This is my first post and I have decided to write about some tips that I learned during my career as a live sound engineer. Probably it will be evident for some people but perhaps it will be useful for some other. I imagine that it might be useful for people who is getting involve in live sound world. with out hesitation I could summarize my experience as keep it simple and always remember the basics.
Knowing the equipment is as important as meet the people you are going to work with.
I remember my first concerts and events as a sound engineer, one of the first thing that I use to do was send my rider and ask about the equipment at the venue. When I should have asked Who is going to be in charge of the place and/or the equipment?. I learned that asking for the person in charge is absolutely important to survive in different events.
Generally, producers and organizers have so many things to think about. Despite that they are the first people to contact with us and pay for our work, they are not always the right person to answer our technical questions. There are exceptions to the rule but usually is the way it is.
The name that we get is going to be our best ally because this person know better that anyone about open/close schedules, equipment available and best of all limitations of the venue’s sound system. Pretty cool! Right? One question and one or two names and we have reduced half of our work, we are going to learn a lot, save time and perhaps if we are lucky enough, we get some contacts in the industry that in this business are particularly important. This advice is equally valid for festivals, theatres, gigs and many other events.
Now, a couple of technical tips. A mixer is command centre of live sound system. A way of simplify its view is focus our atention in their preamp section, filters (LPF and HPF), equalizers and faders. Of course we can talk about compressors and effects in an advance level, but I will talk about them later. I remember a couple of year ago, after a few events, I found three steps that I included in my workflow and I will list them below:
I make sure that I get a good signal. All the signals arriving at the mixer should be clean with out clipping and unwanted distortion. Clipping is a very common problem especially where more than one person is working in the same sound system. Usually we can find this problem in venues like bars and theatres. A quick solution is double check connections and input levels.
I filter every single signal. This is a pretty basic technique that every single engineer applies. The main idea is obtain a ‘good’ sound taking only useful information, I try to take the lowest fundamental frequency and if it is possible excite their harmonics, although sometimes I remove some harmonics that conflict with other fundamental frequencies. the ideal form to achieve it is through HPF, and equalizers (graphic or parametric depends on the mixer). Certainty sculpt a signal might take more time that we usually have in a live performance where there are a huge amount of signals to take care of. So, I usually tent to use at least a HPF to split the fundamentals and harmonics from the less relevant content.
Although, could be consider an exception filter instruments with low frequency content as a drum kick for example, sometimes it is necessary. I don’t want to take a risk giving a specific frequency number to cut off, because a fundamental frequency in a instrument will be relative to its tune and physical properties. Nevertheless, I recognise the lowest cut off frequency is where my chest resonate with it. It is not a secret that we (humans) are more sensitive to feel low frequencies rather than listen to them. It might take some time to recognize the first cut off but once you learn to detect it this is going to be a constant in our workflow.
I make sure that all my signals can be differentiate in the mix. Once all my signal is filtered I focus in how it sounds and balance the signal. If the filter is done accurately every single signal will be easy to identify.
This three steps show a minimalist workflow, but from a technical perspective, it is a big contribution for music because we are preserving their dynamic.
With out a doubt, until now we take advices to achieve the minimum requirements to reach a good sound and I will say that it will sound good with great results. Although, there is a huge difference between a good sound and an absolutely astonish sound! To achieve this incredible good sound we will need dynamic processors and effects.
The dynamic processors or audio compressors are extremely useful to control levels, however they also change instrument interpretation dynamic and its tone. Witch depends of the context it will sound good or bad. This point might be controversial because in studio this type of signal processing are one of ‘new wave sound’ or ‘modern’ characteristics. I personally consider compression in live sound mainly to control levels.
The icing of the cake are the effects. There are two main effects in live sound reverb and delay. The first one recreate spatiality. For example, an instrument in a specific place: a hall, scenario, garage, theatre, church, an many others. While the second effect gives continuity, generate transitions, fill silences and complements empty musical spaces.
Very few times I have the opportunity to use reverb in close venues because they already have their own acoustic character. However, although it is not a rule I found that with less instruments more effects can be applied. Probably is a personal taste or perhaps because time is so precious in live sound that is hard to find time to polish and choose the right effect.
Delay is other effect that I found very useful with a particular use in voices. I have use this effect in solo instruments with very few notes. Also, a nice trick is exaggerate at the end of phrases. It will give a ‘epicness‘ feeling.
As a rule of thumb when less instruments are available or less notes exist more effect will have the effects.
Finally, if there is one advice I could give to someone is:
Keep it simple and in case of problem always remember the basics.
Technology in audio is evolving incredible fast and everyday there are more sophisticated tools that are pretty useful and extremely entertainment to play, learn and experiment with, but is also very valuable remember that wherever equipment available the sound properties are going to be the same.