Sound Check

[Jarred Harris]

What do you normally play during your sound check? Most of my gigs have FOH support so I try to play solid quarter notes digging in the same as I will later during the show. And I try to play in multiple keys and locations around the neck. It certainly sounds less than impressive, but I feel like during the actual show the quality is much better and there are no surprises later on.

 

[FutureTense]

I generally play Chick Magnet by MXPX. I'll switch it to Re-arranged by Limp Bizkit or Californication for the middle-higher stuff on the neck.

 

[StyleOverShow]

I play the tunes in the show, particularly any that have low or high bass lines. Gives the sound crew an idea of what’s coming and me what to expect.

 

[Wasnex]

What do you normally play during your sound check? Most of my gigs have FOH support so I try to play solid quarter notes digging in the same as I will later during the show. And I try to play in multiple keys and locations around the neck. It certainly sounds less than impressive, but I feel like during the actual show the quality is much better and there are no surprises later on.

It depends on what part of the sound check you are talking about. If it's line check, I just noodle around a bit so the audio tech can dial me. Then later the whole band typically spot checks various songs from our show.

I agree it's a good idea to try and play with the same intensity that you will use later in the performance. A lot of people sandbag during soundcheck, which can cause the monitor mixes to be out of balance during the show.

 

[Zbysek]

I usually play a simple riff. I try not to play any riffs from the upcoming show.

If I am using more types of sound during the show (arco/pizzicato for double bass, effects for bass guitar) I will show them to the sound tech...

 

[edro]

A lot of people sandbag during soundcheck

Understatement of the century...

 

[RustyAxe]

After line check just to be sure all the electrons have a path back to the board we play something in which all the instruments play, and all the singers sing. Couple of years ago we were doing a town green show, and the LG (decades of performing experience) and I almost got into it (very unusual for this band) when he was satisfied with the sound check, but all we'd done is line check. "This ain't my first rodeo" he says. "OK, we'll see". Sure enough once the band started playing it was obvious to me that I couldn't hear my vocal monitor above the incessant blare from the back of the RG's amp in front of me, and my vocal monitor six feet in forward of that! I stopped the show (BL glared!) and motioned to the sound crew, who quickly rearranged the stage and the show went on. Funny, he doesn't give me any crapola about stage setup or sound check anymore!

 

[Gearhead17]

Don't play ANYTHING that does not match what you are going to be doing during the show. I have heard too many people abuse this rule and use the sound check as a time to play their favorite riff (slap, wankery). Then what happens? Oh yeah, it's going a to take a few more songs before you actually get dialed into the mix.

 

[mpm32]

I play Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - Mozart.

Really surprises everyone there as we are an 80s tribute. ;-)

 

[TimGriffiths]

One of our songs that covers as much ground sound wise as possible. We're somewhat eclectic so it might take a couple to cover everything. But if we've got time it's important to let the sound tech get an idea of how diffrent diffrent songs can be. I think it should ideally be something in your set too boot.

For an average set I can play with a pick, a pick with distortion, my fingers, fingers with some dub EQing, plus some textual stuff. Which means for my part I'm looking to make sure I've run through all of them in case something is really not going to work in the room.

 

[Wadge]

I will do a very slow chromatic scale starting from the low D on my 5 string going up to the D on the A string. In some rooms/venues, a note may jump out in a boomy way. If the sound guy is good, I will slowly and repeatedly pluck that note and the sound guy will attenuate that note. I think that is invaluable at a soundcheck.

The second thing I do is to stop playing when I'm done and let the sound guy go through the rest of the band. There is nothing more annoying than having musicians noodle whilst some other member of the band is line checking.

 

[4Mal]

When I'm FOH or ME I start with drums, then I go to bass. I ask for the loudest thing you'll give me. Then I do bass and drums together. The I ask you two to stop and carry on with the rest of the band - give me your loudest. At any step of the way I may ask a player to dial it down if I can tell it's too loud for the given scenario.

As players do their individual checks we are typically roughing in monitor mixes.

I will already have rung out the monitors and know what I can get out of them as far as gain before feedback goes.

If it's a festival date. 30 minute change over. We launch and I'll mix in the first couple of tunes. If I got the kick, snare, hat and bass right. Everything else will fall into place easily...

This season I 'm hoping to have a dedicated FOH guy that will allow me to really focus on the ME role.

 

[BLDavis]

Usually "Crazy Train" followed by "Money". Because we're an acoustic-mostly-bluegrass band and I love the faces on the sound crews when they hear that, or "Psyco Killer" or "Livin Lovin Maid" after getting level checks for the banjos and mandolins.
B.

 

[two fingers]

What do you normally play during your sound check? Most of my gigs have FOH support so I try to play solid quarter notes digging in the same as I will later during the show. And I try to play in multiple keys and locations around the neck. It certainly sounds less than impressive, but I feel like during the actual show the quality is much better and there are no surprises later on.

Yep. I do a simple walking bass line. Usually it's "I Know a Little" by Skynyrd. The point is to dial in your tone, not impress the bartender or your band mates. I've got all kinds of tricks and licks. I can play a few Stu Hamm songs and a couple of Victor Wooten songs. None of that helps the sound guy dial you in, unless you're going to be playing like that all night.

 

[4Mal]

I'd love to hear your take on Money. I can totally picture that...

 

[BLDavis]

I'd love to hear your take on Money. I can totally picture that...

We used to play it years ago at friends an annual pig pickin' that literally passed a hat around to pay us. It seemed to help since we played it while the hat was going around. We almost always made more at that gig than at our regular club gigs. Unless it rained.
B.