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Why I Don’t Use Plug-Ins When Mixing Music Live

I talk a lot about how I don’t use plug-ins.  I want to clarify a few things, and in this blog, I’ll explain why I don’t use any plug-ins when I am mixing live sound and how I use plug-ins when working in a DAW.

MIXING LIVE SOUND

If I’m mixing on an analog console, I’ll have a rack of outboard gear consisting of some gates and compressors, reverb, and delay.  I’m less is more kind of gal and I like to keep things simple.  If I’m mixing on a digital console, unless it is by the artist’s request, I use only the EQ, gates, and compressors on the console.

I do not use sound-shaping plug-ins to create the sounds I want.  I focus on using the right tool for the job starting with choosing the right microphone, using a great-sounding console, and minimal processing in the signal path. I rely heavily on good gain structure and proper use of EQ. I also work to make sure what I’m mixing sounds great before I put a mic on it.  When you start with great sounds from the source, it makes mixing that much easier.

I want to be able to mix my show on whatever console and equipment I have and when I’m touring all over the world with an artist, there is no guarantee that I will be able to have the exact gear that I request in every location.

When your show is built around layers of plug-ins, you will inevitably run into a situation where your server is down, your licenses don’t work, your console won’t speak to the waves rack, or there isn’t enough DSP to handle it.

I’ve watched so many sound people at festivals frantically on their phones with tech support trying to resolve issues with their plug-ins not working. They are super stressed because they cannot mix the show without the plug-ins.

They never learned how to properly use EQ or compression and rely on the plug-ins to do what they can’t.  Without plug-ins, their mix completely falls apart and they have a terrible show.

As the sound engineer for a band, you should be able to walk in and mix your show on whatever equipment you have.  Of course, some shows will sound better than others due to the quality of the sound system and equipment available, but you should never be in a situation where you can’t make the guitar sound good without your Maserati ACG or GTR3 ToolRack or you can’t get any warmth or thump from the PA without your OneKnob plug-ins.

When we start to rely too heavily on the tools, we lose our skills.  If you want to master your audio skills, make sure you start by learning the fundamentals.

MIXING IN A DAW

When I talk about mixing music in the studio without using plug-ins, I’m referring to sound-shaping plug-ins.  Things like OneKnob, Maserati, Clarity, etc.  Plug-ins that do things that you can do with proper EQ and compression.

When using a DAW it’s a given that you will need to use plug-ins.  Most DAWs come with basic EQ, dynamic, and effects.  These are all integral components of a mix.  Beyond the basic plug-ins available in your particular DAW there are many higher-quality options available.

The Neve, API, or SSL EQ plug-ins will sound better than the generic EQ included in your DAW.  Listen to compare and choose the one that sounds best to you.

As well, the UA audio, Empirical Labs, CLA, and SSL compressors will sound better than the ones included in your DAW.

Take your time in choosing what works best for your music and mix.

But when it comes to finding clarity in the vocal, getting that extra punch on your drums, or fattening up a thin acoustic guitar, etc. these are all things that can be accomplished with proper mic choice, good signal level, and EQ.

If you want a great-sounding electric guitar, take the time to dial in the sound of your amp before recording it.  Tuning and recording great-sounding drums will prevent the need for doctoring up with multiple plug-ins.

There is nothing wrong with using plug-ins to enhance your mix but it’s important to build a great-sounding mix with the basics first.

The skills of using critical listening to choose the right mic and position, tweaking the sound of the source to make it as good as possible before recording, setting proper input gain, and using EQ and compression properly will serve you far better than a toolbox full of single-use sound-shaping plug-ins.

If you’re getting started in Live Sound, CHECK OUT THIS BLOG, and if you’re recording and producing from your home studio READ THIS.

By: Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato MixingMusicLive.com

 

Mixing Music Live Course Discount

Looking for a quick start in Live Sound? Need to improve your mixing skills? Check out MixingMusicLive.com Created by veteran concert sound engineer and Soundgirls.org co-founder Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato, MixingMusicLive.com offers online video courses where you’ll learn the fundamentals of live sound with Mixing Music Live and real-world techniques for creating great-sounding mixes with LISTEN!

Soundgirls members receive a 50% discount email us for the discount soundgirls@soundgirls.org

Mixing Music Live course:

Mixing Music Live is an intro to live sound and mixing. Through this online video course, you’ll learn the fundamentals like signal flow, gain structure, microphones, dynamics, and effects, how to set up and operate a soundboard, and much more.  Created by veteran concert sound engineer and Soundgirls.org co-founder Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato, MML will teach you the essentials you need to get out there and start mixing live sound. Find out more here:

https://www.mixingmusiclive.com/mixing-music-live-course

SoundGirls members receive a 50% discount on courses email us for a discount at soundgirls@soundgirls.org

LISTEN!

Learn how to create great sounding mixes with LISTEN! Created by veteran sound engineer and Soundgirls.org co-founder Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato, LISTEN! is an online video course that teaches Michelle’s proprietary HIT production process.  You’ll learn how to really hear what’s going on with your mix, how to identify what needs to be adjusted in the mix, and how to tweak it to get the professional results you want.  Find out more here: https://www.mixingmusiclive.com/listen

SoundGirls members receive a 50% discount on courses email us for a discount at soundgirls@soundgirls.org

For the Men Who Want to Support Women in Audio.

 

I’ve been getting these questions a LOT lately- “How can I as a man support women in audio?” “What can we do to make the historically male-dominated world of audio/music production more inclusive to women?” “How do we get more women in audio and tech?”

The short answer is HIRE THEM! I should note that these questions have come from men in the business who truly wish to see the industry become more inclusive and balanced.

Here are some simple ways men can support women in audio and other male-dominated fields.

Treat the women you work with, with the same respect you treat the men you work with. Women are not asking for special treatment, they just want to be acknowledged as equals.

When someone asks you a question that should be answered by a female colleague, rather than answering the question, direct that person to your colleague.

Example: The system engineer is a woman and you are the monitor tech but the local crew chief insists on asking you about the PA, your rigging points, the weight, whatever. Simply say ‘Beth is our System Tech and she can answer that for you’.

We all like to have the answers when asked questions but this one simple act of directing the questions that pertain to your fellow crew woman’s gig will go a long way in moving things forward.

Note: This should be standard practice in general. You should always direct questions that do not pertain to YOUR particular job to the appropriate person.

Please stop ‘vouching’ for us. Unless you are being consulted as a job reference or to give a recommendation for a woman being considered for a job, we don’t need anyone to assure the local crew or anyone else that we can do the job and they needn’t worry about the fact that we are a woman. Who cares if the local crew or anyone else is skeptical, she and her work can speak for herself.

Example: A typical conversation between a touring crew guy and the local audio guy:

Local audio guy- “Who’s your soundman?”

Touring crew guy- “Susan is our FOH engineer but don’t worry, she’ll do a great job” followed by an abridged version of her resume.

Susan already has the gig and it’s none of the local crew’s business as to what her qualifications are.

When you want to interview a woman about her career/job, don’t waste her time with questions like what it’s like to be a woman in a male-dominated field. Ask her the same questions you would ask a man.

I mean seriously, I’ve been in this business for over 30 years and are still asking ‘Why are there so few women?’ ‘What is it like to work with all men?’   Women are capable of technical conversations and equally competent at discussing our professional skills, experience, and knowledge. These questions are not only lame but a waste of our time.

If you witness something that makes a woman uncomfortable, say something.

Women who have yet to build a career and reputation in the business and need the support of others, especially the veterans of the business (both men and women). Too often the fear of losing the gig because they spoke up about the ‘handy’ tour assistant outweighs their discomfort. It would go a long way for the women you work with to know that you have their back if they ever need someone to step in.

Lead by example, especially if you are in a leadership role such as T.M. or P.M. Treat the women on your crew with the same respect as the men. Make it known that inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated.

Look, we can handle the locker room talk. We aren’t dainty little flowers, if we were we’d have chosen another line of work, but we aren’t here for your pleasure either. We are here just like you, to do our job.

Don’t join in on inappropriate talk about the women on your crew and don’t stay silent when you witness it.

If you want more women in your workplace or tour, hire them. There is this fascinating little tool called GOOGLE that helps you find anything you need! Other fantastic resources include the EQUAL DIRECTORY, soundgirls.org, and womensaudiomission.org

The above are the most basic everyday things you can do to support women.

If you REALLY want to make a difference and bring about positive change

Ask yourself where in the past and even now you are being sexist?

Have you rolled your eyes when the crew chief sends you three women to do the heavy lifting?

Consider your unconscious beliefs/ideas about women in this business and your conscious beliefs.

Take a long deep look at your double standards- what is ok for a man to do but not a woman?

Why do you have these beliefs/ideas?

Did you work with one woman who was not great at her gig? or ended up hooking up with someone on the tour? Why would you just assume all women are like that?

Would you be upset if women assumed that all men were sexist or worse? I’ve worked with a lot of men who were not great at their job and who were trying to shag everything that wasn’t nailed down, I’ve yet to condemn ALL men to being lame at their jobs and only there to hook up with ‘chicks’.

When have you sat silent and observed blatant sexism, or harassment to the women around you but you didn’t want to stand up and say anything for the risk of being ridiculed, so you just ignored it?

How often have you joined in on the banter directed at women on the crew, or local staff whether it was flirting or inappropriate talk to those who are just there to do their job? Do you think they want your advances? Do you really think the cute stagehand enjoys having to politely engage and smile at every idiot who hits on her while she is working? Maybe the merch girl looks miserable and doesn’t talk to any of you because she’s tired of being hit on constantly by her fellow crew.

How many times have you talked about the women on your crew inappropriately behind their back with other men on the crew? While acting like you are totally their mate to their faces, just friends and they are just fellow crew? If you haven’t talked about them how many times have you sat silent in these conversations?

How many times a day (outside of the workplace) are you engaging in sexist behavior?

Do you mansplain? Do you instinctively look for the ‘man’ in charge when you have questions or need to solve a problem? Do you ignore your friend’s wives/girlfriends assuming they can’t hold their own with you? Have you ever assumed a person wouldn’t have knowledge of a subject for the simple fact the person was a woman?

How many times have you called or referred to a woman as a bitch just because she would not settle for less than what she wanted or expected?

For example- a female artist who insisted things be done correctly would likely have a rep as being a bitch or difficult while a male artist in exactly the same situation would just be considered normal.

How many times have you been asked to give a reference for a woman you have worked with and been pressed to find ‘issues’ with her behavior that didn’t exist?

“C’mon, did she flirt with the crew, band? Was she sleeping with anyone on the tour?” How many times have you asked those questions? How many times have you been asked the same of a male colleague?

When hiring or recommending someone for a gig makes a sincere effort to consider more than just men.  

Again The EQUAL Directory is a great resource for finding qualified women.

Women by necessity have learned how to navigate the male-dominated audio industry. With regards to the sexism, discrimination, or bias we encounter we ignore it, let it slide, or worse accept it. Some have chosen to confront it. Some have to deal with it on an all too frequent basis and some of us so infrequently that we are completely caught off guard when it does occur. That doesn’t make it any less tiresome. The points I have outlined in this blog are just some of the things you can do to support not only women in audio but women in general.

Mixing Music Live – 50 % Discount for SoundGirls Members

SoundGirls Co-Founder Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato has created a course on Mixing Music Live and will teach you the fundamentals and beyond of mixing live sound.

Special discount for SoundGirls Members – Get Mixing Music Live for 50% off! Email us for a discount code soundgirls@soundgirls.org.  You must be a member of SoundGirls to receive this discount.  You can register to be a member here.

The course will be open for enrollment April 15th

The course is usually $297 – With your SoundGirls Discount, the course is only $148.50.  This is a fantastic deal! Thanks, Michelle!

Would you like to learn about live sound and mixing from someone who has been the sound engineer for some of the most popular names in music?

Mixing Music Live is an introductory course on Live Sound and Mixing. The course was created by Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato who has had a career as a touring concert sound engineer for nearly 30 years. Michelle has worked with Gwen Stefani, Goo Goo Dolls, Styx, Melissa Etheridge, and many more.

Whether you are doing live sound as a hobby or a possible gateway into a career as a live sound engineer, Mixing Music Live will teach you the fundamentals and beyond of mixing live sound for a live event. Find out more here.

 

 

 

Shadow Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato on Elvis Costello

Members of SoundGirls have the chance to shadow Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato.

Michelle is currently on tour with Elvis Costello as FOH Engineer. She can have up to four people to shadow her on the dates listed below.  Please only apply if you are serious about shadowing. The info is as follows, no exceptions.  You will be expected to arrive by 11 am (if you are not 15 minutes early, you are 15 minutes late) and can stay until line check is over.  Unfortunately, the soundchecks are closed, and you will need to leave the venue before 4 pm.  If Michell can and space allows, she will provide passes to also shadow her at FOH for the show.

11/5/19 Atlanta, GA – Coca Cola Roxy Theater
11/10/19 St Petersburg, FL – Mahaffey Theater
11/11/19 Orlando, FL – Hard Rock Live
11/17/19 Louisville, KY  The Palace Theater
11/19/19  Cinncinati, OH- Taft Theater
11/23/19 Minneapolis, MN-State Theater

Apply Here

So you Think you Want a Career in Live Sound.

Are you sure?  

I’m not saying it’s a bad idea; I think it’s fantastic as long as you are doing it for the right reasons.

I have been working in live sound for 30 years, and even though it can be grueling at times, I’ve never felt like I was ‘working.’  My passion for music is what drives me.  The camaraderie of my fellow touring crew and the opportunity to travel to and experience different places and cultures are all perks of the job.  When I first discovered my desire to get into this crazy business, it was so strong that nothing was going to convince me to do anything else.

That passion and desire have helped me through the struggle of the early years, years of building my skills and experience, hustling to get enough work, the jobs that weren’t my dream job but essential to learning what I needed to know for my next job.

It’s good to have an end goal in mind for where you want to be.  Equally important is to clarify your motivations so you can be sure that your expectations are aligned with the realities of the job.

Here are some questions to ask yourself.

What exactly do you want to do?

What is your ultimate goal? Why?

What do you envision that being like?

What is the driving force behind it?

What do you feel you are going to get out of it?

How badly do you want it? In other words, how hard are you willing to work to achieve it?

What do you imagine this path being like?  What is the first step?

Are you prepared to move around a lot?

How are you going to set yourself apart from all the other people who want to do the same thing?

How do you feel about getting filthy, sweaty, doing a lot of physical work and some heavy lifting?

How do you feel about working nights and weekends, holidays, and stupid hours?

If your goal is to go on tour with a band, can you live out of a suitcase for weeks/months at a time, and without all the comforts of home?

Are you a self-starter, responsible and dependable or do you just want to mindlessly punch a clock and surf Facebook all day?

How good are you at building connections and networking?

These are all things to consider when before choosing live sound as a career.

If your motivation is to make a lot of money, hang out and party with your favorite band, or just because you like music, you probably won’t make it.  I’m not trying to burst your bubble but realistically – yes you can make a lot of money in live sound, corporate work pays great and touring sound engineers can make good money, but it can take a long time to get to that point.

As far as hanging out and partying with the band, let’s think about that.  The band is your boss, and while yes, at times you can and will develop great friendships with the people you work for, there is a fine line between employee and friend.  You need to know your place, and as crew, it’s not backstage partying with the band when loadout is going on.  You are there to do a job, this a business like any other and as much as we don’t want to believe it, it’s about making money-  money for the artist, their management, the promoter… All of which depends on each person doing their job.

You love music, that’s great.  That’s a good start but is it your passion?  Is it something you are willing to bust your butt for, to work 16 hour days getting dirty and sweaty?  To slug it out in smelly bars and clubs if you are trying to cut it as a mixer?  Or working as a grunt on the audio crew for tour after tour until you are experienced enough to be the system tech?

Having a sincere passion and strong desire is a great start.  Getting your expectations in check is also helpful, which is where these questions come in.

In fact, you could ask yourself most of these questions about anything you are going after in life.

-What is it I want?

-Why do I want it?

-How do I expect to feel when I have it?

-Are my expectations in line with reality?- Talk to people who are where you want to be for a reality check.

-How hard am I willing to work for it?

Answering honestly will help you clarify if you are on the right path for you.

I wish you success in whatever path that is!

For more from Michelle, check out https://www.mixingmusiclive.com

How Do You Go About Setting Up Your Console Workflow?

Once you start mixing more than a few shows, you’ll start to find that you have some preferences in how your console is laid out.

Everyone has a particular way of doing things, and it’s all a matter of what works for you. For instance: How you do your input patch will determine where things show up on the surface.  It doesn’t have to be 1 to 1 with the snake patch; you can patch inputs to come up in whatever channels you like.

If you are mixing on a digital console with a limited number of faders available on the surface, you’ll have to think about how you want your inputs to populate them.  If you have 42 inputs and only 16 input faders/layer, how do you want to build your layers?

It’s a good idea to have all of your drums on the same layer or page so you can easily make adjustments to the overall drum mix. Likewise, if you have numerous inputs for keyboards and tracks, keeping them on the same layer or page makes for easier control.

Something I like to do is keep my most important inputs on the channels closest to the master section. For most of what I mix, this is the lead vocal or vocals. I rely heavily on VCAs/DCAs and do most of my mixing from the master section where they are found so having my most important inputs right next to the VCAs; they are always where I need them.

When I was mixing the bands Styx and Mr. Big, the music was heavy with 4 part vocal harmonies.  I would always lay out my console to make sure that the four vocal channels were right next to the master section and able to be pulled to the surface in an instant. It wasn’t a set it and forget kind of mix; there was constant massaging and blending of the vocals.

Keeping important inputs near the master section stems from the days of large frame analog consoles where inputs could be spread out over quite a distance.  But I find it still works well with digital boards and tends to keep things that need lots of attention close to that area of the console.

Other things to think about are your effects returns. You might want your effects returned in channels rather than the FX returns.  Using open channels instead of dedicated FX returns for your Effects will generally give you more flexibility in routing and better EQ options.

All of these things will be determined by your input patch, so give it some thought ahead of time.

Next, consider how you will designate your VCAs/DCAs and/or Groups. Think about how you can group things to make it easier to mix.  It’s much easier to mix from the 8 or so VCA faders than all of your individual channels, especially on smaller consoles that only give you eight input faders on the surface.

If you’ve got 42 inputs, you don’t want to have everything just assigned to L and R and be mixing on 42 faders jumping through layers or pages all night.

Things can be double assigned.  What I like to do is have one VCA,  that I label BAND for all of my instruments. I tend to set up my VCAs along these lines:

Every input goes to its intended VCA- drums to drums, bass to bass, etc., but is also assigned to the band VCA, except for the vocal channels.  This way, I have control of the overall level of the band with one fader, which is incredibly useful if I am having trouble getting the lead vocal above the music.  I can just grab the band fader and bring everything but the vocal back a bit.

Now if you have a four-piece band with 16 inputs total, this isn’t such a big issue.  But still, it’s much easier to mix on 4 VCAs than 16 channels. The more involved your show gets the more thought you’ll need to put into it.

Think about what your needs are?  What will help you be as efficient as possible, and what will give you the control you need?

Groups are great for processing multiple inputs at once.  Smaller analog consoles may only have Sub Groups available and no VCAs.  You can assign all of your drum inputs to a stereo group and insert a couple of compressors across your drum mix for a little added punch to your drum mix.  You can send multiple background vocals to a group and compress them so sit together nicely.

You’ll also want to consider AUX buses.  If you are doing monitors from FOH you’ll want the aux buses to be Pre Fader and depending on the console; you may only have the option of certain aux buses being Pre Fader.

Which Auxes will be for monitor sends and which will be for effects?  How many effects do you need? If there are enough available, it’s a good idea to have separate effects for different inputs.  For example, have one for drums, a different one for vocals and yet another for instruments like keys and guitars if needed. This gives you more control and allows for more clarity in the mix.

These are just a couple of things to think about when you are setting up your workflow on the console.  For me, I build my workflow around control and efficiency, but you may have other ideas, and I’m curious to hear what works for you.

For more from Michelle, check out Mixing Music Live

Mixing Music Live – Discounts Available to SoundGirls Members

SoundGirls Co-Founder Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato has created a course on Mixing Music Live and will teach you the fundamentals and beyond of mixing live sound.

Special discount for SoundGirls Members – Get Mixing Music Live for 50% off! Email us for a discount code soundgirls@soundgirls.org.  You must be a member of SoundGirls to receive this discount.  You can register to be a member here. This special offer is good until July 31st.

The course is usually $297 – With your SoundGirls Discount, the course is only $148.50.  This is a fantastic deal! Thanks, Michelle!

Would you like to learn about live sound and mixing from someone who has been the sound engineer for some of the most popular names in music?

Mixing Music Live is an introductory course on Live Sound and Mixing. The course was created by Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato who has had a career as a touring concert sound engineer for nearly 30 years. Michelle has worked with Gwen Stefani, Goo Goo Dolls, Styx, Melissa Etheridge, and many more.

Whether you are doing live sound as a hobby or a possible gateway into a career as a live sound engineer, Mixing Music Live will teach you the fundamentals and beyond of mixing live sound for a live event. Find out more here.

 

 

 

Berenice Hardiman FOH Engineer/ Tour Manager

Berenice Hardiman is a veteran of the industry having first been inspired after seeing Pink Floyd at the Liverpool Empire, which was her very first concert.  “I immediately knew that I wanted to be part of whatever that “thing” was that I had just witnessed, but of course I had no idea how to even start. I ended up doing computing at University in the late 70s, which of course, ironically, has actually ended up being very useful. I’d always gone to loads of gigs all over the world, and as I reached my late 20’s, I decided that if I was ever going to make the leap into the music industry, time was ticking away.”  So taking a huge risk, Berenice decided to sell her house and buy a PA system with her partner Dave Claxton. From there they proceeded to mostly teach themselves. “We got books from the library and talked to anyone who would spare us 10 minutes. I’d been hanging around the periphery of the music industry for years so I had some useful contacts to press into service. Luckily, it transpired that I was able to achieve a good FOH sound and Dave took to doing monitors. We worked out very quickly that buying a monitor desk would give us the edge over other local PA companies.”

“We built up the company over the next ten years or so covering tens of thousands of miles, first in a Ford Transit and then building up to a 7.5 tonner (truck), doing the sort of gigs where you learn your trade and people generally seemed to like what we did. By the early 2000’s it had become obvious that in order to continue expanding would involve massive capital commitment, and by that point work with our main client, Midge Ure, had reached the point where really we didn’t have time for any other shows, so we took the decision to sell off most of the gear while it was still worth something, and put on our white gloves.”

Currently, along with being FOH Engineer and Tour Manager for Midge Ure, Berenice also handles most of Midge’s bookings, does contracts, invoices, designs his merchandise, runs Midge Ure’s webshop and website and whatever else needs to be done.  “We started off providing the system; then he asked me to do FOH and TM as he liked what he’d heard me do for the support act on the previous tour. We carried on like that for a while until 1998 when I told him that he really should have his own website and online store as I felt that was the way to go. Somehow it ended up falling on my desk! Merch design followed on from that in an obvious sort of way. Then he left his manager of 25 years, and I decided it was time to stop being a hire company as it would have needed massive financial investment to continue, so it made sense for me to take over booking the shows. After all, we had been doing his shows for over ten years by that point so knew all the venues

The Show Must Go On!

As anyone who has been on tour knows, things are not always what they should be, and some gigs and productions leave a lot to be desired.  The lack of attention to detail by some service providers/promoters is one of the things Berenice hates about touring. “We had a fairly prestigious festival show recently that descended into a total nightmare for me. The in-ears hadn’t been set up prior to our arrival, one of the keyboards didn’t have a power supply, the drum riser was the wrong size, half the rider was missing, and if that wasn’t enough I discovered the mix position was on a gantry in the roof of a round metal building. I literally couldn’t hear a THING I was doing. I also couldn’t get down to hear what it sounded like where the audience was.”

Clearly, Berenice has a history of doing whatever it takes and keeping a positive attitude, which are key to being successful. “Obviously we have done loads of gigs where it’s gone horribly wrong for whatever reason, but we’ve always managed to scrape by somehow! That’s what it’s all about though, making the best of things and getting the show done. Once, there was the time when the truck windshield wiper motor went on our way to a show in mid-Wales, some 4-hour drive away, and the only solution was to rig up some bits of wire and pliers so we could move them manually every now and again… we made the gig though!”

“Once, I nearly got stabbed when somebody pulled a knife on me at a show a long time ago when the only way to avoid our desk being stolen by a rioting crowd was to lie across it! We were doing a Soca band in a drinking club in Southall called the Tudor Rose. What we didn’t know was that there was a big boxing match being shown in the venue after the band and I suddenly became aware we were somewhat outnumbered! Not only outnumbered, but by people who REALLY wanted a load of audio gear!! They didn’t get it though.”

When asked what Berenice likes most about her job,  “Nothing beats standing behind the desk with a great PA and making it sound fantastic!”

Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato and Berenice Hardiman at Rock Of Ages Festival in Rottenburg, Germany

What advice would you give young women wanting to enter the field of live sound or professional audio?

“Be very sure it’s what you want! Home life is bound to suffer. I’m lucky that I work with my other half because otherwise, we would never see each other. We worked every New Year’s Eve for about 15 years! The downside is that we never really switch off from “work” which is ok for us because we love what we do.”

As it is with most veteran live sound engineers, when Berenice started her mixing career, consoles were of the analogue format.   If you understood signal flow, you could walk up to any analog desk and familiarize yourself with it rather quickly- a luxury that no longer exists in the current digital age. Coming from a computer background, Berenice made the transition from analogue to digital consoles fairly easily.  “ My only issue still is that at the back of my mind I know that if an analogue board goes down, you can generally row to shore somehow, but the same is simply just not the case when you go digital. Having said that, there are so few old boards out there that work flawlessly now that it’s a small price to pay for being able to just simply load your show, and off you go with a few tweaks!”

The vast array of digital platforms and the complete lack of uniformity among them can be intimidating if not overwhelming to a less experienced engineer.  Berenice’s suggestion for learning different consoles- “RTFM!!! and then install the offline editor and play with it… YouTube is a very useful resource.”

What is your favorite gear?

“I’m a big L’Acoustics fan! And I don’t like to go anywhere without a trusty TC Electronics D2 with a footswitch. I’m not really into carrying racks of valve compressors etc.”

What’s in your tool bag?

“Now? A bag full of XLR/jack converters, my headphones, a footswitch, and some lucky Chinese money a fan gave me in 2009!”

What do you feel is the biggest mistake you made throughout your career? What did it teach you?

“I once tried to fix a power amp during soundcheck and forgot to unplug it first! It taught me not to panic because things get forgotten!”

What would you say are some ‘must have’ skills?

“Calm, methodical thinking in a crisis, and keep your eyes and ears open all the time.”

“Being able to cope with very little sleep and crap food also helps!”

“As far as audio engineering goes, a very wise man once described a very well respected engineer to me… he’s a really great engineer, there’s nothing between his ears and his fingertips, and I think that’s still a very sage opinion. In my opinion, there are far too many engineers out there who overanalyze stuff rather than just feeling the sound.”

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