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Author Topic: sound guys  (Read 22045 times)

Jason Raboin

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Re: sound guys
« Reply #30 on: January 05, 2014, 02:41:31 PM »

I am not a musician and didn't do AV in school.  Somehow sound engineer is the only job I have had since I was 19.
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Robert Piascik

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Re: sound guys
« Reply #31 on: January 05, 2014, 02:46:08 PM »

I am a regularly gigging musician and started running sound for other bands on my nights off to keep my schedule full. Now my production work is eclipsing my performing work.
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Robert Weston

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Re: sound guys
« Reply #32 on: January 05, 2014, 04:31:30 PM »

I am not a musician, but do play guitar really bad.  My decision to get into sound was to provide bands and events with a solution of quality sound.  There were so many bad sounding systems (and terrible FOH guys), that I knew there was "a better way".  Since then, been doing sound for ~30 years.
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Mark G. Hinge

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Re: sound guys
« Reply #33 on: January 05, 2014, 06:48:50 PM »

Lots of in-between stuff, but to keep it short…
Family-room karaoke to DJ/Karaoke for small bars and parties.  (this was influenced by a good buddy)  still do some of that, and recently did a prom and a wedding reception, and plan to do more.
 
Learning guitar for personal pleasure, set up a nice music room, got a drum kit, then my buddy's muso buddies stormed the place, kicked me to bass and dragged me on stage.  Ugly-but-valuable-story-short, I’m now between gigging with the last band and the one I recently started which isn’t ready to gig yet. 

I have a GAS problem with instruments/music gear and PA gear, so I’ve acquired more stuff than I needed, but it’s coming in handy now. 

Provided Sound for events at the school where I taught for free.  Since retired, and now doing their shows at friendly prices.

Recruited to join the Board of Directors for First Night <my>town, and I’m now providing for their shows that need support, with okay pay. 

Since recently retiring, I’m taking this hobby (Sound and Band, and later maybe some recording) and plan to do a bit more with it.   :)
« Last Edit: January 05, 2014, 06:51:37 PM by Mark G. Hinge »
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Roch Lafleur

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Re: sound guys
« Reply #34 on: January 06, 2014, 01:08:31 PM »

I started learning guitar from my dad at age 7, bass at 8, and joined dad's band when I was 18. I got him to get rid of his little Peavey XR500 vocal/fiddle p.a. and to buy a 16-channel rack mixer with outboard EQ and power amp. We (meaning he) then got a x-over and a couple of homemade subs. Sounded pretty decent for the little bars and legions we did. I got picked up by another local that was playing a few better clubs and ended playing 75-100 shows a year for a few years, while mixing from the stage. Through this guy and the sidemen he hired, I extended my musician network and have been playing 50-80 shows/year since 1998, while working full-time and raising a family. Hiring a sound company or even a soundman wasn't an option back then so I started accumulating quite a bit gear. I'm still mainly on stage with 7-10 different bands per year, including some bigger festivals, but still do sound from stage on some shows, on top of providing sound for other bands for corporate events, clubs, private parties and some smaller festivals. Basically anything my little 4 over 4 QRX rig will allow me to cover.

My first job in government (mid-90's) allowed me to surf these forums and learn quite a bit. I could test that theoretical knowledge on the weekend and adjust for the situation. Best of all, I could troubleshoot pretty efficiently and managed to keep a few shows going when they could've ended up not happening. I also played in a band with a fellow LABster (Shane Presley who is usually providing advice and some sarcastic remarks over at the other forum) for a few years and learned quite a few "tricks from the trade" from him and the professional business he built.

So one could say, I'm a bass player first, but curiosity got me involved in sound. I then became a "soundman" out of necessity, and these days, mainly to pay for my GAS problem.

Back to your regular programming....
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Steve Garris

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Re: sound guys
« Reply #35 on: January 06, 2014, 03:10:07 PM »

I played - drum roll please ------- bass guitar in Seattle cover bands for 12 years starting back in the mid 80's.
While in-between gigs I often ran sound, as I had been trained by one of my musician friends, also a bass player.

After "retiring" from being a working musician in '92, I went straight to mixing bands (also started a professional unrelated career).
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Sammy Barr

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Re: sound guys
« Reply #36 on: January 06, 2014, 08:15:55 PM »

I ran sound in high school, played drums. Later got a masters degree in music. I have conducted high school and college bands for 35 years, I still play a bit, bass in a jazz trio and guitar and piano in church.  Have found my ear training and experience help me get the best out of whoever is on stage. I bought my first system almost 40 years ago. Just built a 40 X50 shop to hold all of my gear. I guess if I had invested in pork bellies I'd be rich now. But, I still love the challenge of trying to make it sound good for the audience and performer.   ;D
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Rob Gow

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Re: sound guys
« Reply #37 on: January 07, 2014, 02:16:07 AM »

In a word:

Yes.

I play guitar.
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Guy Luckert

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Re: sound guys
« Reply #38 on: January 07, 2014, 04:11:52 AM »


Both of you guys can stop now. You're scaring the crap out of me. However, maybe the three of us could start a band together. We can call it "Squeezy blues and the digeree doos."

first album=ignore the egg on, and cut it out !!

soul low squeeze and the (dynamic ?? nah !! )
digereeduo
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Scott Olewiler

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Re: sound guys
« Reply #39 on: January 07, 2014, 07:07:06 AM »

Playing for money since I was 15 back in 1980 and always seemed to be the guy in the band who knew the most about how the PA worked. Mainly guitar player, but also have done bass and lead vocals for a few bands as well.

Retired for about 7 years; got back into playing a couple years back, then started  a blues band and we got more compliments on our cheap and small sound system from fellow musicians than our playing first couple of gigs. (Fortunately that has turned around considerably since then, now we get lots of compliments on both.)

Having so many musicians compliment me on the mix got me thinking and quite a few thousand dollars later I'm now doing production for other bands, churches etc when I'm not gigging. I think non players can do great sound work but players go into it already having a good ear since we can hear things the average person can't.

I've been training my wife to work with me and in the beginning she did not know the difference between a bass guitar and a 6 string. We recently went to see a friend of our's band and she sat there and dissected the poor job the sound man was doing and her analysis was spot on. She went from being a complete non-musician to doing FOH for my band in a very short time, so I kind of have to think the advantage of being a musician might be more in the beginning stages of sound work, if someone who doesn't play wants to learn and tries to develop an ear for it.

I've certainly seen a lot bands who self mix who have no clue how great their equipment could be, if someone in the band would take the time to learn a few things so you can not say that being a musician automatically makes one a better sound guy. No we don't need more kick drum or more delay on the vocals!
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Re: sound guys
« Reply #39 on: January 07, 2014, 07:07:06 AM »


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