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Author Topic: complaints  (Read 18407 times)

Tim McCulloch

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Re: complaints
« Reply #10 on: December 01, 2012, 10:43:54 AM »

When it isn't fun anymore, I'll be out of it.

Where is the retirement party going to be held?

Had a show last night with Asleep at the Wheel, always a good show with a great crew.  After a blazing fast out (great local crew at this venue, had the band and production out in 90 min), went to check out my boss's gig - he was doing a local act in a bar as a favor.

Guitarist plays a 4 x 12, Marshall 50 watt head.... and it was great unless you had the table right in front of the rig.  Not overpowering GTR, but dominant because the PA speakers are hung from the ceiling with too little down tilt.  For the rig he was playing, I was very pleased at the level the guitar was at in the house.  What's funny/interesting/ironic, the guitarist has been signed to label deals, toured extensively, etc and has the least amount of stage ego of anyone I've worked with.  His tone, timing and level are spot on for the venues he plays in and the songs on the set list, and he's the reason I don't universally hate guitarists (Thanks, Lance!).

I agree, David, whining asshats in the audience take the fun out of a gig.  I usually tell them to get a table near the mixerperson.  If it sucks there, they have genuine complaint.  If it's just that they think there isn't enough of their favorite player/instrument, oh well.  The only time I worry is if it's the band leader's Significant Other, and even then I usually find a nice way to say "find another table" if I think they're seated in a place where a different part of the stage wash is covering their lovey-dovey.

Really, though, this comes down to the mixerperson being seen as the "Sound Janitor."  Most of the public and too many players see us as a semi-necessary evil, not a contributing equal. 
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Mark McFarlane

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Re: complaints
« Reply #11 on: December 01, 2012, 10:45:01 AM »

You allow your musicians to point their amps out into the house?????

+1.  The more you can turn a guitar amp into Texas headphones the better off you are,  Get it up high, as close to the ears of the guitarist as possible, pointing across the stage, not the audience.
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David Parker

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Re: complaints
« Reply #12 on: December 01, 2012, 10:52:22 AM »

Why, oh why, is there not a "LIKE" function on the LAB?  :)

OP, it's good that your guitarist is pointing his cabinet or combo across the stage.  Is he also using a kickback stand?  There must be some merit to the technique if The Boss is doing it with his 1960a 4x12s on the world's largest stages.  Even the guys with Rect-o-verb combos do it, on the slightly smaller stage in the corner bar ;)



I've tried to get him to tilt his amp back. No success. Spoiled band. He stands between his amp and his wedge and likes the guitar to be the same level in each.
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David Parker

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Re: complaints
« Reply #13 on: December 01, 2012, 10:55:21 AM »

Where is the retirement party going to be held?

Had a show last night with Asleep at the Wheel, always a good show with a great crew.  After a blazing fast out (great local crew at this venue, had the band and production out in 90 min), went to check out my boss's gig - he was doing a local act in a bar as a favor.

Guitarist plays a 4 x 12, Marshall 50 watt head.... and it was great unless you had the table right in front of the rig.  Not overpowering GTR, but dominant because the PA speakers are hung from the ceiling with too little down tilt.  For the rig he was playing, I was very pleased at the level the guitar was at in the house.  What's funny/interesting/ironic, the guitarist has been signed to label deals, toured extensively, etc and has the least amount of stage ego of anyone I've worked with.  His tone, timing and level are spot on for the venues he plays in and the songs on the set list, and he's the reason I don't universally hate guitarists (Thanks, Lance!).

I agree, David, whining asshats in the audience take the fun out of a gig.  I usually tell them to get a table near the mixerperson.  If it sucks there, they have genuine complaint.  If it's just that they think there isn't enough of their favorite player/instrument, oh well.  The only time I worry is if it's the band leader's Significant Other, and even then I usually find a nice way to say "find another table" if I think they're seated in a place where a different part of the stage wash is covering their lovey-dovey.

Really, though, this comes down to the mixerperson being seen as the "Sound Janitor."  Most of the public and too many players see us as a semi-necessary evil, not a contributing equal.

really good comments. The band's significant others usually leave me alone. I've worked with Nashville musicians several times over the years and typically they are the best with simple stage setups and wonderful volume control.
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g'bye, Dick Rees

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Re: complaints
« Reply #14 on: December 01, 2012, 12:11:28 PM »

really good comments. The band's significant others usually leave me alone. I've worked with Nashville musicians several times over the years and typically they are the best with simple stage setups and wonderful volume control.

My favorite complaint is when the band shows up late, you get maybe a cursory line check and it's "go time".  Someone will come up to complain about the "mix" within 30 seconds while the band is making requests for "more me in my monitor" over the vocal mics.........
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Samuel Rees

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complaints
« Reply #15 on: December 01, 2012, 12:40:34 PM »

One time I was running a small one-off show, speakers on sticks in a church, ~75 heads, and the moment the downbeat happens a guy from the middle of the seated crowd stands up turns around and yells back to me that he can't here the guitar. I had been mixing for less than 1 second!
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Mac Kerr

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Re: complaints
« Reply #16 on: December 01, 2012, 12:43:15 PM »

I've tried to get him to tilt his amp back. No success. Spoiled band. He stands between his amp and his wedge and likes the guitar to be the same level in each.

Tell him if he wants the amp and the wedge the same he needs to tilt the amp like the wedge.

Mac
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David Parker

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Re: complaints
« Reply #17 on: December 01, 2012, 01:23:17 PM »

I have now found out that one of the complainers last night is a friend of an ex member of the band. Explains that! and one of the other complainers has the hots for the lead singer. Two down!
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g'bye, Dick Rees

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Re: complaints
« Reply #18 on: December 01, 2012, 06:37:55 PM »

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James Feenstra

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Re: complaints
« Reply #19 on: December 01, 2012, 06:55:52 PM »

everyone has two jobs....the one they do and sound guy
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Re: complaints
« Reply #19 on: December 01, 2012, 06:55:52 PM »


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