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[Bob Leonard]

Have the band play a song and get the stage levels right first. Then vocals, drums, bass, guitar, everything else through FOH. Easy as pie. Then if someone won't cooperate skip over them and go to the next instrument. That will immediately take the pressure off of you and the rest of the band will fix the problem child for you. If you can't get them in then let them suck for a set. They'll get the message. Yelling won't help, nice guy won't help, but professional always helps.

So it goes like this. Vocals your up, drums, your up. Bass your up. Where's bass? OK, guitars your up. Then bass can wait until everyone else is done. Works every time.

[Rick Powell]

We started out with me owning the sound equipment but willing to give everyone a break if they pitched in. When that arrangement didn’t work out, my son and I went to a “sound provider” model where we were paid for our services off the top. The guys were always pretty good with organization and not goofing off during sound check, but it goes so smoothly now that we can go onstage cold with a saved main/monitor mix and be 85% there (but usually try to do an instrument check and then tweak out the monitors with half a song). We are 3/5 in ears and 2/5 floor wedges. I dunno, our stage mix rarely changes unless there’s some weird indoor frequency happening. I know that Jay and others run their band without taking an extra cut, but in our case it seems to work that if the band is paying for a “service” they sorta respect the process more and do their part to make it work.

[Steve M Smith]

Something I have mentioned here before, but was only aware of in June this year.

Whilst setting up a band member's monitor level, every other band member who wants some of that input in their monitor, puts up their hand.  The hand stays up until they hear enough of it.  When all hands are down, it's time to move to the next input.


Steve.

[Jamin Lynch]

An IPad can be your best friend when adjusting monitors. It allows you to stand on the stage right next to the person who's mix you are tweaking. Makes for better communication.

Edit: That assumes you have a mixer with IPad capability.

Make sure the vocalist check their monitors at "singing volume" and not a whisper.

Don't wait on that slow drummer to get set up.    Go with whoever is ready. You don't always have to start with the kick drum on sound check.

[Jay Marr]

Make sure the vocalist check their monitors at "singing volume" and not a whisper.

And make sure the drummer isn't hitting like he's afraid of the drum (and then smashes once we start playing).

That usually gets a "hey, do I need to get my 3 years old daughter on the kit?  because she hits harder than that."

[Jay Marr]

I know that Jay and others run their band without taking an extra cut, but in our case it seems to work that if the band is paying for a “service” they sorta respect the process more and do their part to make it work.

Whether they're paying for sound or not....being professional is always required.

Quick sound check, and less messing around is something the does have an impact when clubs are hiring you back.

[Debbie Dunkley]

I mainly only run sound for 2 bands these days - both of which use iems (and I LOVE that). One of the bands the guitarist is old school and has a wedge set up. Both bands and the most common venues are all in memory on the QU PAC.
At shows, I line check as everything get plugged in with everything muted. I keep the same order each show for setting gains - kick, snare, toms, overhead, bass, guitar, keys vox 1 2 3 and 4. Then everyone plays for a few bars with FOH down to set iems using their phones to change their levels.
Then maybe a quick sound check - maybe not - but within half a song everything is good.

I did have problems with a couple of members of one of these 2 bands - getting them on the stage with the others ready for setting gains and sound check. 
However, after going ahead a couple of shows skipping those who didn't make sound check, I watched the iem scramble on the phones to get the levels right first song and that took care of that.

When I do the odd show for other bands and have to use wedges, I hate it - I have become spoiled...... but I basically do the same order of things and use the arm up method to set monitors. I'll often use my headset mic to talk to everyone to get their attention.

[Fraser Moffatt]

More great comments - thanks folks.

@Bob Leonard - that's the kind of technique I think I need!  I've been the heavy, the softie, the coach and whatnot but the common denominator is that it's been all jsut me. I think the peer pressure is the force multiplier I need to try in this situation.  That said, letting someone suck for a set is a hard thing for me to allow. I guess I care too much about what people think about the mix!

As far as process - I'm mixing wireless on the iPad, so can do FOH remotely and get up close when it comes to monitor mix.  I start with drums, then bass and guitar, then acoustic guitar and vox FOH then do the monitor mixes.  I use wireless for my bass as well, so can wander as far out into the house as I want or or need to.  Again, there's no technical impediments to what I'm doing, only social!  I know I can complete a sound check in a few minutes if everyone cooperates. Right now it takes me ten minutes and much ordering of people around.

I like the idea of sound checking on Hard to Handle. That's a tune we do anyways and it's a high energy song. Makes sense as far as the arrangement goes as well.

I also like the "hand in air" monitor mix approach. I've heard of that before, I'll put that into you (more coaching required, methinks).

Anyways, all these comments, observation, anecdotes and recommendations are much appreciated!

[Fraser Moffatt]

If you had the money why would you have to pay interest :-)

LOL!

[Gordon Brinton]

Have a band meeting, talk about the problem and the solution. Tell them that you are frustrated and that their unprofessional-ism is the cause. Threaten to fire anyone who won't cooperate with soundcheck from now on. (Local musicians are a dime-a-dozen. Everyone is replaceable.) If that doesn't work, then take your PA and go find a band that does want to be professional. There are a million bands out there. Why be frustrated? It's called show-business, not show-friends. Treat it as such.

[ProSoundWeb Community]