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Guerrilla Mixing

By Nathan Lively

sound-design-live-guerrilla-mixing-ales-stefancic-featured

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Support Sound Design Live on Patreon.

In this episode of Sound Design Live I have curated some of the best highlights from Aleš Štefančič’s presentation from Live Sound Summit. Aleš shares his best tips for getting great results under the worst circumstances. Plus, a lively Q&A section at the end where he is asked:

      • Can everyone learn to mix well or is there an inherent base line of talent necessary?
      • What advice do you have for working with a band that is being difficult, especially in a one-off situation where you won’t be able to build a lasting relationship?
      • Is there an appropriate way of telling another engineer that their mix just isn’t right?
      • More and more bands are showing up with IEMs without prior notice. What is the guerrilla mixing response?

sound-design-live-everything-feared-digico-consoles-wrong-ales-stefancic-headshotIf someone is being insulting on personal level, my support doesn’t go diminished. I am here to do a job.

Notes

  1. If you can’t prevent guerrilla mixing:
    1. Verification & console prep
    2. Focus on the stage first
    3. Keep it simple
  2. Quotes
    1. Guerrilla mixing is mixing against all odds. You have no time for advanced preparation. You are lacking all relevant information. It’s the ultimate test for your speed, focus, and mixing ability.
    2. If you have a chance, try to prevent it from happening.
    3. I might use faders at zero mixing if I am mixing FOH only.
    4. You cannot influence the way other people treat you. You can influence the way you treat other people.
    5. If someone is being insulting on personal level, my support doesn’t go diminished. I am here to do a job. Do your job and let Karma do its.
    6. IEMs in mono are crap.
    7. You can train this with virtual soundcheck.

 

 

 

Mixing Monitors for Tears for Fears

By Nathan Lively

sound-design-live-mixing-monitors-tears-for-fears-chris-leonard-featured

Subscribe on iTunes, SoundCloud, Google Play or Stitcher.

Support Sound Design Live on Patreon.

In this episode of Sound Design Live, I speak with the the Director of Audio at IMS Technology Services, Chris Leonard. We discuss mixing monitors for Tears for Fears, setting up the sound system for the presidential inauguration, and Dante troubleshooting tips. I ask:

      • How did you get your job at Maryland Sound?
      • Walk me through the sound system at your last gig at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
      • How do you troubleshoot Dante networks?
      • What was the biggest mistake you’ve made on the job?

sound-design-live-mixing-monitors-tears-for-fears-chris-leonard-headshotThe day you stop learning, you’re only moving yourself back.

Notes

  1. All music in this episode by Tears for Fears.
  2. Educational resources Chris recommends: SynAudCon, Smaart classes, Smaart manual, Smaart User Group on Facebook, InfoCOMM, Sound Design Live podcast, Bob McCarthy’s book, MXu,
  3. Hardware: RAT tools CAT snake, Yamaha Ri8-D, CL5, QL5, VRX 932LA-1, Q-Box, GoPro, Shure55
  4. Dante troubleshooting
    1. Unplug the secondary (redundant) network. It’s easy to get those crossed.
    2.  ULXD Dante configuration needs to be set to Redundant Audio if you are running a star topology network.
  5. TM Array
  6. Stage Jammer: Patching the stage, jamming the stage together
  7.  Quotes
    1. A lot of it has to do with your attitude and work ethic. Nowadays work ethic seems like a thing of the past.
    2. As a company you don’t always have the space the bring in a green person right away. You need to have them mature a little bit, but if they mature in a labor pool that you work with all the time and they get to know your gear, I’m more inclined to bring them along on a show.
    3. Networking is key. If you came to town for the first time and said, “Hey I’d like to work with you,” the first thing I’d do is see who you are connected with on LinkedIn or who I know that already knows you.
    4. They were making fun of me for volunteering to work for free and the truck driver said, “You’re all laughing. One day you’re all going to work for him.”

sound-design-live-mixing-monitors-tears-for-fears-chris-leonard-tour

 

Essential Live Sound Training with Scott Adamson [REVIEW]

By Nathan Lively

sound-design-live-scott-adamson-essential-live-sound-training-review-radio-city

Takeaway: This is a great overview of almost every major tool and concept you will run into in live audio. Don’t expect to walk away ready to take Scott Adamson’s job mixing for Passion Pit, but if you didn’t go to school for audio or just want a refresher, I whole heartedly recommend this course. At $29/month for over 100 video lessons, it’s a steal. Take a look at the curriculum and sample lessons here.

sound-design-live-scott-adamson-essential-live-sound-training-review-radio-city

I was excited to get into Adamson’s new course. I had already heard from one of my student’s that it was worthwhile, especially around using effects. I was also nervous that Adamson was going to make the same mistake I see other books make, which is to talk about lots of concepts in general terms, but never show their specific application with context.

For example, Adamson gives a great overview of FX routing, but what I really want to know is how he handles his FX returns when he works with Passion Pit, Haim, Matt Kim, St. Vincent, and Sleater-Kinney. I know he has lots of great insight and experiences to share because I have interviewed him on Sound Design Live and I visited him when he came through Minneapolis with Haim. I got to poke around his board a bit and it was interesting to find his FX returns immediately following the inputs they are associated with. Kick 91, Kick Out, then Kick Verb. Snare Top, Snare Bottom, then Snare Verb.

sound-design-live-scott-adamson-essential-live-sound-training-review-haim

Luckily, Adamson does not disappoint. There are lots of concepts discussed in general terms, but there are also plenty of specific examples, plus some additional Q&A videos and a webinar that share more experiences and stories. For example:

I tend to use 800ms decay for drums and 1.5s for vocals.

This is gold for me. Hearing what specific settings a successful FOH touring mixer uses means a lot.

Like/Dislike

Here are a few of the general things I really liked about Essential Live Sound Training:

  • I can jump to any lesson.
  • Graphics and explanations are clear.
  • Site is fast and easy to navigate.
  • The listening demos are really helpful.

I also really liked Adamson’s attitude. He is obviously someone that cares about great sound, but doesn’t obsess about the details unnecessarily. This is really good for someone like me that can get an unhealthy obsession with the details and lose sight of the overall picture.

Here area few things I thought could be better:

  • More field demos. I wanted Adamson to show me how he uses each lesson in the field, but I realize that with over 100 videos, this may be unrealistic.
  • More specific examples. I wanted Adamson to say, “Here’s what a gate does and here are the gate settings I used on the kick drum on the last show I worked on.”
  • Where are the mixing examples? A few times in the course, Adamson refers to mixing examples that aren’t there, yet. He plans to have these available the end of the summer, though. Yay!

Things I do differently

I automatically compare any new information with old information. Watching new training videos gives me the opportunity to reexamine old information and past experiences under new light. Below I’ll mention a few of the things Adamson said that got me thinking and if you are one of my students or are considering taking one of my courses, you should know that these are things that I do differently. I had a chance to talk about these with Adamson so I’ll include his responses in blue.

Let’s flip the phase and see what it sounds like.

You can’t flip phase. It needs a time component. What you can flip is polarity. I know that this still gets confused, though, since some console manufacturers like DiGiCo still label their polarity switch as a phase switch.

*Technically you’re right, but this is still common language, so don’t be surprised if you hear this on stage.

The speaker system is the end of the signal chain.

I wasn’t going to be picky about this one, but then it was a question in the quiz for lesson 9.2. Anyway, you know what I’m going to point out here: Sound still has to go through the air and your ear, which are part of the signal chain.

*It is the end of the electrical signal chain, which is still commonly referred to as the end of the chain.

To really get even sound coverage for a large crowd, line arrays are pretty much key.

I don’t want to get into the live array vs point source debate here (please, no hate mail), but it would be more accurate to say that line arrays (aka asymmetrical coupled point source proportional beam width array) are good at solving the problem of deep audiences with high front-to-back distance ratios with a single array instead of multiple relay or delay arrays. They are just another tool, not the only tool.

*You’re right. They are not the only tool. But I’m talking about crowds of 10,000 people. For practical purposes, you’re not going to cover that audience with point source arrays.

If your horns sound super harsh, you can EQ that in the processing.

Adamson is suggesting using the system processor to EQ the output to specific drivers. I would never do this unless I really know what I’m doing. Processing of individual drivers is the domain of the speaker manufacturer.

*I have done it, but I wouldn’t suggest that beginners do it. It’s pretty advanced and not something you want to do on someone else’s PA that you are walking into for the day.

The most important development in the last 25 years as been the line array.

Hmm, Harry Olson published Acoustical Engineering in 1957 and L-Acoustics’ came out with the first commercial line array V-DOSC in 1992 so…sure.

*I was talking more about their common implementation. You didn’t see V-DOSC out on shows until the mid-90s.

If you still need [stage monitors] to be loud, the other option is EQ.

What about microphone choice/placement and and speaker choice/placement? The battle for GBF (gain before feedback) is not won at any single point in the signal chain. In live sound, the sound quality off-axis is just as important as on-axis. I also wouldn’t use a GEQ (graphic EQ) to fight feedback unless I absolutely had to. I can never find the frequency that you actually need. I always have to choose one lower or higher.

*I talk about this in the polar patterns section [Lesson 2.4]. Also, you can’t guarantee that a stage monitor will stay exactly where you put it, so you can’t rely on that entirely. In practice, the GEQ is still the first thing people go to. Most people are working with very limited time and resources so they won’t have the opportunity to change the mic or speaker. In an ideal world, you wouldn’t need a GEQ, but in practice, it’s GEQ first.

Personally, I use an aux send to do this.

I avoid using subs on an aux, but when I do, I use a group instead. The problem is that if you are sending different content to the sub channel than you are sending to the main channel, then those are no longer coherent sources, they are separate, and our measurement system doesn’t know what to do with them. This can be a problem when during measurements during soundcheck or the show. So when I have the option, I’ll choose simplicity and objectivity.

*If it doesn’t sound right to me, I need to make a change. I have found that changing the sub level, EQ, and mix is key. The way I mix (and many other people mix) is with a separate mix going to the subs. The only way to do that is with subs on an aux. At minimum I advise some kind of separate send out of the console for more control, which is why I discuss using a matrix. The most important thing is to understand that the option exists.

Looking forward

Adamson helps us dip our toes into many topics in this course that raise many questions. For example:

If the amps overload the circuit they are plugged into, the circuit will trip and you will lose all the sound in your PA.

What? That’s terrifying! How do I know if I have enough power?

It’s great to know that I still have lots to learn about live audio and there is a big opportunity here for Adamson to answer many of these questions in future courses and updates, which I look forward to.

Check out Essential Live Sound Training here.

I want to build a marketplace for corporate AV techs

By Nathan Lively

sound-design-live-ready-set-pro-logo

There has never been an open marketplace for Project Managers to directly hire AV techs and I think that should change.

Key Takeaways

  1. For Project Managers: Quickly find and hire top AV specialists you can trust.
  2. For AV techs: Get more freelance work with less hassle.
  3. Join the list to be one of the first 10 beta users to get access to the site.

[maitre uuid=”MF17f704a65d”]

sound-design-live-first-online-marketplace-for-corporate-av-tech-example

I have lived in 8 different cities across 3 different countries and every move has been simultaneously the best and worst thing I have ever done. It has opened me up to many new experiences and people, but being a live sound engineer is not a portable career. Every time I moved I went through a painful time intensive process of rebuilding my business. It takes a lot of time to research contacts, go around to meet everyone, and follow up to get gigs, but there is also the more difficult part of actually finding the right gigs. This you can only do by trying on a lot of bad fits before you find the right ones. Usually 3-5 years after arriving, I would have a business I was happy with.

I have gotten a little faster at it every time, but every time I still wished there was a marketplace where I could offer my services directly to Project Managers, Venue Managers, and Artists instead of needing to meet 100 people to find and persuade the gatekeepers. I originally posted about this back in 2014 and have been thinking about it ever since.

In 2017 I started a more formal pursuit to build my own platform. Since then I have had in-depth conversations with a score of friends and colleagues and I am now convinced this marketplace should exist, even with all of its potential obstacles, challenges and questions. And I am convinced that if enough people share my view we will be able to build something together to truly benefit our industry and help a lot of people in the process.

I am aware that this idea is highly contentious and I want to be clear that my goal is not to break the current system of checks and balances that help protect us, but instead to help skilled experienced AV techs who are new to town more quickly connect with the people they can best serve and that I am completely open to all feedback on how best to do this.

I hope this marketplace will be a helpful service to all as it is grown and shaped by its members.

If you’d like to get involved, please join the waiting list above.

Why should I join?

For Project Managers

  • Quickly find and hire top AV specialists you can trust (the kind you want talking to your clients and running your shows).
  • Save 20% by going direct.

For AV Techs

  • Get more freelance work with your ideal clients without lots of networking and job interviews.
  • Never say no to another gig. Your calendar is managed for you.

Plus…

  • Contract: Every job hired through the marketplace includes date, service to be rendered, fee, and terms.
  • Payment Processing: You don’t have to worry about setting up your own credit card processing solution.
  • Safety: Unlike direct agreements, payments through the marketplace are protected so you don’t have the hassle of tracking down clients afterwards and checking on past invoices to make sure they were paid.
  • Communication: Never lose contact with a client since messaging is built into the marketplace.
  • Community: Join a solid professional network of colleagues working at top level.

 

Review of Live Sound Basics

By Nathan Lively

sound-design-live-review-live-sound-basics

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Key Takeaways

  • Live Sound Basics covers important fundamentals normally taught in the first year of a university program.
  • Instant Feedback-Killer Battle Plan will get you started on the right foot with thinking about stage layout for better gain before feedback.
  • Check out the Great Church Sound mobile app for a free soundcheck checklist.

Live Sound Basics comes with three packages: Live Sound Basics, Live Sound Survival, and Soundcheck Checklist and EQ Chart. I have already reviewed Live Sound Survival in another article so I will be focusing on the remaining two packages.

Live Sound Basics

This is a collaboration between Björgvin Benediktsson from Audio Issues and James Wasem from Great Church Sound: a guide for the volunteer.

Video 1 – 42 minutes

Video one starts with a nice overview of system components and interconnections. The slides are clean and easy to read. If you are brand new to live sound, this is perfect. It covers a lot of the stuff I paid $36,000 to learn in college.

Wasem suggests downloading the Great Live Sound mobile app, but all I could find was the Great Church Sound mobile app, which includes the Sound Check Checklist. I really like checklists and this one is no exception. Although I don’t see myself actually having the patience to use it on a live event, it is a good overview and could be used for planning purposes.

I was happy to hear Wasem advise against using ground lift AC adapters. 👍🏼

The pace was a bit slow for me. Luckily, that was easy to fix that with the playback speed in VLC.

Things I do differently:

  • I wouldn’t say that the cold leg of a balanced cable gets “cancelled out.” I would say that the hot and cold leg get summed while what’s common to both of them gets cancelled.
  • I wouldn’t include an electric guitar under line level signals unless it has active pickups. Line level devices have active electronics with nominal level in the 1V range. I would consider the guitar to be in the microphone level or instrument level category.
  • I don’t recommend being bashful with channel EQ, especially for beginners. Wasem suggests start with a small cut and sweeping the frequency to find what sounds best. I would recommend starting with a big cut or a big boost so you can really hear what you are doing, then scaling back once you have identified the frequency.
  • Wasem suggests starting with 2:1 compression ratio for vocals and 4:1 for bass, but I would use the opposite settings. Our ears are more sensitive to level changes below 1kHz, which why I start with a lower ratio for bass guitar. Vocals are one of the most dynamic instruments, so I need the most help controlling their range.

sound-design-live-review-live-sound-basics-video-2Video 2 – 20 minutes

The slides are clean and easy to read and there are some nice designs showing how speakers interact with a room and each other. This video is great at raising a lot of important questions. I wish it had a part 2 to answer them.

Things I do differently:

  • I don’t say phase button. I say polarity inversion.
  • I don’t attribute low frequency cancellations in small rooms to a lack of space for the wave to develop.

sound-design-live-review-live-sound-basics-eq-chartGreat Live Sound – EQ Chart

This chart is nicely laid out and what I learned from it is that the highest fundamental frequency of any instrument represented is 3kHz, which means that everything I hear above 3kHz is a harmonic. Neat!

Instant Feedback-Killer Battle Plan

I was really excited about this one because I hate microphone feedback and Wasem kicks it off right by talking about speaker placement. When most people think of fighting feedback, they think of EQ, but you can’t solve acoustical problems with electrical solutions. Speaker placement and aim is our first line of defense.

Wasem makes a very important point about training yourself to identify feedback frequencies that I only learned recently.

Feedback is often a lower frequency than you might suspect.

I love the microphone 3D pickup pattern illustrations. Looking at 2D designs only gives you part of the story. I learned that you should maintain a 45º angle in the vertical plane between a super cardioid microphone like a Shure Beta 87a and the stage monitor because the mic is more sensitive in the rear than at 45º. You can see the illustrations in this article by John Mills on Pro Sound Web.

I would love to see more practical examples of the theory that Wassem teaches. He obviously has a lot of experience and could share a number of stage layouts and room designs that have worked for him in the field.

The Sound Tech’s Guide to Soldering

This is a great guide and the illustrations are helpful. If I were to change anything it would be to talk about how to know which wire connects and to make it clear in the title that this is a guide to soldering XLR connectors.

Great Live Soundcheck Checklist

This is a duplicate of the checklist offered in the Great Church Sound mobile app, but it’s nice to see it all laid out.

Put guitar amps on a stand that is angled up at the guitarist.

Yes!! 💯 If I had it my way, every guitar amp would be placed at head height at a distance of no more than 2 feet from the guitarist’s ear. Instead, they often end up on the floor, blasting the front row of the audience.

Things I do differently:

I almost never pin the stage before the band arrives unless they have set it up ahead of time or we are so short on time that there will be no time for sound check anyway. Everything is going to move once the band hits the stage and it’s super annoying if the stage is already cluttered with stands and cables. There’s only so much chaos one man can handle.

I don’t start my sound check with the drummer. If I know the band and they are experienced playing on stage I will have them play all together, otherwise I will start with the vocals. The vocals have the greatest needs from us in terms of amplification and special treatment and they are also the main instrument whose quality the audience will notice. In small rooms, you may discover that the maximum GBF of the vocals is so low that amplifying anything else is unnecessary, saving yourself a lot of time.

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