Live sound is the main setting / approach

• Most likely will have and AV person on staff but may not have much knowledge of what the ensemble is supposed to sound like

Big Band

• Microphones

• • Soloists

  • Singer(s)

  • Sometimes saxes but they shouldn't need to be - depends on balance of the ensemble

  • As little volume as possible for them to be heard - as acoustic as possible

    • Reinforce sound, don't change it

  • Maybe train a student who doesn't play in the ensemble to run stuff

  • Durability >>> quality

  • 3 different types

    • Dynamic - SM58 (identical to the SM57 but with wind screen)

      • SM57 is often for instruments and SM58 are for vocals

        • SM58 are VERY durable

        • Good all-purpose mics

        • High SPDBL - sound pressure decibel level

          • Can handle large amounts of sound w/o distortion (i.e. tpt, tbns, snares)

        • Not good at overtones and transience (sound characteristics)

        • $100-120

    • Condenser - large diaphragm vs. small diaphragm

      • Very fragile and need a power source (48V from the board - "phantom power")

      • Don't have a very high SPDBL

      • Give really accurate sound profile

      • Good one is $3000, decent $300-700

    • Ribbon - looks similar to condenser mics

      • Need power, need a booster box for signal, even more fragile

      • Gorgeous, warm, natural sound

      • Very expensive

      • Good for recording/mixing

  • Piano

    • Two mics in the sound board

      • one high end, one low end

    • Could use "boundary mics" but can be too echo-y

• The Board

• • Mixer + control surface (analog = both combined)

    • Connected by modem (password protected!) / ethernet cable / CAD cable

    • Mics/amps plug into mixer with XLR cables

  • Channels

    • Numbered - knobs correspond to separate mic channel

      • Trim / gain / pre-amp = master control of signal coming from input (mic or amp)

        • Lots can slow signal down (impedance = sound friction, OHMS) - no "magic spot"

          • Start knob at the top and adjust from there

    • Input (everything coming into the board)

    • Output (everything going out of the board into main speakers)

      • Sub-outputs (monitors on stage)

      • Aux output (for effects)

    • Monitors - can adjust individual signals in specific monitor mixes

      • Can adjust levels individually

        • Pre-fader = pure naked signal, effects bypass what players hear in the monitors

        • Post-fader = takes into effects into account for all outputs

    • Low-cut button (aka "shelf") = high-pass filter; anything under a certain Hertz level gets filtered out to help with clarity

    • Pan

      • Controls if signal comes more from left or right speakers

    • Mute

    • Solo button - isolates specific channel in earphones

  • Gain vs. Volume

    • Set main volume at Unity Gain

      • If you still can't hear a certain input, adjust that specific channel's gain, but don't go beyond Unity Gain - usually don't need to go beyond "12 o'clock" on the gain knob

  • Little knobs = individual control [monitors] --> sliders = group control [main speakers]