> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.screenshepherd.live/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# The microphone

> Telling ScreenShepherd which microphone your singers are on.

This is the setting that matters most. Get it right and most things look after
themselves.

Go to the **setup** tab, under **audio input**.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Choose your audio interface">
    Pick it from the list. This is the box your microphones are plugged into.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose the channel the lead singer is on">
    If your desk sends lots of channels, you will see them all. Pick the one
    the lead vocal comes in on.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check it">
    Under **check**, press **check the microphone**. Sing or say a line.

    It shows you **we heard:** and the words. That is how you know you picked
    the right channel.

    If it says **we didn't hear anything — try another channel**, pick a
    different one and check again.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  **It must be the vocal channel, not the main mix.** A main mix has the whole
  band in it, and the singing gets lost underneath. This is the single most
  common thing to get wrong.
</Warning>

## More than one singer

If you have two or three people leading together, add each of their
microphones. ScreenShepherd follows whoever is singing.

You can add up to three.

## If it stops hearing anything later

Come back to **setup** and pick the interface again.

If you unplug the interface, or move it to a different socket, the Mac can
number things differently and the saved choice no longer points at the right
input. ScreenShepherd tells you when this has happened — it shows **not found —
choose one** instead of quietly listening to the wrong thing.

Stopping and starting will not fix this. Re-picking the interface will.

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="The check heard nothing">
    Try each channel in turn — it is nearly always the wrong channel rather
    than a broken input. Make sure someone is actually singing into that
    microphone while you check.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="It heard words, but the wrong ones">
    That is fine. It does not need every word.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="It follows one person but not the band">
    You are probably on a main mix rather than the vocal channel. Or your
    second leader's microphone has not been added.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="check the microphone is greyed out">
    You cannot check while it is listening. Press **stop** first.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>