I've managed to avoid most of that by specialising in non-rock type sound jobs. I don't do that many jobs, but since I play and conduct as well, that isn't too much of a problem, and as the kids get older I'll start looking to do a bit more anyway. But having a mixed portfolio of work is a blessing. When you're doing the gig from hell, you can at least console yourself with the thought that your next gig is a completely different one and maybe you'll be in the band instead of moving faders.
I think he's pretty well nailed the most annoying things we have to put up with. Especially being called a DJ. Is there some way we could dye all DJs green or something so everybody knows they are not the same as us (very nice if you like green and noise, but not us)?.
As a former gigging musician I can relate with #13. I lost enjoyment of loud bars/clubs at the ripe age of 21 when most are just beginning to enjoy them. 43 now, and I still dislike going to bars/clubs or crowded places. My wife says I'm a hermit...I just can't stand all the drunken idiots.
if a band asks the crowd how it sounds "out there".. totally tempted to grab the talkback mic and ask the crowd,
"how's the band doing tonight folks"
Good one! Because when they ask that, invariably some idiot will scream out something ("Turn it up" "More guitar" "Louder" etc.) that will then create uncertainty or distrust between band and engineer, and break the mood for the audience. Bands, it is NEVER a good idea to do this, completely unprofessional. If you don't trust the engineer, hire your own! Or hire a different one! And by the way, soundcheck is the time to get this issue ironed out, not during the show.
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There is no justification for the exploitation of weaker beings. We cannot advance as a species until we respect the rights of other species. One Earth, all earthlings. http://www.soundclick.com/edbilleaud
yep, the band turning the audience against the engineer and inviting random drunk people to bug you with what they think sounds good is a horrible idea. this actually may one of my biggest pet peeves in live sound.
Good one! Because when they ask that, invariably some idiot will scream out something ("Turn it up" "More guitar" "Louder" etc.) that will then create uncertainty or distrust between band and engineer, and break the mood for the audience. Bands, it is NEVER a good idea to do this, completely unprofessional. If you don't trust the engineer, hire your own! Or hire a different one! And by the way, soundcheck is the time to get this issue ironed out, not during the show.
Usually the first 2-3 songs ARE the soundcheck in my experience.
Or could it be that the band are actually right into the sound and just professionally coaxing the audience along too..?
A bit like, "How you doing tonight?" - it's not necessarily a sincere question, just something to say
Of course, if the band is asking the audience how it sounds with a quizzical, puzzled and concerned frown, then indeed, that's not great form!
In the spirit of the thread, I was posting in reference to the latter, have seen that, and worse! Once had a singer ask the AUDIENCE, several times, "does this mic sound better? Or does this one?" !!!!!!!!!
Some of the things he was complaining about are so minor they shouldn't have even made a top 15 list. Time for a vacation, maybe
This one caught my eye though:
Quote:
When random people want to tell me how they think it should sound. They don't know the sound of the room, what the band wants, what the club management or owners want, or about potential noise complaints from neighbors.
It's annoying when people say "I think the guitar isn't loud enough." I don't WANT to take the time to explain to some random person that I have the guitar where it is, because if I turn it louder I will have to turn up the vocals, and at THAT point in time(because it's early in the evening and there aren't enough "salty bags of water" in the building yet to soak up the sound) the owner will come over and tell me that it's too loud.
D.
Can totally relate to the DJ comments though - I used to have a laminate hanging from a lanyard that read "I am not the ****ing DJ". Whenever anyone asked, I just showed it to them.
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A pet peeve he left out is when the bands fail to contact you ahead of the gig and provide any kind of a stage plot. Then they show up and expect you to know what they want and need..
And a variation on the theme of being told what to do by strangers is the band wife that comes up and says she can't hear....whatever her boyfriend/husband plays. I have perfected the "phantom fader move" that always works.
yep, just nailed 2 more missed. in live or studio i always have a "placate" fader. amazing how much that works, i've even used it with other engineers.
Curiously enough, the show band I play in has just been approached to do a gig by a local "AV Production" guy who claims there will "therefore" (his word) be PA for us. So I looked the guy up on the web and I found the dreaded initials ...
DJ
I think we'd better have our own ready. If we do actually do the gig. I suspect he expects us to do it for practically nothing on account of "having PA there for us". And that's a pet peeve of mine - what people thinks passes for acceptable PA. I've played in gigs where the mikes are worse than the ones I've given my 5-year old son to play with - and that's the best of the kit. If we have crappy PA that's our business - we have to make it work. But if a provider gives you crappy PA (especially when they claim it's "pro" gear, and obviously with the pro word in there you know that's the last thing it is) it riles me beyond belief. Whatever heap of junk I happen normally to drive, if I hire a car I expect it to be newish, clean, driveable and roomy. I expect the same if I'm provided with PA. I'll leave you to work out the PA equivalent of "newish, clean, driveable and roomy"!
After few years of doing live sound I started to become sour like that, so I just quit temporarily (it's been more than year now). And if you're at the point where "people call me dj and I f*** hate that" is really an issue, then maybe you should take a break too.
After few years of doing live sound I started to become sour like that, so I just quit temporarily (it's been more than year now). And if you're at the point where "people call me dj and I f*** hate that" is really an issue, then maybe you should take a break too.
That's a very good point
The same can happen from the stage point of view too... in which case, the same should apply
Yep, he hit most of them but here are two of my most hated situations that He didn't mention:
1. When a singer is on stage and putting nothing at all on the mic, a loud band behind them and their girlfriend/boyfriend/mother/grandmother comes up to inform you that they can't hear the vocals. I used to be nice in this situation and take the heat, but as I get more jaded I just reply "It's because He/She can't sing."
2. When you have a band on stage, they are great, tight, the mix is grooving and people are digging it - then some young tart comes up and leans over the booth asking "When does the music start?". To which I reply "What??".... "The Music, The Music, when does the music start?" as she flaunts her wares like she has something I haven't seen before, I nod and motion towards the stage with my head. She turns looks, then turns back to me and yells "Noooo, not this, the DJ! When does the DJ start?!?"
Yep, he hit most of them but here are two of my most hated situations that He didn't mention:
1. When a singer is on stage and putting nothing at all on the mic, a loud band behind them and their girlfriend/boyfriend/mother/grandmother comes up to inform you that they can't hear the vocals. I used to be nice in this situation and take the heat, but as I get more jaded I just reply "It's because He/She can't sing."
2. When you have a band on stage, they are great, tight, the mix is grooving and people are digging it - then some young tart comes up and leans over the booth asking "When does the music start?". To which I reply "What??".... "The Music, The Music, when does the music start?" as she flaunts her wares like she has something I haven't seen before, I nod and motion towards the stage with my head. She turns looks, then turns back to me and yells "Noooo, not this, the DJ! When does the DJ start?!?"
I've been taking over Thursday nights at a local venue for a buddy who started night school (my main responsibility there is studio engineer, it's a multi-use facility).
The most astonishing thing I've discovered is how little respect you get. I'm in a rock trio as well and I've always been really respectful to all the live sound guys I've come in contact with because I understand that the live sound engineer can make or break your night.
But these insecure, horrible gear-using, under-rehearsed nobodies who draw 1 friend (guest listed) and no one else come in acting like they're god's gift to music to compensate for their lack of any musical talent or success and expect you to treat them as so. It's really frustrating.
I can understand how someone might become fed up doing it full time. I'm pissed and I've only been doing it one day a week for a couple months.
I had a four piece all female bluegrass/folk vocal band on stage. Sound check took longer than normal because they are really...really..picky.
However, I got them dialed in and they did a sound check song. During the song, two of the ladies are asking the audience "can you hear my mandolin? Can you hear the accordian" "how's the guitar sound" "are the vocals all right?".. Drove me NUTS..
So after they finished their two sound check songs, I walked up on stage, turned and faced the audience and said "how did the ladies do singing?" "any bad notes or sucky harmony parts?" "How about that mandolin, did she mess up her break?"...
The band was very quiet as I walked by them but I turned to the leader and said "paybacks are a bitch, huh?"
The got real nice and the evening went perfectly well... I feel better.
two of the ladies are asking the audience "can you hear my mandolin? Can you hear the accordian" "how's the guitar sound" "are the vocals all right?".. Drove me NUTS..
lol.. those aren't ladies.. those are the kind of whiny girls that drive around with truck nuts on their trailer hitches.
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