Live Sound Mixing for Musician : Possible?

[jelly]

I have been on stange just 2 or 3 times and everytime there were problems about sound balancing all the time.. Every stanges we have been are music competition which we have limit time (such as 15 mins for 2 songs) so we have very little time for setting up our instruments.. Well, my question is I saw those veteran bands playing and there sound were great.. the balance is good.. while ours are so bad.. So it should be up to our setting not for the mixer.. So my question is (again?) Is there anyway we can do for balancing to sound? What's the trick or way to archive the right balance of all instuments? (except "buy the mixer a glass of beer" or something like that )
ps. don't flame me for offtopic , I don't know where should I put the question..

[Shailat]

If it's not the soundman messing up then you should focus on getting a good monitor mix and then you have to mix as you play by listening to your group.

If the drummer is thrashing away and the Bass player is pumping loud and your gutarist is screaning distortion and as you play everybody is making themself louder becuase " I cant hear myself" then .... you get the idea.

A good drummer should play and not hit. A good groove on the guitar can be of subtle light playing far away in the mix.... etc.. etc..

Are your arrangments as good as these groups ?

[jelly]

Shailat : Maybe not but it isn't that bad.. We have quite number of members (7 ppl) but what's the point? (asking myself)
Well, so how to archive good monitor mix? Everybody have to keep their level ok right? Is adjust our level with intefere with mixer setting? The rule is to adjust the level to be heard but not too loud too cloud out other instuments is that it? but which one i have to focus on , monitor or amp?

[Shailat]

Double post

[Edited by Shailat on 09-14-2000 at 22:14]

[Shailat]

Shailat : Maybe not but it isn't that bad.. We have quite number of members (7 ppl) but what's the point? (asking myself)
Well, so how to archive good monitor mix? Everybody have to keep their level ok right?

And also adjust the monitor mix with the soundman before the gig.
If you dont have the chance to do so then you all must play with control an listen to each other as much as you can live during your performance.

Is adjust our level with intefere with mixer setting?

Only the monitoe setting. but that should only affect what YOU hear and not the crowd.

The rule is to adjust the level to be heard but not too loud too cloud out other instuments is that it?

Just like an arranger who try's to write his arrangments so that every thing will blend and not clash.
Just like an engineer who mixis and lowers the guitar a bit so every thing will blend and not overpower.

but which one i have to focus on , monitor or amp?

You should focus on both. The monitor is there to aid you and not to give you trouble. The sound on the amp is the first stage. get the sound you want out of it then ask your soundman for what ever you need to hear in the monitor to help you out.
If you play bass you might want a good solid kick drum in your monitor to lock on to and less guitar.

Practice with the group and make an effort to balance your sound together.
make sure the drums sound solid BUT controled !!!
make sure your guitarist is not overpowering every body the group with loud distortion.
Make sure you bass player is only playing notes neede and not filling 1/16 notes every were.
are you doubling parts ? is it a must ? look for some space in your arrangments
let the second guitar player fill in parts rather then blowing everything away.
Maybe your keyboard player should play more sustained pads or hang on to notes longer rather then playing a rythm complicated part.
and so on and on....

If your soundman stinks then only god can help !