[andrzejpw]

Well, I'm a sophmore @ my high school. I'm running sound for our musical. Now, our school's musical is BIG. 35 thousand dollars big. I've done sound @ my high school TONS of times for different things. Middle school musicals, dance studios, concerts, etc. I want to do a GREAT job. The question? Help me EQ. How should my Lavs sound(lavalier/wireless mikes)? My ambient mikes?

I've got a denon 370>cmoy>hd580s. Is there any way to help me train my ear by next friday?

Now, don't think that a complete amateur is doing it. There haven't been any complaints about me.

I THINK I'm doing my job right . . .

 

[Mumrik]

Good luck buddy, make us proud

 

[Audio-Me]

Boost lows on wireless, don't mess with the midrange. Only adjust highs for echo on wired mic. Ambient is the hard part, because you want to keep it "live"/natural. I don't recommend using 20db attenuate switch, keep it on low/normal gain, watch out for magnetic interference.

 

[dngl]

This is really basic, and I'm sure you know more than me. I'm just passing along what I know.

When EQing the people, cut frequencies that their voice doesn't hit; that will reduce noise. The rest is just basics, which you already know...

 

[andrzejpw]

Guys, give me the basics! Or a sight that will help. I want this right! I mean, usually when I EQ, I just make everything flat, then start from there. Give me the basics guys! I'm very new at this. I'm against EQ, but when you're live . . . its a different story.

btw, its west side story.

 

[Audio-Me]

Don't **** with it, leave it alone.

That way, you won't cause unnecessary problems. If you leave it flat, and you notice a flaw during rehearsal, that's the time to adjust.

 

[dngl]

Waiting for rehearsal is a bad idea. Our theatre performs in a large hall made for performances (Bridges Auditorium at the Claremont Colleges), but the acoustics in there are terrible and everything would be unintelligible if there were no EQing. Get the people up on stage one at a time, have them recite lines in character, and EQ until they can be understood. Basically find out what the room does for the sound and compensate for it...

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Do you need a dB meter and test tones for this?

 

[cajunchrist]

Since you are the sound engineer, you should take time to work with each actor individually to do level checks etc. for them. This is done before rehearsal to get them accustomed to working with you. Remember: their mic equipement is just as important as any piece of costuming, since they will be wearing it, so it is your responsiblility to make sure that the performers are comfortable with its placement, the way you want it worn, etc.

I further suggest that you do an individual voice test with the performers moving as their character will move on the set in full costume before rehearsal so you can see if their movements in costume will cause the dreaded mic "skkrunnk" and to see how they sound. This is the time where individual EQing can happen and will be most useful.

The best tip to remember is not to raise their mic levels too high. The speakers are there to support the singer's voices, not to substitute for it. The audience should not be looking at the speaker stack when the performer is singing.

Good luck. I enjoyed doing sound in college, and I may well study it in graduate school.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Quote:

The best tip to remember is not to raise their mic levels too high. The speakers are there to support the singer's voices, not to substitute for it. The audience should not be looking at the speaker stack when the performer is singing.

In that case keep the levels for the mics for instruments even lower. It is a rare concert where I can make out the singer's voice from the background music

Quote:

Good luck. I enjoyed doing sound in college, and I may well study it in graduate school.

What course would that be?

 

[cajunchrist]

Well, I don't think there are many specific post-graduate study courses specifically for sound for the theatre. What I want to do is find a small college that has a theatre M.A. or M.F.A. and not much of a sound department, and pretty much build the department (and my education) myself.

If you give us more details about your production, maybe we can make some more specific recommendations.

I feel that instruments usually take care of themselves, and only need a bit of reinforcement to blend voices and instruments together. Trust your ears above all else.

AND DON'T TAKE NO **** FROM NOBODY!

 

[andrzejpw]

Well, I'm definitaly going to tweak their mics individually. Today, If I can. So basically, I should put it flat, and then tweak from there?

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Unless the frequency response of your mikes is documented?

 

[andrzejpw]

hmm. Yeah, I have the manuals somewhere to the AKGs(wireless). Don't remember the model off hand. . . 300?

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Quote:

Do you need a dB meter and test tones for this?

So would somebody tell me?