# Can a sound engineer with live stage experience explain to me why...



## Andromalia (Jun 18, 2016)

In EVERY ***** open air show I attend, the first 10 minutes have over the top drum kicks making the public go back 20 cm at every hit ?

I know they do balance with an empty field and that the public once present likely dampens the highs more so why in the nine bleeping hells don't engineers account for it ? I'm talking big bands with big budget here, like an unnamed one who tours on a 747 and some guys raving about their drakkars, in a big "brand" festival to boot. I suspect they do have the means to hire some very competent people, so why does this *always* happen ?


----------



## A-Branger (Jun 23, 2016)

i havent experience what you are saying, but one of the many reasons could be a difference on playing from the sound check.

some guys might have only a random dude playing the kit and not the main drummer. Or during sound check they might just play normal, but once the show starts the they really dig into it.


----------



## Rachmaninoff (Jun 23, 2016)

Andromalia said:


> I know they do balance with an empty field and that the public once present likely dampens the highs more so why in the nine bleeping hells don't engineers account for it ?



They do, but it's very hard to guess it 100% right. The fine tuning is done during the first song. The sound guy must not only be experienced, but he also must know the venue very well, in order to make it work before the band starts playing.


----------



## bostjan (Jun 23, 2016)

Generally more stigma attached to the kick being too quiet than to it being too loud plays a part, too, I believe. Also, often times, there is less compression on the low end to get a tighter attack, so the levels can be touchier, but mostly what's already been said.


----------



## TonyFlyingSquirrel (Jul 20, 2016)

Believe it or not, wind and temperature can have significant affects on sound quality, especially in open air.

Here in the U.S.A., many outdoor gigs are setup in Ampitheaters or Stadiums, which allow for some natural projection of sound toward a specific direction. Open air situations like some of the larger raceways or fields are not even remotely engineered with sound reproduction in mind.


----------



## Bloody_Inferno (Jul 21, 2016)

TonyFlyingSquirrel said:


> Believe it or not, wind and temperature can have significant affects on sound quality, especially in open air.
> 
> Here in the U.S.A., many outdoor gigs are setup in Ampitheaters or Stadiums, which allow for some natural projection of sound toward a specific direction. Open air situations like some of the larger raceways or fields are not even remotely engineered with sound reproduction in mind.



 Outdoor performances have so many variables largely due to natural elements. Even some of the best live acts will suffer in sound in certain conditions, and even differ if you're standing in a certain part of the field.

One of the best festival bands I've ever heard was Garbage. One of the key factors that separated them from the rest of the bands I saw that day was that the drums had a plexi glass barrier. It was such a simple but very effective solution with drums. That and I guess it certainly helps to be a band with members mostly consists of experienced producers. They were sonically the best sounding band I heard that day.


----------

