When there’s an issue, the look on an engineer’s face can either be, “OMG, where’s this feedback coming from?” or “I acknowledge the problem, I’m working on it, and you’re in good hands.”
Even when there’s no problem, just the fact that every time band members look our way and can immediately lock eyes with us because we’re paying attention is immensely more reassuring than seeing engineers on their phones or not even looking towards the stage.
In the audio world, we’re usually not taught about this aspect, but it’s inherently a huge part of the process, and as a result, we should pay a lot of attention to it.
The Creativity
Finally, I’d like to touch upon something that might seem a bit surprising. After all, almost every aspect of firefighting comes with procedures and guidelines that have been rehearsed. Scenarios have been prepared, executed, analyzed and improved on many occasions.
But out in the field, these plans can quickly get tossed away because even with all the time and foresight that goes into them, there are always unforeseen circumstances that threaten to derail things. As a result, firefighters have to be immensely creative and responsive to the environment, quickly assessing their immediate surroundings to determine the best course of action.
“Another aspect of firefighting is being sure to get ‘up close and personal’ with all of the gear, and this is a trademark of great sound engineers as well.“
Running low on water? Call in another rig, shut off a part of the waterline, use the neighbor’s pool – whatever needs to be done in the moment to achieve the most important goal. I see the same process applies to doing monitors. No sound from the wedge? Check the cable, change the wedge, adjust the mix in the side fills – whatever is required to keep the show going.
Neither of these fields offers an option where one gets to say, “Hold on, gang – stop everything, let’s fix it, and then we can move on.” Solutions often need to be provided out of thin air; the old magician pulling a rabbit out of his hat trick. That creativity, however, is in both cases fueled by experience and the ability to foresee as many possible issues as possible.
I’m certain that many of you reading this can find parallels between our work with other relatable occupations. I’ve found it fascinating how similar my mind can work during either of these activities, which can both be extremely stressful yet immensely satisfying when done right. I truly believe that drawing comparisons with seemingly unrelated passions in our life can help us perform better and maybe sometimes even provide surprising and fresh solutions to complex situations.