Jeff - Teacher Sound Coach - Sound Amazing LLC

Controversial opinion…

Serious question: why are we paying $18,000 in labor to install $250 speakers?

Those numbers are real and typical. I walk into elementary schools all the time and see speakers mounted high on the gym wall… and they’re not “special” speakers. They’re a couple hundred bucks each. But the budget disappears into lift rental, conduit, hole drilling, wire fishing, and labor. Because there’s a lot involved to make installed speakers comply with codes and rules. And in support of good vendors, they’re proposing to install speakers “the usual way”.

So here’s the mindset shift: The next time your school talks about upgrading the sound system, consider a portable setup. You can leave the old installed system alone if it’s good enough for gym classes & announcements. Just bypass it for concerts and musicals.

Now you can do the gym. The cafeteria. The parking lot. A field day. A PTA night. Or DJ during car line.
And if the parts that go up on stands are light enough? Kids can set it up.

Many of these systems are way more POWERFUL than the ones stuck on the wall - and most have Bluetooth built in.

If you like to challenge old paradigms, especially those related to elementary school sound systems, follow for more. Also, check the link in my bio to get a free checklist that’ll quickly help you make your shows sound better.

Feedback PREVENTION is way easier than feedback firefighting.
So if you want a simple “step-by-step” that tells you exactly what to check (and in what order)…
Grab my FREE Ultimate Feedback Elimination Checklist.
It’s teacher-friendly - and you can laminate it! I know you love to laminate!

Tap the link in my bio to get it free right now.

Why can’t you simply turn up every actor’s microphone and leave it there? 🎭🎚️

Because every open mic can make the sound more hollow and increase the risk of feedback. That’s why musical theatre mixers follow the script and mix line by line.

Like choreography, those fader moves must be marked, rehearsed, and repeated until they become muscle memory. Start early—because tech week is too late to learn the dance.

If your stage lives in the gym, do this the day as soon as your concert dates are set:
✅ email the gym teacher + admin with your musical dates
✅ rehearsal week timeline
✅ what equipment / set pieces will be in the gym
✅ what needs to stay untouched

Early communication prevents “Why is this here??” stress.
(And yes—my course master checklists includes copy/paste email text for this. The link is in my bio.)

Elementary concerts aren’t “cute.” They’re PACKED. 🎭🎶

Parents lined up. Standing-room only. Phones recording.
Big audience = big expectations (and big love for the kids).
So let’s match the moment with better tech hospitality.

What’s the biggest crowd you’ve had at an elementary show—200? 500? 1000?

Tap the link in bio for my proven steps.

There’s a better way than spending hours rebuilding your setup for every show.
Create a repeatable system.

My book will tell you how and my course will show.

Links are in my bio.

If your tracks sound exciting at home but lose all their LIFE in the audience, your bass setup may be part of the problem.

At a high school musical I helped with, the tracks had punch, the cast performed with confidence, and every word remained clear. One important choice: a single center subwoofer handled the deepest bass, while those frequencies were removed from the main speakers and stage monitors.

That helped deliver consistent, concert-style energy without burying the vocals.

When your school plans its next sound-system upgrade, consider adding “one center sub” to the wish list. The goal is music that energizes the cast, supports the story, and pulls the audience in.

Want my free checklist to help improve your school’s sound? It’s linked in my bio.

Broadway tip for school shows: keep body mics OUT of the stage monitors.
It sounds backwards at first.
But loud monitors can make feedback worse and make it harder for performers to hear other performers on the stage.
Give the kids just enough track to sing to.

A little behind-the-scenes look at setting up and mixing the wonderful Burnett Sisters Band! Their musicianship, harmonies, and energy are always such a treat. If you ever have the opportunity to hear them perform, I highly recommend it.

It’s always a joy working with the Burnett Sisters Band and the Charlotte Folk Society! 🎶

BluegrassMusic SoundEngineer

Spending the afternoon at Blumenthal’s Stage Door Theater, giving professional development sessions on sound for theatre teachers! I’m excited to share practical strategies that will help them solve sound problems, save rehearsal time, and make sure every student can be heard. 🎭🎚️🔊

ProfessionalDevelopment BlumenthalArts