The Soundcheck: Tuning in for a Great Performance

The Soundcheck: Tuning in for a Great Performance

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson you should be able to explain how to undertake a soundcheck with a live band.

Introduce the learning objective and set expectations for the lesson.

What do you already know about soundchecks?

What is a Soundcheck?

A soundcheck is a process that takes place before a live performance to ensure that the sound and equipment are working properly.

Explain what a soundcheck is and why it is important.

Step 1: Setting up the Stage

Before the band arrives, set up the stage with all necessary equipment, including microphones, speakers, and instruments.

Explain the importance of setting up the stage before the soundcheck.

Step 2: Line Check

The first step of the soundcheck is to check all the cables and connections. This is called a line check.

Explain the purpose of a line check and how to conduct one.

Step 3: Checking Individual Instruments

Next, each individual instrument and microphone should be checked to ensure they are properly connected and functioning.

This means ensuring that there are no broken guitar strings, all cables are working and functional, all drum kit screws are tight and anything else that the band needs is in working order.

Explain how to check each instrument and microphone.

Step 4: Adjusting Sound Levels

Once all instruments are checked, the sound engineer should adjust the sound levels to ensure the band sounds balanced. The faders on a sound desk work the same way that the Logic mixer page does. 

Explain the importance of sound levels and how to adjust them.

Step 5: Testing the Mix

After sound levels are adjusted, the sound engineer should test the mix to ensure everything sounds good together. If the different components of the mix DONT sound good together, this can be solved by:

- Use of EQ (removing clashing frequencies)

- Using of compression (controlling dynamic range)

- Re-balancing the volume/gain of each individual sound

Explain how to test the mix and what to listen for.

Step 6: Feedback Check

Finally, the sound engineer should check for any feedback, which is a loud, high-pitched noise that can occur when the microphone picks up its own sound. 

Feedback happens when the sound from the speakers is picked up by the microphone and is re-amplified and sent to the speakers again. This continuous loop results in the howl/rumble of the feedback effect.

Explain what feedback is, how to check for it, and how to eliminate it.

What causes feedback?

Feedback can result from a number of factors such as:

- Microphone placement

- Loudspeaker placement

- Frequency response of both devices

- Room acoustics

How to eliminate feedback

A number of options should be considered to eliminate feedback including:

- Avoid placing microphones near to the loudspeakers

- Place microphone as close to the sound source as possible, rather than increasing the volume of the microphone

- Use directional microphones, such as cardioid or supercardioid

- Reduce the number of open microphones on a speech system

- Use graphic equalisers or parametric equalisers to ring out the frequencies where feedback occurs

- Add a feedback eliminating device to your audio system to cut the exact frequency causing the feedback

- Avoid hard / reflective surfaces in the environment

- Advise the presenter or performer where to stand (and where not to stand) on stage or in the room to avoid proximity to loudspeakers

Recap

1. What is a soundcheck?

2. Why does "feedback" occur?

3. What can a sound team do to remove feedback?

4. What is the first stage of a sound check?

5. Whilst sound checking, the different instruments the band are using sound unbalanced. What are some tools we can use to combat this on the sound desk?

Provide instructions for the practice activity, including how long students have to practice and how you will evaluate their performance.