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BARTENDER AND DRUMMER
Here we have two individuals, neither of whom are full-time soundmen,
but despite that fact, are courageous operators of audio gear in their
respective environments. I take my hat off to them!
Hi, my name is Ron.
HELLO, RON.
I’M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT MY NAME IS!
I work in a nightclub as a Bartender-Maintenance-Sound Guy.
WOW, YOU ARE A TRIPLE-THREAT INDIVIDUAL!
ONCE I TOLD AN ARROGANT SOUND GUY WHO THOUGHT WE WERE SO SPECIAL AND
SUPERIOR TO ALL THE OTHER CLUB EMPLOYEES THAT HE COULD NEVER IN A MILLION
YEARS BE A BARTENDER, BECAUSE HE DID NOT HAVE THE PATIENCE AND THE PEOPLE
SKILLS.
I ALSO HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR HARD-WORKING MAINTENANCE PEOPLE. I
KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE TO SPEND THREE DAYS GETTING SUNBURNED AND
PICKING UP TRASH AROUND AN AIR SHOW.
AH, YOUTH!
I think that my D.J. has been playing around with my settings on
my crossover.
DON’T TELL ME, LET ME GUESS.
THE BASS IS ALL PUMPED UP, RIGHT, RON?
How do you come up with a proper setting for your system, how do
you set the crossover?
I HAVE TAKEN THE LIBERTY OF MORPHING YOUR TWO QUESTIONS INTO ONE. THOSE
OF US WHO HAVE BEEN SOUNDPERSONS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS HAVE THE ABILITY
TO MUTE THE OTHER SECTIONS AND LISTEN TO ONE DRIVER AT A TIME AND ADJUST
THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE FREQUENCY RANGE, SO THAT THE ELEMENT IS PERFORMING
AT MAXIMUM OUTPUT, BUT NOT STRAINING OR DAMAGING ITSELF.
NO OFFENSE, RON, BUT YOU MIGHT BE BETTER OFF OBTAINING THE MANUFACTURER’S
SUGGESTED SETTINGS AND JUST PUTTING THEM IN. YOU GOTTA DO SOMETHING
ABOUT THAT D.J., THOUGH!
YOU CAN GET THESE CLEAR PLASTIC COVERS THAT SCREW ON OVER THE CROSSOVER
OR EQ WITH LITTLE THINGIES YOU CAN ONLY REMOVE WITH AN ALLEN WRENCH.
GOOD LUCK, I HOPE THE D.J. DOESN’T HAVE AN ALLEN WRENCH!
PARDON ME, I AM NEEDED TO HELP OUT MY NEW PAL “J” …
Hi There Old Man, need your help bad!!!
STAY RIGHT THERE, “J”!
I’M RIDING TOWARD YOU ACROSS THE PRAIRIE!
THERE’S ONE PROBLEM – THE COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA IS IN MY
WAY!
I’m a drummer and a little ahead of myself. To try and make
it easier for ya, here’s what I have.
“J” GOES ON TO LIST HIS KIT, HIS POWER AMPS, HIS SPEAKERS,
HIS MICS, HIS REVERB AND HIS STEREO COMP/LIMITER/GATE/EXPANDER.
Here is my question, I know it’s hard to explain simply by email.
I ve been playing for 8 years, and never had to set all of this stuff
up, and make it sound good.
NOW YOU SEE WHY WE OF THE SOUND WORLD ARE NECESSARY, DON’T YOU!
YEAH! R-E-S-P-E-C-T!
ON A MORE SERIOUS NOTE, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU TUNE YOUR DRUMS CORRECTLY.
YOU WANT TO AVOID NOTES THAT RESONATE, AND HANG IN THE AIR LONGER THAN
THEY SHOULD.
WHEN YOU ARE PLAYING IN AN ACOUSTIC MUSIC SETTING, THERE ARE NO RULES
LIKE THAT, BUT WHEN YOU ARE AMPLIFYING YOUR DRUMS, YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT
LUXURY.
REMEMBER THAT IT IS THE BOTTOM HEAD THAT TRULY DETERMINES THE NOTE.
BET YOU DIDN’T THINK I KNEW THAT, DIDJA?
1. What is generally the best setting for the compressors, or just
gate, or just limit?
WELL, THAT ALL DEPENDS ON YOUR ACTUAL NEED.
COMPRESSION AND LIMITING BECOME USEFUL WHEN A PERSON IS WILDLY UNEVEN
IN THE VOLUME THEY ARE GIVING YOU, AND YOU NEED TO EVEN IT OUT. ONLY
YOU CAN DETERMINE IF ANY OF YOUR BANDMATES MISBEHAVE THIS WAY.
I AM SURE THAT YOU PLAY THE SAME THROUGHOUT THE SET, YOU SEEM TO BE
A PRETTY EVEN-TEMPERED LAD.
GATING IS USED TO MAKE A MIC ONLY BE OPEN WHEN YOU ARE HITTING THAT
PARTICULAR DRUM. IF YOUR BAND DOES NOT PLAY TOO LOUD, IT IS POSSIBLE
THAT THIS IS NOT NECESSARY.
IF JOHN, PAUL, AND GEORGE ARE WAILING AWAY ON LARGE AMPLIFIERS AND YOU
HAVE A TIDAL WAVE OF DRUMFILL WASHING OVER YOU, YOU MIGHT NEED TO THINK
ABOUT GATING THINGS.
WITH THE STEREO UNIT THAT YOU OWN, ONE WOULD TEND TO APPLY IT FIRST
TO THE KICK AND THE SNARE.
2. For the money, are there any better mics, or is it not that big
of a deal for playing live?
WHAT YOU HAVE IS QUITE USABLE, “J”-MAN. YOU WOULD HAVE TO
SPEND QUITE A BIT MORE MONEY TO GET SIGNIFICANTLY SUPERIOR MICS TO THE
ONES YOU OWN.
3. Do I have too much equipment (I doubt it but I had to ask) or
are there important components I’m missing?
NO, TO BOTH QUESTIONS.
4. Any good advice for a newbie?
WORK YOUR SOUND UP GRADUALLY. MOST PEOPLE GET IN TROUBLE BY TRYING TO
BE TOO LOUD TOO SOON. ALSO, AND I’VE SAID THIS BEFORE, IDENTIFY
WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT, AND DO NOT TRY TO ADD TOO MANY MORE OTHER THINGS
THAT WILL MASK THAT.
Anything you can tell me is much appreciated!!!
j. donahue
ROCK ON, “J”-DUDE!
LUV –
- THE OLD SOUNDMAN
