Dear Young Soundman,
I finally got my first gig to tech a real system, using giant line arrays in a multi-level performance hall for a one-off performance of some ’70s band I’ve never heard of. I flew out and met the rest of the crew, and was told that the main person to make happy was the front-of-house operator.
While this seems simple enough, he asked some basic questions like “How are you going to tune the room”, and so forth. And before I could even answer, he said, “I hope you’re going to use more than just an RTA, and not do that stupid Haas thing. My ears know the difference and I want my delays set with precision.” (Or something like that.)
I was taught to measure and then add delay to create localization. Is this not the way to go? I didn’t do what he asked and ended up in a huge debate.
After things calmed down, we got through the gig. Did I do the right thing? What would you have done? I just finished school and want to be the best! But already I’m confused as to what to do. No one warned me of the dangers of old soundmen.
Signed,
The Newbie
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Dear Newbie,
Congrats on getting a paying gig. Did you have to bribe someone to get the job? Meanwhile there are experienced techs starving and you just took their gig. Good job!
You have several problems. First, whatever “sound god” you begged to teach you didn’t tell you (or didn’t know how) to play politics.
Your job was simple: Make the house engineer happy. Immediately you failed by starting an argument. Good job!
It’s a good thing you don’t want another gig… ever!
No one likes it when fresh virgin blood shows up and ticks off the old dog. (Even if Old Yeller should have been put out of his mixing misery years ago.)
Big deal: he’s wrong and you’re right. I hope you’re happy walking along the beach sipping Corona knowing that you were right even if it cost your next job. Good job!
Next time keep your mouth shut, watch some CNN, and learn about politics. When facing battles like this one, have someone else fight them for you. Even when you lose (and you will), no one knows about it, and you live to mix another day.
At the end of the day, it’s not your system, it’s his. He should have it tuned any damn way he wants. If he wants subs on an aux, give him the best aux fed subs ever. If he wants to “smiley face” the EQ, fine, let him. It’s your responsibility to set the system up so that it is capable of doing this effectively, in order to give him the best/worst sounding smiley face ever.
You lost the argument before it even started. Regardless of who “won” or who was “right”, it’s a stupid argument. Good job!
And while you were arguing, you missed an opportunity to sneak your friends in through the back door.
What would I do, you ask? Great question, except I never give away my secrets lest you take my gig as well. I will say that I don’t prescribe either practice you noted, and my delays sound just fine.
I’m glad you got a paying gig. Now you get to find out what the hardest part about live sound really is – getting paid!
Regards,
The Young Soundman
If you like The Young Soundman, be sure to check out the views and rants of the The Old Soundman.
