"Check. Check. Test Test." My least favorite words in the musician vernacular. When these little, annoying words are being spoken over the PA, it's usually around 5 or 6 PM, and can only mean one thing. It's the necessary evil we all contend with, night in, night out. It's called soundcheck. Ugh. If you're anything like me, you're ready to be done with soundcheck 10 minutes before you arrive, but maybe - just maybe - we can all make it as painless as possible. Why is it so awful? I mean, really? We're supposed to like to play, we act like we enjoy the rest of the band's company. We're supposed to make sure the gear works, and that everything sounds the way it is intended. Over time, however, it became an act worse than root canals. Years ago, there were no soundchecks. Too good to be true? Believe it- back in the day there was a vocal mic, and that's about it. Not much to check. Not much to contend with, and the audience really didn't hear much of the show anyway. Then Louder, Bigger & More showed up and gave us more mics, a huge PA, and electronic toys to contend with. Somewhere in this growth period, we started down a dark path, but where did it go wrong? One of my theories is that, by human nature, we are selfish. We're selfish with our time, our thoughts, our intentions. In soundcheck, we have to hear everybody else, one instrument at a time, one line check at a time. It's a tedious process, and who wants to stand there and listen to everybody else when clearly we should be the focus? (That was sarcasm). We live with these people, hear the same licks night after night, and then as they play, you start thinking about all the things wrong with what is going on. Not just with that night, but the whole band. For example: You look at the drummer as he plays the same licks he plays every sound check, and after 30 shows, you wish he would play something else. Then you think about how he leaves the towels on the bathroom floor of the hotel, never helps load gear, and how he is never at the band meetings, and now you want to kill him. It's amazing the thought processes you can have in the span of 30 seconds. Now step back for a second. You ever think the problem is not him, but you? Maybe he is playing the same thing every night to give the soundman a consistent soundcheck. Perhaps your engineer has asked him to play that particular lick because it's a good benchmark for him to mix by. Maybe he leaves his towels on the floor so you won't use them after him. Maybe he has back problems and can't lift as much as you. I can't help you with the band meetings, that's your concern. Suppose you're a touring band, but you don't travel with an engineer. There should be a house engineer at the venue. The first thing every member of the band should do is say hello, and learn his/her name. Nobody likes to be called 'Hey YOU! I need more monitor!' What you need to understand is that you're guests in his house, and at soundcheck, it's his show, not yours. When he is ready to check, do what he asks- one person at a time. Stop the noodling. Take your hands off your instrument until it's your turn. When it's your time, remember your stage volume (that's why they have PA in the first place), and play something similar to what you'll be playing in the show. As a bass player, it's great to have a distortedwahflange-o-matic pedal, but if you are not going to use it, why the heck are you turning it on for soundcheck? Also, if you are at a country gig, there's no need to test your rig with 32nd-note slap exercises. The only thing you're doing is showing off, and since the last seven hundred bass players did the same thing, no one's going to be impressed anyway. Stop, and remember why you're there. The most productive soundchecks go in a set order, and these can be any variation you wish, but the first two checks are drums and bass. The engineer has to get the foundation sounding right before any of those upper-register hacks jump in. Also monitors should be done at the same time as the front of house levels, and again should be attended to in an orderly fashion. A wise man once told me: 'The sounds coming out of a PA and monitors are a direct result of what you put into them.' It sounds logical enough, but think about it : If you don't sing loud because you're not singing properly, then yes, your monitor will sound bad. If the tone coming out of your guitar amp and into the PA is awful, guess what? That's right. They are soundmen, not magicians. Give them something to work with. A few more quick tips and I'll let you rock the house: First, if the engineer asks for a song, give him a song. If he asks for a half a song, play half a song. Don't sit on stage and jerk around or run half of your set. Practice at home. Second, get your sounds good and clear the stage, especially if there is an opener waiting to set up. You were an opening band once, too, so be respectful. Third, and most importantly, the sound engineer is your best friend. You can play your best show ever, but if you aren't heard, what's the point? Respect, revere, and rely on a good sound engineer. They truly are the secret weapons. Now, go tap on those mikes and have a good show! |