Some techie Q&A

Sam from Pasadena writes in with a technical question:

What kind of microphone do you use?

Wonderful question, Sam. Generally most grooms don't care about what type of microphone I use, so it is quite cool to get a techie question once in a while. Anyway, I prefer AudioTechnica microphones. I've been using them for so long that I've grown accustomed to their weight and feel in my hands. In fact, recently when I needed to use a backup Shure microphone (this event needed at least three wireless microphones to be effective), it felt...weird. Not saying that I don't like Shure mics, it's just that I'm so used to AT mics that a Shure mic feels different.

I use cordless microphones, as this allows me to be interactive and personable with the guests. As such, I am able to make announcements and interact with people from among the audience, at the head table, near the buffet line, etc., rather than being tied down to a podium. This makes for a much livelier and more personalized presentation!

In a similar question, Lani from Wahiawa writes:

Do you ever use the house sound system, or do you use your own sound system at weddings?

Generally, I use my own sound system, or I tie into whatever DJ the client has hired. This is because my presentation is tied very deeply to the music, and most ballroom sound systems aren't capable of providing the range, volume, and depth of a professional audio system. Consider this: David Letterman's many punchlines and gags are tied directly to the music of Paul Schaeffer and the CBS Orchestra. How effective would Letterman's presentation be if the music sounded hollow and flat?

Not very.

I still keep the house sound system plugged in and ready to go, as a backup just in case the professional sound system goes down, but it hasn't happened yet and hopefully never will.

Thanks to Sam, Lani, and all for the great questions!

Marino
Ninja Entertainment

On the Go!

It's amazing how long a month is.

It's been quite a whirlwind month that I must apologize for not posting here recently. I haven't even been able to send out the February newsletter!

Anyway, here we are in March, and I've got some catching up to do.

Last month saw two wonderful weddings, of which I will put together a full write-up hopefully soon. Suffice to say, as in all the weddings I perform at, those two weddings involve a lot of preparation and rehearsal in order to ensure that they run as smoothly and stress-free as possible, and because they ran almost back-to-back (both on the same weekend), it was much more challenging. Congratulations to AIMEE & JUSTIN, and PRESCOTT & HIDEMI!

The weekend after was my high school BFF's wedding. (Yes, guys have BFFs too, although we generally don't use the term...) Although I attended as a guest, I knew the DJs and had heard good things about the MC. Everything went as smoothly as possible. To LLOYD & MARGARET, congratulations! (It's about time!)

Last week and into the weekend was spent traveling for a combination of both business (attending classes on entertainment on the mainland) as well as spending time with family.



And of course, here and there, I'm taking care of my current clients, meeting with new clients, and providing the fulltime customer service I'm known for. Most people just see the five hours of the wedding and think "That's all he does." In reality, those five hours are just the tip of the iceberg. When you take into account all of the time involved in making sure that each wedding is well-rehearsed, prepared, and personalized, you realize that it's much more than five hours of party. By the time your wedding arrives, I would have already invested 40-60 hours of my time into the success of your celebration. But the result, after seeing the smiling faces of my brides & grooms at the end of the night, reminds me why I still do it.

A hui hou,

Marino
Ninja Entertainment