Join Us

Empowering the Next Generation of Women in Audio

Join Us

Creating an Effective Soundcheck

 

 

I am constantly teaching new students how to soundcheck. Sometimes I even need to teach the band how to work through a soundcheck. A good sound check can make for a very successful event.  Over time, I have developed helpful tips to make a soundcheck successful. The tips include communication, technical skill, knowledge of the performing group, and being aware of some common mistakes in the process so you don’t make them.

Communication – A key component of soundchecking

communication

Communication is a key component of sound checking and starts long before the true technical soundcheck occurs. This starts immediately as the group walks in the doors by introducing yourself and getting to know them. Simple small talk and introductions can go a long way.  At this point you are providing your first impression to the group, make it a good one.

Be organized, have the stage clean and ready for the event.  Also, set up devices that will help you navigate the impending soundcheck. Include your FOH mic; have it pre-sent through the monitors so you can address the group. Label your board, know the stage plot, and help the group make any changes to the setup so you know where the mics get moved.

As you get into the actual soundcheck, address them by their names. Tell them your process and how they can help you. For example, if you take the hand-raising approach to set monitors then communicate that to the group. Provide them some training on your process to have soundcheck go smoother and so they can get what they need.

Technical Skill – Know your equipment and its limitations

techskill

Technical skill is obviously a large aspect of soundchecking, but sometimes the lack of skill is what makes it so difficult.  Before you initiate your soundcheck, here are a few tips to help make you more successful.  First, get comfortable and know your board. Before you are at the soundcheck point spend time getting lost in the board and working your way out. Be familiar with everything that can be done and find the best way for you to navigate through all of the options.

Once the show comes, finalize your patching and line check beforehand if you can. Know your monitor placement and the people by them.  Label your board! Go above and beyond by adding the names of performers under the input labels so you can address each member by name during your soundcheck.

Know your room and how the sound reacts in the space. Adjust accordingly to create the best sound. Work with the group to get amps pointed in proper directions, or let them know where their wireless mic will drop out, or even let them know if they stand right there they will be blinded by that one light.  Finally, use your FOH mic. Don’t scream back and forth or just wait for the band to do what they are going to do. Direct them to do what you need them to do to be able to create your best mix for the night.  

Knowledge – Know who you are working with

knowledge

Help yourself create a better mix and be prepared for the performance by getting to know the group you are about to work with before they arrive.  Be able to answer questions like; how many people are in the performance group?  What genre of music are they playing?  What is their performance style? Are they a national act or are they just getting started in their career? Do they have any special tech needs, like a particular instrument you’ve never worked with before? For me this would be something like a group touring with a pump organ. I had to do some research to learn about the best micing techniques for that instrument.

If you can, spend time getting to know the group you are going to work with before you even meet them. Listen to their performances from their website. Get a feel for their style/genera so you can assist with their sound choices.  See the venues they are playing before and after this stop. Are they playing similar venues or is yours a bit different? Acknowledge the difference with the group so there aren’t many surprises.  Gather some information so you can be best prepared for your event to come.

Common mistakes – Things that could make your soundcheck more difficult

commonmistakes

There are many things that could run off course or go wrong in a night, but there are a few common mistakes that can throw a soundcheck off course that can create a stressful event. Avoiding these mistakes can help you stay on track and in control of your soundcheck to produce the best show possible.

First, don’t lose your communication. Let the performers know what you are doing-especially if you need to troubleshoot something.  Don’t leave them hanging in a state of wonder and awe of what the heck is the soundperson doing and asking, “Can we finish the soundcheck yet?” Tell them what is going on.

Second, remain in control. Move the group forward as you can to get each part of their show set. Tell them you are working on monitors and continue to communicate how it will work best for you to achieve their needs.  Use your FOH mic.

Third, stay organized and keep things labeled as they change. Keep track of inputs that are set and move onto the next. Consider your EQ process; copy and paste what you can to speed the process up a bit.

Fourth, don’t forget about the big picture. Soundcheck to the volume of the venue, plan ahead for what the show needs to be for the night, and prepare for that. Don’t get yourself stuck in a feedback mess or with monitor volume issues because you set everything according to the empty room. Also, don’t forget that louder does not always equal better. Try to produce a clean mix for the awesome sound; don’t blow the audience away because it’s too loud.

 

 

Norah Seed – Finding your Dream Job

By Toni Venditti

Norah Seed is an audio engineer who has worked in Live Sound for over 25 years. She has worked in theatre, television, and AV. She currently heads the audio department for the Shell Theatre in Alberta, Canada.

(more…)

A First Timer’s Guide to NAMM

In January, I went to my first National Association of Music Merchant (NAMM) trade show in Anaheim. (more…)

Determining your Day Rate

Finding your day rate isn’t easy for anyone at first. It’s a math problem that includes, working with some of the most complicated and random variables. You have to ask other professionals in the area, do the research, and worst of all – assign a number to your worth as a professional. Let’s walk through it together. (more…)

Anything That Can Go Wrong Will Go Wrong” – Murphy’s Law

 

“Murphy’s Law” is when something bad happens unexpectedly at the worst possible time. (more…)

Finding the Rewards in Your Work

 

I often forget that my job is pretty unique. It’s just what I do, just like everyone else sometimes it is hard to get up and go to work. I find it especially hard right now in the dead of winter and in my quiet season.  But then every once in a while I am reminded my job is pretty awesome. (more…)

Pulling Beauty from Restraint Part Two

Sound Design for a Baroque Opera – Part 2

In Part 1 of this 2-part blog, I introduced my challenge of creating a modern sound design to fit a baroque opera staged in a 19th-century music hall, including my initial approach to the space and decisions about amplification. This part will cover creating the soundscape for the pre-show and prologue, speaker positions and the issue of levels. (more…)

SoundGirls.Org – NAMM – She Rocks Awards

By: Karrie Keyes
886341_10153972986368530_8984179286900045700_o
The last week has been a whirlwind of activity for SoundGirls.Org. We welcomed several members from around the globe to Anaheim and NAMM last week. It was so fantastic to meet members in person and I know everyone had a great time meeting up and hanging out with each other.

(more…)

Ghost the Musical at Guildford School of Acting

GHOST is a timeless fantasy about the power of love. Walking back to their apartment one night, Sam and Molly are mugged, leaving Sam murdered on a dark street. Sam is trapped as a ghost between this world and the next and unable to leave Molly who he learns is in grave danger. With the help of a phony storefront psychic, Oda Mae Brown, Sam tries to communicate with Molly in the hope of saving and protecting her.

I knew the musical Ghost would be fun to do. There would be loads to play with; the ghost battles and the deaths. Add a band and loads of comedy and I knew this would be a great show.

Sword Fights – Electricity – Demons – Trains- What’s Not to Like

SoundScape
I wanted the sound of the ghosts interacting with each other to be a strong sound. It needed to be full of energy and still have an element of impact within it. My first thought was to base the sound of the battles around sword fights but to give some other energy as well. Death and organisms seem very analogue to me and very elemental so I thought I’d throw some electricity around in there.  The battles with the ghosts needed to be timed to be exact so the SFX would match with the live-action on stage.

I decided to film the fight scenes during rehearsals. Stage fights are choreographed and well-rehearsed, and I was confident the scenes would be the same every night. By recording the scenes, I was able to make sound effects to fit and come to the technical rehearsal with the nuts and bolts or the spine of the soundscape in place.

Trains seem to be featured heavily in the shows I have done recently but this was the first time I needed to time the percussive sound of the train on tracks with the music. Finding a small section I could loop and time stretch to match the tempo of the no.  It meant the SFX, which was very loud and sudden within the show, would help move a number along rather than distract from it or break the spell.

The other big soundscape moments were the transitions from life to the afterlife.  We didn’t want to lay on a thick moral interpretation of that; so we designed two versions for that transition. The first soundscape was dense; demonic, throbbing, growling, and animalistic. The second version used an element of glass and bells, to convey a sense of air and space. The denser more growling sound was used to signal the deaths that had some element of discord.

When the guy who killed Sam died or when Sam’s friend, who orchestrated the whole plot, died I used this soundscape. It helped to give a sense of the discord within those characters and a hint of them being surrounded by something not pleasant.  When Sam died there was an element of the second soundscape there to give a hint of where he could go and to accent the choice he makes to stay with his girlfriend Molly. When Sam finally moves on to whatever comes next I used a fuller version of the second soundscape to covey a sense of having resolved things.

I created a ghost reverb to use when characters died; it was not too long or too short. It just put the ghosts in a slightly different space from the characters that were still alive. This did prove problematic at first, as it became messy moving from a ghost-speaking reverb to a ghost singing reverb during the show. Laura, (the No. 1 on the show and was programming the SD8), and I decided to use the ghost-speaking reverb for numbers as well. Maybe with a little tweak if we needed something longer for a ballad.

The set was a very open and lovely and all of it was required for the acting space. This meant the band would have to be remote. The band was a five-piece, plus brass and strings on tracks. The tracks were run by Qlab and triggered by the Musical Director (MD). A band room was constructed into a cloth store on the side of the stage; the band relied on a video monitor to see what was happening on stage. Also, the MD had a camera that was broadcast to the vocal booth on the other side of the stage and FOH. The cast and crew could see the MD at all times and were able to follow his upbeats, etc. Vocals and fold back of the band were fed to the room through an Aviom system.

Mixing tracks with a live band presents challenges; you want the tracks that were produced in a different space to sound as close to the band and the room. It’s a good idea to have as many stems from the tracks as the console and equipment will allow.  Separating the string and brass tracks, etc. allows you to treat them differently. It helps if the tracks are as untreated as possible, so you can ride the faders and follow the dynamics of the show. Eliminating pre-recorded reverbs, allows you to use the same reverb on similar types of instruments and will help the mix to gel together. All of the vocals were live although some were sung off stage in a vocal booth. Laura the No. 1 did an excellent job in combining all of these elements into a cohesive mix.

Laura Sound No1

Laura No1

I really enjoyed working on this production and with all the talented women on the sound team.
Laura – No1
Gemma –  Production Sound Engineer
Sarah and Olivia – Backstage and radio mics.

Guildford School of Acting uses a professional band and creative team to put shows on. The cast and the technicians are all students supported by the in-house professional technical team.

 

X