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Soundperson questions


hi.flyer

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Ah, then you're seeing a "briefcase gig"...the sound guy only runs and maybe does a little setup work, but doesn't own the gear. They don't pay as much, obviously, until you get up to the regional/national touring band gigs. But those require.....touring. Ugh.



There's actually "soundguys" who bring, setup, run, tear down, and know how to use their gear out there!??! :eek::eek:

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True. It
must
be laziness....I'm always the last guy out of a venue, typically an hour after closing.
Must
be lazy...why else would I show up 2 hours before showtime, if not to have more time to hang around doing nothing? And it's a well-known fact that 188lb subs and 114lb mains lift and move themselves, and there's nothing to it at all if a 100lb amp rack and 300lb cable trunk are sitting on the ground outside the truck. They have their own lifts!! Yup, nobody's got it easier than the sound guy!
:lol:
:lol:



This^
When I run sound I always work 2-4 hours more then if all I have to do is play bass. While it is true when the band is up there playing I am sitting on my ass (and drinking beer) I am constantly evaluating and adjusting the sound. The physical part is before and after the gig.

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I did sound work exclusively for years, still do it on top of my day job, and I run my bands sound when we play.

 

Sound is fun. There are a lot of things to keep you eye (and ear) on, but I love it!

 

To start off with, you probably aren't going to be running awhicked massive PA

 

Not to spam the forum, but www.pubrocker.com (my site) has some live sound help. it is meant to be the very, very basics. check it out. I haven't gotten to speakers/amps yet...

 

I also recommend checking out the Harmony-Central forum, I've learned a lot from the great folks on there!!

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There's a politics forum too, that doesn't seem to stop that {censored} from being bandied about here. :poke:
:D





That's *probably* because the Political forum is merely a left wing circlejerk, and a waste of time for anyone actually wanting to discuss issues... Atleast here, there's some balance - instead of a bunch of libtards and kids taking turns blowing each other...




- georgestrings

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Regarding the OP - if you can't handle pressure, conflict, or adversity - running sound is not for you... I'm no sound pro, but I have atleast a couple hundred sound gigs under my belt - IMO, it's not rocket science - but *I* think that a capable musician with a head on their shoulders can *usually* do a good job of running sound, with a little training...



- georgestrings

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Regarding the OP - if you can't handle pressure, conflict, or adversity - running sound is not for you... I'm no sound pro, but I have atleast a couple hundred sound gigs under my belt - IMO, it's not rocket science - but *I* think that a capable musician with a head on their shoulders can *usually* do a good job of running sound, with a little training...




- georgestrings

 

 

It helps to not have the typical muso personality.

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There's actually "soundguys" who bring, setup, run, tear down, and know how to
use
their gear out there!??!
:eek:
:eek:



Yup. and then there's system techs like me that show up, help EQ and aim the system for the venue, then leave and make almost as much as the FOH guy who's there all night. :lol:

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It helps to not have the typical muso personality.

 

 

 

True, but IME musos with extensive band experience tend to have a good ear for mixes, AND know what a typical player's needs are on stage... When I run sound, I go out of my way to accomodate each performer - and do things as I would want them done if I were up there playing... Such an approach has served me well...

 

 

- georgestrings

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Read several books on mixing. Depending on the equipment, it could be handling 20 controls or 500+ (I'm in the 500+ category. Though after a good setup, not much needs changing.) I find myself tweaking the system almost every time I use it. I'm seldom running at full volume. Always looking for easier or better ways to do anything. Frequently agonizing over possible purchases. If I had unlimited money, my system would be lighter, but not more powerful. It's really as loud as I want to be exposed to.

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That's *probably* because the Political forum is merely a left wing circlejerk, and a waste of time for anyone actually wanting to discuss issues... Atleast here, there's some balance - instead of a bunch of libtards and kids taking turns blowing each other...





- georgestrings



I thought this placed was whacked until I visited there-
once by accident, the second on purpose. Holy hell. :facepalm:

It's like the remnants of every Clinton, Carter, Gore and Obama "worker" there ever was, plus all the ACORN ex-employees! :lol:

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Read several books on mixing. Depending on the equipment, it could be handling 20 controls or 500+ (I'm in the 500+ category. Though after a good setup, not much needs changing.) I find myself tweaking the system almost every time I use it. I'm seldom running at full volume. Always looking for easier or better ways to do anything. Frequently agonizing over possible purchases. If I had unlimited money, my system would be lighter, but not more powerful. It's really as loud as I want to be exposed to.

 

 

And many of us know how loud that isn't.;)

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You guys should have a Suck Knob.

 

 

If you get a band coming through who's arrogant, obnoxious, rude, wrecking the place, berating you, and generally deserving.... give him the Suck Knob.

 

Place a delay unit in the singer's mic only on the stage monitors. When the band deserves it, you start delaying the vocals coming back to him up there. A little more, a little more, soon the band's totally off timing, he's screwing up the lyrics, drummer's trying to compensate for the guitarists being behind the vocals, TOTAL CHAOS.

 

Then you quickly turn it off, watch them regain their composure, think they're back on track. Then start doing it again.....

 

 

Excellent revenge on those bands you wish would disband and disappear before they start their next "song".

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I thought this placed was whacked until I visited there-

once by accident, the second on purpose. Holy hell.
:facepalm:

It's like the remnants of every Clinton, Carter, Gore and Obama "worker" there ever was, plus all the ACORN ex-employees!
:lol:




The bizarre part of that is, those retards actually *think* they're having rational discussions of the issues - hahaha!!!



- georgestrings

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The bizarre part of that is, those retards actually *think* they're having rational discussions of the issues - hahaha!!!




- georgestrings



I know.
Once you've singled out the 2-3 people evar that are going to disagree with you, ya'd think it wouldn't be as fun.
Alas, I was wrong. ;)

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So, my uncle, he's a musician, trombonist to be precise. Apparently he is forming/joining a new coverband and wants to train me as the sound
person
(note how PC I am
:cop:
). A friend of mine has recently started a similar gig w/ a different geezer-rock bar band. Basically what I want to know is, before I actually talk to my uncle and find out for real, what am I getting into here? Is it difficult? What am I gonna have to do, beyond, uh, plugging {censored} in and carrying it? Thanks in advance, ya'll.



No offense, but this kind of thing is precisely why there are so many incompetent "sound people" out there.

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You guys should have a Suck Knob.



If you get a band coming through who's arrogant, obnoxious, rude, wrecking the place, berating you, and generally deserving.... give him the Suck Knob.


Place a delay unit in the singer's mic only on the stage monitors. When the band deserves it, you start delaying the vocals coming back to him up there. A little more, a little more, soon the band's totally off timing, he's screwing up the lyrics, drummer's trying to compensate for the guitarists being behind the vocals, TOTAL CHAOS.


Then you quickly turn it off, watch them regain their composure, think they're back on track. Then start doing it again.....



Excellent revenge on those bands you wish would disband and disappear before they start their next "song".

 

 

The SUCK knob does exist in several forms. Delay will work with IEM bands. What works *really* well is a pitch bend on the instrument or vocal monitor feed of choice. I've heard of it being used on some relatively big acts that were total pricks to the sound crew.

 

It's a lesson that only need be taught once.

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Not that anyone cares, but, hey!

 

Well, it went down, and it went pretty well! The old soundperson (:o:D) is the drummer now, so he was there to help me out. I pretty much sussed how to hook everything up, there wasn't that much gear (7 mics, 2 mains, 2 monitors, 2 poweramps, EQ, mixing board), which made my job pretty straightforward and easy. There was a little feedback a few times but nothing too bad (people kept asking for more stuff in the monitors and I think I put in TOO much). The band was good, good songs, I had a good time... and I got 3 beers and 30$! Sweet!

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YAY!!!

 

 

I love being a sound tech. I've been doing it every friday night for almost a year, so I'm still pretty new.

 

I work at a club, so the environment is always the same, and I never have to set up all the gear. Just mics and cables every night. The bands usually tip me pretty well, so I must be doing something right.

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