P.A. Systems Demystified

PA Systems Demystified: The Student and Teacher's Guide to Live Sound

Turn a tangle of cables into a crystal-clear performance with this essential guide to live sound.

For many students (and teachers!), the school PA system is a source of stress—feedback squeals, silent microphones, and a maze of confusing wires. PA Systems Demystified removes the guesswork, providing a clear, step-by-step curriculum that empowers students to set up, operate, and pack down sound systems with confidence.

This resource covers the fundamental physics of sound, essential safety protocols, and the practical skills needed to run a professional-sounding event.

Designed for New Zealand Music Education

While this resource teaches universal live sound skills, it has been specifically tailored to fit the New Zealand curriculum and assessment landscape.

• NCEA Unit Standard 26687 (Version 6): This resource is accompanied by assessment tasks and schedules designed for Unit Standard 26687: Demonstrate and apply knowledge of sound for an entertainment and event context.

• Years 10–12 Suitable: The content is scaffolded to be appropriate for students in years 10, 11, and 12, regardless of the specific assessment system used in your school.

What’s Included in the Guide?

This comprehensive resource takes students through the entire life-cycle of a live sound event. Topics covered include:

• Health & Safety: Essential protocols for electrical safety and hearing protection to ensure a safe working environment.

• The Signal Path: Visualising and understanding the "Source, Input, Control, Output" flow.

• Microphones & DIs: Understanding the difference between dynamic and condenser microphones, polar patterns, and when to use a Direct Injection (DI) box.

• Cables & Connections: Identifying XLR, TRS, and Speakon cables, and understanding the importance of balanced lines for noise reduction.

• The Mixer: Mastering the channel strip, including Gain (pre-amp), EQ, Aux sends, and Faders.

• Feedback & Troubleshooting: Understanding why feedback happens and how to eliminate it using speaker placement and the "3-to-1 rule".

• The Soundcheck: A step-by-step workflow for running an efficient soundcheck.

For Teachers

• Teacher’s Workbook Included: A separate PDF containing the answers to the "Make It Stick" revision questions found at the end of each chapter.

• Video Tutorials: The guide includes direct links to video walkthroughs for each chapter, allowing students to visualize the equipment and techniques.

Download includes:

• PA Systems Demystified - Student Guide (PDF)

• PA Systems Demystified - Teacher's Workbook (PDF)