When I was getting stated in this business, I had some excellent mentors along the way. One of the things they taught me was to be prepared with a set of tools and the knowledge to use them properly.
While organizing the U.S. Air Force Band Sound Workshop (an annual event for military sound engineers) during the 1990s, I passed along this information to the budding audio people, many of whom were musicians transitioning to sound for a variety of reasons. In other words, they were really green, so providing them with a handy list of tools along with some basic instruction on use was a good way to get them started on the right track.
Basically, the list contained hardware tools that, at the time, were pretty indispensable for everyday work with sound equipment, as well as with electrical systems and the trucks necessary to haul everything around. The list included a soldering iron, chip puller, solder extractor, wire stripper, greenie, Sharpie in two colors, VOM (Volt-Ohm meter), gaff tape, and so on. You probably have a kit like this. (Right?) I keep mine in an old metal tool case plastered with groovy old-school skateboard stickers.
Recently, I got to thinking how the industry has changed, and with it, my list of necessary tools. Sure, it includes most of the same hardware, but particularly with the proliferation of digital technology, software-driven equipment, DSPs, laptops, tablets and smart phones, the tool kit has evolved. More significantly, people are now the primary components of the kit.
Tool #1: Hardware. What used to be the whole list is now just a single, condensed item. We probably know which tools are needed for fixing certain hardware. (Right?) I’d also suggest keeping a few of the more common connectors, including those nifty solder-less XLR jobbies made by Neutrik. And maybe one or two of their reversible-sex XLR connectors, too. Haven’t seen them? They’re very cool.
The old-school tools, or at least most of them, are still relevant. The basics of sound systems are still the same: power, signal input, signal routing, signal processing and output. The laws of physics haven’t changed, nor have the laws of electricity. And one of my mentors had a favorite line: if you don’t have power, you don’t have squat.
Tool #2: Trained Brain. The tools noted above are only as good as our knowledge of how to use them. And frankly, it’s fairly easy to break or damage just about any tool if it isn’t used correctly. I’m still a little bitter about my Air Force issue black finish original Leatherman with the broken file because some goofball used it as a screwdriver. (No, it wasn’t me.)
A basic knowledge of Ohm’s law, AC grounding and the like are good starting points. Know how to strip a wire without cutting or nicking the conductors? How are your soldering skills? What about your knowledge of a VOM? What about trouble-shooting skills? SynAudCon, in particular, is a great resource for basic and well as more advanced skills. I highly recommend these educational courses, either in person or online—you won’t be disappointed.
Tool #3: Trained Ears (actually Trained Brain 2). Years ago when I regularly hosted seminars on microphone technology, I always asked this question of the audience: “What’s the most important tool at your disposal?” The answer’s fairly obvious, at least on the surface: “our ears.” But it’s kind of a trick question, with the actual correct answer being “our brains.”
It’s the brain that learns to interpret what the ears are hearing. Most of us can hear an annoying 60 Hz hum coming out of the loudspeakers. But what does it mean? Or, what if it’s a 180 Hz hum instead? Our ears might hear it, but the brain has to interpret it’s meaning and figure out what to do about it. This is the key to sound system troubleshooting: learning the methods for using our ears properly and logically.
Tool #4. Trained Ears 2 (actually Trained Brain 3). What are references for good sound? In some recent articles, I’ve expanded on this idea that we need to first have a good set of references, including real acoustic sources, and high-quality recordings used for specific purposes. We also need to know our references thoroughly, and have a good set of playback tools for listening. Without these things, we’re mixing in the dark. (Wasn’t that a song by Bruce Springsteen?)
We can all probably use some refreshers here and there, including attending a variety of live shows, acoustic concerts, and some listening time spent on really good systems. And no, I don’t believe really good systems require $1,000-per-foot cables. But they do require good, solid components and competent setup.
Tool #5: Good Shoes. Back when I was on the road regularly, many of us wore these great steel-toed work boots in black. They fit like a glove (or, a foot glove anyway. Hey! There’s an idea…) and did a good job of helping us keep our toes attached when working around heavy loudspeakers, cases and truck equipment. But just as important is the arch support, even if it sounds corny.
Lest you think I’m crazy, there are entire threads on the LAB forum devoted to detailed discussions and recommendations of shoes and work boots.
Tool #6: Good Apps. Why not? We’ve all got smart phones at this point. (Right?) Then it follows that there are hundreds and perhaps thousands of sound-related apps available. True, many of them are amateurish and shouldn’t be used for truly “pro” purposes, but of course, many others can.
Once again, don’t overlook the basics: use the calendar to organize, use email for communication, etc. A nice kit of apps would also include a flashlight, a level, and an SPL meter with spectrum analyzer. Dropbox is handy for moving big files around the internet. Reminders can now be triggered by locations—which is cool and scary at the same time.
On the other side of the coin, don’t become an “app hole,” playing around with too many of these time-sucking things without any concrete benefits, and wanting to share every new e-gizmo with everyone.
Tool #7: A Good Attitude. And, a willingness to learn. This is the tool that truly separates the pro engineers and techs from the wannabes. It’s really interesting to see how the industry’s top mixers and system folks always seem to be up on the latest tools. How do they manage it? A good attitude.
But perhaps more importantly, they dedicate the required time and effort. A fair amount of work is required to master the complex consoles, system networking, and processing equipment of today. But the payoff is within reach (and fairly lucrative, too).
None of us knows everything about this business or the tools used therein. At the same time, we all have plenty of resources at our disposal in order to continue learning and growing as we go along.
In fact, there’s never been a better time for learning. Countless (and free) resources are available on YouTube, many of which are done carefully by equipment manufacturers, there are excellent classes provided by InfoComm, NSCA, and the aforementioned SynAudCon, as well as papers and workshops at AES—just to name a few.
Let’s all commit to keeping our tool kits as up to date as possible, bearing in mind that tools come in many forms but they all help us get where we aspire to be in terms of our work and careers.
Karl Winkler serves as vice president of sales/service at Lectrosonics and has worked in professional audio for more than 25 years.
