Doug Siddons Posted March 19, 2014 Posted March 19, 2014 I love the way that technical people tell the performers what they need. A function band with this many sources - as in 11 people, 6 of whom sing - may well need this number of mixes. Never assume riders have been over specified. Obviously many are, of course - but surely if somebody specs a PA you price up what they want. Without opening a can of worms, but guess it will, I have always treated riders as a wish list when they become very technical and specific and so often a quick call to the engineer/promoter usually sorts out any problems.and compromise usually can be met within the budget. With regards to monitors it is always handy to know how many monitors they want and how many mixes. with the move to digital a lot more mixes are available now but its the physical bits which come with it ie extra speakers and amp racks which make it expensive and in these cash strapped times if the budget isn't there to cover the extra then a compromise has to be reached.
sam.spoons Posted March 19, 2014 Posted March 19, 2014 I love the way that technical people tell the performers what they need. A function band with this many sources - as in 11 people, 6 of whom sing - may well need this number of mixes. Never assume riders have been over specified. Obviously many are, of course - but surely if somebody specs a PA you price up what they want. Without opening a can of worms, but guess it will, I have always treated riders as a wish list when they become very technical and specific and so often a quick call to the engineer/promoter usually sorts out any problems.and compromise usually can be met within the budget. With regards to monitors it is always handy to know how many monitors they want and how many mixes. with the move to digital a lot more mixes are available now but its the physical bits which come with it ie extra speakers and amp racks which make it expensive and in these cash strapped times if the budget isn't there to cover the extra then a compromise has to be reached. Even when the rider contains the words "This is not a wish list but the minimum required to do our show" (which I have seen on several occasions) http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif
RumbleO Posted March 19, 2014 Posted March 19, 2014 The thing I really hate is poor monitoring I'm sure I've mentioned this before but one guy I know gets work with some great artists purely because of his attention to the monitoring side of things. His FOH setup isn't anything particularly special but his monitor system is far better than you would expect given the rates he goes out for. Artists remember when they're given a decent monitor mix because it happens too rarely and they'll want to use that system, or play that venue again in the future.+1 (i.e. 'Like!') My preference is to give the percussionist/drummer a pair of wedges - preferably with a "stereo" mix, and likewise the main vocalist gets a pair - mono if vox only, but a stereo mix if the singer is also an instrumentalist. Makes quite a difference if their voice is central with the instrument(s) "panned" slightly off-centre to give some separation.Apart from the effusive thanks occasonally received, I find I can keep the stage slightly quieter.(Oddly, keyboard players don't like it, and yet they're the musos one generaly gets stereo inputs from. :huh: ) And finally, it's more aesthetically pleasing as my stage is more symetrical. :D
mkfs9 Posted March 19, 2014 Posted March 19, 2014 Back in the 60/70 and even 80,s many WK end pub bands had no monitors at all.certainly different now.
sam.spoons Posted March 19, 2014 Posted March 19, 2014 Back in the 60/70 and even 80,s many WK end pub bands had no monitors at all.certainly different now. Monitors were a luxury in the 60/70s for all but the big gigs, as you say things have changed, and for the better TBH. Now I can do even small pub Trio gigs (electric and acoustic) with a three monitors, individual mixes, and we play and sing and sound better for ithttp://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif
mkfs9 Posted March 19, 2014 Posted March 19, 2014 Our singer was used to no monitors,said he knew he was in tune.even when offered a mix he wasn't bothered in later years.
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