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what makes you different


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Okay I'll bite.

 

I don't miss the first four to eight bars of a solo because I'm obsessed with the kick drum (or the waitress, well maybe sometimes). In other words, a fairly good level of concentration.

 

But hey, I know that everyone that hangs out here has great concentration, so I guess I'm not special after all:)

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As a band - "We get it". When you play in public, you're playing for them. It's all about the best product you can produce, period! FOH mix takes priority over everything else. Given the venues and types of shows we do that means stage volume just can't be that high - minimal amps on stage, v-drums, and much time spent on leveling keyboard and guitar patches. Nearly every show we "tweak" something.

 

Production is such an overlooked thing. Plus all members of the group have got to be on the same page or it just doesn't work. No "sound guy" in the world can do magic to make it truly good if the band members have decided to just grip it and rip it or get a perfect sound for themselves on stage. I get so disappointed when I see, what I can tell are great musicians, but they just lost it in the execution. There may be better bands around, but we consistently end up with a superior product to nearly everything I've seen in small/mid size venues.

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i'm special

 

No, I'm special. :)

 

Although I'm good at what I do, there's nothing I can do that 100 other guys can't do better. I'm forever trying to learn from those guys.

 

A few things that keep me getting hired back to gigs, though:

 

Although you wouldn't know it from my posts, in real life I'm actually a nice guy. I get along really well with all my clients.

 

I'm cool under pressure and very adaptable.

 

I'm good at mixing a variety of different genres of music.

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Wanna come over for a pajama party? Beer's on me. Hell, I'll even send you the plane tickets.
:)

Oh, and you can bring the wife too.
:thu:

 

Hmmmmm...

 

She asked: Where?

I said: Canada

She said: In January? And laughed...

 

This is the place we come from:

 

p2175-Salvador_Bahia_Brazil-Praia_do_For

 

And that's where we're heading to in a couple of weeks... :thu:

 

90 degrees right now... :thu:

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Hmmmmm...


She asked: Where?

I said: Canada

She said: In January? And laughed...


This is the place we come from:


p2175-Salvador_Bahia_Brazil-Praia_do_For

And that's where we're heading to in a couple of weeks...
:thu:

90 degrees right now...
:thu:

 

Are you kidding me Alex,,,, she'd melt the snow the instant she steps off the plane, and it'll look just like that beach,,,,,well,,,, minus the palm trees. Oh!, and I'll bet you can't find a decent "poutine" on that beach,,,, or a good "hot-dog steame".

 

Alex, I've never seen your picture before, but I'll bet you have droopy eyelids.;)

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I used to wonder that qn... my gear is nothing great and was worse when i started. I knew that my band had another contact for sound (who had better gear and consequently charged more) and i wondered why they kept asking me back.

 

One day the bass player (a sound expert himself) told me that the main reason was that they could ask me for what they wanted, and i gave it, in terms of foldback mix, etc, whereas the other guy, when asked for something, would tell them why they were wrong and argue with them.

 

Being cooperative and saying "yes" as much as you can sure helps. Added to things like being reliable and on time, and ensuring that your service is good for your price.

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As a band - "We get it". When you play in public, you're playing for them. It's all about the best product you can produce, period! FOH mix takes priority over everything else. Given the venues and types of shows we do that means stage volume just can't be that high - minimal amps on stage, v-drums, and much time spent on leveling keyboard and guitar patches. Nearly every show we "tweak" something.


Production is such an overlooked thing. Plus all members of the group have got to be on the same page or it just doesn't work. No "sound guy" in the world can do magic to make it truly good if the band members have decided to just grip it and rip it or get a perfect sound for themselves on stage. I get so disappointed when I see, what I can tell are great musicians, but they just lost it in the execution. There may be better bands around, but we consistently end up with a superior product to nearly everything I've seen in small/mid size venues.

 

 

What you said should be stamped into every musician's brain...

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The thing I try do do when I approach a gig is always keep in the forefront of my mind what it was like for me when I was the one on the stage all the time. I had to deal with asshole soundguys that didn't care, wouldn't be near the board once we started, took any request by us as an insult to their intelligence, etc.

 

I try my best to do every gig without being the type of soundman I always hated dealing with. I'll tell the band that I've been on their end of the situation before so I know how they feel coming into a situation with a soundman they've never worked with before, and that I strive to make sure that the room sounds great, as well as their monitor mixes, and that they leave very happy with the whole experience.

 

I also always make sure to tell that if they need something to please ask for it whether it be over the mic between songs or sending a manager over to the booth. I don't want them to feel like I'm going to flip out iof they have an issue with a monitor mix or something.

 

As long as I can talk to the band about this stuff before the gig they feel more comfortable, I feel more comfortable, and if I have a request for them ( such as moving a guitar or bass cab) they usually have no problem with it because they know that I know what I'm doing and I'm only asking to better the final product.

 

This approach has been the thing that has helped me the most over the years.

 

One other thing. I also let the guitar players know that I'm a guitar player also, and that I will make sure they're in the mix and sound good. I also tell them that I will make sure they can hear themselves even if I ask them to move or turn down a cab. This has made dealing with loud players a LITTLE easier for me and I haven't had a player bitch at me after the gig yet. (great I probably just jinxed myself)

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We show up early, have the PA set and running and stage roughed in before the band shows up. We set the band at ease by being professional and accommodating. We customize the mix to the band (so we don't mix Bluegrass like a Dance Band, or a blues band like an 80's rock cover band) and we have 0 attitude.

 

We have dealt with several SGWAs (Sound Guys with Attitude) and refuse to become that way. And I have seen at least one company set a PA, wire the stage, then hunt down where the power is (he didn't verify good power before setting up :facepalm:). My buddy who's band it was was sweating bullets at that show. PA finally worked just 10 minutes before show time.

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