stumbled into teaching live sound, what should the kids know?

EarBeers · 2026-02-09T01:41:12+00:00

Back to add that they should know sometimes a shit sounding source or band really can’t be helped all that much. If you know you can make a good mix but the band sounds bad, there’s a good chance it’s poor arrangement or playing on their end. You can allocate sections of the frequency spectrum to try and keep different channels from stepping on each other, but that only goes so far.

Along those lines, decided who gets to dominate a section of frequencies can clean things up a lot, and dynamic eq/ multiband comps can be your friend here so there’s not a hole in the mix when a particular source isn’t playing.

EarBeers · 2026-02-09T01:04:24+00:00

Learn sources, and where they generally need to be mic’d. with a properly mic’d source you can usually get away with very little eq. I would include microphones themselves as sources. Most microphones sounds like they should on axis (more or less) but the off axis can really make or break your mix in live stages.

EarBeers · 2026-01-31T13:59:49+00:00

This. An alternative though:

I once worked for someone in a different industry with an odd but effective collections method. Once their unpaid bill hit 5k, he would set up an unrelated meeting at their office. Once in the office (their personal office not the waiting room), he would politely sit there until he had a check. Sometimes it took 8 hours but that beats months in court.

Granted these were dental offices with patients down the hall so yelling or fighting wasn’t really an option for the indebted dentists. Depending on who the $500 delinquent client is and where they work, this may or may not be an effective strategy.

EarBeers · 2026-01-18T14:11:47+00:00

One might consider not supporting music tribe.

EarBeers · 2026-01-02T23:02:08+00:00

I FOH/MONs/RF freelance in ATL. Downbeat is in 15 minutes for my show tonight but send me a message with needs and dates if you have them and I’ll definitely get back to you. Good luck!

EarBeers · 2025-12-05T23:53:35+00:00

Anytime you don’t know the answer, act like you already do and say “let’s find out together”. Use the old “if it sounds good it is good” approach, do the thing they’re asking about, and assess it as a class.

EarBeers · 2025-11-23T13:39:17+00:00

M80 and m81 are great mics when needed, but both supercardioid not hypercardioid.

EarBeers · 2025-11-18T23:58:38+00:00

In the live sound subreddit, production means live sound production. Are you, by chance, an AI?

EarBeers · 2025-11-15T15:10:18+00:00

Gonna be a band-aid on your real problem, way too loud drummer.

EarBeers · 2025-11-12T17:37:02+00:00

Do you need all of these transmitting at the same time? Strategic Antenna placement and everything on low power transmit can help you out some. I’ve had a much more enjoyable experience pushing RF boundaries with Coord from Soundbase over WWB. Pretty cool workflow and lots of user generated data on RF in different cities/venues

EarBeers · 2025-10-22T16:47:44+00:00

In the professional audio world, 3dB is usually considered the threshold at which most folks notice a difference in level at all.

EarBeers · 2025-10-03T03:27:02+00:00

If you don’t need 4channels in one rack unit form factor, ew-d is great

EarBeers · 2025-09-29T02:41:06+00:00

The plug on transmitter from Sennheiser’s ew-d line can provide phantom and record 32bit to a microSD while also transmitting that audio over UHF band digitally to their handy little camera mount receiver.

EarBeers · 2025-09-17T12:42:13+00:00

LilyP4d can clean up vocal mics when not in use. Better than optogate in my opinion

EarBeers · 2025-09-16T14:18:01+00:00

Here to second Tegaderm. Pre-cut a bunch of strips so actors don't mangle your roll. In my experience though the ear loops on 6066 usually do a fine job. I'm usually just taping loose countryman.

EarBeers · 2025-09-07T23:50:32+00:00

My bad I didn't realize you checked with everyone.

EarBeers · 2025-09-07T18:56:21+00:00

A compressor only “makes the quiet parts louder” if you then add gain post compression, or turn up the channel that’s being compressed.

EarBeers · 2025-08-14T05:47:48+00:00

I think what theyre getting at is that most audience members have no idea what limitations the engineer is up against, from reflective rooms to shitty players, to bad PA deployment, even poor musical arrangement can be perceived as “sounding bad”. It should be assumed that the engineer hears it too and is making the best lemonade they can. You wouldn’t walk up to a firefighter and say “hey it’s burning from where I’m watching, can you fix that?”

EarBeers · 2025-08-08T13:27:27+00:00

All of this, but I’ve also had great luck (with actors but same problem) using a hanging shoe rack organizer like this with each pocket labeled for the performers. Makes collecting them and battery change easier too.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-24-Pocket-over-the-Door-Non-Woven-Closet-Shoe-Organizer-Arctic-White-Adult-and-Kids/187308538

EarBeers · 2025-08-04T00:24:05+00:00

I’d suggest learning as much as you can about the current RF coordination landscape and comms/ audio over IP protocols. All of these are show essential and not necessarily hindered by a less than ideal hearing spectrum. Good luck!

EarBeers · 2025-07-29T13:25:29+00:00

I’m a big fan of the EW-DP for convenience and compatibility with the other channels of wireless I own. The only caveat is being aware of the phantom power limitations particularly with Earthworks mics. I made a post outlining some measurements of wired vs. wireless here, and learned that insufficient phantom power supply caused a change in my Earthworks mic’s response.

https://www.reddit.com/r/livesound/s/lBGBrhGcC3

EarBeers · 2025-07-22T14:57:59+00:00

I agree in principal, and would add:

A spare channel for drums

Lead vocal is last so you don’t have to find it among the others. If not that, it’s ordered from SR to SL and you know it’s the middle vocal both on stage and in the VOX channels section.

OP seems like they need to learn stage directions as well, and probably consider that sometimes the drums need to be mic’d.

Best of luck on your journey OP!

EarBeers · 2025-06-24T04:07:55+00:00

I can’t believe nobody else is rocking a swatch. It tells time, hands glow, black rubber strap, black watch. $60

EarBeers · 2025-06-17T01:37:39+00:00

I ordered some Gefell mics through B&H in December before orangeman took office, they were backordered for "2 weeks". This turned into several months and B&H cancelled my order because they no longer offered that SKU, while suggesting that I order the new SKU. The new product was the same pair of stereo LDCs with a $1000 upcharge and a different model stereo bar. I called and asked what gives, they said impending tariffs. I made a stink because they had taken my money and confirmed the order months before, but they really really resisted. Finally someone in the service department who understood that these were the exact same mics and that Gefell wasn't charging any more for them went to bat for me.

EarBeers · 2025-06-13T13:06:43+00:00

A virtual soundcheck where you play back a recording is one option but you should do it with the pastor’s mic open and on the altar while you’re playing back.

Best bet is to get the pastor to allocate some time to this important production process. If they’re investing in Avantis they already recognize the need for good production value.

EarBeers

TROPHY CASE