SAMPLED

Live sound and performance · updated 2026-08-16

FEEDBACK

The howl when a mic hears its own amplified output. Fixed with placement, pattern choice and narrow EQ cuts.

A front-of-house position at a concert venue before doors: digital mixing console, laptop and racks facing the stage — the live rig behind the FOH, monitor and PA terms here.
Live sound and performance — A front-of-house position at a concert venue before doors: digital mixing console, laptop and racks facing the stage — the live rig behind the FOH, monitor and PA terms here.

Photo: McFly Power to Play Tour, Bridlington Spa front-of-house pre-show (opens in a new tab) by Hullian111 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

Key takeaways

  • The howl when a mic hears its own amplified output.
  • Fixed with placement, pattern choice and narrow EQ cuts.
  • It occurs first at whichever frequency the room and the mic reinforce most, which is why it usually rings on one specific note.
  • Pulling a narrow EQ cut at the ringing frequency buys headroom without changing the overall tone much.
  • Watch out: turning the whole channel down as the standard fix.

Quick checklist

  • Can you define feedback in one sentence without looking?
  • Can you point at feedback in a real session, mix or contract?
  • Have you tried the practical move above at least once?
  • Would you catch the common mistake before it costs you a take?
  • Have you opened one of the primary sources below rather than a forum thread?

FEEDBACK IN DEPTH

Feedback is the howl that happens when a microphone picks up its own amplified output and the loop gain exceeds unity. It occurs first at whichever frequency the room and the mic reinforce most, which is why it usually rings on one specific note.

How it works in practice

Pulling a narrow EQ cut at the ringing frequency buys headroom without changing the overall tone much.

The mistake people make

Turning the whole channel down as the standard fix. Mic placement, pattern choice and monitor position remove the cause instead.

WHERE FEEDBACK SITS

Feedback belongs to live sound and performance in the Sampled music glossary. The stage vocabulary: what the engineer means when they wave at you.

TERMS THAT DEPEND ON FEEDBACK

  • Ringing out a room

    Pushing monitors to the edge of feedback and notching the frequencies that ring first, so you get usable stage level.

TEST YOURSELF

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3 quick questions on feedback. Answers are marked instantly — nothing is sent anywhere.

  1. 1. Which statement best describes feedback?

  2. 2. What is the mistake people most often make with feedback?

  3. 3. In practice, which of these applies to feedback?

Ready for the full thing? Take the 25-question terminology test and get a certificate with your name and score.

SOURCES AND CITATIONS

Free, primary references for feedback — standards bodies, manufacturers, government offices and university course material. Each one lists the line of this entry it backs up.

  • Shure — feedback control (opens in a new tab)

    Primary reference · service.shure.com

    “The howl when a mic hears its own amplified output.”— the claim this source supports

    Why it counts: Published by the organisation responsible for the thing being defined, so it is a first-hand source rather than a summary of one.

  • AES technical library (opens in a new tab)

    Professional standards body · Audio Engineering Society

    “Fixed with placement, pattern choice and narrow EQ cuts.”— the claim this source supports

    Why it counts: AES writes and reviews the engineering standards and peer-reviewed papers this terminology comes from.

RELATED TERMS IN LIVE SOUND AND PERFORMANCE

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