live or studio: cross overs?

[ArrMatey]

as an aspiring engineer, I was wondering about the following:

How many of the more experienced engineers here do live sound? In that sense, I was wondering which was your best field: studio or live?

Which one did you start with and crossed over, then why?

What would you say is the hardest of each section?

 

It's more a sort of basic infos on people just to get my head around and give me perspectives for the future.

 

Thanks

[where02190]

I started in live, dabbled in the studio throughout, and built my own facility 5 years ago. I still do live, and still prefer it.

[CN Fletcher]

It is far better experience to do the live thing before you start doing the studio thing than the other way around. There are luxuries you're afforded in a studio environment that are not afforded you in a live environment. Things like the ability to "rewind" and do something again... live, you have to nail it the first time, every time... it's great training.

 

There is also the aspect where when something goes wrong you have no option but to work out a quick "work around" solution in minutes or seconds that doesn't happen in the studio world.

 

In the studio world you have a discipline that requires relentless attention to minutia and detail that doesn't necessarily occur in a live setting... but if you try to apply that level of minutia and detail to a live setting you'll invariably end up A) pissing off the rest of the crew; B) miss the "big picture" which is what you're really trying to accentuate in a live setting.

 

Best of luck with it.

[MarkGifford-1]

I do both, at the local level.

 

Different animals, to be sure. Fletcher was right on.

 

Live sound is easier to find work doing - most sound companies are dying for qualified folks, and alternately, if you have just about any size decent system, there's more work than you can handle. It's a great place to learn the ropes: people skills, signal flow, working quickly and efficiently, stamina, etc.

 

Recording is much more detail-oriented, but harder to find gigs. Just as rewarding, but in a different way.

 

I really enjoy doing both, it keeps either from getting boring. And, if you're a hustler, you can almost make a living by diversifying.

 

MG

[where02190]

I very much dissagree with Fletcher. Paying attention to mix details live is what makes the difference between a good live engineer and a great one.

[The_Idiom]

 

Originally posted by where02190 I very much dissagree with Fletcher. Paying attention to mix details live is what makes the difference between a good live engineer and a great one.

 

 

 

I think what he may have meant was being able to get a useable mix almost right away....

 

not asking the drummer to play his kick for 15 minutes while asking a roading to make slight adjustments to mic placement..

 

and therefore being able to make the correct adjustments without the audience or the band knowing..

 

Brandon

[where02190]

 

Originally posted by The_Idiom I think what he may have meant was being able to get a useable mix almost right away.... not asking the drummer to play his kick for 15 minutes while asking a roading to make slight adjustments to mic placement.. and therefore being able to make the correct adjustments without the audience or the band knowing.. Brandon

 

 

That I with ya on 110%. Never much saw the point in lengthy checks anyway, especially in smaller venues, where the audience totally changes the acoustics anyway.

[Phil O'Keefe]

Just as they are for musicians, live and recording are two different things for engineers... and personally, while I've done my share of each, I prefer the studio. YMMV.