ehjay said:
I've learned a lot about sound in just the past couple months, which seems to happen when people fling the responsiblites for it all onto you, however i can't help but feeling completely overwhelmed. Our school's musical looms ever closer and i've nowhere near enough experience with Sound to consider myself the optimum choice for what i'm going to end up running.
Anyhow, i've spent the last month or so reading and looking through as much as i can, and reading up on my board,
etc. And to be honest, I've learned a lot and figured out a lot more.. however with no one to show me the ropes (our last sound guy got kicked out for attitude,
etc) anyhow. yeah. i've overwhelmed.
so i turn to you guys.. suggestions?
btw, it doesn't help that our sound
system looks like a little
boom-box compared to some of the setups i've seen posted up here.
Hiya,
First things first--a piece of advice about confidence--don't be afraid or worry about making mistakes or messing up things with the sound--if you worry about something so much you will subliminally find a way to make something happen, and that can
throw your confidence. Feeling overwhelmed happens when you try and think of things as hills around you and stacks of information you surround your brain with..instead of filing them away and taking a second to pause, and take things one thing at a time. That is how you have to approach sound--one thing at a time, and then move to your next thing. I get quite a few folks who have never done sound before--and they stand before a 48channel
console with over 500 knobs and buttons and they freak out..they get stiff and act like they are drowning and are afraid. They feel overwhelmed and they haven't even DONE anything yet....after a
bit of time of showing them the
console, explaning things, and all the knobs, by making them focus on ONE
channel strip, suddenly the size of the
console and the overwhelming feeling shrinks and things start to make sense.. This is the way you have to view things when approaching a sound show...doesn't matter if you have 56 mic inputs and 12 mixes going to different areas--you take things one thing at a time and suddenly you find yourself in control of something you earlier felt overwhelmed by. BE confident in your approach and know that you will learn a LOT as you have so far and you will get better. Understand--no one will DIE if you screw up or if you make a mistake. Its sound--its very very safe.
So don't sweat or dread the job cause, or make yourself feel overwhelmed by all the knowledge you have taken in--let it sink in and look at the
console or the mic's and tell yourself--I know what this does, I know what that does, I took care of learning this and that..hey this isn't that bad.
If you are concerned you will mess up--fact of life is everyone, even the big time rock and
roll guys make mistakes and the best thing you can do is learn from any mistake you make and move on and NOT let it mess up your concentration. Don't psyche yourself out man... If however you do feel you are in over your head and simply honestly you feel wholeheartedly that you cannot handle what you are being asked to do and do not WANT to do this--then step forward now and tell your director you cannot do this and someone else may be beter suited for it. Theater and sound and tech work in school should be FUN first and a learning experience always...and if you find no fun or learning of this and only worry and just do NOT want to try to do this--its not going to be a good experience and you should not put yourself
thru it. Its no shame to not be able to do something you have never done before and to be leery of trying it...but if you are up to the challenge and willing to try and learn, I know I will gladly offer you any information and suggestions and tips/tricks and help if I can. I don't think its anything you cannot handle if you take it one thing at a time and not let it psyche you out...its sound for a school show--not sound for the president.
Ok, that said--post what you have to work with (gear--from
stage to monitors to consoles to EQ's and mic's), what you are being asked to do--i.e. body mics,
orchestra, CD or playback/sound cues to tracks, and the show--is it a musical or drama
etc. Also--post any and I mean ANY questions or concerns you have about anything sound-related and I will gladly try to help you out if you want, on everything from mic or sound set up to how to mix, organize mic's or mic changes between a large cast, and balance music, actors, FX and EQ and key points you want to make sure you
cover or have to. In the past 18+ years I've done too many shows to count anymore...and I'm pretty good at explaining things in good detail. Cruiser's post is right on the money for basic set
ups and ways to approach when it comes to
orchestra's and
stage and micing
etc...definitely take his words as gospel and a very good starting
base. Keep it SIMPLE and you will be fine. There are also others who I'm sure will gladly help ya out too..so you're not alone...we're behind ya.
I'll be here if I can help ya...post your info and I'll be glad to assist with some suggestions and techniques.
wolf
