Live sound frustration

jimmyjammer · #1 10-19-2008, 05:29 AM

I have always wondered how it can be that _ after spending thousands of dollars and hours working on technique, perfecting amp and EQ settings, paying for the best gear you can afford, crafting songs and dynamics... along with all the sheer legwork it takes to actually get people along to your shows _ after all that, the quality of live sound (and ultimately crowd reception) can boil down to the muppet behind the sound desk.

I remember soundchecking with the band I was in at the time and the soundguy was dialling up the weakest bass tone I had ever heard...

Qvist · #2 10-20-2008, 02:25 PM

Yeah it sucks... I usually just take charge myself. Seriously, after the sound guy's done, I do a check in front of the front monitors, then dial my volume/treble/mid whatever is lacking up. Never heard any complaints

Marley's Ghost · #3 10-20-2008, 02:30 PM

I always go over to the sound guy before the show, shake his hand and puff him up. Admire his work. You can't get too friendly with these guys, they can make or break your sound.

DanRJBrasil · #4 10-20-2008, 02:40 PM

unless you got a bassist sound man, or the sound man is hired by you or your band or u play in small gigs where you have the control , you depended on luck. is very difficult to find a good sound man and a experienced one is not equals to a good one and a good sound man will not be working in a small bar or venue, most of them thinks the bass is a problem instrument and is better if is not heard at all

DanRJBrasil · #5 10-20-2008, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marley's Ghost

I always go over to the sound guy before the show, shake his hand and puff him up. Admire his work. You can't get too friendly with these guys, they can make or break your sound.

I also do the do the same, is a very good advise, but do not always work out, usually the sound man does not give a s... !

jimc · #6 10-20-2008, 02:58 PM

I saw the Tommy Castro band last night at a casino. I think the bassists name was Scott Stevenson. He took a great solo, but he was buried so low in the mix he might as well have not been there the rest of the show.

Coco Montoya joined them at the end of the set, went to a mic to sing and it was dead which shows how much attention the sound guy was paying, Castro was clearly annoyed. His guitar was probably half as loud again as it needed to be. Not sure if it was his regular sound guy but he pretty much ruined the show for me

bstringrandy · #7 10-23-2008, 06:39 AM

Sound guys can make or break you! We take our own everywhere we can. If not, then I resort to the butter-up, buy you a beer? treatment....

Randy

fokof · #8 10-23-2008, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanRJBrasil

unless you got a bassist sound man, or the sound man is hired by you or your band or u play in small gigs where you have the control , you depended on luck. is very difficult to find a good sound man and a experienced one is not equals to a good one and a good sound man will not be working in a small bar or venue,

So very true.
I'm also soundman and it's been 20 years I haven't worked in a small bar. I started there though. A great school.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanRJBrasil

most of them thinks the bass is a problem instrument and is better if is not heard at all

I don't think that's the right way to see it.
It's more ; Bass frequencies are the soundman's thoughest thing to deal with. In answer to that , some will just cut everything instead of working it.
If you play in a room where the acoustics are crapy ( read ;bass traps) there is nothing you can do , even the best soundman would do the same crapy job. You would have to rent multi thousand $$$$ of gear and the vast mojority of band will prefer having a bigger pay than a bigger sound.