MY SOUND EXPERIENCE
Can a Light Guy talk about Sound?
We may not understand the technology, the physics or the problems you sound guys face, but after sharing consoles for so many years, I think we have heard enough to form some opinions.
The advantage is that the console is usually located in the sweet spot where the concert sounds the best. We’ve heard a huge range of bands and types of music. Shared many laughs at the console with you guys. Hated you when you blared the PA while we trying to focus light (or talk to our girlfriends for that matter). Envied you when we realised that your lame excuse of ‘Testing the system’ was a cover for you enjoying your favourite music pumped out at you louder than any wife or neighbour would ever tolerate at home. So please accept that we could have picked up a few ideas of our own - lets share!
In my view the single biggest problem afflicting sound guys is that a large number of them have never heard a Live acoustic instrument without any miking. So you miss the dynamics and harmonics of an instrument. Only when you listen to quiet music do you really hear (and hopefully differentiate) between different guitar sounds, piano tunings and flute materials.
That’s not a criticism - that’s a fact. Sadly this is the lost art of our times. How many kids do you hear practising instruments at home. If you do its usually tuneless headache time. Not good grounding for a future sound engineer - unless you perk up and say - Hey how can I make this better. But that may just lead to some of the biggest problems for your future career.
In the old days most audio companies produced what they called a ‘Reference speaker’. This pompous sounding name was them trying to place a benchmark on what they felt all speakers (or music) should sound like. Guitars, Pianos and Flutes were not designed to be heard by more than a handful of people (without amplification). If you wanted to add volume - you just added numbers. Two, three .... all the way up to a very famous band called Ten Guitars! For hundreds of years music followed that principal, leading to orchestras made up of a range of instruments. Barely a hundred years ago someone discovered microphones that quickly led to speakers and then PA was born.
The PA has grown up today. Slimmer, more evenly distributed, clearer and bringing the joy of music to thousands of people to share and experience. Music is a great Bonding and / or Healing catalyst. Almost equal to or even surpassing alcohol.
So it’s you sound guys that are up front and centre. If you ever had your heart broken you have probably spent some time listening to music in the dark. We light guys are redundant (And hey, we just too cool to ever have our hearts broken). You probably had your heart stopped by the greatest light show that supported your favourite band in concert. So the light guys have to deal with 0 to 100 acceleration - at our own pace. But if music is being played - you guys are always full on!
It starts in the studio. Here’s where you capture sound and mix it up and add your little touches to create a sonic experience that will be shared with the world.
How much you add to the recording process will depend on the musician and producer. But you have a contribution. Musicians have a clear idea (I hope) on what they need to sound like. You have to get them there.
So why was I going on about acoustic instruments and Reference speakers? In my opinion that should be your benchmark. To Start from at least. Then you can take it as far as you can.
You have to start somewhere. Writers start with a blank page. Light Guys start with a Blackout. Musicians start with silence - You guys start with the first pluck or blow. Try to make that as clean and as pure as a blank page in a silent dark room. If you get that right the progression will be easy.
That easy may be the most complex thing that you have done - but nobody should see that complexity. They just need to enjoy its simplicity.
Isn’t that a contradiction ? Let me explain. Lets imaging you are designing a great concert hall. You have to make million calculations, work with so many different kinds of materials, make so may varying and uneven choices - and bring it all together with the interiors and the air conditioning and the safety requirements and the management issues to ensure that every seat can hear every note played in the space. Incredibly complex for you leads to an incredibly simple experience for the audience. Got it?
I understand that most music today comes out of a computer. Remember the computer has not created a music instrument (yet). It can replicate one. Then add a huge variety of colouring to make it something else. But it started somewhere.
You Sound Guys have your heads filled with so many things. You certainly have far more buttons and meters and knobs than any self respecting Lighting Console. It’s easy to forget basics. This little essay is meant to urge you to rediscover your basics - in your own way. Then continue the journey.
A journey to differentiate. As the world is getting larger - the odd thing is that choices are narrowing. Cars, food, clothes from every part of the world are melding into one taste or look or experience. Too many saris and kaftans and ethnic wear are being ditched for jeans. Still a great chef or a designer who perseveres and drapes the sari to bring out the female form in more attractive ways will always make a name of himself.
Open your eyes to that. Today’s world of plastic powered speakers is the sound equivalent to jeans. Wear, tear a little and discard. Not cutting it. There’s a huge opportunity to make millions there if you become the next Mr Levis of sound.
Just remember that it is because of the Mr Levis’ of the world that Mr. Armani and Mr. Versace were born and made names for themselves. Mr Levis made sturdy pants for miners. Mr Armani started with the basics and made them into something the ‘mine owners daughter’ spends his millions on.
Your choice. I urge you to differentiate your sound. Try and make a unique sound for every band, every jingle, every movie you record. The road will be tough - but if you persevere and deliver, you will take the whole sound movement forward.
Remember your entire industry with all its designers and technologies and investment and marketing is designed for only one thing. To create a limitless freeway to distribute an artist’s creation honestly and cleanly, to the maximum number of people to sample or revel in.
Yeah. For guys like me who share the console with you to have a good day at the office !
(The views expressed by the author are his own personal comments and the magazine does not subscribe to them).