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INCOMPETENCE AND COMPRESSORS
Two young people have written in, with different topics. One is disheartened by his contemporaries, while the other lad sincerely wants to improve his skills …
Hey why can't my generation mix?
I DON'T KNOW!
I just wanted to weigh in on a post I saw. I'm a wee child in the live audio scene. I'm 25 and been living off sound gigs for about two and a half years.
WOW.
I've got a decent little system.
I'LL BE THE JUDGE OF THAT!
But it seems when I run across others in my age group there's like a 70% chance they haven't got a clue. I think it all stems from the fact most of the people I meet are so wrapped up in the this trans-dimensional vortex where they think they have to have $2,000 pre-amps feeding a $20,000 board with a line array just to make their local heavy metal cover band sound good.
YOU MEAN … THEY DON'T?
Sorry for the rant but my frustration stems from the fact I've seen one too many "guest engineers" whine and moan over not having the right gear. I just wanna slap 'em and say if you and your talent are so grand why are you playing bars still?
ONCE UPON A TIME WHEN I WAS WORKING IN A VENUE THAT SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS BUT HAD A CAPACITY OF ABOUT 600, THIS VISITING TURD STARTED MOUTHING OFF ABOUT "I WAS ON MONSTERS OF ROCK!"
I GOT IN HIS FACE AND SAID, "WHY AREN'T YOU STILL WITH MONSTERS OF ROCK? YOU'RE HERE WITH US TONIGHT - GET USED TO IT!"
HE WAS CLAIMING THAT HE WOULD GO UP TO MY AMP RACK DURING THE SHOW AND SET THE AMPS AND CROSSOVERS HOWEVER HE'D LIKE.
I TOLD HIM THAT THE SECOND HE LAID A FINGER ON ANY KNOB IN THE RACK, I WAS GOING TO INSTRUCT SECURITY TO TAKE HIM OUT IN THE BACK ALLEY, HOLD HIM AGAINST THE BRICK WALL, AND LET ME WORK OUT ON HIM.
A LITTLE FIST-AEROBICS, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
SECURITY WOULD NEVER HAVE DONE THAT, BUT HE DIDN'T KNOW THAT, SO HE KEPT HIS HANDS TO HIMSELF.
Grow, stop whining, and learn to mix. Oh yeah I thought I'd share a favorite quote with you too. "If you ain't cheating, you ain't trying."
- MVS
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE, MVS.
IT DOESN'T RING TRUE TO ME RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
I'M AFRAID IT MIGHT LEAD OUR YOUNG FRIEND BRIAN ASTRAY. LISTEN TO HIM DESCRIBE HIS SITUATION …
Hi OSM-
HI, BRIAN!
I'm fairly new to mixing (about 2-3 years experience) and have been learning a lot from a friend of mine. He's taught me the basics (gain structure, signal flow, some frequencies, and the basics of compression) enough to where I can stand my ground with a guitar or two and vocals.
HEY, YOU CAN WORK WITH THE INDIGO GIRLS NOW!
Anyway, I was wondering if you can point me to any online resources that could help me out (especially on compression and frequencies) because I really don't get that much opportunity to practice on anything like a large band because the only time I would have access is when he's setting up his mix during soundcheck.
Thanks-
Brian
CHECK OUT STUDY HALL HERE ON PSW:
http://www.prosoundweb.com/studyhall/sr_index.php
THERE ARE DIFFERENT SECTIONS.
IN THAT ONE, YOU CAN FIND:
http://www.prosoundweb.com/install/church_talk/joeeq.shtml
IN WHICH THE AUTHOR MAKES A SENSIBLE SUGGESTION THAT IS ACTUALLY WHAT I AM ABOUT TO DO WITH A GUY WHO ALREADY KNOWS HOW TO PUT UP AN ARENA SYSTEM, BUT WANTS TO BECOME A MIXER.
AND THAT IS, PLUG A MIC INTO A CONSOLE AND TALK INTO IT WHILE MANIPULATING THE EQ SECTION. THAT WAY, YOU LEARN WHERE THE DIFFERENT FREQUENCIES ARE.
IN MY FRIEND'S CASE, I AM GOING TO POINT THE MIC AT THE LISTEN WEDGE AT THE MONITOR POSITION, SINCE HE IS INTERESTED IN DOING MONITORS, AND GENTLY TRIGGER THE SLIGHTEST BIT OF FEEDBACK, AT THE DIFFERENT FREQUENCIES, SO HE CAN RECOGNIZE THEM.
WHEN A HOUSE MIXER DOES THIS, IT IS CALLED "RINGING THE ROOM," USUALLY WITH THE VOCAL MIC.
ALSO FROM STUDY HALL IS THIS ONE ABOUT COMPRESSION:
http://www.prosoundweb.com/studyhall/psonus/dym.php
YOU CAN ALSO SEARCH THE ARCHIVES OF THE LIVE AUDIO BOARD ON PSW, AND ONCE YOU WADE THROUGH SOME OF THE TIRESOME WRETCHED MUMBLINGS OF THE PINHEADS OVER THERE, YOU MAY FIND SOME VALUABLE POSTS.
YOU COULD POST YOURSELF, ON THE LAB OR THE LAB LOUNGE, AND ASK FOR MORE HELPFUL LINKS. I AM SURE YOU WOULD GET MANY RESPONSES, FROM YOUNGSTERS MORE FAMILIAR WITH THIS HERE INTERNET THAN I AM.
LUV -
- THE OLD SOUNDMAN
LASTLY, I HAVE A LONG OVERDUE APOLOGY TO MAKE TO READER FRANK FROM GERMANY. HE WROTE ME FOR ADVICE ON HOW TO HANDLE THE COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA, HAVING RECEIVED A DEMANDING AND CONFUSING RIDER FROM THEM. HE HAS OBVIOUSLY NEVER SEEN "BLAZING SADDLES," WHICH I MADE A JOKING REFERENCE TO A LONG TIME AGO, AND THOUGHT THAT I HAD ACTUALLY WORKED WITH THE COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA.
SORRY, FRANK!
ICH BIN TRAURIG!
