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Help! Beginner soudman !

S

SeaBassSteve

Nov 14, 2008
246
0
UK
#1
Bit of an odd one ere. My main functions band been out of action due to band leader being pregnant.
Since then I'm missing playing music. The scene is a bit quiet here and haven't seen anything that takes my fancy in 2 months. As such I got asked if I would audition for bein a functions band soundman. I said I'd give it a go as I usually set up and run my bands pa etc.
Anyway. They have a good setup and good team of musicians. Their guitarist is an ex pro soundman and they are just lookin for someone to help set up pulldown and keep an ear out front as he is finding it too difficult to do whilst playing.
So I'm heading over tomorrow to go to their rehearsal and have a go. Any tips ?
 
#6
don't turn up the suck button!

18985d1146272770-stupidest-things-you-have-ever-heard-during-session-fs_suck_knob.jpg
 
#7
Pay attention to what their player/soundman teaches you about their setup. How they run their off board. Signal paths etc. Make notes, then ask questions.

If their guy is an ex pro, he'll be telling you how they want things run...right down to sound check order...everything. You're most likely be hired to hump gear and tweak a few levels as the night goes by.
 
#10
PopaWoody said:
Pay attention to what their player/soundman teaches you about their setup. How they run their off board. Signal paths etc. Make notes, then ask questions.

If their guy is an ex pro, he'll be telling you how they want things run...right down to sound check order...everything. You're most likely be hired to hump gear and tweak a few levels as the night goes by.
Click to expand...

Hmm you may be right. Initially im interested in doin it for the months before my band gets back on it and see how it's going. He seems a friendly chap and technical minded like my self ( I'm a software engineer by trade)
 
#11
Downunderwonder said:
By the same token, take all you learn from your ex pro soundman with a grain of salt. "Pro" soundman can mean many things and even some real professional guys labour under false ideas. Eg, ongoing speaker underpowering myth, etc etc.
Click to expand...

True.
From what he said it seems they are looking at someone to just control volumes , help set up tear down and primarily accenting different instruments etc in diff songs and at different points in the songs ratherthan just setting up and leaving it.

I think I'll just keep an open mind, Read up and use my ears to start with.



Ps apologies for iPhone auto correct etc.
 
#12
One thing you can do that may help is to practice identifying a note by frequency that's common for EQing. That way if you hear feedback at a particular tone, you'll know if it's, say, 440 and you need to pull that one down.

You have to be fast at correcting things to be a good soundman when the talent starts complaining.
 

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