My first-ever sound engineering job.

[JacieFB]

Some friends of mine have an 80s cover band that is really taking off. They are doing some bigger shows these days and are in need of someone to person the board. I got the nod and I'll be doing do for the first time this Friday. I'm not completely sound-ignorant...they asked me, after all. I also don't have to do all the setup...I'm basically just there to watch over the board, make on-the-fly adjustments, and address any emergencies. I hope to be a part of the setup, however, since I need to learn about that sort of thing. I can set up a PA no problem, but getting initial levels is something I can improve at.

 

Any words of wisdom?

[Kevin T]

live sound forums with learn you gud!

 

Kevin T

[JacieFB]

 

Originally posted by Kevin T live sound forums with learn you gud! Kevin T

 

 

Ass.

[VSpaceBoy]

 

That was great advice.

[JacieFB]

I am aproaching this from a musician's standpoint since that's my only point of reference. I post here semi-frequently, so I thought I'd let it fly. I expected more from this forum. As with most things, I'll lower my expectations.

 

Oh well.

[Danny (NS::U)]

 

Originally posted by JacieFB Any words of wisdom?

 

 

This is a potentially vast topic.

 

To go after your specific issue, that of getting initial levels, I would recommend picking a "limiting factor." That is, if something is loud enough to fill the room without help from the PA (and you can't change its level), then leave it out of the FOH mix and build everything else around it.

 

For example, when I'm in a "small" room with a loud drummer, I might put a bit of kick in the subs for more "low frequency fun," but then leave everything else in the kit to be heard acoustically. Then, I try to get the vocals into the right place against the kit, and then everything else.

 

I also definitely recommend pumping some known music through the PA (or using an analysis system), and using available means to make the PA sound as good as possible before soundchecking the band.

 

...and whether it's a main EQ or channel EQ, try to focus on cutting what you don't want instead of boosting what you like. Boosting isn't forbidden, but it can send you into clipping territory if you aren't careful. Cutting is safer, though too much cutting can lower your signal to noise ratio, or lead you to raise your pre-amp level too much (and then clip the pre-amp).

 

Too much or too little of just about anything can lead to real problems.

[Janx]

I've seen this done wrong, make sure you can hear the singer over the other instruments.

 

I went to one club where the band got on, and during the sound check, the lead singer was clearly quieter than the side-men's mikes, which weren't louder than the guitars. The sound guy never correct for this, and the first song left the singer being barely audible.

 

I figure it shouldn't take much to make a guitar play and have the vocalist say something, and adjust accordingly.

 

If you can get time, it might be good to get some time at the controls before the show, so you can fiddle with stuff.

 

Extra note I saw someone else post before was: take notes of the settings when you get it all tweaked (and maybe take note of the current settings, before you start mucking with things). Apparently that can be useful for if you ever play the same venue again.

 

Janx

[Robin]

Originally posted by JacieFB I am aproaching this from a musician's standpoint since that's my only point of reference. I post here semi-frequently, so I thought I'd let it fly. I expected more from this forum. As with most things, I'll lower my expectations. Oh well.

 

Whoa, hang on there tiger.

 

As an old dog who's been doing this sorta thing for about umpteen + yrs., I love to offer my 2 cents to newbies who appear sincere about learning, as you do.

 

There's been a couple of good points posted. Here's a few more :

 

1. If you've got a clue on how you want it to sound, that's about half the battle right there.

 

2. Gain structure, gain structure, gain structure....... learn it! Keeps everything nice and tidy so you can actually mix and not have to waste time fixing everything.

 

3. Don't be afraid to turn knobs (within reason of course)

 

4. Ask questions. Believe me, folks that really dig this gig will be glad to help out. Don't be one of those know-it-alls. 9 times out of 10 the sys. eng. will give them just enough rope to hang themselves with. I try to learn something new all the time.

 

Hope this wasn't too vague. Just trying to keep it simple. Best of luck to ya and let us know how goes.

[jabney]

hi JaycieFB,

 

The most important thing to remember is that you are there to please the band - and the ears of the lead guitar player's wife or girlfriend. The audience is just a distraction. Over on the live-sound forums they'll try to fool you by suggesting that if you see the audience crowding to the back of the room while covering their ears, maybe you should turn down the volume. TURN DOWN?!?!?! How 'ghey' is that? The secret that real rock pro's know - but won't tell you newbies - is that you NEVER turn down the volume.

 

Vocalists may try to fool you by asking for clarity. They don't mean it. If you can understand at least three words of a verse, you are falling down on the job. By the way - falling down on the job is highly recommended - bring in a cooler of 40s and pound 'em back. If you have to, you can always pee on the mixer, nobody will care. It's all part of rock and roll.

 

Of course you'll have no problem encouraging the guitar player to crank their amp, but beware the wussie small amps. A stack of Marshalls with the level dimed is what you want. If your ears aren't still ringing two days later, you haven't done your job to encourage tone. And tone combined with blistering fast guitar solos is all the audience cares about. Songs are so lame.

 

There are those other guys on stage, though. So you may as well try to help them be as cool as the lead guitar player and the singer. Bass players need to be encouraged to add to the sludge. Total cone area for a bass rig should be at least 1,000 square inches for each 100 seats. Drummers should have at a minimum two kicks, seven toms, and 14 cymbals.

 

If your band has keys, don't despair. As long as the keys player brings enough gear to take up half the stage and at least one and a half 15 amp circuits, that's enough. Of course you won't actually let the keys be heard in the mix, it might interfere with the guitar player's tone.

 

Do all those things and that's enough? Not at all. The real art to mixing is making sure that each channel sounds like a full band. Then bring up all the levels (except the keys). And whenever the lead guitarist's wife or girlfriend asks for more guitar, crank it! It won't be long before you reach the holy grail of rock and roll - feedback!

 

Some might suggest that your longterm goal is to make sure the band never gets invited back to the place. Wrong! If you follow the advice in this posting, you may reach the ultimate triumph: pissing off the owner so much that he or she decides to stop having bands altogether and to start hosting karaoke.

 

(One songwriter/soundman's opinion :-)

 

Seriously, break a leg, and don't shy away from the live sound forums.

 

john