Understand that most things like
monitor mixes and levels,
channel eqing, and effects have been set during tech week. And now is not the time to start messing with
monitor levels unless a musician or actor specifically asks for something and make sure you understand what they are asking for before making any changes to monitors. The same goes for
eqing mics. By this time you've run
thru the show, and hopefully have each actor's mic eqed to their voice. So, all of this assumed you've done your homework during tech week and the
system is ready to do.
So, once everyone is present:
All of this is done with the
FOH speakers muted.
I start with the band instruments, running
line checks. Since we've already reheased during tech week, 95% of the
eqing for the band is done. Using my
God mic thru the monitors, I'll ask each musician to run
thru a
bit of music, and I'll solo the
channel for check. Drums I'll do each mic individually, then ask his to run around the drums just to look for trouble stops.
If I've got background singers using wired mics I'll check them next. I'll ask the band to
play, and bring up the background singers monitors, then bring up the band's wedges which are getting the vocals and I'll ask the background singers and band to
play for about 5 minutes during which I'll walk to where they are, listen to their mix and their monitors, and ask each one of them are they hearing what they need.
I'll have a radio
wrangler putting mics on actors, meanwhile I'm at the
console with
headphones. My backstage
wrangler has a open mic next to him, and as he gets an actor miced he say the actor's name and I'll hear it via his mic which I've already got soloed to my
headphones. I'll then use my
God mic to
call out the actor's name, ask them to step onto
stage and recite a few lines.
Since I've already worked
thru tech with with the show, each actor's
channel on the
console has already been eq'ed to their voice. Usually, though, I'll have to
trim up some
gain since once we hit show night suddenly their
level drops a
bit.
Once I have the actor checked
thru the
headphones, I'll thank them and and by this time the next actor is ready.
I'll move
thru all the actors this way. Then
Packs stay turned on from that
point onward with a battery change and
line check during
intermission. Typically, during
intermission, when the battery is swapped, all I have to do is solo the
channel to check that the pack is working.
Once everyone is live and online, I'll ask the musical director to run
thru a song or two. During the first song, I'll once again walk around
stage, check the
stage monitors for the band and background singers, visit the background singers to ensure their getting the actors, and visit the band to verify they're getting what they need.
By this time, everybody is hearing what they need, and even without
FOH, it's sounding really good everywhere onstage and in the pit, or wings (where ever the band and background singers are).
I walk back to the
console, and for the first time since starting the process, bring up the mains, and the room comes alive. I never, ever, get tired of that moment, 30 minutes before opening the
house, where I go from monitors only to
FOH and over about a 10 second span, bring levels to full
house.
I'm the board op on an upcoming community theater musical, and this will be the first time I've worked with wireless head-worn mics. What's the correct procedure for a thorough pre-show soundcheck, and more importantly, what am I listening/watching for?
Rather than just go through the motions, I want to ensure (to the extent possible) that the mics are fitted properly, that they are working, and that they will deliver during the show.