10 Ways to Become the WORST Live Sound Engineer in History

Published: Fri, 07/28/17

I've seen a fair amount of bad behavior when it comes to live sound-techs.

I've probably been pretty bad myself on occasion.

But if you really want to mess everything up before you've even got a steady live gig, you should definitely try some of these things out:

1. You shouldn't care about what the band says, your opinion is the one that matters.

2. Never walk around the venue because it only matters how the music sounds by the mixing board.

3. Place the monitors as close to the players as possible, that's where they'll hear themselves the best.

4. Make sure the singer gets all the instruments in his monitor mix.

5. Never bring extra jack cables. If the players can't remember their cables, they can't play.

6. Constantly ride the faders so it looks like you're doing something awesome.

7. Feedback isn't your fault. It's the singer's for wanting so much of himself in the monitor.

8. Let the guitarists crank up their amps as much as they want. If they drown out the rest of the band, so be it.

9. Show up the late to the sound-check. You know the band will too.

10. When the show's over, just throw the cables in the box. No need to wrap them up.

And finally...if you want to be laughed out of the room,

Never, ever, ever, ever....do this:​​​​​​​

The mic goes on the cabinet, where the speakers are. Not on the amplifier, where the tubes are. They make no sound. 
​​​​​​​
Jokes aside, if you want to really learn how to break into the live industry, know your way around the equipment and set up a kick-ass live show, join our Live Sound Basics course today while you can still get it at 30% off.

In addition to the core course, you'll also get these bonuses for free:

  • Soundcheck Checklist - Step By Step Instructions to Run a Great Soundcheck, Even if You're Doing it for the First Time
  • Feedback Killer Battle Plan - With the Feedback-Killer Battle Plan you'll get clean and clear FOH and monitor mixes without loud and painful feedback killing your ears and the band's mood.
  • The Sound Tech's Guide to Soldering - Whether you want to save money by creating your own cables or save the show by fixing a crucial cable to make the show go on, this guide will teach you how to solder cables like a pro.
  • Live Sound Survival - Big Sounds Out of Small Systems eBook - If you learn these basic live sound principles you can do any gig, from the smallest bar to the largest arenas.
  • Quick Solutions for Your Live Sound Problem Bonus and Interview With Chris Huff from Behind The Mixer

If you'd like to jump into the world of live sound, there's no time like...right now:

www.LiveSoundBasics.net

Have a great weekend!

Björgvin and James