Soundman no show

onetooloud · Post by **onetooloud** » Monday Jan 30, 2006

Also you have to be a public relations expert and counselor to explain everything to anyone who asks. This would be club owners, party goers drunks, band members, dogs & cats outside and neighbors down the street. This all needs to be done with a positive twist.

If it goes wrong its your problem and you'd better fix it somehow.

If you can't handle tons of pressure your in trouble. Because your first in line for the firing squad.

ImAGrimmette · Post by **ImAGrimmette** » Monday Jan 30, 2006

By the way we are the thickest-skinned people you will ever find, and yes NS I will hit a girl

Yes He Will.... I've Seen Him Do It Before - Wait I Think It Was Me - LOL!!!!!

Love Ya Ughie!!!!

Grammar · Post by **Grammar** » Tuesday Jan 31, 2006

no surrender wrote:out of curiosity..

what does a sound guy do?

and why can't the muscisinas themselves do it?

I am asking this out of curiosity.

What does a sound guy do?

Also, why can't the musicianes themselves* do it?

no surrender wrote:
lol, ok , that 'splains it lucy

I am laughing out loud.

Okay, that explains it, Lucy.

no surrender wrote:
what is meaning of "junk" ?

are sound guys the ones in back with all the tubes, nobs and lights?

What is the meaning of "junk"?

Are sound guys the ones in the back with all of the tubes, knobs, and lights?

no surrender wrote:
most bands nowadys don't have "soundman".. am i right?

Most bands nowadays do not have a soundman. Am I right?

no surrender wrote: please, don't mean to butt in or be a pain just curious..

what are you guys doing back there twisting nobs all night?

what are you listening for and doing??

Please understand that I do not mean to butt-in or be a pain; I am just curious.

What are you guys doing back there twisting knobs all night?

What are you listening for and doing?

You're welcome.

*Note: It is obvious that my grammatical corrections are helping No Surrender. No Surrender correctly used a pronoun in the reflexive case.

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Tuesday Jan 31, 2006

As far as I'm concerned, for anything larger than a "small" bar gig:

No soundman is a recipe for disaster! Soundtechs get alot of shit
from people who don't have a clue what it takes to put on a decent quality show. I'm fortunate to have a excellent crew behind the FOH
and lighting consoles! I wouldn't sacrifice this for the world. They also,
by the way, do attend practices on a routine basis to provide input
on material as well as sound and lighting. This is critical because they are out front, and hear as well as see what the performers (including myself)are doing on stage. You also need someone to take care of little unexpected things during shows (like replace a bad cable, take care of
power problems, etc., etc., etc.).

Learn from this folks!

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Tuesday Jan 31, 2006

You can tell whether the members of a band have ego/attitude problems and just how professional they are by the way they treat their soundmen. You couldn't pay me enough money to run sound for some of the assholes out there. I don't like to toot my own horn, but I pride myself (and the rest of the band) on how easy I am to work with when it comes to engineers.

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Tuesday Jan 31, 2006

Oh and to the original point of the thread - I don't know the soundman in question nor do I know the reason for his absence, but if I were in the band's position, he would have been immediatley fired. Then I would have blackballed him so fast, it would have made his head spin, which I guess is the reason why Jones posted this thread in the first place.

Jones · Post by **Jones** » Tuesday Jan 31, 2006

Pretty much just hit the nail on the head. Wasn't my show, but being a tech and a player, hearing that a soundguy didn't show just really hacked me off. It's guys like that that give the rest of us a bad name. There are too many guys out there doing a half assed job and making themselves, the bands, and those of us who know what we're doing look bad. In short, know what you're getting for your money. We all know who the reputable sound companies in the area are, use them........and if you need advice on who to call, ask someone.

rickw · Post by **rickw** » Tuesday Jan 31, 2006

I've had the good fortune to work with many wonderful sound guys over the years. When I'm playing I know that there is someone out there walking the room and making sure the sound is mixed and proper. That makes my job all the more comfortable. When running sound from the stage (which I have done) nothing is more discouraging than hearing feedback, having to play with one hand while eq'ing with the other and hoping the problem was solved only to hear at the end of the night someone saying "You guys were good but we really couldn't hear the vocals." So, to the sound guys out there, thanks, and you're well worth the money.

poolpimp911 · Post by **poolpimp911** » Tuesday Jan 31, 2006

Ok I have herd enough. What a sound man does is make it sound great. So, that the owner may want to book you again. For all of you try thinking out of your ROCKSTAR WANT TO BE MIND and look at what a sound man has to deal with. Ok, we show up at the bar at 6pm (we have alot of stuff that is why we sound great) set up takes 2 hours. Then, we have to sit around for the band members to show up. The drummer is first beacuse his stuff usually takes the longest to put up. Then the rest of the band shows up 9ish. The show starts you have to deal with owner's saying turn it down, drunk people asking questions, and then people using the cab's to put their empty's on. After the show is done 1:45-2am you have to help along the drunk people so you can start packing you gear. Then take care of your own band. Finish taking everything apart, and then the bar trying to rush you out the door. You put everything back in the truck and it depends where you are playing most times I am done and In the truck 3 or 3:30am on the way home. Most of the times I am just getting back to my place when the sun is coming up.

bassist and rickw know what they are talking about. Now don't get me wrong some show's you dont need big sound but most you do. But, next time you play a show or even go see a band you should give big thanks to the sound men and crew. Hell even buy them a beer, or a stripper because they work hard and sometimes dont get a chance to enjoy the night.

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Tuesday Jan 31, 2006

Jones wrote:Pretty much just hit the nail on the head. Wasn't my show, but being a tech and a player, hearing that a soundguy didn't show just really hacked me off. It's guys like that that give the rest of us a bad name. There are too many guys out there doing a half assed job and making themselves, the bands, and those of us who know what we're doing look bad. In short, know what you're getting for your money. We all know who the reputable sound companies in the area are, use them........and if you need advice on who to call, ask someone.

I totally dig what you're saying. It's like that in any walk of life, though. The more hacks you have in a certain business, the harder the good guys have to fight.

I also agree with Hannibal on the price of engineers. Many of the patrons at the bar have no idea how much money is tied up in equipment. Sometimes there's more money sitting up on stage than some people have invested in their homes. $300 is usually what your pay around here for the "premium" production companies. You can buy the smallest QSC power amp for $300; and most sound companies are running a minimum of 10,000 watts of power. Do the math. It will take most sound guys years to get out of the red. Many of our engineers also drive box trucks, which of course require insurance, fuel, and maintenance.

If there's one thing I've learned in life it's that good PA equipment isn't cheap, and cheap PA gear isn't good.

HBSPro · Post by **HBSPro** » Tuesday Jan 31, 2006

No Shows Are bad for Buisness
also I have to agree with Cruse Audios reply about the walmart thing get what you pay for. Good Productions Companies are hard to find but when you get one hang on to it work out the details on priceing the most sence is we have all the money tied up in the gear I have done alot of shows in that area before relocateing a bit west in pa . worked with some of the guys on here and some of the sound companies posting here last inventory we did dollar for dollar we have about 41,000 invested and still updateing. price cutting gets you a bad show bad people working the show. but no shows arnt good for anyone everything rolls down hill. we do take the blunt of the problems and are there for the long nights.

onegunguitar · Post by **onegunguitar** » Tuesday Jan 31, 2006

I always do my best to thank the sound guy,it's a tough job,the band guys want this,the crowd wants that,can't please everyone! A no show ain't very professional imo,get what ya pay for I suppose.

HBSPro · Post by **HBSPro** » Wednesday Feb 01, 2006

feel sorry for the band
but you get wat you pay for ( have to agree with cruse audio )
cutting and price smashing for 25 to 50 bucks a night not only gets bad production but also unprofessional help bands find good production work out the details stick with them Prodction also makes or breaks the band.