For the microphone to pick up a clear and undistorted sound it must be held about one to three centimeters from your mouth. Hold the mic at a constant distance so the volume of your voice doesn’t keep changing. Try to keep the mic steady and don’t let it wave about. Do not press the microphone up to your lips or chin, as this will obstruct your mouth and may cause distortion. If you are sounding muffled over the microphone it may be that you are holding it too close to your mouth.
The hand that you hold the microphone with should be as far from your mouth as possible so that the dancers can see your face (and not just part of it). Although you see Rock Singers holding the head of the microphone it is not good for the clear sound needed for square dance calling.
The mic itself should be held at a 45-degree angle and slightly turned to one side – once again, so as not to cover your face.
One last thing to remember: if you want to say something that is not intended for the whole audience, don’t say it over the microphone.
Do’s and Don’ts of Microphone Technique
DO hold the microphone steady
DO hold it at a short distance away from your mouth (about one inch)
DON’T wave the microphone around
DON’T press it into your chin
DON’T place the mic on your lips (don’t swallow it!)
DON’T choke the microphone (don’t hold it at the tip)
DON’T say anything over the microphone that you might regret later