One question I have has to do with the sound check at the beginning of a gig.

So you run through one song, and you say, OK, the balance sounds good.

But there are all kinds of songs we play - ballads, screamers, one guy lead vox, two guys duets ...

Is the idea that you have to sound check each kind of song, and then keep track of the best mixer and amplifier settings for each ...?

Thanks for shedding the light on this for me /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif alt=

Re: Basic ? - right way to do a sound check?

Always sound check your loudest song first.
Set your levels.
Then sound check a ballad.
Your levels shouldn’t be that different.
If you have the luxury of a soundman, he’ll adjust the levels for your vocalists and “ring out” the system so it won’t feedback.
A decibel meter is a handy thing to have when you have to deal with the noise police, get one.
Carry spare mic cables, instrument cables, and power strips.  A ground checker for the electrical outlets is another nice thing to have in the gig bag---they’re usually about 1 or 2 bucks at a electronic supply store or hardware store.
Never have your lighting system on the same line as your sound system; nothing sez fun like a drum solo when the circuit breaker goes off and power is lost.
If I think of anything else......then again, I’m sure other folks here will chime in......  /forums/images/icons/wink.gif alt=

Re: Basic ? - right way to do a sound check?

Poster: mo-z
Subject: Re: Basic ? - right way to do a sound check?
Always sound check your loudest song first.
Set your levels.
Then sound check a ballad.
Your levels shouldn’t be that different.
If you have the luxury of a soundman, he’ll adjust the levels for your vocalists and “ring out” the system so it won’t feedback.
A decibel meter is a handy thing to have when you have to deal with the noise police, get one.
Carry spare mic cables, instrument cables, and power strips. A ground checker for the electrical outlets is another nice thing to have in the gig bag---they’re usually about 1 or 2 bucks at a electronic supply store or hardware store.
Never have your lighting system on the same line as your sound system; nothing sez fun like a drum solo when the circuit breaker goes off and power is lost.
If I think of anything else......then again, I’m sure other folks here will chime in...... 

Thanks, mo-z! One question - when you say the sound levels shouldn’t be that different, do you mean ...
... we should make the proper adjustments on the mixer so the audience hears the ballad and the screamer at about the same volume?

... or something else?

Thanks again!

Re: Basic ? - right way to do a sound check?

we should make the proper adjustments on the mixer so the audience hears the ballad and the screamer at about the same volume?

You never want to be louder than your loudest tune’s settings.
Checking with a ballad insures that; don’t turn up things too loud during a ballad unless you can’t hear it at all.

Re: Basic ? - right way to do a sound check?

Poster: mo-z
Subject: Re: Basic ? - right way to do a sound check?

In reply to:
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we should make the proper adjustments on the mixer so the audience hears the ballad and the screamer at about the same volume?


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You never want to be louder than your loudest tune’s settings.
Checking with a ballad insures that; don’t turn up things too loud during a ballad unless you can’t hear it at all.

OK, mo-z, I think I understand - ballad should not be louder, and ideally should be a lot softer, than loudest song?

Thanks -

Re: Basic ? - right way to do a sound check?

Yup. It’s all about dynamics, young jedi.....  /forums/images/icons/wink.gif alt=

Re: Basic ? - right way to do a sound check?

Just to add to Mo-z’ suggestion, make sure that any Vocals you have sits “On Top Of The Music”. Don’t make the Vocals “fight for space”. If the audience can’t hear “the words”, what’s the point in having Vocals? All too often I hear “Young Lions” with their singers singing through a towel.

Like Mo-z says, It’s all about the dynamics AND Balance.

Back in the day, when I worked with other musicians, we used to do the Drums and Bass together and made sure they were locked into one another. We would then ad keys and guitar. Once we felt the rhythm section was balanced, we’d sit the vocals on top of the music.

I’ve mentioned this in a few previous posts. If you have the space, set up the Drums between the speakers and the rest of the unit facing the speakers. This way you can get a fix on what’s going out to the house. I know, I know....you work with Monitors. But in all truthfulness, monitors tend to be self serving. Everyone wants to hear themselves and will have themselves “goosed up” in their monitors. On stage is one thing...to the house is yet another. “Fights in the monitors” can translate to “Fights in the house”, and Dynamics and Balance head out of the door.
Just a thought.........

Re: Basic ? - right way to do a sound check?

Hey Dukester, remember back in the day when we gigged with NO monitors?  Monitors were such a luxury then, LOL.  By the 80’s, monitors finally got affordable and amps got cheaper.  These days, I dig the Aviom systems I get to use at the casinos I play at, as well as other in-ear systems.  I wrote some tips for vocalists on my myspace page which I will now reprint here:

Here are my 20 tips:

1. Know thy lyrics. This means all verses. I can’t tell you how many singers I work with who only know the first verse of a song and then fudge their way through the rest of the song.

2. Know thy melody and song form including the key signature. It irks me when singers don’t know when to come back in after a solo.  It takes a smart rhythm section to catch the mistake and cover your ass.  And unless you’re Al Jarreau or Bobby McFerrin, please stick to the melody---you’ll just look silly to the band as you attempt to scat your way around the melody.  Also, having a book of all your tunes in your keys makes you look more professional.

3. Know thy phrasing. Singers who have never played a wind instrument have no concept of breath in phrasing, and unless properly trained, just sound out of breath. Great singers like Frank Sinatra or Chaka Khan attack phrases like horn players do.

4. Never call a tune you don’t truly know. Especially if you have no clue about 1, 2 or 3.

5. Learn how to sing harmony parts. This applies to groups with more than one singer.  I’ve seen many bands that have nothing but lead singers who are useless at singing harmonies.  The band usually picks up the slack and sings harmonies [horn sections tend to have great harmony singers].

6. There is a reason why it is best for your voice to be dry in the monitor mix---singing harmonies. It’s more difficult to concentrate on harmony when there’s effects processing coloring the sound.  Save the effects for the karaoke bar.

7. Your microphone is also your instrument, buy a good one.  Too many singers depend on a band leader or a venue to provide one, then complain about their tone or sound.  Boo-[censored]-hoo.  Singer Natalie Cole endorses Audix microphones and has them in different colors to match her stage outfits.

8. Respect your instrumental soloists. This means no uninvited scatting over a soloist. This is disrespectful, and cats don’t dig it when a diva is horning in on their spotlight.

9. If you’re rhythmically-challenged, take a dance class or movement class; or don’t---the rest of the band will be entertained ---- especially when you try to move like a stripper.

10. Stay healthy. This means take care of your vocal cords.  Vocalists who smoke don’t realize the kind of damage they do to their vocal cords, plus, you run a higher risk of developing nodes.  Alcohol may loosen your inhibitions, but it ain’t good for your voice.  Your favorite rock singer who swigs Jack Daniels will have a shorter shelf life than most singers, since he’s essentially cooking his liver, too.

11. [From Meliesa McDonell] Your first three songs are NOT your “warm-up.” Do that before you take the stage.  I agree with this; too many vocalists have a false sense of security when they hit the stage.  Proper warm-up will ensure your longevity as a singer.  Ignore it, and suffer the consequences.....

12.  Either use in-ear monitors or floor wedges, but not BOTH.  You’re only asking for trouble, not to mention look silly to experienced sound men.

13. For in-ear monitor users, do this: have your voice panned to one side, and other voices panned opposite. Have your chordal instrument(s) [whatever instrument you key on to stay in key] panned center.  Having your voice panned to one side duplicates what happens when you cover one ear.

14. For floor wedge users: always sound check your loudest tunes, then have the sound guys “ring out” the monitors.  This cuts down on feedback.

15. When singing harmonies, pick your note, memorize it, and stay with it.  Please don’t change harmony notes on a whim or because you’re tired or lazy.  Your fellow harmonizers are not mind readers.

16. Learn to project and sing out.  Poor mic technique is not a substitute for proper voice training.

17. Enunciate! This means knowing 1.  Great vocalists enunciate well and know about which words/phrases/syllables to emphasize ---- look at Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Pauline Wilson, Kevyn Lettau, Phil Perry, the late Warren Wiebe, little Jimmy Scott ---- these folks really study their lyrics and inhabit them.

18. Get your rest.  When fatigue sets in, your ability to stay on pitch and in tune is compromised.

19. Don’t eat close to showtime.  You’ll find yourself burping your lyrics.

20. Always be prepared and on time. I can’t tell you how many singers have been fired for not doing this.

Re: Basic ? - right way to do a sound check?

OKAY....THIS THREAD HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY HIJACKED!!!!

With all the “tech” stuff that goes through this site, no one ever talks about Vocals from a practical standpoint. I was a singer first, and where I got my vocal training was in two of the best Music Programs in the City of New York. Hernann Ridder J.H.S. and Evander Childs H.S in The Bronx. The programs were so good that if you wanted to sing for the All City or Borough Wide Choirs, you didn’t even have to audition.

I have ZERO reality on singers not knowing lyrics. I have only fooled with a few in the last 20 years and refuse to work with any simply because they don’t know the words to the songs they “claim” to their repetoire. I don’t have a problem with them showing up with a book of lyrics,but if they stick that sucker up on a music stand and have to refer to it during the course of performance....ON STAGE...then they don’t know the tune. As a Keyboard Vocalist working as a Single, “I” have to know the changes, the arrangement AND the WORDS.  I do carry a bag with lyrics and cheat charts, but only go to it when I get a request for something that isn’t in my “regular” repetoire or I have a slow room and I’m trying to work something into the rotation. Fooling with lyrics and charts slows down the flow of the performance.
SINGERS....DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!

The most valuable lesson that I learned back in Glee Club and Choir was BREATHING!!!!  And into the Diaphram....NOT THE CHEST. I recently had hernia surgery, and the surgeon said he had a hard time. I told him I was a singer and he totally understood. You develop a lot of muscle down there whe nyou sing properly. I met Alex Ligertwood, vocalist with Santana several years ago and we talked about singing and techneque. He has a lower stomach like a brick!
The point is, you can get more air down into the diaphram, push from “there” and everything falls into place. You can hold notes better and will be able to phrase better...IF...you have enough air. Also,with plenty of air, you can then concentrate on your trachea where you develop how you “spend” your air. This will impact your phrasing.

Frank Sinatra didn’t have a “voice” the last 40+ years of his life,but NO ONE was a better phraser! Of course it helps to KNOW THE WORDS of the “story” you’re telling to say nothing of the MELODY. You also NEVER had to buy or (today) Google the Lyrics of any of his songs, or Mathis, Eckstine, Ella, Sarah, Nat or most of those great singers of “yester-year” because they enunciated. They didn’t “swallow” consonants. You heard and understood every word they sung. Of course now days, the lyrics don’t say much...but that is yet another thread. Regardless to the “content”, BREATHING properly is the key to affective vocals. “No breath:No LIFE, Danialsan”.

Don’t get me going on Harmony! I used to listen to Boyz 2 Men and it drove me up the wall!!! Guys in the “background vocals” competing with the lead! There are two very simple propositions in play here....Lead Vocals....Background Vocals. Simple. KEEP IT IN THAT SENSE! Background Vocals are, by nature, there to COMPLIMENT the Lead Vocals. Like I said,don’t get me on that one! Ink Spots, Mills Brothers, The Flamingos, The Moonglows, The Temptations, The Four Tops...like that. They demonstrate how it’s done. One tip. Even if you are a “self contained band”, where the players are also the singers, rehearse Accappela or with just the piano or guitar playing just enough to hear the tune and its changes. Commit those harmony parts to memory and background vocalists....NO VIBRETO!!!

As for mics....you can be Sure with Shure. I have seen the “hot mics” come and go. I have used the “hot mics” and ended up back with Shure. I’m hooked on the Beta 58. And Singers....GET YOUR OWN MIC!!!! It’s YOUR INSTRUMENT!!!! That’s another of my “pet peaves” with singers. They want “ME” to supply them with a mic. I’ve got the Keyboards, the Sound System, the Drum Machines and my own mic. What’s the deal with a singer NOT having their own Mic? I don’t get that.

WHEW!!!! Great tips, Mo-z! Had to put my two cents in. Vocals are not just a minor accurance during the course of a performance, or a necessary evil to a band’s compositon. As much attention has to be paid to that area of the presentation. If the band sounds great and the vocals stink is as much as minus as great vocals and a band that stinks.
...end of rant

BTW...waiting for your next project.