From: avac002@csc.canterbury.ac.nz
Subject: New Zealand live,engineers,PV etc
Organization: University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 05:13:05 GMT

Hi sound world sound people.

Only just discovered this news group but as a live and studio sound engineer
for over 10 years I must say it's good to be able to tap into different
opinions and ideas.

I live in Christchurch New Zealand , a city of 300,000 people that most touring
acts don't bother coming to because of a very expensive piece of water that
divides our island from the bulk of the population.
We're pretty spoiled and well catered for sound wise with two good PA companies
who really care about sound and who are always looking for ways to improve 
their systems.
The prices for some reason are vey reasonable with an average rig for a 300 -
500 person venue costing $300 - $350 even cheaper if your willing to lug the
mother. (NZ $3 = 1 british pound) For that you get a sound craft or soundtrac's
24 channel urei or clark technic 31 bands 2 spx90's / 900's , 3 way etc. pretty
good really.
Most of the stuff these guys try to accumulate in their rigs is NAME brand
tried and true stuff and I'd have to agree with them on this decision.
As a sound engineer I quite offen don't have the time to check out some obscure 
brand of mike that may or maynot give a good snare sound. What I want and need
to do my job well is what I have learnt will work. I like SM57's. There not
that expensive and until I find something better that's what I want in my
rider. Thanks for the last minute advice from the PA owner but I know my job,
my band and my sound and if that's what I want give it to me.

Don't get me wrong - I'm open to suggestions and ideas but they're for next
time and when I get a chance to try them out. I've done a few local tours and
1 world tour with 500 - 1000 sized gigs and when I'm under pressure after
driving for 8 hours to get to a gig I want as much as possible to be familiar.
I'm looking for what I know is a minimum to get my bands to an acceptable
standard and I don't mean to stand on the toes of the rig owner or inhouse
dudes but I've got to do what I know and trust. (while  keeping and open mind
of course)

Someone mentioned about band sound engineers being guided by PA technicians and
the possibly redundant nature of the band engineer.
In the recording situation you have a producer who thinks about the music and
the big picture and the engineer who fixes the details.
I like this in a live situation as well. Crossover points , speaker
configurations etc I'll have to trust you to do the best with your system but I
know my bands music and you'll have to let me do the best I Know for them.
Also it's how I got started and learned by being under the guidence of a
technically proficent person. It let me be creative and I even picked up a few
points along the way. I now have preferences on things beyond mikes and effects
units. God help us.

And about the peavey argument.
I;ve only had a small amount of personal experience with their stuff and it
wasn't all good. I bought a bass amp about 5 years ago a mark four head I
think. I was pretty good tonally and I could see it being good for jazz etc. My
band play reasonably loud and although it said on the back 300 watts this
turned out to be into 2 ohms. Fuck carting round 4 x eight ohm speakers to get
the max power (Excluding the obvious 4 x 10 cabs which I didn't own).
Their amps are pretty gutless and everyone knows it and I was put off by this
experience. I've tried a couple of other bass rigs of peavey's and it's the
same story. rated as louder than it is. peavey feels like a con to me and until
they can prove this preconception wrong I'll approach anything they make with
caution. Thus is the nature of the fickle counsumer with a choice.

Have a good christmas people.

cheers etc


Rob

Ps what's your favourite Eq CD or tape.
 mine have been peter gabriel so for mids
Morrisey  viva hate for vocal clarity
and The railway children's in the mean time because they've got a punch up
front drm sound and brite guitars.




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