4: Do you have a “magic” piece of gear? You know — that expensive German handheld microphone in your kit? That tube compressor with giant black knobs you got on eBay for a song because the name was spelled wrong in the listing but you were clever enough to find it? Or that superfancy digital black box that washes your underwear so you never have to go off the road to do laundry?
News flash: no one has a “magic” piece of gear. Sure, we all like certain devices for specific things and good tools are good tools. But the real results come from those who know how to use them. Modest tools used by true pros will always produce better results than the best tools on the planet in the hands of a hack.
Woodworkers are familiar with the Japanese Woodworker catalog. Whenever I see it, I drool over the $1,500 set of hand-hammered chisels. But then I have to admit that I wouldn’t be able to make anything better with those chisels than with a set costing $150.
3: You have a perfect memory, right? You can remember exactly what is patched where, and how the compressor is externally triggered from a pre-EQ’d copy of the lead vocal channel for sweet de-essing.
But relying solely on that “perfect” memory sets you — and your clients — up for a fall. What if you can’t make it to a gig? The reason doesn’t matter. The point does, which is that it is best practice to have clear labels and precise documentation for as much of a system as possible.
The console layout, drive rack, loudspeaker wiring, etc., should be logically designed and constructed so that anyone with decent knowledge can figure out what’s going on.
2: Texting, surfing the web, commenting on social media and such are great before load-in, after the show on the bus, or on break. Wait, there’s never
a real break, is there?
No matter what’s going on, we must keep our eyes and ears perked for problems as well as colleagues and clients trying to get our attention, and in general, just being a good crew member by offering to help wherever and whenever possible.
In many ways, the quickest way to advance a career is to be “on the ball” anticipating problems and solutions before they happen and doing the right thing even if no one’s watching. Slacking with an “I’m done connecting my stuff so I can just sit here and sip my half-caf non-fat mochaccino” attitude doesn’t cut it in the long term.
1: Never take your eyes off the stage during a show. Well, O.K., glance at console or effects rack every now and again to make sure you’re not clipping your compressors, but keep it to a minimum. Remember that rule about glancing in your mirrors a couple of times each minute while driving? It’s like that. The stage is the road, and you might need to glance at your surroundings a bit here and there.
The reason is that the people on the stage, otherwise known as “talent,” might be trying to signal you. Or maybe they’re grimacing because something is wrong. It doesn’t look too good to have a bunch of people on stage trying to get your attention while you’re enjoying the latest funny bit on ProSoundWeb’s LAB forum during the middle of a set. Plus, by watching what’s happening up there, you can be better at anticipating your next moves.
Maybe the set is pretty much the same every night. But what if something does change? What if the lead guitar player comes out with a Les Paul instead of a Strat for the second-to-last number? What if the bass player finally gets over his stage fright and decides to sing that high harmony vocal part on that one song?
With eyes glued to the stage, you’ll see it coming and be ready to open a channel, ride a fader, insert a compressor, change an EQ setting or whatever. There’s no worse feeling than leaving a channel muted when
someone walks up to a mic to take a solo. I know. I’ve been there and it’s no fun.
So that’s it. My list. You may have your own. There are plenty of good things to keep in mind as we go about being better at our work. And this year, we’ll probably all learn another thing or two to never do while behind the console.
Happy mixing!