In my last column I discussed some of the basic components of public address (PA) systems to give some ideas to acoustic oriented groups interested in providing sound for small venues.  Bob Ford also offered some excellent suggestions on working with the sound system.  Here are some follow up thoughts.

Let’s start with microphones.  There are two ways to convert air pressure waves (i.e. sound) to an electrical signal:  microphones and electronic pickups.  There are many types of each and there are as many opinions as to which is best as there are musicians.  Electronic pickups are easiest to use, have the fewest problems with feedback, but except for the really expensive ones, most sound pretty lousy in my view.  My personal preference is to use microphones for both fiddle and guitar as they provide the truest reproduction of the instrument’s sound.  It’s tougher for the sound guy because hollow instruments act as resonators that exacerbate feedback tendencies.  Also with microphones the musician has more control over the sound.  The frequency response of most microphones depends on the distance between the sound source and the microphone, a phenomenon referred to as presence.  Typically this distance should be no more than a few inches; more than this and you lose bass frequencies resulting in a tinny sound.  With practice you can use presence to add another dimension to your music.  For example, one time through play a tune loudly but far from the mike, then the next time softly but close to the mike.  You’ll get roughly the same volume but a very different sound.   

Feedback is caused by the microphone picking up sound from the speaker, sending it back through the amp where it’s amplified further, then to the speaker, then the mike, and so on.  With each pass the power is increased by the amp causing the whole system to act as an oscillator.  When feedback occurs two things should happen: 1) the musicians should all step back from the mikes (absolutely do NOT put your hand over the mike – it forms a resonant cavity that exacerbates the problem), and 2) the sound guy should instantly cut both the main and monitor volumes ‘til he can track the cause of the problem (this is why good sound guys are often kind of twitchy).         

Setting up the sound begins by setting the volume levels.  I start first with the monitors, as they are most likely to give feedback problems.  My preference is to have monitor levels set as low as possible.  Generally acoustic groups don’t need much volume on stage, though some folks just like to hear themselves.  Next, crank the mains a bit and adjust the tone and effects with the assistance of somebody in the hall.  Don’t rely upon your spousal unit or boy/girl friend for this task – interpersonal relationships are too complicated to permit an honest answer to the question “how’s it sound honey?”    

Adjusting the tone and effects for the individual instruments and vocals, mixing the whole mess together, then using equalization to make it sound good in a big room full of people is a skill that requires as much practice and experience as learning to play an instrument, a point emphasized by Bob.  My strategy is to keep it as simple as possible – leave most of the knobs in their mid positions, and bring up the volume slowly over the course of a tune or two (it may be a reflection on my playing, but groups I play with are almost never asked to “turn it up a bit”).  It’s really nice to have the help of a good sound man, but as owner-operator of your own system you have two factors in your favor.  First, you know what you want to sound like, which instruments/vocalists should be out front, which should be a bit quieter and so forth.  In other words, you know the sound you’re trying to get and you don’t have to try to explain it to a twitchy stranger.  Second, you use the same microphones, amps, and speakers for each gig, so if everybody’s plugged into the same channels you shouldn’t have to change the settings much.  Masking tape stuck on the mixer to label each channel and their settings helps.

Running sound for a small group is a pain in the patoot and can be very stressful.  But you really learn a lot about music as it forces you to listen to it from a different perspective.  Every musician should try it.

This month’s tune is “Frailach” from a 1992 recording by Kevin Burke with the group Open House.  Frailach is a Yiddish phrase that means something like “happy tune”, but actually this tune is kind of dark.  You can’t play it for contra dances, but folks in Albuquerque have been requesting it with increasing frequency and you’ll quickly see why; it’s a pretty powerful tune.

ABC Notation
X:72
T:Frailach
N:From kevin Burke, "Open House," GLCD 1122
N:Transcribed  by Bruce Thomson
L:1/4
M:4/4
K:Dm
|:"Dm"A,DFD|DFAF|"C"G2GF|GAF2|"F"FAcA|FAcA|"C"G2GF|
GAF2|"Gm"FGGF|"C"FEE_E|"Dm"D4|D4|"Gm"FGGF|"C"FEE_E|
[1" Dm"D4|D4:|[2"  Dm"D4|A,DFA|]|:"Dm"(d4|d2)cB|(A4|A4)|dAdA|
d2cB|(A4|A4)|(d4|d2)c2|"Gm"(e4|e4)|"Dm"dAdA|d2cB|
(A4|A4)|"F"FGAB|ABAB|ABAB|A/B/AG2|"Gm"GDDG|GDDG|
GDGA|G/A/GF2|FGGF|"C"FEE_E|"Dm"D4|D4|
"Gm"FGGF|"C"FEE_E|[1"Dm"D4|A,DFA:|[2" Dm"D4|D4|]

Archive of featured ABC tunes can be found here.

FolkMADS thanks The Blue Dragon Coffeehouse, 1517 Girard NE, Albuquerque, for generously hosting the Albuquerque Megaband practices (on the Tuesday before the 3rd Saturday dances).

For more information about Megaband, contact Bruce Thomson: 277-4729, or Jane Phillips: 898-2565.
Email Jane to be added to the Megaband listserv (automatic e-mail reminders).

The Albuquerque Megaband plays for free each month at the 3rd Saturday dances in ABQ, helping to keep FolkMADS going.

A big thank you to all the Megaband musicians!!