-=> Richard Webb wrote to Dallas Hinton <=-   
      
    RW> On Sun 2039-May-22 13:03, Dallas Hinton (1:153/715) wrote to Richard   
    RW> Webb:   
      
    RW> WIth the warm weather season approaching opportunities for amateur   
    DH> [...]   
    RW> PRofessionalism pays off in getting you hired at other nearby venues   
    RW> where live entertainment is featured as well.   
      
    DH> Nice, Richard -- well put!  Certainly bears out my experiences!   
      
      
    RW> I started that little file of gotchas years ago for posting   
    RW> in alt.audio.pro.live-sound back when it was an active   
    RW> newsgroup.   
      
    RW> Thanks for the feedback.   
      
   I found it an "entertaining" read also.  As you know, I've never    
   done much in the reinforcement industry, but much of the same attitudes    
   apply to the musicians. Are they eager to get back to a drunken jam at the    
   local watering hole in celebration, or are you prepared for a call-back to    
   back the main act on a seven city tour?     
      
   I cringed at the point where your regular tech "wanders" off for    
   refreshments/sustenance/room-review. That moment must take a real leap of    
   faith. "Less is more" might be hard to parlay to the young and eager    
   sometimes?     
      
   Did I tell you about the young aspiring motion picture projectionist    
   that was sent to my work one day? Every projector runs on a three phase    
   constant speed motor with a 30-A dedicated line on each phase. This fella    
   shows up in a tie! "Lose the tie." "I'd rather not." "You're not allowed    
   past here." (Seven feet from the first srocketted tooth.) "And only if I'm    
   between you and the machine. Got it?" There's sheer pins and things in    
   place to keep shafts from bending, but there's PLENTY of missing fingers    
   and inpromptu skalpings in the field. "If that tie doesn't decapitate you,    
   pray I can find a sharp knife real fast, UNDERSTAND?" What a day *that*    
   was! I didn't want to send the kid home with his tail between his legs, but    
   I guessed he was there to watch the latest movies and eat popcorn. The tie    
   was his pasport being apointed to the possition.    
      
   If I were to add anything, I would expand the professionalism to include    
   the condition of the said set list and stage layout. "Folded up in a    
   sweaty back pocket or out of a portfolio - which would *you* rather    
   handle?" These are close to your words I read elsewhere, IIRC. If you    
   have the ability and inclination, a computer printout of your documents is    
   a nice indication of your groups' sincerity toward your future. Sure,    
   pencil in that harmonium solo should it be seen as an asset, but be    
   prepared to rub it out/print a fresh page without it if it doesn't seem to    
   be a hit. Did a new drum machine appear that seems to be indispensable,    
   with big plans to gate the snare to trigger an echo on all the tom fills    
   that *must* be patched individually and heavily panned? Pencil it in with a    
   "Experimental" note in brackets, and maybe a personal note to 'Remind Derik    
   this was called "The Eighties".' Like your (What was it?) pan flut solo,    
   don't intorduce it on day threee of that seven date callback tour.   
      
   Oh... MENTION BATTERIES in the spares department! How many cordless mikes    
   go dead right after sound check and just before the first chorus in the    
   first song? Stomp boxes full of juice? Test a brand new battery for proper    
   voltage at least, and mA-hrs if you can. The guitarist that has a meter    
   and a know-with-all to use it is more likely to get a call if the main act    
   loses theirs to addiction.  That was a new tested battery in EACH    
   device, and one spare JIC. A list of gear that consumes resources including    
   but not limited to batteries, analog or digital tapes, heck even noting the    
   replacement computer printers replacement ink-head number is not going too    
   far - in your portfolio. What size of sticks does Derik prefer? How many    
   are in his bag? String preferences? The young tech can be the go-to guy to    
   run out for bass-strings or a repacement drum head that was just punctured    
   too if needed. Do you know what size tires fit on your tour bus? Too bad    
   most of us (previously) young musicians can afford much more than one of    
   everything, but expecting the unexpected is where the rubber hits the road.    
   Expect transmittion oil in your hair, and some NASTY tasteing dirt b'tween    
   your teeth.   
      
   PS: I *just* reread your original post. *Is* there such a thing as a    
   Right-handed sewer flute?     
      
      
      
      
      
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