Sound effect slip up

[rmccue]

We had a major failure during the opening night with our sound effects. At a scene where a gunshot was meant to be played, we got ready and... hit the wrong button (Delete on the numpad instead of Enter), which caused a Windows error noise.

We were almost gutted alive for it, though, I thankfully had nothing to do with it personally.

Moral of the story: Use Space instead of Enter.

 

[g15]

any time that i'm cueing from a laptop i disable all the windows sounds from Sounds and Audio Devices settigns in control panel. quick easy way to prevent most of the windows noises during shows.

i had something similar happen once which is why i started doing it.

 

[soundlight]

Yeah, I disable every single sound on every single program on show control computers, but I also run the show sound out of a dedicated sound card that nothing but the sound playback program plays thru (like an Echo Audiofire unit). This prevents any system sounds that escaped disabling from getting out to the audience.

 

[seanandkate]

And 'standing by' means you have checked that your finger is on the correct button. . .

 

[Anonymous067]

And 'standing by' means you have checked that your finger is on the correct button. . .

My habit is always to just watch my finger push the button...
Unless you take a visual cue, but I still check my finger AFTER the standby but BEFORE pushing it.

 

[NickJones]

I used the flash buttons on a submaster on a Strand 300 to show a guy getting shot during a rehearsal. I hit flash and it latched on, for a second and a half the stage was filled with very fast flickering light. Not just one flash. Long story short. Don't let the faders latch on.
Nick

 

[ReiRei]

A couple years ago I was stage managing a show and had to call a gunshot cue as well. Cue wasn't deleted or anything it just wasn't loud enough I guess. Actor comes out on stage and dies to no gunshot, another actor came out in the confusion and yells, "NO! HE'S BEEN SHOT!" The entire booth erupted in laughter, including myself.

Our drama teacher wasn't happy but she got over it in about two seconds. And we fixed the problem for our second night. Mistakes happen, you just have to learn from them so you don't make them again.

Oh, and check which button your finger is on. This also happens with lights as well, much too often. Since there were two buttons on our lighting board, the last two shows I did I would always sit my ME's down and say, "GO... which button is your finger on?"

 

[NickJones]

Part of my stand by routine is to check "Now what button is my finger hovering above..." although I do try to keep my hands off buttons until the last few seconds to avoid accidental Gos...
Nick

 

[mstaylor]

One of the first pieces of advice I give I learned from a professional LD, never run a lighting cue looking at the board, always look at the change you are making.

 

[MSLD]

tell me what ya'll think of the "Back" button on the Express 48/96. I personally love it and think it is the best button ever made. In fact, i will start a post.

 

[MillburyAuditorium]

We very rarely use laptops, either an Ipod or other MP3 players for our line in on our sound board, but for sound effects we mostly use our CD mixer. So the only problem we have is forgetting to cue, cue the wrong effect, or accidentally hit the fader that makes it slow or fast.

One time a dance academy came and used their own sound system and had thier own laptop, there was a problem with the second song of the show, the people doing the sound needed the dance directors iTunes password to play a song, so for like 5 minutes we kept hearing windows error noises. Sitting int he dark for a long time I turned on the houselights and went to see what the problem was.

Heh, thats why these dance academys should use house sound :/

 

[Grommet]

Heh, thats why these dance academys should use house sound :/

But its ALWAYS easier if they bring there own stuff.

 

[mstaylor]

But its ALWAYS easier if they bring there own stuff.

But the entertainment value is high.