By Daniella Peters
Through my work in sales at Rat Sound, one of the questions I get asked a lot is what is our favorite microphone, speaker, console, (fill in the blank). A social media post of an Audix OM7 and we get asked, which is better, an OM7 or Shure SM58? A facebook post of a show using an L-Acoustics K1 system and a photo of a show using an EAW Anya system, and suddenly the question pops up, which is the best speaker? (more…)
I’ve worked in some wonderful venues some of my favorites have been found spaces or spaces that weren’t supposed to be theaters originally. They do provide their own challenges (more…)
July 2015 Highlights (more…)
Online
By far the easiest solution is this free online tool called Stage Plot Designer:
Fill out artist, venue, date/time, and optional input list and notes, and drag and drop graphic elements to your heart’s content. Then click the Print button to generate a PDF.
Shortfall: you can’t seem to add notes to the graphic elements on the layout part; you have to put notes in a single dedicated scribble field at the bottom. However, this totally beats doing everything by hand in a free graphic editor or word processing software (MS Word, Google Docs, Open Office, etc.)
StagePlot Guru is the #1 most downloaded app by industry professionals. It features effortless and intuitive stage plot creation, customized graphics (equivalent to a video game), 100s of “props” included in the $4.99 pro-upgrade, ability to add lists, notes and contact info, and an ever-expanding prop library.
Stage Plot Maker for iPhone and iPad — $3.99
Napkin Sketch – $1.99 Do away with using overly complicated software to create a stage plot or resorting to drawing on a bar napkin. Napkin Sketch, the app, is your answer! To create a sketch, simply pick your stage size, drag and drop elements onto the sketch and when you’re done, either e-mail or save the sketch right to your camera roll!
BandHelper: Set Lists and More – More for bands, but has ability to design stage plots and input lists
No free ones here, but Stage Plot Pro seems to be the most regarded, most full-featured, and with the fanciest and broadest selection of elements: They have a graphic for everything you can think of, though many consider it 3D depictions of everything to totally overkill and unnecessary detail (looks damn nice though Cost is $39.99, but comes with a 30-day free trial.
Pelix Stage Plot helps you to build clear, readable stage plots in order to communicate your band’s technical requirements to a sound engineer.
You can build a collection of stage plots for different kinds of situations, then print or send them by email/whatsapp/other, directly from your mobile device.
Tecrider.com Create your Tech Rider online, fast and free
Stage Plan Use our stage plan builder to create the exact stage plot for your gig.
How to Create a Stage Plot and Input List
How to Make an Awesome Audio Rider
We did it! Last week’s Live Sound Camp was fantastic and all participants (Tiffany and I included) learned a lot! First and foremost there are a lot of people to thank. So I am going to that first. (more…)
By Karrie Keyes
April Tucker is a re-recording mixer in post-production sound who currently works for FX Networks. She started her career in post-production in 2004 and has been doing freelance work since 2007. (more…)
By: Victoria Boyington
SoundGirl Zee mixing The Flowers
This week the community came together to welcome our live sound workshop, which was made possible through a joint venture with SoundGirls.Org and California Women’s Music Festival. This partnership provided a unique opportunity for girls 12 and older hands on experience setting up sound systems, learning how to make stage plots, input lists and so much more. (more…)
*And some random pictures from when I worked at NASA mission control
Here is a pic of me at my best ‘backstage’ position ever. Behind me is a room full of experts monitoring and communicating with the International Space Station .
Not too long ago I was working a comedy show for HBO that was a one-day, load in -shoot- load out. Everyone arrived for the call time and started the usual routine of introductions and trying to figure out where we’ve met before. “Were you at that thing for Comedy Central with the guy with the puppet? Or maybe I worked with you at the Beacon ?” As 8 AM came and went, it became clear the guy yelling into his cell phone at the end of the block was the guy who was supposed to let us into the theater. He’d forgotten his keys. The only other guy who had them was in New Jersey (more…)