Open Your Test Booklets

All right gang...you were warned last week.  And here it is, the official "It's Just Logistics" Quiz.  The first person to email the results of the test back and get 'em all right will get an iTunes gift card...a small one, but a gift card none the less.

In the event that nobody gets a perfect score, the gift card will go to the highest score with the earliest time stamp.

Good luck.  And....begin!

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1. When does the show start?
   1. On the downbeat of the first song
   2. At the last rehearsal before the gig
   3. At load-in
   4. After everyone has had a shot of Patron or Jack Daniels


2. What should you do before hooking up to power at a new venue?
   1. Check that the outlets are wired correctly and have a functioning ground
   2. Determine what outlets are on the same circuit
   3. Both a. and b.
   4. Get everyone a shot of Patron or Jack Daniels


3. How should you "build" your stage setup?
   1. Back to front, top to bottom
   2. Stage Left to Stage Right
   3. From the middle out to the edges
   4. The same way you play Jinga


4. You've determined that two normally well behaved pieces of equipment start humming as soon as they are connected together. The cause is most likely:
   1. A power supply failure
   2. A faulty cable
   3. A ground loop
   4. A fruit loop


5. When performing at private parties, the key to a successful gig is:
   1. Remaining patient and flexible
   2. Getting half the money up front
   3. Loading in and out through the kitchen
   4. Doubling up on your Prozac before leaving the house


6. The function of a compressor to:
   1. Limit the dynamic range of a signal
   2. Re-equalize a signal
   3. Correct the pitch of a singer
   4. Make up for a crappy pack in the trailer


7. When should you use sub-groups?
   1. When you need to control the level of several sources without changing the balance between them
   2. When you need to apply processing or effects to several sources
   3. Both a. and b.
   4. When the main group is late to the gig and you need a replacement


8. What is "Power Alley"?
   1. 20Hz to 50Hz
   2. 200Hz to 500Hz
   3. 2000Hz to 5000Hz
   4. Where most of the crack dealers in Austin hang out


9. When your band picks a song to cover, make sure everyone learns:
   1. The same version and key of the song
   2. All of the lyrics so anyone can sing it
   3. English and Spanish versions
   4. The entire Phil Collins catalog


10. Generally speaking, when assembling a pedal board which effect should go last in the signal chain?
    1. Compression
    2. Distortion
    3. Delay
    4. The on/off switch for the fog machine


11. When discussing "American" watts and "British" watts, it's important to remember:
    1. American watts are louder
    2. British watts are louder
    3. It has to do with the differences in line voltage
    4. The person talking about the two terms is a idiot


12. When EQ'ing monitors, stop when:
    1. All of the sliders are at the top or bottom of their travel
    2. You've moved about one-third of the sliders
    3. The peak detect light comes on
    4. There's blood coming from the lead vocalist's ears 


13. From a reliability and noise stand point, the best way to power a pedal board is:
    1. Batteries
    2. A switching power supply (like a 1-Spot)
    3. A linear power supply (like a Voodoo Labs Power Plus)
    4. A tank of electric eels being aggitated by a trained monkey


14. You've just fired up your PA. The drum and instrument mics are working, but none of the vocal mics are coming through. The problem is likely:
    1. The main power amps did not get turned on
    2. The monitors are not connected
    3. The vocal sub-group on the board is muted
    4. President Obama's fault


15. The #1 enemy of electronics is:
    1. Humidity
    2. Temperature
    3. Vibration
    4. A 1st semester electronics student with a Radio Shack soldering iron.


16. When should you learn your parts to a song?
    1. On your own time
    2. During rehearsal so the rest of the band can help you
    3. During sound check
    4. On the way to the gig


17. When working with a house sound man or hired PA, the most helpful thing you can give them is:
    1. Verbal instructions on how your band is set up
    2. Nothing...they're pros and will figure it out
    3. An up to date stage plot
    4. Weed


18. PA speakers should be aimed:
    1. Straight ahead to minimize bleed onto the stage
    2. Toward the main audience area
    3. At the bar
    4. Right at the guy yelling for "Freebird"


19. When booking an extended tour, the first thing you should look at is:
    1. Routing
    2. Accomodations
    3. Getting plenth of merchandise to sell after the shows
    4. Having a "connection" in each city you're playing in


20. Keep the meters out of:
    1. The green
    2. The red
    3. The black
    4. Your corn hole

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OK...put your pencils down...or however you're doing this.  Don't forget...the first person to get 'em all right and email their answers to itsjustlogistics@gmail.com  gets the glory and the iTunes card.

The answers will be posted next week.

Until then....you know.

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