Original concert poster for Coldplay at the Fillmore in San Francisco, SF 2001. 13"x19" on card stock. Art by Craig Howell. F438A soundman can make or break your act at any live gigs that your band is playing. With a good engineer your band will sound polished with a great even mix of instruments and vocals. A bad engineer on the other hand, can make even a great band sound horrible. A harsh mix with blazing guitars and low vocal levels can leave your audience thinking that your band stinks. All of those countless hours of writing your songs and rehearsing get rudely flushed in the toilet!
Finding a Good Engineer
Check with other bands in your area and ask who they use to run their sound. Go out and listen to those engineers and ask yourself some questions about what you are hearing. Are all of the instruments an even level in the mix? Can you hear the lead vocals? How about the backup vocals? Are mics feeding back while the band is performing? How does the engineer use reverb and effects? Are they being overused? Is the engineer paying attention to the band pushing up lead guitar levels when appropriate? If the engineer doesn't do these things properly for other bands, most definitely he will mix and treat your band the exact same way. Another way to find a good engineer is to call recording studios in your hometown. They may have an recording engineer that also does live sound. Thirdly is to check your local music magazines for soundmen that are advertising for work.
Do They Have The Gear?
Check if the engineer you are thinking of hiring has the proper gear for the types of shows that you plan on playing with your band. Does he need a full blown PA set up or does he just need a good board, small fronts, monitors, effects and power amps? Know what you want before going into the deal. If the engineer doesn't own a PA ask if he has a working relationship with a sound company that he can rent the needed gear from. If they don't have any connections you may be overpaying for PA rental.
Are They Reliable?
The best soundman in the world won't do you any good if they are not on time and be where they need to be. I have had many dealings with great soundmen that just didn't have their act together.
Hiring a soundman should be a careful decision. Take your time and check all of your options before you make any decisions. Remember you are in control of your own destiny when it comes to your musical career.
Steve Veloudos is the owner of http://www.zebramusic.com Steve is devoted to helping musicians and bands further their careers in the music industry. Stop by his web site and subscribe to the free Musicians Tip Sheet. The Tip Sheet includes industry contacts, and many other items designed to advance a musicians musical career. Subscribe to the newsletter by going to:
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