Though most of my career is spent on the backside of the microphone, I have done my fair share of sitting behind the mystical and ominous soundboard. While I don't claim to be the best, I have proven myself quite adept at mixing sound.
But, mixing sound can be hard if the musician won't cooperate. After all, when I say "Please test your vocal mic," I don't mean say "check" once and wait. When I don't hear your voice, I turn you up. When you speak again and blow my eardrums out, I can't help but shake my head.
Then I have to put up with the guy who plays his instrument into his mic, waiting for me to get the level set, and then he won't quit! How can we move on to the next mic if you're still playing? Oh yeah. We can't.
The best sound checks happen when the artist shows the sound guy some respect. So now, we will look at a few phrases the artist and/or sound engineer might think about employing for a more enjoyable sound check experience.
Can't hear the baritone vocalist? Instead of "Does that guy have a microphone? Is it turned on? Am I the only deaf person?"
Consider: "Gentleman in the blue shirt with the dorky bowtie, I wish I could hear more of that glorious baritone in the house." To which should come the reply "Check..."
Banjo player too close to his mic? Instead of "Hold on now, Bubba, stop everything and back up!"
Consider: "The banjo's rich and driving sound would develop much more nicer and fuller if you took a few hundred steps back."
No bass player in the band? Too bad.
Guitar sound hole feeding back? Instead of "Gnahhhhh! That noisssse!"
Consider: "My bad."
I hope the sound men can find some of these to be quite helpful as they continue their quest to make every band sound good. I hope all the pickers reading can now finally empathize with all the technicians and engineers who make the "Check, check 1,2" audible.
Monday, August 31, 2015
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Is this thing on?
There is nothing quite like the tender relationship between a musician and his sound engineer. No matter what the venue is like, sound problems go back to one of two people: The performer, and the guy at the soundboard.
As an acoustic picker, I have run into many different kinds of sound engineers. The inconsistency thereof is precisely why I got an endorsement from L.R. Baggs acoustic preamps and now use their Anthem SL and Venue DI (shameless plug!!!). Depending on the what category the soundman falls under, I know how to adjust the settings on my acoustic preamp so I don't sound like a guy with a bad soundman.
Category I - The Expert In His Own Mind
This is the guy who sits at the board and does not speak until spoken to. You plead with him for help, but his response is usually short. "I know what I'm doing!" or "I don't do it that way!" are some commonly used sentences from him. As soon as the music starts, he falls asleep and is not heard from until you're at the autograph tables after the show.
Category II - The Expert In His Own Genre
When you approach this guy, the first thing you notice is his Metallica t-shirt and the teeth-grinding-loud earbuds in his ears. He has never heard of bluegrass, but is excited to see a real banjo in the flesh. When trying to mic a mandolin, he almost tears up. Cut this guy some slack. He didn't know instruments could be played acoustically.
Category III - The Expert In Nothing
This guy was the first one through the door and has no clue what a sound system does. He offers to help because he was the one closest to the soundboard. If this well-meaning guy is running sound, there ain't nothing you can do but grin and bear it. If there are any problems, apologize to your band members just because. You're doomed.
Category IV - The Expert
This guy actually knows what causes feedback and he knows how to fix it on the fly. The first thing out of his mouth when you meet is "What do you need on stage?" and then you actually get it all! The sound is perfect. All of the mic cords are neat and tidy and the monitors really do work! At the end of the show, he is nowhere to be seen and you wish you could thank him personally and buy him a Cadillac.
Anyone who has been in bluegrass for any length of time has worked with all these guys. It can be downright depressing at times. But believe me, it is NOT all one way. Many of the problems on stage can be traced back to the artist himself. I will discuss this in the next post. Stay tuned!!
As an acoustic picker, I have run into many different kinds of sound engineers. The inconsistency thereof is precisely why I got an endorsement from L.R. Baggs acoustic preamps and now use their Anthem SL and Venue DI (shameless plug!!!). Depending on the what category the soundman falls under, I know how to adjust the settings on my acoustic preamp so I don't sound like a guy with a bad soundman.
Category I - The Expert In His Own Mind
This is the guy who sits at the board and does not speak until spoken to. You plead with him for help, but his response is usually short. "I know what I'm doing!" or "I don't do it that way!" are some commonly used sentences from him. As soon as the music starts, he falls asleep and is not heard from until you're at the autograph tables after the show.
Category II - The Expert In His Own Genre
When you approach this guy, the first thing you notice is his Metallica t-shirt and the teeth-grinding-loud earbuds in his ears. He has never heard of bluegrass, but is excited to see a real banjo in the flesh. When trying to mic a mandolin, he almost tears up. Cut this guy some slack. He didn't know instruments could be played acoustically.
Category III - The Expert In Nothing
This guy was the first one through the door and has no clue what a sound system does. He offers to help because he was the one closest to the soundboard. If this well-meaning guy is running sound, there ain't nothing you can do but grin and bear it. If there are any problems, apologize to your band members just because. You're doomed.
Category IV - The Expert
This guy actually knows what causes feedback and he knows how to fix it on the fly. The first thing out of his mouth when you meet is "What do you need on stage?" and then you actually get it all! The sound is perfect. All of the mic cords are neat and tidy and the monitors really do work! At the end of the show, he is nowhere to be seen and you wish you could thank him personally and buy him a Cadillac.
Anyone who has been in bluegrass for any length of time has worked with all these guys. It can be downright depressing at times. But believe me, it is NOT all one way. Many of the problems on stage can be traced back to the artist himself. I will discuss this in the next post. Stay tuned!!
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