I have been asked what bands can do to help out the soundman/woman, and maximize thier performance.

1. Be polite

2. Don't play your instrument while they are puttin up mic's

3. Tell them what you want

4. Be on time to your gig

5. Be helpful

6. let the soundman/woman do their job (don't put your full stack on "11" and expect the soundman to put you in the PA).

7. Vocalsists usr proper mic technique (learn your instrument)(58's only work well if your lips almost touch the windscreen).

8. It is just as easy to make a friend as it is to make an enemy (you don't want your soundperson to be your enemy...trust me)

9. Tell them if you need something (they can't read minds).

10. If they do a good job. tip them.

Just some ideas...
reply yours please

I was in a band that was opening up for a national act at a particular show. I asked the soundman (politely) to turn up the monitors and he told me he wouldn't touch them, that he had them specifically set up for the headlining act. I'm no sound engineer, but all he had to do was touch one fader, right? I mean, it sounded like a bunch of horseshit to me. I gave him the business after the show.

I usually ask for a little compression on the bass drum, if possible.

Bbomb's experience should make a good lesson/ example.
first off let me say: monitors are a priveledge, not a right.
Only 2 of the albuquerque clubs which have local/small national shows have monitors. If you are lucky enough to get one..be thankfull.
Monitors are not as easy as lifting a fader (sorry bbomb). Vocals especially, it is a balance between getting enough gain, to how much is actually in the monitor, too litlle and you can't hear it, too much and SQWEEEEEEEEEK!!
Soundpeople will generally help you get what you want, if they can. Be patient, and polite with them it really does help (they will want to help you more). Bbomb's experience is not typical I hope.. but I do have to say by Bbomb "giving him the buisiness" he singlehandedly guarenteed a crappy perfomance fom that soundperson/venue every time Bbomb's band plays there (??good one bbomb??).
-only ask for what you in the monitors, try and put too much stuff in there and it turns to mush. Just ask for what you need to give a good perfomance.
-dont let your band mates turn thier gear up so loud that you can't even hear the monitors.
-vocalists learn you intrument, and good mic technique (your guitar player knows his chords and scales, why don't you know the proper way to hold and speak into a microphone???).
- Respect the venues equipment like mics, mic stands, monitors. if you want to abuse something bring your own stuff.

I agree with the learning good vocal/microphone technique. The mic doesn't need to be inside your mouth for you to be heard...and remember, someone has to use that after you and they may have forgetten to bring lysol.

hehe...he/she told u B-bomb! See where you and your 'business' gets you? Shame. ~B~

I agree with all of it, Sound people deserve some respect.

But if the sound person sucks i don't think you should have to kiss their ass. How much ass am i expected to kiss in this fucking town just to play some goddam shows?

I appreciate the sound people who do Their best job regardless of how they personally feel about the band members or how good the band is. I play as well as i can for crowds and bars that suck, I take some pride in what I'm doing, and feel I desrve the same. For the record, I don't really know shit about what the sound guy is doing so I just have to have faith in them. I don't feel like I should be punished for that. i get enough punishment about being a bad musician from my friends and fans. If the lead singer is a dick,or stupid (guilty, sorry) is it fair to fuck with the drummer?

I haven't had trouble with a sound guy in a long time. I think anyone who works with us is doing the best they can with usually shitty equipment and a lame band. Thanks. I'd hate to think someone was deliberately trying to make us any worse (good luck, by the way). It just doesn't seem cool. Uncool, I call it.

That was a beautiful post, Levi. Give yourself a little pat.

I pretty much fucked myself for sound guys now, huh?
Do I have to move?

quote:

Originally posted by Levi Eleven:
I agree with all of it, Sound people deserve some respect.

But if the sound person sucks i don't think you should have to kiss their ass. How much ass am i expected to kiss in this fucking town just to play some goddam shows?

.

pucker up.......

Yeah, if they could just all get in line it would really help me out a lot.

Yeah, I know what you mean, Levi. If I could just get all of them to give me a line too, it'd really help me.....er....umm....ah......
nevermind.....

I think the most important thing to remember is that for a soundperson, it's usually their job. Of course they're gonna get pissed if you make their job more difficult (i.e milling around on stage and getting in the way while they are trying to set shit up.) The only thing that bugs me is when the soundperson acts like they are doing me a favor. Hey, fuckhead, it's your job - do it.
And I disagree that monitors are a privilege. To me, it's expected. Obviously it's good to be cool and easy to get along with as a band but good bands that draw are the reason that clubs and soundpeople exist at all.

I agree you should not have to kiss a soundperson's ass. But you should also not be an ass to a soundperson. I don't particularaly think any soundperson is going to intentionally sabatoge anyone's performance, but then again they may not give 100 % if they are pissed at the band. But don't kiss ass, just be civil.

CanIGetSomeMoreEgoOuttaTheSoundguy? Don't act like you're more important than you are. You make it sound like we gotta walk on eggshells around you, like you're some kind of irritable pregnant woman or something. Soundguys are like guitar players, a dime a dozen. I'm always respectful of the people running the sound, but don't fuck up my sound just because my band isn't a national act.

Damn you Brandon , It's not like we don't already sound shitty enough and you gotta go ranting and raving! Bad Brandon , Bad, settle down , have a drink, no jamming make Brandon angry guitarist!!!!!!!!!!!!! P.S. Brandon has played in another band who opened up for national acts IN CALIFORNIA so all you sound guys in Burque don't flatter yourselves and he lives with a pregnant woman.

ROTF LMFAO!!!! Great reply Timo Unemploid! This is why I love Rocksquawk!! ~B~

He opened for national acts in California?!?! Oh my god!! That is SO cool! I hear it's SO hard to open for a national act. Like, totally-otally.

Hey bbomb, they were just suggestons...live your own life, and please Think four yourself.

One more tip: If you get up at a dive that usually makes you sound awful and things go well, tell the sound guy thanks when you tip him/her and give that person some specifics on what you liked about it. They remember. Then you play again, and they hook you up. On a side note, it seems like someone on this forum's always saying "don't forget the bassist/sound man/ singer/ booking agent/ blah blah blah." Can't we just agree that it takes more than ourselves to make this thing happen? Framing it the other way just makes it so someone's panties get all twisted.