CHURCH TECH
THE CHANGING QUALIFICATIONS OF A SOUND OPERATOR | Bill Gibson
This article is an excerpt from my most recent book , The Ultimate Live Sound Operator ’ s Handbook , Third Edition . I ’ ve always done a lot of training in the audio field and these are my observations regarding what to look for in an up and coming sound operator .
When it comes down to what ’ s really required of an excellent live sound operator , most of the task is still about building a mix that sounds good and keeping it sounding good during the show ; however , even though the seemingly smaller part of the job is getting set up and keeping the technical aspects of the show running smoothly , there is no denying the importance the technical role plays in a successful presentation , especially in the modern era of digital mixers , digital snakes , app-controlled personal monitors , integrated digital lighting systems , and all the rest of the technological advances that add so much more power and control for the performers and the sound operators . Being capable of troubleshooting problems in the heat of battle is extremely important . As the sound operator , when the sound system isn ’ t working , it ’ s obviously your responsibility to get it working , quickly . But you are also the one person to whom everyone in the group turns to solve their technical problems . And as technology increases in power and flexibility , it also increases in complexity .
Some performers are more than capable of understanding modern technology . Others aren ’ t . It has become increasingly important that the sound operator stays technologically informed regarding the Front of House ( FOH ) sound system , all plug-ins , hardware , personal monitoring systems and apps , broadcast feeds , and the list goes on . Things have changed in the past handful of years , and the modern sound operator is faced with challenges that didn ’ t exist 10 years ago — maybe even five years ago ! It is now more important to read every manual and watch every pertinent YouTube video , simply so you are able to bail out technically panicking performers .
Any good sound operator must love music . He or she needs to have a history of listening to and learning about what different music sounds like . Although a love for technology and audio sound quality is an important part of the makeup of a good sound operator , it is by no means the only qualifier for a great sound operator . I have had dealings with many technicians who lacked the necessary musical insights to create a great-sounding mix . They might be able to get a clean signal from point A to point B , and they might be able to analyze the heck out of an acoustical environment , but they don ’ t have a sufficient basis for making choices about music .
The technically minded sound operator might come up with a brilliant scheme for gauging the input levels and how they fit mathematically into the creation of a subgroup level , and he or she might be able to accurately set the group levels so they create a technically intelligent mix , but that sound operator might not recognize when the mix sounds bad .
Given the choice between a sound operator who is technically adept and one who is musically adept , choose the latter . However , in the modern era , the sound operator who is both technically and musically adept is the best choice because of the elevation of technology in music and audio . There are still simple systems around that use older analog mixers running through power amps to speakers , along with simple wedge floor monitors , but there aren ’ t nearly as many of those types of systems as there used to be . New installations take advantage of digital consoles , digital snakes , and digital control systems . A modern sound operator simply must be comfortable with modern equipment . It used to be easier to technically train the musician than it was to musically train a technician . That still might be true because of the insights a music lover brings to sound , but there ’ s no denying the increase in the importance of understanding deeper technology for today ’ s sound operators . With the following points covered , even the novice can turn into a great sound operator — I ’ ve seen it happen repeatedly .
LIST OF QUALIFICATIONS The following list of qualifications for becoming a great sound operator includes points that might surprise you ; however , for the most part , these points are reasonable conclusions for anyone with musical experience .
I grew up as a garage-band kid — and I don ’ t mean Apple ’ s GarageBand . At that time ( fifth grade through high school ), the sound operator was the guy who hung around the band but couldn ’ t play an instrument or sing . The choice made itself — he was the sound operator , and we were glad to have him . He liked the music we were playing , or he wouldn ’ t be hanging around when we rehearsed and performed . In addition , he obviously liked playing with the gear enough to set it up and tear it down whenever we needed help . Even at that time , every sound operator became a friend of the band . The sound operator liked what we liked , ate what we ate , listened to the music we listened to , and so on — he was on our team .
In the professional world , an excellent sound operator is a valuable commodity . Experienced performers realize the value of an excellent mix . They know that the sound operator can make or break the show ! In the adult professional world , the sound operator isn ’ t always the comrade that the garage-band school-years sound operator was , but it is most fulfilling for everyone when the sound operator knows and loves the music he or she is mixing .