Audio Engineer

[Statement]

At the detriot jazzfest, with an original rebel and bad lens.


http://static.flickr.com/94/237804592_f04e8d7f0d.jpg?v=0

[psurrette]

These guys get none of the credit they deserve... they can make or break a band in a live performance. Great shot.

Pete

[Statement]

Very true, and thank you.

[PMN]

Ha! It's good to see at least some people appreciate the efforts we sound engineers put into concerts!

Nice shot by the way!

Paul

[Statement]

Ha! It's good to see at least some people appreciate the efforts we sound engineers put into concerts!

Yeah, assuming you're a good one ;) I've seen some shows at festivals where I wanted to go up to the audio engineer and give him a demonstration of what proper live mixing is.

[maxyedor]

I like it, but would love to see his face. Great looking B&W conversion too.

[gcobb]

These guys get none of the credit they deserve... they can make or break a band in a live performance. Great shot.

Pete

I like the shot too. We are the people behind the scene, or I was at one point with almost no recognition. But there's something I call "engineer etiquette". If the headliner has their FOH guy and the sound check is done, the opening acts don't usually get the same mix, so they sound a little less than adequate. Sometimes it's just what you have to work with in what makes an opener sound worse than they should.

[Rick Wong]

FOH is an extremely rewarding job.Love this shot.Ah, the politics of the rig!LOL!

[Statement]

I like it, but would love to see his face. Great looking B&W conversion too.

Thanks..but unfortunately I can't claim that it was a skillful black and white conversion...it was black and white film :)

[PMN]

Yeah, assuming you're a good one ;) I've seen some shows at festivals where I wanted to go up to the audio engineer and give him a demonstration of what proper live mixing is.

Believe me, so have I. I've been on many festivals and heard the FoH guy completely screw up a sound for no good reason other than total incompetence. Worryingly, it's a rairly frequent occurrence and it's amazing how many supposed 'sound engineers' actually don't even have the slightest idea how music actually fits together and works. To me mixing is really no different to playing (I'm a bass player as well). You either get it, or you don't!

Paul

[Ciqala]

i dont think i've ever been to a live show where the levels on the mic's werent set wrongly at some point and the artist has had to actually ask for it to be turned up so the crowd could even hear them or something just as equally unprofessional in front of the paying audience.

i'm sure if they do it well it makes the show but i think they have the same reputation as referees in sports, fine so long as they do what they are supposed to but if they mess up then they're gonna know about it from everyone.

as for the shot i like it. my one critique would be its perhaps a little too static as the guy looks like he's just standing dead still and not doing much in particular, if you'd caught him as he was reaching further over the board or something it might make it more lively/active but it all comes down to what is going on in front of the lens that determines what you can actually take photos of.

[gcobb]

I'd think if the singer asked to hear his mic better, the monitor engineer had to bring him up. A monitor mix can change from one minute to the next. But an incompetant engineer can make a good band sound like arse.

[proaudiorep]

I am a little bit biased here, but in alot of cases the FOH engineer has to be as talented on his desk as any musician in the group is with their instrument. It is a VERY tough job and everyone has an opinion.

As for singers asking for more of this or that, that is the MONITOR engineer's job. These guys generally do whatever they are told to. Occasionally if the singer isn't having a great show or the acoustics suck, they take it out on the ME. The ME, for the record, is always the first guy on a tour to get fired. The good ones don't even take it personal, because sometimes it is just a vibe between them and the band...

Can't have a great sounding band without great sound...take it easy on these guys!

[Statement]

That sounds like it sucks, poor job stability.