"What do you want to play next?"
Seven words that will bring a band's show to a grinding halt. This is one of the differences between just playing a bunch of songs, and putting on a show. Learning the songs and rehearsing them is a large part of the equation...but putting them together is the final polish a lot of bands miss.
Enter the set list, our musical road map for the evening. Sure, some bands get by just fine without one. Heck, I've been a hired gun a couple of times where the band leader just held a certain number of fingers up or down to indicate the key of the song and off we went. But for the most part, the "show" bands I've been involved in always have a set list done ahead of time.
The more people that are involved in a production, the more important the set list becomes. If you're a trio, the fingers up/down thing works. But what happens when you've got 5 or 6 people on stage? Then add a sound man. Add a lighting person with a programmed show, and they really need to know what's coming up next. And that's not even considering if you're a band that uses backing tracks...you don't need to be hunting for the right track between each song...they should all be lined up and ready to go.
OK...I've made my argument for making a set list. So, how do you go about doing it? For some bands (like The Rhythm Dawgs), it's a group effort. We'll all get together a week or two before a show and discuss what we would like to play that night. We'll look over our master song list (you've got one of those too, don't cha?) and see if there's anything we haven't played in a while we would like to bring back as well as any new material we would like to try. Plus...it's a good excuse to get together, have a beer or 4, and a few laughs. I'm proud to say that we've managed to write a different list for every show we've ever done.
Other bands I've been a part of, it's been one person that takes care of it. For me, this is cool as long as I get a copy of it a couple of days before the show so I can add my performance notes and get the songs ordered in my iPad.
There are pros and cons to both methods. The group effort method takes a bit of every one's time, but you also get to discuss things like "I've got to change guitars after this song", or "that's 3 really high songs I've got to sing in a row...can we break those up?". The one-man method gets it done with less work from the band (and usually goes quicker), but you loose that "logistics" feedback. On those, if I see something really hokey...I'll usually shoot an email back saying "OK...you've got me changing guitars 3 times in 3 songs...are you cool with that?". At least you've made them aware.
What goes on a set list? Obviously, the name of the song (duh). We like to put the key of the song as well. If we're going to run 2 or more songs together (more on that in a minute), then that should be indicated as well. After that, I've got my own notes I always add.
This is actually part of the 4th set from The Dawgs show in Georgetown, TX last night:
The first 3 columns have the set/song number, the song, and the key. This info gets sent to everyone (so we're all working off the same list). The next 2 columns are information I add that's specific to my performance needs. Namely, which guitar to use and the patch to call up on my guitar rig. On the third song, you'll notice I have the note "Open G". The guitar I'm using (a Fender VG Strat) has electronically altered tunings on it. You gotta be in open G to do the Keith Richards thing right. I've seen drummers add tempos in beats per minute. Anything that helps you execute the song,,,add it in.
So...how do you pick the songs and order 'em? There's as many theories on that as there are bands. This is how I've done it for years in my bands that play predominately cover songs, and it seems to work pretty well.
Think About Where You're Playing
If it's a club date and you're starting late, then people are probably going to be tanked up already and want to dance. Don't hold back on 'em, but don't waste your money shot on the first song either. I like to start the evening out with a mid-tempo tune that's familiar to 'em. Think of it as "breaking the ice".
That said, if I'm at a venue that has a earlier start or maybe has people still having dinner, then I will restrain things a bit. I don't have any 40's or 50's lounge music in my catalog, but I'll lean to the bluesy side of things or some of the lighter Top-40 of the 60's & 70's (if it fits the age group there).
Ebb & Flow
In a typical one hour set, you'll probably play about 12 songs unless you fall into one of these categories:
- You're a jam band. In that case, you'll play 2 or 3 songs and you can stop reading this now.
- You're a Ramones tribute band. In that case, you'll play 25 or 30 songs in that hour.
You should be building the energy a little bit with each song. Don't jump the tempos and intensities all over the place...have some flow to it.
Always keep the entire night in mind. Most places have a "peak" time...the time everybody's into the party, but before they have to leave to get home before midnight (and get he baby sitter home). You want to load your strongest material in the slots that corresponds to that time.
Gimme A Break
If you're a dance music band, you probably want to keep things building throughout the entire set. Personally I like to see, as my partner in crime Dana Vandiver calls it, a "reduced intensity" song in the middle of the set. It breaks things up and provides contrast. It also gives people a chance to order more drinks (after all, we here to sell booze first and foremost). The Rhythm Dawgs originally started doing this to give our drummer a little breather in the middle of the set, but it turned out to work so well we always put 'em in. And of course, the only dancing that most white people can do correctly is "slow", so there you go.
Intensity vs Tempo
Notice we said "reduced intensity", and not necessarily a "slow" song. They can be the same thing, but don't always have to be. A song can be slow and still be intense...Sad But True by Metallica is a good example. The tempo is only about 100 beats per minute, but it's really heavy. At the other end of the spectrum would be something like Get Together by The Youngbloods. That moves along at a pretty good clip (about 125 BPM), but it's more a ballad than a rocker.
You can think of intensity in terms of how dense the instrument arrangement is, or how aggressive the tones and the vocals are. Once you start thinking about more than just the tempo of the songs, you'll really be able to craft a great set list.
Keep It Moving
I've always tried to play the first 3 songs of a set back to back to back. After that, we'll stop and do our "Good Evening" thing with the crowd. It's a powerful way to start a set, but you have to make sure to plan for it. If someone has to stop and change guitars it kills the effect (unless the rest of the band can cover the intro while they change...but you work that out ahead of time).
And as far as that "guitar change" thing goes, try to make sure that everyone isn't changing at the same time. There should always be someone available to talk to the crowd, whether it's just the "are you doin' alright" stuff or promoting your merch. Dead air...it sucks. Don't have it.
Have You Seen My Keys
Earlier I mentioned that I like to see the song key on a set list. During the performance, it's a nice reminder (especially if I have to use a guitar with an altered tuning). But it's also useful as a debugging tool while writing the list out. I you see that you have 3 or 4 songs in the same key, you might want to switch some things around. Non-musical people might not can tell you why, but the songs will start sounding the same after a while.
Remember what I said about building the energy during a set? The key of a song can help do that. When you have 2 songs with about the same tempo, it's going to sound more energetic if you move up in keys in the order. In other words, if you have one song in A and the next in C, put the song in A first.
Don't overlook an opportunity to run two songs in the same key together every now and then. Did you know that Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash, and George Thorogood's I Drink Alone make a dandy segue?
Finish The Set Strong
After the reduced intensity, it's back to building up for a big finish at the end of the set. I always try to have something strong, on the intense side, and a crowd favorite to close out a set. And for me and my guys, it's a plus if we can stick a B.S.E. (Big Stupid Ending) on the end. You know, the drawn out note at the end over which you shout "We are (insert band name here). We're going to take a quick break and be right back...be sure to tip your bartenders and waitresses" speech. Yeah, it's been done a million times, but it works (and the staff appreciates the mention for tips), and it gives the set some closure.
It's always kind of been a pet peeve of mind when bands end a set cold and just walk off. The audience is left sitting there like...."that's it?". It's kind of like the time your date got up to go to the bathroom and never came back. OK, maybe not that traumatic, but still somewhat unsatisfying.
Don't Be Redundant & Repetitive
Be aware of sound-alike songs in your catalog. You don't want to play LaGrange and Boogie Chillen back to back...same song. And if your song list is diverse enough to include He's So Fine and My Sweet Lord...you get the idea. And heaven forbid...don't ever play The Alphabet Song right after Twinkle Twinkle Little Star...people will think you're crazy.
Even if they're not copies of each other, be aware of playing the same rhythm over and over for several songs (unless you play House or Trance music...but then again you really don't need this information then).
Read The Room
Unless you're playing arena shows with a 40-person crew that has to coordinate lights, backing tracks, lasers, pyro, and a flying gag all in one song...then you have to leave yourself the flexibility of changing things around.
There have been nights that we wrote out this great rock-n-roll show, but the crowd that particular evening was in the mood to hear blues. So that's what we pulled out. During the first break, we re-wrote the set lists and gave 'em what they wanted. Likewise, if someone asks for a song that you know how to play (and puts a $10 bill in the tip jar) you're going to play it whether it's on the set list or not. So you figure out what to drop and move around. Don't be afraid to swap things between sets...especially if someone is giving you money for it!
Along these lines, make sure you have a master song list handy in case you need to switch things up...that saves the "what do we know" discussion.
We've got a master list that's divided in different categories:
- Songs we can play at the drop of a hat
- Songs we could play if we talked about a second
- Songs that require rehearsing them in the parking lot
- Songs that we were obviously drunk when we picked 'em
Watch Your Backs
Just because you've indicated that you're going to run 2 or 3 songs together on the set list, make sure everyone is ready before starting each one. Strings break, kick drum pedals come apart, shots need to be drank. Make sure everyone has made eye contact before moving on.
We'll Be Back
You always want to plug when you're going to be back at a venue, but trying to remember that date along with everything else you have to keep up with can be a bit of a challenge.
Once again, I've gotta give credit to Mr. Vandiver. In the Dawgs, he's the guy that formats the set lists and sends 'em out to everyone to edit for themselves. He now adds "Return Date: xx/xx/xx" at the bottom of each page. Freakin' genius.
Thank You Very Much...Good Night
Again, this is just one set of opinions that happen to work for me and the bands I've been associated with. The idea is to minimize the dead time between songs and keep the show moving along (and interesting).
If your band is rehearsed well enough and everyone can set up quickly enough between songs, then maybe you don't need this. But for me, the less thinking I have to do about the stuff around the songs, the more I'm able to concentrate on (and enjoy) playing the songs themselves.
I've recently received a few emails asking "how do you learn songs?". For me, it's actually a bigger challenge to learn bass parts on a lot of songs than it is guitar...just because it's usually harder to pick out the nuances with a busy arrangement on top of it.
Next week I'll share with you some of my techniques for learning parts, as well as some of the software tools I use.
Until next week, keep the meters out of the red!
Ken
Ken Carver has been a musician and performer since the early 70's, and involved with live music production since the mid 70's. He worked for 15 years as a broadcast engineer, building numerous studios and transmitter sites around Texas. He's also worked in Critical Care Communications for the medical industry, R&D for an automated lighting manufacturer, and owned Project Lighting & Sound in the 80's. He currently heads up an R&D Hardware Technician Team at National Instruments in Austin, and still performs on the weekends in the Central Texas area. You can reach Ken at itsjustlogistics@gmail.com
Compression...that's one of those buzz words that a lot of people throw around but really don't understand. People assume that it's a good thing (it can be), and that if a little is good then more is better (usually not). And what's "limiting" anyway? We don't want limits, right?
Well, this week let's try to figure out in working-mans-terms just what the deal is with compression.
The thing to remember about an audio signal is that there are three ways to affect it:
- Change the spectral content (frequency)
- Change the time relative to other sounds (phase)
- Change the amplitude (volume)
You change the spectral content with an equalizer, and the phase with delay lines. A compressor goes after the amplitude.
So, why would you want to affect the volume other than turning things up and down? You have to consider the dynamic range of a sound, and how well it works with what's going on around it.
OK...so what is dynamic range? Simple...it's the difference between the softest sound and the loudest sound, whether you're talking about a recording or a live performance. The greater that difference, then the greater the dynamic range.
So, more dynamic range is better, right? Well, if you're in a perfect listening environment with an orchestra, then yes. But as soon as you introduce electronics into the picture, you have a limiting factor...and that's the signal-to-noise (or s/n) ratio of the equipment. If the dynamic range of the program material is greater than the signal-to-noise ratio of the equipment, then either one or both of these things happen:
- The really quiet parts get lost in the background noise of the electronics
- The really loud parts exceed the available power and distort
Neither is good.
So, enter the compressor. On a very basic level, a compressor turns up the really quiet parts and turns down the really loud parts. It just happens to be able to do it really fast. So what you wind up with is less of a difference between the softest and loudest sounds....or a reduced dynamic range.
Compressors started out being used ahead of the cutting lathes when record masters were being cut (remember those round black things with a hole in the middle). If the levels were too low...the sound got lost in the inherent "hiss" of the vinyl. Too hot of a signal, and the lathe could overcut and get into and adjacent groove.
Next, they found their way into the recording process to optimize levels to tape. Then, radio stations started using them to make themselves seem louder (we'll talk about how that works in a second). Now, they're used all the way through the recording process to make the records sound louder (like the radio stations did), and they're now all over live sound rigs (so they sound like the record...and louder!).
So...why does a compressor make things sound louder? There are a lot of psychoacoustics at work here (how your brain processes sound), as well as electrical reasons.
The electrical reasons are fairly straight forward. Since you've reduced the loudest parts of a signal...you can now turn things up more without worrying about overloading something. So, if you look at the average of the energy over time, you're able to raise that average. And our brain interprets that higher average as an overall increase in loudness even though the absolute sound pressure level at the speakers did not increase.
Of course...it's possible to take this too far. If you suck all of the dynamic range out of the sound, it actually starts to fatigue you. Case in point, there have been several albums come out that were over compressed to the point of making them unlistenable. I love Rush, but Vapor Trails sounds like it was mastered with a "loudness at all costs" mentality. (A remaster of this would be very welcome). Remember Los Lonely Boys? Their first album was very open and dynamic. The second album had the life choked out of it at mastering...and the sales were dismal.
Yeah, compression is definitely one of those things that a little goes a long way. It helps individual instruments "sit" in a mix better.
When you're dealing with compressors (and limiters...we'll get to them next), you're dealing with four major parameters:
- Threshold: The level at which the compressor starts working
- Ratio: Basically the rate at which the output changes in relationship to the input.
- Attack Time: How fast the compressor reacts to a signal above the threshold
- Release (or Decay) Time: How fast the signal is allowed to come out of compression
The threshold is just what it sounds like...at what point does the compressor start turning things down. The lower the threshold, the more you're affecting the signal. This illustrates what the threshold and ratio are doing to the levels:
The compression ratio determines how tightly you're controlling the sound. The higher the ratio, the more compression you're applying. If you have a 2:1 ratio, then for every 2dB the input changes, the output changes 1dB. Likewise, and 10:1 ratio would require an 10dB input change to move the output 1dB. You can also think of this control as how much dynamic range you're removing.
When you get above a 10:1 ratio, you've now crossed into the world of limiting. You can almost think of a limiter as a wall. In other words, once you've hit the threshold point, you're not going to get any louder.
So, where is a limiter useful? Easy...that's what you use to protect amps and speakers. Whether you've got a $100 PA cabinet or a $10,000 one...there's a finite amount of energy that you can pump into them before you damage 'em. Limiters are useful for when unexpected things happen...like someone drops a live mic (boom!!!).
The attack and release times...you're actually affecting how fast things are getting turned up and down. How to set these is an installment on it's own, but in general slow attack and release times are less audibly intrusive, while faster times give you tighter control and a denser sound. But, take it too far and you start getting artifacts like pumping and breathing (listen to any Steve Miller album from the 70's for an example of this). A lot of modern compressors have an "auto" button that takes care of the attack and release times based on the signal coming in. I figure most of the time that button is smarter than me so I'll just go with that...especially on vocals.
There's usually a meter on a compressor marked "G/R"....that's "gain reduction". In other words, how much is the signal getting turned down. For me, that's what I go by. I don't get hung up on the absolute value of the threshold, because it's going to depend on your signal level coming in. I'll just turn the threshold until I see the amount of gain reduction I want (and that depends on what I'm compressing).
You'll usually see a control marked either "output", "gain", or "gain make up". As you apply compression, you're turning things down. This control lets you put the output back to where it would be without the compressor. To set this, bypass the compressor and listen (or watch the level meters) to see where the uncompressed signal level is. Then, engage the compressor and adjust the output until it matches what you had before. This way, if you need to disengage the compressor you're not going to have a radical change in levels. It also helps keep your gain structure correct.
That's a lot of tech for today. We may come back to compressors at a later date and talk about specific applications on specific instruments.
Next week...I thought we would get away from the "tech" and get back more into "show". We'll talk about set lists. We'll discuss different philosophies on making and managing them.
Until then, use compression and limiting to keep the meters out of the red!
Ken
Ken Carver has been a musician and performer since the early 70's, and involved with live music production since the mid 70's. He worked for 15 years as a broadcast engineer, building numerous studios and transmitter sites around Texas. He's also worked in Critical Care Communications for the medical industry, R&D for an automated lighting manufacturer, and owned Project Lighting & Sound in the 80's. He currently heads up an R&D Hardware Technician Team at National Instruments in Austin, and still performs on the weekends in the Central Texas area. You can reach Ken at itsjustlogistics@gmail.com
I've been quoted over the years as saying "Freedom of speech includes volume". And in my younger days I tended to view sound pressure level as a tool for impressing audiences...since I wasn't really impressing them with my playing.
Time and technology have tempered that with me. That, and taking a lot of hearing damage in the process (although I can probably blame years of radio with blaring headphones on for hours on end for most of that).
The lesson that a lot of people miss out on is that there's a difference between "loud" and "repulsive". It's all about striking a balance in not only the mix, but the spectral content of your system. Oh yeah, having an understanding of how the ear works and how the brain processes sounds (psychoacoustics) will put you in a good position to be able to tweak your system.
First, here's a really quick lesson in psychoacoustics and the mechanical functions of ear. There will not be a quiz afterwards, and I'll spare you a lot of the medical jargon:
The Frequency Response Of Our Ears Is Anything But Flat
Evolution has adapted our hearing to be most sensitive between 300 to about 3000 Hz. Coincidentally, that's about the range of human speech. Pretty cool, huh?
We're especially sensitive between 1000 to 3000 Hz, because that's where the cues our in our speech patterns to discern between "P", "B", "T", and so on. So, if you've got a lot of energy in your mix in this region, you're going to sound louder than you really are. In other words, you could be reading a sound pressure level (SPL) of only about 90dB (which is kind of quiet for a rock band), but still driving people out of the room.
I'll almost always cut 2200 to 2800 Hz by a few dB, even if room analysis says I don't need it. What you're essentially doing is counteracting the ear's response curve, and that allows you to bring everything else up.
One of the funniest statements I've heard was from the sound man for Houston-based rockers King's X. He said something along the lines of "those frequencies should have never been invented".
Convey Power With The Low End
Down below about 150 Hz is where some real magic lives. This is where you can really convey a sense of power without hurting people's ears. But, you've got to have the speakers to support it. Trying to coax 60 Hz out of a 10" speaker is just going to guarantee you that you'll have to recone that sucker sooner than later.
On my big systems, I'll usually run RTA (Real Time Analysis) on the room and get everything fairly flat (with the highs falling off starting at about 8 kHz). Then I'll crank the send to the subs up about 6dB. For most rooms, that seems to be the recipe.
Be Careful In Power Alley
"Power Alley" is what a lot of sound guys affectionately call 200 to 500 Hz. That's where you can deliver a lot of punch in a mix. It's also where you can turn a mix to mud very quickly. Why? If you stop and think about it, every instrument (including the voice) has fundamental frequencies in that band.
See how you can quickly get a build up in that space? On top of that, guess what the average 30' x 15' x 8' room starts resonating at? About 250 Hz depending on who's calculation you're using.
The room resonance will usually show up on RTA, but you have to be aware that it's easy to wind up in a null of the wave...and then the analyzer is going to tell you to add in even more energy. Even if you don't have an RTA, make yourself a CD or MP3 of pink noise and play it back through your system. Then, just walking around the room you can hear where the nulls and peaks are in the response. Unless you're using a multi-zone PA system, the best you can do is compromise here. Just remember if your mix feels like it's starting to get away from you, this is where I usually make a cut to try to clear things up.
Keep this in mind when you're setting up your mix...if you find yourself cutting the same frequency on every channel then you've got a system issue. Fix it with your main EQ and then go back to your individual channels.
The Case For Compression
It used to be that compressors were really luxury items. On my big systems back in the 80's I think I might have had just a couple of channels worth across the mains (it was a Symetrix that set me back several hundred dollars). Flash forward to the late 90's, and you can get 8 channels worth of better compression (along with gating and expansion) for less money (the Presonus ACP-88 is still a favorite). Now, it's pretty easy to find consoles with compression built into at least the sub-groups if not every channel. The Presonus StudioLive console I just deployed has the digital equivalent of 30 some-odd compressors and limiters in it...just amazing.
Adding just a bit of compression (say 1.5:1 or 2:1) across your mains will tighten everything up and add density to the mix. Again, giving the impression of power without actually pummeling your audience. Plus, it makes you sound more "like the record" for those of you interested in such things.
On a very simple level, compression reduces the dynamic range of music (the difference between the softest and loudest sounds). It literally lets you cram more sound into a smaller space. Radio stations have been using it for decades, and then about 10 years ago (when MP3's really started to proliferate) mastering engineers starting using it on recordings. There were repercussions, and we'll delve into that later.
Make The Volume Fit The Room
Just my opinion, but there's some music that demands to be loud (most rock-n-roll), and then there's music that shouldn't be. I remember going to see Willie Nelson back in the late 70's. I wound up leaving after 4 songs....he was louder than Black Sabbath (who I had see a couple of weeks before). That, and the system wasn't tuned very well. Didn't matter...I found out later that's the way Willie wanted it. Sorry, but "Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain" at 112 dB was just silly.
What ever your music and wherever you're playing, watch the audience. If they're retreating, then you probably need to address something.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not against bumping the master up a bit as the night goes on and people's inhibitions get lowered. Just don't go past what the room / music dictate. And definitely don't go beyond what you're system can deliver cleanly.
It Sounded Better At Sound Check Earlier...
As you up the volume, funny things start happening to your hearing. Your middle ear actually has a limiter function engineered into it. And remember how I said your hearing was anything but a flat frequency response? Well, as things get louder that response curve tends to flatten out. That was discovered by a couple of dudes named Fletcher and Munson all the way back in 1933.
I won't repeat their research, but check out the idea behind the Fletcher-Munson curves on Wiki-pedia. This is the reason you need to EQ your system at the level you intend to play out. If you EQ it loud and then turn it down, the lows and highs will be weak. Do the opposite and EQ at a reduced volume (because the bar staff doesn't want you to run their regular afternoon drunks off), when you turn it up it's going to be overly boomy and strident.
Have you ever wondered what that button on your stereo marked "Loudness" or "Loud" was doing? Well, that's it...it's correcting for the change in our hearing when the the volume is turned down. You can scratch "Find out what that freakin' button does" off your bucket list now.
I realize it got a little heady in this article, and I appreciate the folks that made it through!
I've mentioned some things about compression this week, and that's probably one of the most misunderstood aspects of audio processing. Next week, we'll talk about using compression in a live setting. We'll also talk about compression's cousin, limiting.
Until then, keep the meters out of the red.
Ken
Ken Carver has been a musician and performer since the early 70's, and involved with live music production since the mid 70's. He worked for 15 years as a broadcast engineer, building numerous studios and transmitter sites around Texas. He's also worked in Critical Care Communications for the medical industry, R&D for an automated lighting manufacturer, and owned Project Lighting & Sound in the 80's. He currently heads up an R&D Hardware Technician Team at National Instruments in Austin, and still performs on the weekends in the Central Texas area. You can reach Ken at itsjustlogistics@gmail.com
