Has anyone thought about this aspect of performance: 1. What are the objectives to achieve during this important period:
• When I focus upon my objectives during sound check it’s all about making sure that I will be comfortable with the way that my drum set is organized prior to the show. This means that I am sitting at the right height on my drum throne, and that I am comfortable with the “reach factor” as regards being able to access each element of my drum set during performance. I want to feel that the snare drum is set at the right height in relation to the tom toms, both floor and rack. I want to be sitting in the correct position so that I can effectively play my bass drums while using as little energy as possible. I want to have my cymbals set so that they are within a reach so that I ‘sting’ them as opposed to ‘beat’ them for tonal effect.
• Tuning or tensioning my kit so that it is in harmony with itself is also important to me. This depends upon the music that I will perform in the show and what pitches I choose to assign within my drum set on a given night. I assign a pitch to each drum as determined by the position of the drum within the drum set and the scales that become a staple of the band’s musical personality.
• For a long time, I would hang my drum stick bag from the 16” or 18” floor tom but, since I have decided to allow all of the drums to ‘sing’ without dampening the drum shells, I now place my stick bag next to my Hi-Hat stand and arrange it so that I have a certain number of utensils at the ready should I need a replacement for a dropped stick or a different tonal personality in the form of mallets or brushes.
2. Time and the use of it during sound check: Each musician should be prepared to make effective use of the short period of time he is afforded to play on an individual basis as well as being part of the band. This has a positive effect on many levels. Since there is a show to play later it is in everybody’s interest to conserve their energy for the performance so, you do only what is really musically and logistically required to make sure that everything and every responsible element is in sync for the show. Just that alone makes up a major part of the quality of the band’s performance.
• Where do you start as in who comes first to check their balance: You make a mental list and set goals for what is important and in line to be addressed with the technicians before you begin the sound check. I find that it is a mind and physical drain when ALL musicians are playing on stage at the same time and without purpose so, I set a time table plan to allow each musician to perform in sequence at a specific time. I will get my levels at the drums first then the bass is next, then keyboards and guitar as goes my rhythm section. When each musician is working everyone else will be quiet and sometimes just leave the stage to listen to what the band sounds like in the room. This type of cooperation with the sound technicians can go along way to sorting out problems technically while raising the level of interest in the performance to come for everyone involved. It is another type of discipline that I believe is required of individuals who choose to play as contributors to the musical group concept.
3. Front of House: The unsung heroes of the band are those who listen and balance the levels put out by the musicians on stage. Their support is at least as important as the music created for the public to absorb in performance and their observations and prescriptions to make the music sonically palpable must be based upon what we, the players present in order for them to obtain good balances throughout. It’s a to way street between the technical and musical sides and everyone involved should be set up to share their ideas so that the ultimate positive musical effect can be reached.
4. Monitoring levels: It’s great if you can work with a monitor engineer who has his own monitor channel and head phones so that he can sample what each player is receiving through his or her monitor device. I personally like to use ‘In Ear’ monitors as opposed to a monitor cabinet because my drums have so many open microphones and I don’t want the signal from the monitor speaker feeding back and causing a frequency loop that can be damaging to the ears. As you would work with the F.O.H engineer do the same with the Monitor engineer and keep in mind that these two people can decide the fate of your band performance so, the more you understand how and what they do the better your chances of enjoying a successful performance.
These are just four basic aspects of what to look for during the period leading up to the performance. Does anyone have any more points to add?
boomer
• When I focus upon my objectives during sound check it’s all about making sure that I will be comfortable with the way that my drum set is organized prior to the show. This means that I am sitting at the right height on my drum throne, and that I am comfortable with the “reach factor” as regards being able to access each element of my drum set during performance. I want to feel that the snare drum is set at the right height in relation to the tom toms, both floor and rack. I want to be sitting in the correct position so that I can effectively play my bass drums while using as little energy as possible. I want to have my cymbals set so that they are within a reach so that I ‘sting’ them as opposed to ‘beat’ them for tonal effect.
• Tuning or tensioning my kit so that it is in harmony with itself is also important to me. This depends upon the music that I will perform in the show and what pitches I choose to assign within my drum set on a given night. I assign a pitch to each drum as determined by the position of the drum within the drum set and the scales that become a staple of the band’s musical personality.
• For a long time, I would hang my drum stick bag from the 16” or 18” floor tom but, since I have decided to allow all of the drums to ‘sing’ without dampening the drum shells, I now place my stick bag next to my Hi-Hat stand and arrange it so that I have a certain number of utensils at the ready should I need a replacement for a dropped stick or a different tonal personality in the form of mallets or brushes.
2. Time and the use of it during sound check: Each musician should be prepared to make effective use of the short period of time he is afforded to play on an individual basis as well as being part of the band. This has a positive effect on many levels. Since there is a show to play later it is in everybody’s interest to conserve their energy for the performance so, you do only what is really musically and logistically required to make sure that everything and every responsible element is in sync for the show. Just that alone makes up a major part of the quality of the band’s performance.
• Where do you start as in who comes first to check their balance: You make a mental list and set goals for what is important and in line to be addressed with the technicians before you begin the sound check. I find that it is a mind and physical drain when ALL musicians are playing on stage at the same time and without purpose so, I set a time table plan to allow each musician to perform in sequence at a specific time. I will get my levels at the drums first then the bass is next, then keyboards and guitar as goes my rhythm section. When each musician is working everyone else will be quiet and sometimes just leave the stage to listen to what the band sounds like in the room. This type of cooperation with the sound technicians can go along way to sorting out problems technically while raising the level of interest in the performance to come for everyone involved. It is another type of discipline that I believe is required of individuals who choose to play as contributors to the musical group concept.
3. Front of House: The unsung heroes of the band are those who listen and balance the levels put out by the musicians on stage. Their support is at least as important as the music created for the public to absorb in performance and their observations and prescriptions to make the music sonically palpable must be based upon what we, the players present in order for them to obtain good balances throughout. It’s a to way street between the technical and musical sides and everyone involved should be set up to share their ideas so that the ultimate positive musical effect can be reached.
4. Monitoring levels: It’s great if you can work with a monitor engineer who has his own monitor channel and head phones so that he can sample what each player is receiving through his or her monitor device. I personally like to use ‘In Ear’ monitors as opposed to a monitor cabinet because my drums have so many open microphones and I don’t want the signal from the monitor speaker feeding back and causing a frequency loop that can be damaging to the ears. As you would work with the F.O.H engineer do the same with the Monitor engineer and keep in mind that these two people can decide the fate of your band performance so, the more you understand how and what they do the better your chances of enjoying a successful performance.
These are just four basic aspects of what to look for during the period leading up to the performance. Does anyone have any more points to add?
boomer