How to get your own soundman?

[Colonel_Claypoo]

hey everybody,

i'm looking for some advice on getting somebody to do sound for us.
we figured the best for our sound would be if there was someone who really knows what we wan't and don't want in our sound.

how likely is it, out of your experience, to find somebody who'd go to as many gigs as possible with us?

furthermore, how many times will the venue allow you to bring your own soundman?
i guess that many times this would be too much to coordinate.
i really don't know it but for those of you who have your own soundman: what if your unable to bring your own mixer and stuff?
will the venue's soundman let your soundman use the equipment?

just looking for some real world experiences here.

thanks a lot.

 

[T-Bird]

Hi.

#1 Pay him/her enough.

I'm not kidding either.

When I was doing sound some 10+ years ago, there was ZERO appreciation towards soundpersons. We were the necessary evil, good for nothing freeloaders who got their money for sitting behind the desk, just listening and twiddling with the knobs looking like it did something. Everybody expected us to do everything and then some. Be the bus drivers, stage-hands, roadies, security, chaperons, bar-maids, instrument techs, You name it.

Make sure that this isn't the way YOUR possible soundperson feels, and maybe you'll be able to keep him/her.

#2 Pay them, did I mention that already? Pay them better than the bandmembers, after all, they're the ones that can make it or break it.

There's no motivation that drives a person better into that kind of "hobby" than money, as a matter of a fact that's about the only benefit there is in the small to medium scale band circuit.

A soundperson without a name and at least some equipment, ie. desk, processors, mics, pres. won't be getting near any decent equipment without a chaperon, if even then. Communication is the key, the house soundperson has to have talked personally with Your soundperson before the gig. Preferably several weeks in advance.

Regards
Sam