Genuine question for men in bands: have live sound engineers ever touched your pedals, tried to explain/negotiate your tone to you, or changed your settings without asking you?
55
13
131
Replies
@probpatterns a sound engineer once got so involved with what he thought we were doing wrong specifically with vocals he sneakily plugged a mic into his desk and sang his own. he obv kept it out of the monitors so we didnt know during the gig, only until people told us after.
8
0
21
@probpatterns Not really no. Except for one time when he said my guitar sounded like Bees (it did sound like bees)
1
0
9
@probpatterns No but I’ve had engineers ask me if they can put tape on my cymbals cuz they’re too loud. Only times I’ve seen engineers touch pedals is for female guitar players. Usually without permission or explaining why they’re doing it
1
0
4
@probpatterns For my artist project, it’s just me and one male band member. Most sound engineers totally ignore me, assuming I know nothing & direct all questions, including ones about the instruments I’m clearly playing, to the male band member. It’s enraging.
3
0
4
@probpatterns That shouldn’t happen. I personally think as an artist you should be open to what problems there are with your sound BUT you don’t tamper with the artists gear. Never.
1
0
3
@probpatterns Cheap pedals always get a smirk, giggle or 'you gotta get some new pedals man' then at the end of the show proceeds to say how great the show was. All the gear, no idea...
0
0
3
@probpatterns All the time. I always found it usefull, what sounds great on stage doesnt always sound great outfront. However nobody has changed my settings without asking me. That would be a massive no no
0
0
3
@probpatterns Sometimes. Once during a set break I looked up to see the guy with my amp in his arms, dragging cables and pedals along the floor behind him, because it turned out he thought the first set was too loud and he decided to get a different angle going. Never played there again.
1
0
2
@probpatterns This thread 😵💫 ... thankfully we have lovely sound engineers in #Leicester now!🔊
0
0
2
@probpatterns Every now and then you find engineers who thinks everyone is inferior and don’t understand music the way they do. Hope you didn’t tell them you wanted to use your own amps… 😂🙄
0
0
2
@probpatterns I use my bass guitar súper fuzzed, one guy told me if my equipment was not working well as per my sound…. I love my sound motherfucker!!!!
0
0
1
@probpatterns I’m a fella. once a punk sound engineer commented that I had too many pedals. I found that disconcerting and it threw off my performance a bit.
0
0
1
@probpatterns Had a few problems with our female vocalist's set up. Where they say her way can't work, try their way for a bit, then go back to her original set up anyway 🙄
0
0
1
@probpatterns Ugh, that's awful... Only ever been asked to turn down the volume on stage in over 30 years of gigs.
0
0
1
@probpatterns Told me to take the reverb off completely because he didn’t like it and proceeded to just twist any old knob on my settings instead of asking me to do it myself and then asked if he could turn my entire amp on its side because he didn’t like that it had wheels 🤦🏻♂️
0
0
1
@probpatterns I completely understand people’s disgust at this and no one should ever touch your stuff without asking. However, if a competent sound engineer makes a suggestion, you should take it on-board. They see a lot of bands and have one job - make the band sound the best they can!
0
0
1
@probpatterns Yes but asked permission to try something as they engineered for us frequently. Used this new set up going forward because it worked really well.
0
0
1
@probpatterns Nope. Just the odd request to turn amp up or down, tweak amp eq a bit. But they never touched any kit. Of course this was only ever in venues with one soundie at the back of the room.
0
0
1
@probpatterns Yes, and looking back I had a lot to learn. Treble was way up and tone was terrible
0
0
1
@probpatterns Nope, but I always sketched my settings on a piece of paper in case this happened. Not had a sound engineer who cared enough to tinker!
0
0
1
@probpatterns Not without asking…usually a chat, suggestion, discuss what they are thinking then…try it at sound check.
0
0
0
@probpatterns I stopped going to a small 70 capacity venue because the guy behind the desk was shocking. He ignored what the band wanted & did his own thing. And turned it up so loud to attempt to cover his incompetence. Just because you own lots of kit, doesn’t mean you know how to use it!
0
0
0
@probpatterns Yes, It's a profession with a lot of condescending cranks working hours that don't necessarily lead to a good work/life balance...plenty of good ones too of course.
0
0
0
@probpatterns Yep, had a few discussions about tone at soundcheck but if they ever changed my pedal settings behind my back they'd be liable to lose a couple of fingers!
0
0
0