From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Mathieu_Ren=E9?= <creaturiste-AT-primus.ca>
To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2008 13:06:51 -0400
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] How should I go about setting sound levels for


Hi Dave.

I've only had a few occasions to sound test a room before performance, but 
like you, I'm very difficult as an audience member, about the sound quality.

My untrained approached tells me to set the sound "just right" when the room 
is empty, then crank it slightly higher, to compensate for a crowd's normal 
noise. This without making too loud for the people in the first row.
I simply hate it when the speakers are too loud.

At home when setting my speakers for the first time, I try to find the ideal 
height for them, so that I can hear it as best as possible when sitting or 
standing up.

As for performing with a microphone, I too have been having difficulties, 
for lack of practice.
I noticed it the hard way, when a singer acquaintance brought me on stage 
during her gig in a Jazz club, so I could sing while she played piano. The 
Monitors were badly setup, which confused me enough to be frigthened, and 
lose half of my singing volume, for fear of shouting. It was a catastrophy. 
The singer told me afterwards that with all her gigs in various clubs, she 
was used to monitors being deffective, so she adjusted without even thinking 
about it. Which brought me to buy a real microphone and pre-amp, and 
rehearse at home, using my regular sound system. Microphone work really 
changes the way you sing. I think it must have influenced how people sing 
since the microphone became widespread. Before, it would probably have been 
unthinkable for a singer to sing on stage, or even in reccording, in a 
whisper-like voice.


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