For a long time the band had an on/off foot-switch system that Healy developed for the vocal microphones. It's a simple burglar alarm pad that goes under some carpet. You probably notice the pads in front of the microphones at shows or from the picture above.  It's just a pad switch that turns the microphones on when you step on it and it goes through a gating system that controls the amount of time it takes to turn on, and off. It's not like a switch that's just instantly on and instantly off, it comes on very fast, and it turns off in about two seconds. If Bobby leaps off his pad and he's still singing, it'll hold for just a brief time.

In 1992 the band went to the in-ear monitor system. They ended up modifying the mic system to a ducker system. It was called "ducker" because it turns the microphone off in the house but leaves the mics active so band members and techs could communicate. When any of the members of the band stepped on the pad, it turns the microphone on everywhere. When they step on the little switch, as opposed to the pad, it turns the microphone off in the house but keeps it on everywhere else. And through this method, they're able to converse with each other, which they did. Bobby or Jer would step up and could say let's slow it doooooowwwwwn or Steve come here. Bobby and Steve Parish wore wireless ear monitors.