Changing gears, going with the flow, and working the job.

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Changing gears, going with the flow, and working the job.

Postby Malcolm Boyce » Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:24 pm

I recently had a great gig which had some specific challenges that I thought I'd share. I thought it a good example of how going into a situation with expectations and being inflexible can be counterproductive on the job.

I recently mixed FOH for a Jazz artist of great repute. Instrumental... Drums, bass, piano, horns. The rider wasn't super specific, but appeared to have drums, etc all very much close miced for the purposes of PA. I prep as such, and when the leader arrives on the day, he immediately says about the bass drum mic... "You won't be needing that." He also somewhat jokingly said, 'I know I'm probably going to be a pain in the ass.'

For some people, this may have gotten their hackles up and a way to start a lousy day. Some techs first reaction to that may be, "I won't tell you how to play, if you won't tell me how to do my job." but in this case, as in many, that would be a huge mistake. This was an artist who knew specifically what he wanted out front, and with a little coaxing, I got it out of him. The fact that his first language is french helped slow the process a little, but he explained that he wanted the house sound to be "amplified, but appear un-amplified". That's all I needed.

I changed my choice of microphones for horns and drums. The piano stayed the same, and the bass was direct anyway. The drum kit, instead of being entirely close miced ended up as a pair of overheads and a snare "close" mic... actually about a foot away. The horns instead of dynamics in the bell... condensers a little further out.

Everyone was super happy with the end result, and we all had a great day... minus the upright bass that Air Canada lost.
"Once again, it is NEVER the gear that makes a good record.
It just fills Forum pages..." --compasspnt

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Re: Changing gears, going with the flow, and working the job.

Postby macrae11 » Mon Feb 28, 2011 9:56 am

I wrote a response to this, but apparently it got lost in the ether. Here's a short form version:

I've had similar experiences several times. Jazz drummers seem to often have this condition, for whatever reason, but once they realize that you're on their side they're usually the most friendly accommodating players to deal with, even in less than ideal situations.
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Re: Changing gears, going with the flow, and working the job.

Postby Malcolm Boyce » Mon Feb 28, 2011 1:59 pm

Some "Jazz Drummers" don't realize that while cool to record with just a pair of OHs and a front of kit mic, live, in a large venue, it works about as well as micing a guitar cab from 10' away. Also cool for some recording, but live... ugggg....
"Once again, it is NEVER the gear that makes a good record.
It just fills Forum pages..." --compasspnt

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Re: Changing gears, going with the flow, and working the job.

Postby gamblor » Tue Mar 01, 2011 1:16 pm

You should've close mic'd and gated his toms to spite him!!
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Re: Changing gears, going with the flow, and working the job.

Postby Malcolm Boyce » Tue Mar 01, 2011 1:25 pm

Just to be clear, this particular gig had nothing to do with the drummer, and everything to do with the bandleader who in this case is a well known sax player.
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It just fills Forum pages..." --compasspnt

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Re: Changing gears, going with the flow, and working the job.

Postby Mathieu Benoit » Tue Mar 01, 2011 5:43 pm

I'd have to say, I bet many of these artist that come into Saint John to perform at the Imperial Theatre are quite impressed with the amount of professionalism that is brought to the table by Jim and the crew. I'm glad to help out in my small way, but seriously it's a pretty well run venue that would hold it's own with any other venue of it's class anywhere in the world. Part of it is that you guys are well equipped but mostly it's that you guys have a really good crew of people. You guys must get comments from artists management from time to time completementing the venue and it's crew, no?
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Re: Changing gears, going with the flow, and working the job.

Postby Malcolm Boyce » Tue Mar 01, 2011 9:35 pm

Drumwaiter wrote:I'd have to say, I bet many of these artist that come into Saint John to perform at the Imperial Theatre are quite impressed with the amount of professionalism that is brought to the table by Jim and the crew. I'm glad to help out in my small way, but seriously it's a pretty well run venue that would hold it's own with any other venue of it's class anywhere in the world. Part of it is that you guys are well equipped but mostly it's that you guys have a really good crew of people. You guys must get comments from artists management from time to time completementing the venue and it's crew, no?
Just like anything else, we have good days and bad. You do learn to see your work through the eyes of people who tour everywhere. People tend to make good public comments, and keep negative things to themselves. You eventually can tell the difference between the obligatory compliment, and the real deal.

I do take pride in the reputation of a friendly, welcoming attitude that the crew at Imperial has cultivated for itself, and by and large the entire city here.
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It just fills Forum pages..." --compasspnt

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