FRONT OF HOUSE
ARE YOU NERVOUS ? | Kent Morris
Several years ago , Shure produced a memorable print advertisement showing an engineer at an FOH console , surrounded by a large audience and illuminated only by the console lights . The headline read , “ Are you ready ?” with the dual implication there are always things to be nervous about in a live event , but your wireless shouldn ’ t be one of them .
Nerves before the service begins are natural and a normal part of the mix process . “ Did I start the recorder , did I check the battery levels on Workbench , did I note the solo change in the second song ?” All of these thoughts with one minute showing on the countdown are to be expected , but nerves over personal preparation should not be a regular function since being at FOH demands each of us prepare for what can happen . Here are some ways to lessen the nervousness and learn to settle into a state of relaxed anticipation .
Live events are just that : live . The portions under our control as an audio engineer include being on time , reviewing the order of service several times beforehand , listening to and actively engaging with the previews on PCO ( Planning Center Online ) and setting the system and ourselves up for success . It is far better to spend an hour preparing than a week in regret for a missed cue .
Without preparation , we are unable to anticipate the next segment and , instead , fall into a reactive state where we are always one step behind the event . It is imperative we each walk through the service mentally , making notes and updates during rehearsal and then stay in contact with the rest of production once the event is underway . Church services are a conveyor belt of activity , meaning , once they start , they don ’ t stop until they end . One mistake leads to another and another , so the key is to prevent the first one .
Preventing mistakes relies on knowing what is happening now and what is expected next as well as what could be next . As gifted as some of us are , every A1 at FOH can benefit from an A2 , a colleague standing next to us with one eye on the platform , the other eye watching the order , one ear listening to intercom and the other focused on the sound in the room . The role of an A2 is to watch the stage for movement with one eye while reading the order of service with the other and simultaneously scanning the console to be sure the next snapshot is ready ; the right mics are unmuted , and the solo levels are ready to engage . The A2 job is a learned skill . It can be developed through the self-discipline of actively reminding ourselves to think in parallel , not in sequence . On the audio side , the A2 must have one ear attuned to the intercom chatter where , with practice , the noise can be ignored and only brought into focus when key words such as “ audio ”, “ FOH ”, “ A2 ” or “ sound ” are uttered . The second ear of the A2 needs to be aurally focused on any errant noise or feedback while listening for solos to be brought to the fore in the first measure . The A2 essentially allows the A1 to mix .
Reducing nervousness can also be accomplished through clear definition of what success means . If the target sound leadership presents is constantly moving or ill-defined , the audio engineer can never deliver an acceptable result . It is wise to bring leadership into agreement as to what sounds right to them and how they want sound delivered . Specific questions , such as , “ On the third song for this Sunday , how much do you want the electric guitar to stand out in the mix ? Do you want it there subtly or prominently ?” Another example : “ The last time we did this song , I was told to bring the B3 out strong in the mix and I did , but this time I have been chastised for doing what brought approval last time . Can you give me a clear and unified answer as to how much B3 to lay into this song ?”
Finally , shaking off the nerves comes down to being humbly confident in your work . Yes , there are a thousand better engineers out there , but God has you in this place at this time and He knows what He is doing , so just mix . Every person present hears differently and has an opinion on the sound . So what ? They didn ’ t study the nuance of each song and listen to each one every day on the way home from work . They didn ’ t show up early to dial in the settings and they didn ’ t stay late after rehearsal to write down all the changes . What matters is delivering on the thing God placed in your heart to do . Do that and move on . After all , next Sunday is right around the corner .
Kent Morris Kent Morris is a 44-year veteran of the AVL arena driven by passion for excellence tempered by the knowledge all technology is in a temporal state .
116 May 2024 Subscribe for Free ...