Reply posted by Greg Cameron on August 24, 2002

As a musician that is also a sound person, I don't totally agree. I can think if quite a few musicians that can barely tune their instruments, let alone mix and run a PA system. I'm guessing those aren't the ones you're talking about though ;-)

I do agree that a balance of technical ability and understanding of how instruments play together is key, but I can think of a lot of very good ME's that can't play an instrument to save their lives. Of course, there are those that feel the sound system is a musical instrument (and some bands feel this way as well), and I suppose that could qualify the ME as a musician of sorts :-)

Cheers,
Greg


Reply posted by Matt Collins on August 24, 2002

I was production manager/engineer for this local gig where we brought in a bass player from a major international Christian act. He was giving a testimony and playing worship songs on an acoustic (with built-in pickup). He got to the venue and I introduced myself and asked him if there was anything I could do for him or if he needed anything and he said he didn’t.

So I continue to tweak the system and a few minutes later he comes up to me "mate.. you wouldn't happen to have a 1/4" cable for my guitar would ya mate?"

I couldn't believe this... He didn't even bring his own cable. Unfortunately the rig was not mine, and I was covering this gig for someone who was on tour at the last minute (I was brought on-board the day before). After searching the rig and asking the owner (also the sys eng) he said he didn’t carry one. I think it should be standard equipment for "just in case" situations but apparently he didnt think so.

So I sent a runner out to get me a cable and he comes back within a fair amount of time. After he gets back we plug in the acu and then the artist asks me "hey mate... do you happen to have a tuner... my tech usually tunes my guitars for me and I have forgotton how to tune. I must've left my tuner at home or something mate..."
The guy has traveled half-way around the world for this gig and he didn’t bring a tuner nor a cable. Amazing.

So I get one of the runners (who happens to play guitar) to run to his dorm and get a tuner. After we got that settled we all went to catering and had a nice meal.

After dressing the stage and getting things ready to go we were about 10 minutes away from doors. I throw on some Joe Satriani in the background and make the final preperations. A few minutes later the road manager for this guy comes to me and asks if I have any other music.

Since I didn't get to advance ANYTHING about the gig I didn't have a chance to bring much music with me nor did I have an opportunity to find out who's responsibility the doors music was. The group putting the show on didn't have any music handy, nor did the sys eng, and the only thing I had that was acceptable to a Christian gig was Joe Satriani.

So the manager handed me a copy of the artist's own album and told me to roll it for doors. I looked at him and asked if he was serious and he said he was. I then continued to explain to him that never is the artist's own album played for doors becasue:

1) Why would people come to hear this guy on a big system if we can just play the album over it instead?

2) The album has been mixed, processed and probably mastered. There is NO POSSIBLE WAY I can make the live performance sound like the album (duh). This isnt a big deal but if the audience hears the nice clean cut album just before hearing the live performance it could cause people to compare the two. We all know that is like comparing apples and oranges.

3) It is just typical custom that no one ever plays the artist's album beofore they take the stage..

Regardless of these well explained points, he still told me to put that CD on for doors. Since it wasn't my gig and I didn't want to rock the boat I decided to just go ahead and do it regardless of how dumb it was.

I guess the entire point is that even internationally renowned musicians can become jaded or complacent to even simple things like tuning their guitar.

On another note, I think the best engineers that exist are the ones that have studied the physics, math, electronics, music, business, and logistics of this entire industry. I believe in cross training and the engineer should be able to at minimum talk intelligently and understand anything from booking gigs, to playing an instrument, to managing an artist, to setting up and of course actually mixing the show.