Backstage With the Band

[SeniorBlues]

Originally Posted by minn12

Have you made prior arrangements with the sound crew for making a 'board recording'? If not, it is highly recommended. If you show up without notice and ask to patch a recorder or something into their board, you might not like the answer you could get.

And based on some of the posts, it seems some people are assuming the sound guy will be incapable of mixing different styles of music. Not sure what that is based on. It might be better to go into this with the attitude that the sound crew is capable and will do a good job, unless you are there and hear otherwise.

I'm planning on acting like a pro and will give the sound man every opportunity to do a good job. . . . but why wouldn't he accept my ZoomH4N, plug it in, and be done with it? These things are dead simple.

[TIMKEYS]

Originally Posted by guido61

Phantom power would be a mixing board issue. But I would hope these sound guys know their gear well enough to know the best way to hook up the keys. They might just want to split the signal before it gets to the speaker. Simple enough and they should have the gear if they do this stuff a lot.

I know they should know. I had an issue with running a stage piano into a mackie 450 , then going from the pass through to the board. I had sound at the monitor , but nothing in the mains. If i remember right if i turned off the monitor I had sound out the mains. Nothing made any since. I called mackie and they said it cant do that. well it was. I took the powered speaker in and has the pass through circut trouble shot. It was fine. Strange stuff. Mackie called me back and said it prolly had someting to do with passive power at the mixer. I just go to the board now and use the mackie as my monitor. Weird ass problem.

[TIMKEYS]

Originally Posted by guido61

Phantom power would be a mixing board issue. But I would hope these sound guys know their gear well enough to know the best way to hook up the keys. They might just want to split the signal before it gets to the speaker. Simple enough and they should have the gear if they do this stuff a lot.

I know they should know. I had an issue with running a stage piano into a mackie 450 , then going from the pass through to the board. I had sound at the monitor , but nothing in the mains. If i remember right if i turned off the monitor I had sound out the mains. Nothing made any since. I called mackie and they said it cant do that. well it was. I took the powered speaker in and has the pass through circut trouble shot. It was fine. Strange stuff. Mackie called me back and said it prolly had someting to do with passive power at the mixer. I just go to the board now and use the mackie as my monitor. Weird ass problem.

[IsildursBane]

Originally Posted by modulusman

Hard to tell from the picture if the gear is crap or not.

The desk certainly isn't.

If you talk to the soundman ask what the speakers are.

What's that going to tell him? Looking at the picture, they're pretty old, but having a model number isn't going to tell you anything about how they've been maintained, how they're processed, or how the guy chooses to mix.

-Dan.

[IsildursBane]

Originally Posted by modulusman

Hard to tell from the picture if the gear is crap or not.

The desk certainly isn't.

If you talk to the soundman ask what the speakers are.

What's that going to tell him? Looking at the picture, they're pretty old, but having a model number isn't going to tell you anything about how they've been maintained, how they're processed, or how the guy chooses to mix.

-Dan.

[modulusman]

Originally Posted by IsildursBane

The desk certainly isn't.



What's that going to tell him? Looking at the picture, they're pretty old, but having a model number isn't going to tell you anything about how they've been maintained, how they're processed, or how the guy chooses to mix.

-Dan.

As you said they look old. Alot of times old PAs go to bars to die. They are too heavy to move compared to gear now days. If they were junk back when they were new they sure won't sound better now. It might be some old EAWs or something that was part of a touring rig. Can you tell what the desk is. It looks to be 48 channels but I can't tell the brand/model.

[modulusman]

Originally Posted by IsildursBane

The desk certainly isn't.



What's that going to tell him? Looking at the picture, they're pretty old, but having a model number isn't going to tell you anything about how they've been maintained, how they're processed, or how the guy chooses to mix.

-Dan.

As you said they look old. Alot of times old PAs go to bars to die. They are too heavy to move compared to gear now days. If they were junk back when they were new they sure won't sound better now. It might be some old EAWs or something that was part of a touring rig. Can you tell what the desk is. It looks to be 48 channels but I can't tell the brand/model.

[Sillypeoples]

OP: Go on as late as possible, hopefully the sound guy will use the previous bands to dial in the sound, if he figures it out, then let him take care of it...if he's a moron, then just give him a vocal fader to play with.

These threads really go over with the sound guys. lol.

[Sillypeoples]

OP: Go on as late as possible, hopefully the sound guy will use the previous bands to dial in the sound, if he figures it out, then let him take care of it...if he's a moron, then just give him a vocal fader to play with.

These threads really go over with the sound guys. lol.

[IsildursBane]

Originally Posted by modulusman

Can you tell what the desk is. It looks to be 48 channels but I can't tell the brand/model.

Midas Verona

Regarding the rest of the system, this club gets some fairly well known bands through there. I don't know if they rent in better gear for the national acts, but if not, I'd have to imagine that the rig would be more than adequate for the OP.

-Dan.

[IsildursBane]

Originally Posted by modulusman

Can you tell what the desk is. It looks to be 48 channels but I can't tell the brand/model.

Midas Verona

Regarding the rest of the system, this club gets some fairly well known bands through there. I don't know if they rent in better gear for the national acts, but if not, I'd have to imagine that the rig would be more than adequate for the OP.

-Dan.

[minn12]

Originally Posted by SeniorBlues

I'm planning on acting like a pro and will give the sound man every opportunity to do a good job. . . . but why wouldn't he accept my ZoomH4N, plug it in, and be done with it? These things are dead simple.

What happens if several of the other bands want recording and/or audio connections also? It is not uncommon in these 'battle of the bands' shows for several of the bands to want a recording and/or an audio connection to a video camera for their sets. It's not always as simple as it may seem. Prior arrangement is always best. If you're the only request for a connection, the tech may be fine with it. But he might not be, especially in a busy environment like that.

[minn12]

Originally Posted by SeniorBlues

I'm planning on acting like a pro and will give the sound man every opportunity to do a good job. . . . but why wouldn't he accept my ZoomH4N, plug it in, and be done with it? These things are dead simple.

What happens if several of the other bands want recording and/or audio connections also? It is not uncommon in these 'battle of the bands' shows for several of the bands to want a recording and/or an audio connection to a video camera for their sets. It's not always as simple as it may seem. Prior arrangement is always best. If you're the only request for a connection, the tech may be fine with it. But he might not be, especially in a busy environment like that.

[kmart]

Originally Posted by SeniorBlues

I'm planning on acting like a pro and will give the sound man every opportunity to do a good job. . . . but why wouldn't he accept my ZoomH4N, plug it in, and be done with it? These things are dead simple.

Maybe because he's got x number of OTHER bands to set and mix before and/or after you, with 15 minute changeovers?

Yes, I understand, it shouldn't be that difficult to give you a feed of the FOH mix to your recorder, but maybe he just doesn't have time to do so because his job that day is wrangling cats.
You need to go into this gig understanding that regardless of his capabilities, regardless of the amount of assistance the house crew has, etc., a gig like this almost always means the house staff is going to be working against the odds just to meet bare minimums.

But here's another thing to consider: all your amps, drums and vox may be in the house mix, but that doesn't necessarily mean the board output to your Zoom will be the same mix, etc.

Nothing wrong with asking for them to help with what you're asking for, of course, but again, I advise approaching expecting less than optimal, and hoping for better.

[kmart]

Originally Posted by SeniorBlues

I'm planning on acting like a pro and will give the sound man every opportunity to do a good job. . . . but why wouldn't he accept my ZoomH4N, plug it in, and be done with it? These things are dead simple.

Maybe because he's got x number of OTHER bands to set and mix before and/or after you, with 15 minute changeovers?

Yes, I understand, it shouldn't be that difficult to give you a feed of the FOH mix to your recorder, but maybe he just doesn't have time to do so because his job that day is wrangling cats.
You need to go into this gig understanding that regardless of his capabilities, regardless of the amount of assistance the house crew has, etc., a gig like this almost always means the house staff is going to be working against the odds just to meet bare minimums.

But here's another thing to consider: all your amps, drums and vox may be in the house mix, but that doesn't necessarily mean the board output to your Zoom will be the same mix, etc.

Nothing wrong with asking for them to help with what you're asking for, of course, but again, I advise approaching expecting less than optimal, and hoping for better.

[trevcda]

Originally Posted by kmart

Nothing wrong with asking for them to help with what you're asking for, of course, but again, I advise approaching expecting less than optimal, and hoping for better.

Especially if you do it when you advance your stage plot well before the day of the show and let them know that you will be willing to providing a reliable and known form of isolation for your little recorder, reassure them that you won't need to plug into their AC at the board and that you understand that the mix you're recording will be mixed for the FOH and not your recording and as such will not be an accurate representation of what the room mix is.

[trevcda]

Originally Posted by kmart

Nothing wrong with asking for them to help with what you're asking for, of course, but again, I advise approaching expecting less than optimal, and hoping for better.

Especially if you do it when you advance your stage plot well before the day of the show and let them know that you will be willing to providing a reliable and known form of isolation for your little recorder, reassure them that you won't need to plug into their AC at the board and that you understand that the mix you're recording will be mixed for the FOH and not your recording and as such will not be an accurate representation of what the room mix is.

[SeniorBlues]

Is it standard practice to submit a stage plot for a battle of the bands? I can see the benefit, but no one has asked for one. I think I'll ask our leader to have one ready.

Yes I understand that by asking to plug into the record output on the board, you're not asking for any adjustments on their part. Plug in, push record, you get what you get.

[SeniorBlues]

Is it standard practice to submit a stage plot for a battle of the bands? I can see the benefit, but no one has asked for one. I think I'll ask our leader to have one ready.

Yes I understand that by asking to plug into the record output on the board, you're not asking for any adjustments on their part. Plug in, push record, you get what you get.

[guido61]

Originally Posted by TIMKEYS

I know they should know. I had an issue with running a stage piano into a mackie 450 , then going from the pass through to the board. I had sound at the monitor , but nothing in the mains. If i remember right if i turned off the monitor I had sound out the mains. Nothing made any since. I called mackie and they said it cant do that. well it was. I took the powered speaker in and has the pass through circut trouble shot. It was fine. Strange stuff. Mackie called me back and said it prolly had someting to do with passive power at the mixer. I just go to the board now and use the mackie as my monitor. Weird ass problem.

If they were inadvertantly sending phantom power down that line from the mixer, then I imagine that could cause some problems.