Live Sound Bootcamp

How many times have you walked into a venue or event space and found a system that's severely underpowered for the gig? Sometimes that scenario is a PA thats just too small,  speakers on sticks for a big rock show, sometimes it's a system that doesn't even cover the whole audience....  In this episode we talk through some of the options and tools you have as an engineer to get the most out of a system thats 'too small for the gig.'

When you've got a resume this long and this varied, everyone wants to know the secrets to your success.  Sully chats with us on this episode about perspective, what to pay attention to in the show and your carreer, and the path that has led him to mixing some of the biggest acts in the world.

We ask the age-old question, What can I do to make my mix feel loud without actually just turning it up?  And what about streaming, how do I make a livestream seem loud?  What defines impact, and what are some tools we can use to maximize the feeling of impact without having to simply make the show push more SPL?

So we've talked a lot about what each of the mixing tools do, but what happens when you simply don't have enough hands to make the changes from song-to song quickly enough?  In this episode we break down 'Snapshots,' what they are, when to use them, and even why they're absolutely terrifying!

As we continue the conversation about feedback, we dive into solutions for managing the ringy mess.  Some things you can do in advance to avoid the problem before it starts, and some common scenarios where you may find yourself ripping out your hair trying to clean up the stage.

Everyone's favorite topic, we delve into the causes of feedback, the most likely sources, and how to tell where it's coming from.  Additionally we chat about the things we can do that affect it, the of course tools to combat it.

So we've talked a lot about what each of these tools do, and a lot about specific processes, but this episode dives into when to use which tools that are available to you.  When do you use your fader versus when do you compress?  When do I boost versus cut on an EQ?  And is there an order to follow?

In this episode of Live Sound Bootcamp, we get into a discussion about building up a mix.  We argue about how to make space for each element in the mix, how to get your balance right, and it all leads to the ultimate question: When is the mix done?

In this episode we enjoy the pleasure of chatting with Michael Lawrence a freelance audio engineer well known for his own podcast Signal to Noise, his incredibly geeky articles in Live Sound International, his Rational Acoustics Smaart webinars, and of course his work as a systems engineer.  We discuss how his career path, some great tips on reading material, and a lot of hints and suggestions for people looking to get into systems engineering and design, but also how to communicate effectively with system engineers.

Michael Lawrence is a freelance audio engineer specializing in system optimization and SPL measurement.  He is the technical editor of several audio industry publications including Live Sound International and ProSoundWeb.  In 2019 he was adopted by audio analysis industry leader Rational Acoustics, where he works feverishly on the SPL feature-set of the Smaart audio analyzer in exchange for a diet of graham crackers and tacos.--- Support this podcast: 

https://anchor.fm/livesoundbootcamp/support

In the last episode for Building a FOH Mix, we chat about groups and VCAs, how they're different, and when we might use each of them.  We get into some of how we personally decide when it's right to use a group versus a VCA, as well as some of the differences in workflows between using these on an analog or digital desk.