There are few factors in deciding if you need to hire a sound guy or if you can set up the equipment yourself.
First, you should consider the size of the venue. If you are playing in a small 100 seat venue and the PA required is not very big, you can handle the sounds yourself. Its better to have the mixer on the right side of the stage.
If you are performing some large venue or outside, you should probably hire a professional who can supply the gear and operate the additional equipment you will need.
Another factor is the mixing ability of the band members. You should factor in knowledge associated with amplifier wattage, speaker impedance, graphic and parametric equalization, compression, effects, and locating troublesome frequencies that will create feedback (squeal or hum). Dont forget to consider basic knowledge of dynamic levels, microphone polar patterns, and overall mixing of the sound levels. If you cant do any of this or know any of this, consider hiring a pro.
Third, factor in the size of your band. If your band is bigger than five people all playing a variety of instruments then its better to hire a sound guy who knows what he is doing. Moreover, there is too much equipment required for one band to do it themselves.
Always try to listen at another venue to anyone you may hire prior to them mixing for your band. A lot of PA/sound guys are horrible at mixing and will tell you they do to get a job. That is why it is important to her them before you hire them. Dont get fooled by techno babble.
There are many factors to think about before you hire a sound guy. Make sure your bands weighs all the factors before deciding. In some cases, it may be better to do it yourself. If you play a large number of big venues and have a lot of equipment, hiring someone will probably be a good idea. - 15338
First, you should consider the size of the venue. If you are playing in a small 100 seat venue and the PA required is not very big, you can handle the sounds yourself. Its better to have the mixer on the right side of the stage.
If you are performing some large venue or outside, you should probably hire a professional who can supply the gear and operate the additional equipment you will need.
Another factor is the mixing ability of the band members. You should factor in knowledge associated with amplifier wattage, speaker impedance, graphic and parametric equalization, compression, effects, and locating troublesome frequencies that will create feedback (squeal or hum). Dont forget to consider basic knowledge of dynamic levels, microphone polar patterns, and overall mixing of the sound levels. If you cant do any of this or know any of this, consider hiring a pro.
Third, factor in the size of your band. If your band is bigger than five people all playing a variety of instruments then its better to hire a sound guy who knows what he is doing. Moreover, there is too much equipment required for one band to do it themselves.
Always try to listen at another venue to anyone you may hire prior to them mixing for your band. A lot of PA/sound guys are horrible at mixing and will tell you they do to get a job. That is why it is important to her them before you hire them. Dont get fooled by techno babble.
There are many factors to think about before you hire a sound guy. Make sure your bands weighs all the factors before deciding. In some cases, it may be better to do it yourself. If you play a large number of big venues and have a lot of equipment, hiring someone will probably be a good idea. - 15338
About the Author:
Matt knows a lot about sound and stereo and has been mixing music for over a decade. For more information about stereo and sound, visit his site about Axebay guitars and check our new guitar forum.
