Sound Engineer for Pub

  • Thread starter Thread starter Christopher_xo
  • Start date Start date
Christopher_xo

Christopher_xo

New member
Hi guys,

I got a part time job (maybe) for a pub that get bands to play like twice a week. I'm kinda nervouse, since I've never done LIVE sound engineering....

Can you guys give me some tips and tactics?

Checklist, etc etc..

Cheers...
 
Use cheap dynamic mics, they'll get spit and drool on em... Use cardioids, and watch out for feedback. I use a 31 band eq to cut problem freq's, which you can determine by 'ringing out the room' before the show. Once the eq is set for a room, don't touch it again. I use cheap compressors for vox, and the reverb fx on my board. And ask the guitar players to balance the levels betw. clean and dirty channels if you dont feel like riding faders all night..
 
suprstar said:
Use cheap dynamic mics, they'll get spit and drool on em... Use cardioids, and watch out for feedback. I use a 31 band eq to cut problem freq's, which you can determine by 'ringing out the room' before the show. Once the eq is set for a room, don't touch it again. I use cheap compressors for vox, and the reverb fx on my board. And ask the guitar players to balance the levels betw. clean and dirty channels if you dont feel like riding faders all night..
Click to expand...

Man...that's good advice.
 
Get there early and EQ the PA before anyone arrives, make sure everything works, all channels, effects etc etc, ring out the fold-back eq and see how loud it will go before feeding, then wind it back a little (that has now set the max level when the band keeps wanting more).

Get used to the desk, know the routing, sends, and how the eq responds.

Do plenty of check 1 - 2.

Cheers
Alan.
 
If you're mic'ing amps, make sure the bands keep them at lower volumes so you have more control of the mix. Oh yeah, and don't take any crap from the bands.

-MD
 
a few more things........... have the guitars and bass amps to stage left and right facing back on to the stage this way your not fighting volume spillage and fighting stage volume v main Pa volume.
And when ringing out the monitors don't be afraid to point that mic right down at them because for sure your going to get a vocalist that will do just that! and do this while your alone in the club for it will annoy the heck out of anyone there till your done with the the EQ settings ----also helpful to have a buddy on stage with the mics so as you don't have to keep running back and forth.



:cool:
 
Let your bands know what is expected of them. Make them give you a stage plot and an input list. Make them arrive early, set up and do a sound check. Make sure they know sound check is not rehearsal time.
 
NYMorningstar said:
Let your bands know what is expected of them. Make them give you a stage plot and an input list. Make them arrive early, set up and do a sound check. Make sure they know sound check is not rehearsal time.
Click to expand...

And that the food in the green room belongs to the FOH engineer!:laughings:



:cool:
 
down load all the manuals for the gear so you understand the system.
(had a gig once where a channel not working due to one tiny button as was not familiar with the console).

I carry a tool box with stuff like:
DI boxes
zip ties
tape various colors
extra mics and clips, drum mounts
flashlight
solder
solder iron
multi meter
screw driver kit
various adapters: XLR-TRS, TRS-XLR, Speakon-1/4, banana-1/4, extra bananas, Etc......

And yes I always try to get the band to point their amps toward them not you so you can hear the PA an not be buried by the stage volume so you can hear what YOU are doing.
 
^^^^^^ VERY GOOD SUGGESTION ^^^^^^

I completely forgot about a bag of tricks. I know that several times if I hadn't had my tool box the show would not have gone on.Even though I don't touch it for months on end that one time if I didn't have it with me it would be game over-fail- . Not to mention you become the hero of the day!

There should be a sticky here in the live event section that goes over everything one should have with them at all times in their tool box.



:cool:
 
+3 for the bag of goodies, never do a gig without it.

Alan.
 
Uhdinator said:
down load all the manuals for the gear so you understand the system.
(had a gig once where a channel not working due to one tiny button as was not familiar with the console).

I carry a tool box with stuff like:
DI boxes
zip ties
tape various colors
extra mics and clips, drum mounts
flashlight
solder
solder iron
multi meter
screw driver kit
various adapters: XLR-TRS, TRS-XLR, Speakon-1/4, banana-1/4, extra bananas, Etc......

And yes I always try to get the band to point their amps toward them not you so you can hear the PA an not be buried by the stage volume so you can hear what YOU are doing.
Click to expand...

Oh and don't forget the breath mints and axe deodorant.:eek:



:cool:
 
Understand two important phenomena:

1. Inverse square law. This relates to distances between: singer and mic, drum mics, mics and speakers, amps and vocal mics and more.

2. Proximity effect. This is important for getting natural sounding vocals out of cardioid mics.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
Understand two important phenomena:

1. Inverse square law. This relates to distances between: singer and mic, drum mics, mics and speakers, amps and vocal mics and more.

2. Proximity effect. This is important for getting natural sounding vocals out of cardioid mics.
Click to expand...

Great insight BSG, but on the number 2 phenomena it is solely left up to the performer and their microphone technique and you just can't teach that to someone on a one off which is to bad....maybe a microphone holder that looks like a horses feed bag would be the best solution!:laughings:



:cool:
 
moresound said:
Great insight BSG, but on the number 2 phenomena it is solely left up to the performer and their microphone technique and you just can't teach that to someone on a one off which is to bad....maybe a microphone holder that looks like a horses feed bag would be the best solution!:laughings:



:cool:
Click to expand...

It seems simple enough to me, but my perspective may be biased.
 
It's just that during sound checks you can see (hear) what the vocalist may be doing wrong and you just can't convey that kind of training of proper microphone technique in that short of period of time from then to show time.



:cool:
 
Speaking of the musicians with bad technique, how about drummers who seem to think they're in a stadium when they're clearly not?
 
Beware the lead guitar player who won't turn down his amp. If you run into this jackass, make sure you have the backing of the club owner, and tell him that IF HE DOES NOT TURN IT DOWN AND LET YOU DO YOUR JOB, HE WILL BE PLAYING ANOTHER CLUB NEXT WEEK- IF HE'S LUCKY.

If he's not lucky, he will be black balled, and neither he nor anybody stupid to play music with him will be out of work.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top