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Author Topic: complaints  (Read 18420 times)

brian maddox

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Re: complaints
« Reply #30 on: December 02, 2012, 08:10:04 PM »

This was why I said screw and retired. I now only do a few jobs here and there mostly Charity for my son's school and a few bands that are reasonable to deal with. Mixing Top 40 cover bands in Crapholes bars...I'd rather scrub toilets in Gand central station. Pay is better too.
:)

After 20 years of varsity sound, i recently 'retired' and took a leadership job at a local church.  When i look back on my sound career, i find myself focusing on those 'magic' nights where the amazing artist creates something that is once in a lifetime that i got to be a part of.  Lionel Hampton spontaneously shuffling out on stage at the Kennedy Center mere months before his death to lead the band in 'one more jam' comes to mind.  But for every one of those there are a a dozen gigs with 'salt of the earth' [yes, that was a blazing saddles reference] patrons telling me how to do my job.  I never got used to it, and no matter how exalted a level of gig i achieved, that nonsense never went away.

i don't miss it.  i miss the relationships with the fabulously talented professionals that i worked with.  but the blue hairs lining up to tell me how terrible i was at my job?  yeah.  i can do without that....
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"It feels wrong to be in the audience.  And it's too peopley!" - Steve Smith

brian maddox
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Savannah, GA

'...do not trifle with the affairs of dragons...

       ....for you are crunchy, and taste good with ketchup...'

jason misterka

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Re: Re: complaints
« Reply #31 on: December 02, 2012, 08:14:17 PM »

After 20 years of varsity sound, i recently 'retired' and took a leadership job at a local church...but the blue hairs lining up to tell me how terrible i was at my job?  yeah.  i can do without that....


You cant tell me that doesn't happen at church :)

Jason
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David Parker

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Re: Re: complaints
« Reply #32 on: December 02, 2012, 08:34:41 PM »


You cant tell me that doesn't happen at church :)

Jason

my first 20 years in this business was almost all church concerts. Every member seemed to think they were an expert on live audio and it was their duty to educate me. I'd shudder every time someone came my way. One event I had a woman go off on me accusing me of intentionally trying to deafen all the kids in attendance. She was serious and angry.
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brian maddox

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Re: Re: complaints
« Reply #33 on: December 02, 2012, 10:15:54 PM »


You cant tell me that doesn't happen at church :)

Jason

True.  But I changed vocations AND locations.

I'm the music director and the guitar player.  SPL is the sound guys gig.  I.e. plausible deniability....  :)
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"It feels wrong to be in the audience.  And it's too peopley!" - Steve Smith

brian maddox
[email protected]
Savannah, GA

'...do not trifle with the affairs of dragons...

       ....for you are crunchy, and taste good with ketchup...'

Jack keaton

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Re: Re: complaints
« Reply #34 on: December 02, 2012, 11:37:30 PM »

True.  But I changed vocations AND locations.

I'm the music director and the guitar player.  SPL is the sound guys gig.  I.e. plausible deniability....  :)

I had a 2 person act (female drumer/singer and a male bass player) she came off stage during sound check and wanted to set up my board. she had zero idea what she was twisting. I was trying to set the gains and get good clean signal I had nothing coming through speakers, since there was a dj playing. I just sat back and watched her do what ever she thought was right. When she went back on stage I just turned everything back. I took no offense to it and went on with my business.
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Dave Bednarski

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Re: complaints
« Reply #35 on: December 03, 2012, 01:50:45 PM »

I fiddle with an unused channel - 9 times out of 10... drummers wife thinks I fixed or worked on her complaint.  Dunno.  Works for her though.

I also buy myself time with "hey give me 10 mins, I am working on a problem that doesn't exist..." they usually forget or environment changes, blah blah, works well.
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Brian Bolly

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Re: complaints
« Reply #36 on: December 03, 2012, 02:56:17 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!

Reminds me of an annual outdoor festival gig I did a few years back as a BE, and a classic case of 'Not Enough Rig for the Gig'.  As Announcer/MC Guy does his schtick, I'm doing line check through cans and Useless House MON Guy is trying to fix/patch around bad lines and dial in 6 mixes (we added 2 inputs to the house backline, so I don't know what his issue was).  Announcer Guy walks off, somebody yells 'Go' and my artist starts.  Then on Beat 2 of Bar 1, all PA cuts off except subs.  I try to signal UHMG and/or my artist (no com or TB line) as something is SEVERELY wrong although signal flow seems fine at FOH.  UHMG runs out waving his hands: "Dude, you gotta bring the master faders down, all the amps are in protect!"  Apparently 95 dB out of the gate was too much.

The 'icing on the cake' moment when Lady In Crowd yells (as soon as the amps shut off) "There's too much bass!"   :o
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Jay Barracato

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Re: complaints
« Reply #37 on: December 03, 2012, 03:08:46 PM »

What do you really expect to walk up to a small tent festival and find meyer FOH including galileo, midas venice because I am sorry the Ls9 needs to go to another show, for only a couple of hundred people at a charity gig?
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Jay Barracato

duane massey

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Re: complaints
« Reply #38 on: December 03, 2012, 11:14:28 PM »

Used to have picture of one of our consoles from the late 70's. We punched 2 extra slider holes next to the Master slider, and labeled one "Final Master" and the other one "Tone" in big letters. Amazing how allowing a complainer to stand there and watch you adjust one of these until they were happy worked. Even more amusing was the band"s "engineer" who kept fiddling with the "Tone" slider during the drum solo at one local show....
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Duane Massey
Technician, musician, stubborn old guy
Houston, Texas

Spenser Hamilton

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Re: complaints
« Reply #39 on: December 04, 2012, 01:02:23 AM »

Used to have picture of one of our consoles from the late 70's. We punched 2 extra slider holes next to the Master slider, and labeled one "Final Master" and the other one "Tone" in big letters. Amazing how allowing a complainer to stand there and watch you adjust one of these until they were happy worked. Even more amusing was the band"s "engineer" who kept fiddling with the "Tone" slider during the drum solo at one local show....

Already have one of my DCA's on my X32 labeled "suck"  ;D
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Technical Director - Chatham Capitol Theatre/Kiwanis Theatre

ProSoundWeb Community

Re: complaints
« Reply #39 on: December 04, 2012, 01:02:23 AM »


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