The Live Audio Tips & Tricks Thread

[Dalinkwent48@aim.com]

I know the forum is geared more towards studio work but I figured it'd be cool to have a live thread as well. Bands, engineers, whatever.It doesn't have to be metal it can be any genre you want. Post your tips and tricks when you're on gigs.

One thing I try and do is always leave 1 fader completely empty. If i get a rockstar singer on stage I use the empty fader when he tells me every 5 seconds to turn him up. So that way he sees that im doing something, and in his head, that something is exactly what he asked.

 

[arvoitus]

One thing I try and do is always leave 1 fader completely empty. If i get a rockstar singer on stage I use the empty fader when he tells me every 5 seconds to turn him up. So that way he sees that im doing something, and in his head, that something is exactly what he asked.

Awesome, i'm 100% going to use this trick on the next gig i'm mixing.

 

[SimonTaddio_Qc]

^
Never thought about it, excellent tip! I'll use it for sure!

 

[YoRich]

Try and be as patient, honest and friendly as you can, it will help you out in most cases, if that fails, the words "fuck off" usually do the trick.

 

[drew_drummer]

I know the forum is geared more towards studio work but I figured it'd be cool to have a live thread as well. Bands, engineers, whatever.It doesn't have to be metal it can be any genre you want. Post your tips and tricks when you're on gigs.

One thing I try and do is always leave 1 fader completely empty. If i get a rockstar singer on stage I use the empty fader when he tells me every 5 seconds to turn him up. So that way he sees that im doing something, and in his head, that something is exactly what he asked.

Oh... so you're the reason that I can never hear the vocals at smaller pub gigs???

 

[pipaguapique]

One thing I try and do is always leave 1 fader completely empty. If i get a rockstar singer on stage I use the empty fader when he tells me every 5 seconds to turn him up. So that way he sees that im doing something, and in his head, that something is exactly what he asked.

HAHAH i do that same exact thing but with an "imaginary fader". It always works.

 

[Dalinkwent48@aim.com]

Oh... so you're the reason that I can never hear the vocals at smaller pub gigs???

Yep thats me

usually ill listen to the other band members if they arent talking about themselves so if you had asked me to give you more vox in your mix than most likely i would. but if your singer was asking, placebo effect all the way!

 

[drew_drummer]

 

[DanLights]

nice thread, I´ve never done FOH but I want to, so any tips by experts around here (Brian Kozicki and Anssi, I´m looking at you fags) will be more than appreciated

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

When you're packing up the setup, count every single little object you will need to get the system up and running. Go through the hole signal chain in your head (or on paper), from wall warts to monitor lines, everything. Then take at least two spare units of everything you can, like cables, DI boxes, mics, batteries etc. Fuck it, take two spare mixers. We've had one catch fire in soundcheck. In fact, pack a fire extinguisher, too.

 

[xFkx]

With the cheap behringer comp/gate/limiter(multicom pro i think ?), forget about the compressors, but drive into the limitters. Seems to have a good effect on the drums.

 

[Behind]

One thing I try and do is always leave 1 fader completely empty. If i get a rockstar singer on stage I use the empty fader when he tells me every 5 seconds to turn him up. So that way he sees that im doing something, and in his head, that something is exactly what he asked.

Now I underestand why I don't hear any difference when I ask for more volume in my monitors when trying to hear my guitar

For me, it's not like I hear any improvement after asking but, since I ask and hear no difference, I stop asking.

 

[Dalinkwent48@aim.com]

When you're packing up the setup, count every single little object you will need to get the system up and running. Go through the hole signal chain in your head (or on paper), from wall warts to monitor lines, everything. Then take at least two spare units of everything you can, like cables, DI boxes, mics, batteries etc. Fuck it, take two spare mixers. We've had one catch fire in soundcheck. In fact, pack a fire extinguisher, too.

How the hell did it catch fire

 

[joelplagues]

Now I underestand why I don't hear any difference when I ask for more volume in my monitors when trying to hear my guitar

For me, it's not like I hear any improvement after asking but, since I ask and hear no difference, I stop asking.

not aiming this at anyone or saying you guys dont know what your doing but


Just incase alot of you guys arent aware about how monitors work. theres only so much you can put into them and its just like mixing in PT. If you keep pushing stuff up eventually you have no where to go.

Best thing YOU can do and unfortunatley alot of so called "monitor engineer's" dont think about this much either, is to take it upon yourself and think what can I have LESS of in my monitors, instead of turning up another thing. otherwise your gonna start to get lost in a cloud of noise, have feedback which your not gonna like and your engineer hates doing it to you aswell.

also saying thanks AFTER the show to your sound crew is nice and all but go say Hi first during the band before you, and if you do actually know what your doing with monitors let them know what you want. this is the best time you can get if you really wanna be picky with your monitors. Remember the less you can have the better. iI you cant play as a band with out LOUD monitor's what are you doing wrong as a band, how many of you have monitors in your rehearsel space?

 

[Mago]

Don' let the monitoring suck & don't tell me to lower my amp on stage if I don't hear any guitar shit on the monitors when I'm not allowed to move the cab. That's what I want from a live mixer
also the empty fade trick won't work with me because I actually hear if the monitors go up in volume or not (not that hard to hear imo).
If you tell me you did it and I dont hear any difference I get to your pult and take a look at it myself. fuckers.
I really hate bad monitoring

Best thing YOU can do and unfortunatley alot of so called "monitor engineer's" dont think about this much either, is to take it upon yourself and think what can I have LESS of in my monitors, instead of turning up another thing. otherwise your gonna start to get lost in a cloud of noise, have feedback which your not gonna like and your engineer hates doing it to you aswell.

Good tip, will try next time

iI you cant play as a band with out LOUD monitor's what are you doing wrong as a band, how many of you have monitors in your rehearsel space?

If you hear nothing but drums on stage it's not much fun to play, especially if you have someone in the band who has to SING actually.

For me, it's not like I hear any improvement after asking but, since I ask and hear no difference, I stop asking.

+1, at least after 3 songs^^

 

[acappa]

Well, I´ll have two gigs next week, so I hope I can post something useful from the experience....I´m fucking nervious dudes.....:Shedevil:

 

[arv_foh]

I'm tired, I worked 3 gigs doing FOH like a total of 10 hours today, but off the top of my head

1. ring out feedback frequencies in the monitors using 31 band EQ
2. ring out feedback frequencies in the PA using 31 band EQ
3. remove any offensive frequencies that are too harsh on the ears... usually too much in anywhere from 2.5k-4k is what becomes problematic
4. compress the shit out kick, snare, bass, vocals... it will make your life much easier. I usually use limiters too on kick, snare, and vox
5. gate the kick and toms
6. use the house compressor to tighten your mix up even more
7. I always bring mics/cables/outboard to every gig I work, I never assume they will have anything besides a working PA (and hopefully a working desk) so I bring whatever I need to make it happen
8. Heil PR30s are the fucking bomb on guitars

I'll probably add more later

 

[greyskull]

Guitarists. TURN THE FUCK DOWN! Makes for a way better FOH sound

 

[xFkx]

Guitarists. TURN THE FUCK DOWN! Makes for a way better FOH sound

+ 1

fuckin' egomaniacs.

 

[joelplagues]

^^^Agreed. I'd rather push guitars through the p.a then have them on stage cranking and not in the p.a at all.(depends on the venue though.)

and just some other f.o.h note.

YOUR HI HAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS LOUD!!!

If you dont think moving the fader is doing much dont just give it a minimalist nudge move the fucker half the fade length, if you still notice no difference then pull it completeley out and again no difference??? looks like you didnt need it in to begin with.