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Delays and Mix Positions
The gentlemen known as Mike and Nik are curious about
deploying delays, and how to fight for the best possible FOH
position.
First, we have young Mike …
We're being asked to bid on a large outdoor event and will
need delay speakers to cover the last half of a large field.
Audience of 5,000 or more. Where are some of the most common
places to position delay
stacks?
I AM NOT BEING FACETIOUS, BUT WHERE THE SOUND FROM THE MAINS
STARTS TO DROP OFF IS WHERE YOU NEED TO PUT YOUR DELAYS. YOU
HAVE USED YOUR SYSTEM ON OTHER OUTDOOR EVENTS, RIGHT? SO YOU
KNOW THE ANSWER.
Do most people use just one central cluster?
THERE IS NO HARD AND FAST RULE. YOU CAN USE
ONE. YOU CAN USE A PAIR, SPREAD APART, BUT GENERALLY ALL DELAYS
ARE MONO. YOU CAN EVEN HAVE THEM OVER BY THE EDGE OF THE CROWD,
AIMED INWARD, SO AS TO NOT OBSTRUCT SIGHTLINES. YOU CAN HAVE
TWO SETS, WITH DIFFERENT DELAY TIMES, SO THAT A SINGLE SET
IS NOT DRIVING LIKE A HOWLING BEAST, OR THE MEN OF W.A.S.P.!
Behind the mix position?
I HAVE CERTAINLY DONE MANY SHOWS WHERE THAT IS THE CASE, A
SINGLE SET, UP ON SCAFF BEHIND THE MIX POSITION. IF YOU WERE
ZOOMING OVERHEAD IN A FLYING SAUCER ON YOUR WAY TO HELP MAKE
SOME CROP
CIRCLES, YOU COULD LOOK DOWN AND CHECK OUT THE FAN-SHAPED
GAP IN THE CROWD THAT FORMS BEHIND THE DELAY STACK, THAT PEOPLE
CANNOT SEE PAST.
IT IS GEOMETRICALLY ENTERTAINING.
IF YOU ARE INTO GEOMETRY.
ONE ADVANTAGE OF THIS IS YOU CAN STEP AROUND BEHIND THE SCAFFOLDING
AND QUITE EASILY HEAR EXACTLY WHAT THE DELAY SPEAKERS SOUND
LIKE, AND EQUALIZE ANYTHING THAT IS MAKING YOUR LIFE DIFFICULT,
AS IT POUNDS AWAY FOUR FEET BEHIND THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD.
Please help!
I HOPE I HAVE!
Mike at Ace Audio
GOOD LUCK TO YOU, MIKE!
I MEAN THAT!
AND GUESS WHAT? YOU AREN’T THE ONLY LONELY SOUNDMAN WITH
PLACEMENT ISSUES. MEET NIK!
Hi OSM –
HI,
NIK! DID YOU WRITE “ARFUR THE STORY OF A TEENAGE PINBALL
QUEEN,” THAT INFLUENCED THE ROCK OPERA TOMMY?
I know you mainly do your own club now, but how did you
persuade venues in the past that where you wanted the sound
desk was the right place for it to
go?
ARFUR HAD A COOL SLOGAN; “LIVE CLEAN, THINK CLEAN, AND
SHOOT CLEAN PINBALL.” THE PROBLEM IS A LOT OF THESE VENUE
PEOPLE DON’T LIVE BY ARFUR’S RULES.
THE SITUATIONS YOU ARE REFERRING
TO, WHICH I INDEED SURVIVED MANY VARIATIONS OF, ARE WHEN A
YOUNG SOUNDPERSON GETS A REALLY CLEAR IDEA OF JUST HOW MUCH
CLOUT THE BAND THEY WORK FOR HAS, AS OPPOSED TO WHAT THEY
THINK THEY HAVE.
I seem to continually come up against people who suggest
I set up behind the FOH cabs, and the other week a guy first
asked me if I could set up in a different room, and when I
objected strongly to that, he suggested over in the far corner,
so as I would not distract the audience. He was worried that
they would be watching me more than the show on stage!!
IF I HAD A NICKEL (OR A TEN PENCE COIN)
FOR EVERY TIME I HAVE HAD SOME KLINGON SITTING BEHIND ME DEMAND
THAT I SIT DOWN SO THEY CAN SEE, I WOULD BE ABLE TO GET YOU
AND ME BOTH A PROPER MEAL FROM YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT!
I
ALWAYS TRIED TO BE POLITE, IF THEY WERE RECEPTIVE TO THAT.
THE PROMOTER SOLD YOU THIS SEAT, NOT ME, MY FRIEND. IF YOU
HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT, YOU NEED TO ASK TO SEE A MANAGER.
I DO MY JOB STANDING UP. I CAN SEE HOW THIS IS FRUSTRATING
TO YOU, SIR. I CAN’T KEEP TALKING TO YOU, SIR, I NEED
TO DO MY JOB.
Thanks for any advice -
Nik
England
THE
ONLY ADVICE I CAN GIVE YOU, NIK, AND I WISH IT WAS BETTER,
IS THAT YOU HAVE TO PUSH AT FIRST, REALLY PUSH. AND HOPEFULLY
YOUR BAND AND THEIR MANAGER AND AGENT WILL BACK YOU UP. BUT
THERE MAY BE A REAL-WORLD LIMIT TO WHAT THEY CAN OBTAIN ON
YOUR BEHALF.
AND, NIK, WHEN THAT POINT HAS BEEN REACHED,
YOU MUST BEHAVE AS AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN, RATHER THAN
SOME SOCCER HOOLIGAN! YOU WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED BY THE
LOCAL CREW FOR THE FACT THAT, ONCE THE DUST SETTLED, YOU GOT
ON WITH YOUR JOB, INSTEAD OF MAKING EVERYONE AROUND YOU HAVE
AN UNPLEASANT EVENING.
ARFUR ALSO SAID:
“AND
ALWAYS THERE IS THIS, A CERTAIN SECRET CONNECTION, HIM AND
IT, THE PLAYER AND THE MACHINE, AND A TIME ARRIVES WHEN IT
ISN’T POSSIBLE FOR THE PLAYER TO MISS, WHEN HE IS ONE
WITH THE TABLE AND HE UNDERSTANDS EVERYTHING.”
THE
CONSOLE IS YOUR TABLE, NIK. THAT IS WHY WE STAY IN THE GAME.
SOME NIGHTS THE GAME IS RIGGED, AND YOU CAN’T WIN TO
THE DEGREE YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE. KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE,
THE WAR, AS IT WERE, AND SUCK IT UP AND KEEP MARCHING, KEEP
JOGGING TOWARD THE CHAMPIONSHIP!
CHEERS, BUDDY! DON’T
EAT THE BLACK PUDDING!
LIFE COULD BE WORSE! YOU COULD
BE DOING MONITORS!
LUV
- THE OLD SOUNDMAN
