And The Answer Is....

So...how did everyone do on last week's test? 

I know you're waiting with baited breath (or is that coffee breath).  Anyway, here are the answers.

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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

Like it or not, you're in the spot light as soon as you start rolling into the venue.


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

Use that handy dandy outlet tester that you ran out and bought last year.  It's cheap insurance against frying a piece of gear...or worse yet, you!


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

Don't make any more obstacles than you have to.  Hang your banner and lights from the back wall, run your upstage cross connections, and then work to the front of the stage.


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. An power supply failure
   2. A faulty cable
   3. A ground loop
   4. A fruit loop

A power supply failure can cause hum, as can a faulty cable.  But the hum would be there before you connect the gear. 


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

You will likely be dealing with people that have no idea what's involved in putting a live band's production together.  I will also accept answer D, as it helps with A.


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

By reducing the dynamic range of an audio source, it's easier to get it to sit in the mix.


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

Drum kits, big keyboard rigs, and horn sections are all good candidates for sub-grouping.  Vocals work really well in a sub-group with compression across the bus.


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

Power Alley is the portion of the audio spectrum where just about every source (except cymbals) has fundamental frequencies.  This is where your mix can get away from you.


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

Nothing makes you want to throw things at rehearsal more than to find out you've learned the radio edit version, while the rest of the band picked up on the extended dance remix.


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

While there are no hard and fast rules, your time-based effects will have the greatest effect at the end of the pedal signal chain or in the effects loop of your amp.


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

Power equals volts multiplied by amps. There's no variable for "country of origin" in any of the formulae.


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 them
    3. The peak detect light comes on
    4. There's blood coming from the lead vocalist's ears

Once you've reached that point, you're really not going to get anymore out of the system.


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

Batteries will give you the quietest performance from a pedal. However, they are not the most reliable (and it's easy to forget to change them before a show). The switching supplies are the most efficient, but can be a noise source. The linear supply is the best compromise (but I'd pay money to see that eel power supply).


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

If the main amps weren't on, you wouldn't hear anything. Not having the monitors up shouldn't affect the mains. Check for a button on the mixer that shouldn't be pushed.


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.

For every 18 degrees F you can drop the temperature of a component, you essentially double it's life. Cold can affect some electronic components (mainly electrolytic capacitors), but you've got to get down below -100 F before it's a problem.  Unless you're doing an outdoor gig in Siberia, don't worry about it.


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

Showing up to a rehearsal unprepared is unfair to your band mates. Don't be that guy!


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

A stage plot is a prime example of a picture being worth a whole lot of words.


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"

You're there to entertain the audience, not the bar staff. Remember, if they can't hear the drink orders, your night is going to go down hill really fast.


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

You have to know where you're going before any other plans can be made. The routing will make or break you on a tour.


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

Please tell me you got that one right!


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All right folks...the winner of the iTunes gift card is Murray Jones from right here in Austin!  Congrats Murray.


Next week, random thoughts. 

Until then....see question #20.




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