7 Tips for Better Stage Sound

At some point, it’s going to happen to every band: great gig, shabby sound. While sometimes it’s the venue or local sound tech that’s to blame, the band also has a hand in how they sound. Every band’s stage sound partly determines their success, so whether you’re playing a small café or a big venue, you’ll want to make sure that you come prepared.

#1 – Rehearse in a Live Set-Up

You can already start working on your stage sound during rehearsals. Rehearsal spaces usually lack proper acoustics, which can lead to nasty surprises on stage. When you go from rehearsing in a room where there isn’t much reflection to playing in a big, open space, you might suddenly have to contend with a lot of unwanted reverb and feedback. As such, it’s important that you know your sound through and through. It can be a good idea to test the sound of your amp or drums in a living room or large bathroom, and get used to compromising when you’re dialling in your effects. It’s also true that a lot of bands rehearse in a circular set-up, where everyone hears the same sound and you’re able to look at each other. Converted to an onstage set-up, this often leads to monitor and timing issues. If you’re in a band that doesn’t have much experience playing live, then it’s worth rehearsing in a live set-up more regularly. This forces everyone to learn to play together by listening to each other rather than looking at each other, and you’ll also get a better sense of which instruments you want included in your personal monitor mix.

#2 – Double-Check Your Gear

You’d say it’s self-evident that your instruments and gear need to be in order, yet many musicians neglect to double-check their hardware. A cable knot is easy to fix, but missing an important preset or dealing with a defective amp valve is a whole different story. Also, running vintage gear may score you cool points, but don’t forget that near-antique gadgets often can’t handle the rough and tumble of touring and gigging life. At the same time, it’s not uncommon to see laptops on stage, but it’s also not uncommon for a laptop to drop out due to overheating or vibration overload. What I’m trying to say is: work with dependable gear that you’ve properly tested and don’t overlook the small things, so restring your guitar regularly and replace your cables from time to time. A properly maintained backline can save you from a bunch of embarrassing issues.

See also: How to Prevent Cable Breakage

Example of a technical rider:

#3 – Always Prepare a Technical Rider

When it comes to small gigs, you’ll usually be forced to make do with what you’ve got. If you’re playing a venue where there’s a PA system available however, you should always and I mean always bring a technical rider. A technical rider is an overview of the band’s preferences as far as the stage set-up, amplified sound, monitors, instruments and microphones go. The gig’s organiser will ask for this overview beforehand and pass it on to the sound techs on site. While it’s never guaranteed that everything you ask for will be taken care of, a solid set of directions, preferences and guidelines can go a long way towards an untroubled live performance. If you’re contracted to play, then the technical rider is usually part of the contract, just like the hospitality rider and light show design.

#4 – Establish Ground Rules With Your Mixing Engineer

If you’re working with the local mixing engineer, then you can’t expect them to know the band’s sound and preferences. Mixing live sound is a matter of personal choices that don’t always match your music. Answers to questions like, ‘should the synths be just as loud as the lead guitar or are they just filler?’ and ‘does the rhythm guitarist play a supporting role or do they have a big hand in the guitar sound?’ aren’t always clear based on the technical rider. Needless to say, working with ‘your own’ mixing engineer is always the best option. If there’s no budget for a professional engineer, then you can always opt for an amateur who wants help in exchange for a few beers and the experience alone, or you can ask a loyal fan who knows what they’re doing and provide them with a set of instructions.

7 Tips for Better Stage Sound

#5 – Don’t Waste The Soundcheck

Always make sure that everyone gets to where you’re playing on time so that there’s enough time for an extensive soundcheck. During the sound check, the vocalist needs to make a lot of T and S sounds because those are the sounds that are most prone to feedback, and check to see if the test-vocals are loud enough to avoid clipping and accidentally triggering a compressor. Also, it’s best to leave your guitars on stage before and after the sound check so that they have time to get used to the temperature in the room. The heat coming from the stage lighting can potentially warp the tuning.

#6 – Dial In Your Stage Monitors

A tight live performance always hinges on your stage monitors. Monitors that are too loud can not only cause feedback, but warp your sound. Another common mistake is including too many, if not all instruments in the monitor mix. Each musician should carefully consider what they really need to hear in order to play with the right feel. If the drummer doesn’t need to hear the rhythm guitar or the singer improvises so much that you can’t focus on keeping time, then simply leave them out of your monitor mix. This way, you’ll also have enough output capacity left for tweaking things without increasing the risk of feedback. Running a not-so-powerful guitar amp? Then leave the amplification to the PA system and use the floor monitors. Have a tendency to turn everything up? Then use that wall of sound for personal monitoring purposes.

7 Tips for Better Stage Sound

#7 – In-Ears: Probably a Good Idea

Pro-level musicians have been using them for years: in-ear monitors. Thankfully, these wee bits of kit are becoming more and more attainable for the average musician. One of the advantages of IEM is that the earbuds double as sound dampeners. You also get to dial in your own volume level and you won’t be hit with any feedback. The downside of in-ear monitoring is that you’re less ‘in the moment’, which is at the expense of that live-playing feel. As of yet, there’s also no way to measure the risk of hearing loss when wearing in-ears. If you’re going for in-ear monitors, then be sure to work with an experienced monitor mixer. One wrong move can lead to permanent hearing damage.

No PA System Available?

Depending on where you’re playing, there might not be a pro-grade PA system available. Sometimes, you’re going to have to make do with a vocal sound system and a single monitor, in which case it’s important to thoroughly check which instruments need amplification and which don’t. If the room is rather small, you most likely won’t have to mike up the snare. Experiment with different low-budget set-ups to ensure the most optimal performance, and remember that the best position for the bassist is on the side of the hi-hats. Thinking about buying your own portable PA system? Read this article first!

Don’t Push It

Even if the financial and technical means are there, you should try to keep any requests limited to what’s truly necessary. If you’re not bringing your own sound tech, then sending over an overcomplicated technical rider is usually pointless, while an extremely demanding hospitality rider can easily rub the gig organiser the wrong way. Stick to realistic demands to keep your band interesting for lower-league bookers.