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using your own sound guy

runmikeyrun

runmikeyrun

Jan 10, 2001
1,248
55
northeast Ohio
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#1
How do you convince a club/bar to let you use your own sound guy? All they've ever let them do is "help", which amounts to little more than standing next to them telling them what to turn up/down. We've still got to find a dude to do our sound, but i don't want to waste the time if it's impossible to get any club to let them actually run our sound.

Also, what's a reasonable compromise in participation? At the least i'd like our guy to be able to control the FOH and monitor levels.
 
#2
runmikeyrun said:
How do you convince a club/bar to let you use your own sound guy? All they've ever let them do is "help", which amounts to little more than standing next to them telling them what to turn up/down..
Click to expand...
This is likely due to the house person being unfamiliar or uncomfortable with your choice. You really can't expect a newb (freind of the band) to be able to just walk up to any club sound person and take over. Once the house people are comfortable with your sound person, then they will relinqish more if not all control to them.


runmikeyrun said:
We've still got to find a dude to do our sound, but i don't want to waste the time if it's impossible to get any club to let them actually run our sound..
Click to expand...

Then I would look for someone that already knows the house people in your area, and is qualified . They will take care of it.
" Hi, im so and so, I am FOH for what-ya-ma-call-its" is usually all it takes. Then the house people become assistants to your sound person. If they see that he/she is a newb, then they are likely to take some if not all control back.

runmikeyrun said:
Also, what's a reasonable compromise in participation? At the least i'd like our guy to be able to control the FOH and monitor levels.
Click to expand...

Depends on preceived experience level. Normally, if all is well, full control over your mix. Smart sound people will ask for assistance regarding the system anyways, thus making the house people comfortable with the person. If they don't know what they are doing, or do something really stupid, that will be obvious to the house sound people.
Beleive me, if they could, they would love the set off .:hyper:
 
#3
In the places I've played, the only thing bringing a soundman with us could do is tell the regular guy how to EQ the band. The House soundman knows the equipment 10x better than someone seeing it for the first time. The only thing lacking, that I've seen, is the ability to judge sound. ;)

"Really 120 db is not required, and why does the whole place shake when I hit G but I can't hear any other bass notes?"
 
#4
Agree with the posts above, you need a soundman who is known and respected in the area and you won't have a problem.

Just last week we did an opener for Tommy Tutone (the "867-5309 guy), and brought our usual soundman. He knew the house soundman because of the local circuit - they ran in the same circles over the years, so he was given full reign.

As sometimes happens, we had a better mix than the headliner. Lucky us. Don't assume the house soundman is best just because he knows the system better.
 
#5
Hi.

I agree with all the above.

Back in the day when I was running the sound NO-ONE we didn't know touched the boards or any other equipment. The reverse was expected when I did sound elsewhere.

When I did sound somewhere other than my "home location", the first thing I did when arriving to the venue, I seeked out the soundguy (sitting in the bar usually ;)). I introduced myself and we discussed about the layouts, channel requirements and the gear I wanted to add to HIS system.

Since You don't have a sound person yet, seek out for a (semi-) pro who's known in your town. The best person(s) to give You clues where to find such a cat is the other sound people in town. Someone sure needs a gig.


If the system is set up corrctly, knowing the band and their music is far more important than knowing the PA system. Being a knowledgeable PA technician doesn't necessarily make a good sound engineer.

Regards
Sam
 
#6
don´t bring in spoofs who don´t know their s**t. you´ll ruin it for everybody. a good soundperson has his ego in check, and that will make things roll much smoother...

if he appears "noob", house technician is going to take over, in fear of something breaking...

good guys are costly, but worth every penny...
 

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