FRONT OF HOUSE
YOU GIVE AUDIO A BAD NAME | Kent Morris
Reading through social media feeds from musicians discussing sound techs can be an intriguing experience . Musicians depend on sound techs to deliver their musical creations to the audience ; however , it appears a number of us in the tech field are not doing so dependably and with a positive attitude . One recent thread posited a number of experiences musicians had interacting with audio engineers and they were almost all negative . The majority involved techs unwilling to strive for an appropriate mix or incapable of resolving feedback and distortion issues . The remainder brought into question the tech ’ s desire to be at the event and a general laisse-faire approach to sound reinforcement . What then should we glean from these posts and what can we individually do to remedy the situation ?
FIRST , WE SHOULD LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND EVALUATE OUR APPROACH AS OBJECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE . It is easy to dismiss these social media narratives as emotionally-driven mediocre musician drivel , but the truth is , they have a point . Too often , we as techs fail to impart our best efforts in a given environment , either because we are jaded from having done so in the past without reward or due to a lack of interest in the event at hand . In either scenario , we must find it within ourselves to rise to the occasion and deliver the best possible sound regardless of circumstance . We are professionals and need to act that way .
NEXT , THINK ABOUT ROLE REVERSAL AND HOW YOU WOULD FEEL STANDING ON STAGE WITH NO RECOURSE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS THAT ARE BEYOND YOUR CONTROL . All the effort put into learning the music , rehearsing the band and choreographing transitions simply wasted thanks to one person at the mixing console . When considered in this manner , the impact becomes clear : the audio tech makes or breaks the event , so let ’ s treat the band as our customer and give them a great experience .
THIRD , TALK TO THE BAND . If it is a new group , make the walk to the stage when they arrive and introduce yourself , show them how things are laid out and indicate the challenges of the space as well as any pertinent information such as the drumkit cannot be moved or the keys are on a rolling platform . For recurring band encounters , always call each member by name and have their name taped onto their respective direct boxes and wedges . Make quick work of line check by testing all runs in advance of the band ’ s arrival .
FOURTH , STRIVE TO ACCOMMODATE THEIR REQUESTS . As techs , we realize some adjustments the band asks for are beyond the scope of the sound system or even physics in general . However , most musicians aren ’ t physicists , meaning they don ’ t realize the fallacy of their comments . Instead of reacting with an eye roll , consider how we would feel to be thrust onto the stage with a prog rock band and told to play in 7 / 4 . Let ’ s find a way to either move toward their goal in a more logical manner or explain in a non-condescending way not only what can ’ t be done , but more importantly , what can be done to assist .
FINALLY , DON ’ T SET AND FORGET THE MIX . Stay involved and focused , even if the band or style is not to your taste . Part of being a professional is serving every customer with a consistent approach involving all your talent and skill each time . A huge win is to take a mediocre event and make it special through effort and innovation . Any band will appreciate the extra effort , even if they do not verbalize it afterward . Keep the music and talking head at the forefront of the system ’ s capability so the result is a success at every turn .
Kent Morris Kent is a 40-year veteran of the AVL arena driven by passion for excellence tempered by the knowledge digital is a temporary state .