up critical playback.
Design the show so one failed gadget does not kill the whole night.
