Gig related rant!

[mark_jwedge]

I know this is probably really silly but I just needed to get it off my chest. When setting up the PA at a gig and getting ready to soundcheck, in response to the usual "1-2-1-2" into the mics, why does someone in the crowd always have to say any combination of "3-4, 76, 69, I hope you play better than you can count" and think it is absolutely hilarious?!?!

Every gig the same thing! leave it out, it's not funny!

Rant over..

[RocknRollDave]

Yep, I feel your pain.

Also, when I worked in pubs we used to get the same "hilarious" joke whenever someone smashed a glass: "Hehe SACK THE JUGGLER! HAHAHAH!"

Maybe use something else instead of "1, 2, 1, 2..."? I've heard people use words like "stop" or "pots", which is actually more useful than the usual "1, 2, 1, 2" routine, although we all do it!

[Not_the_DJ]

Introduce the mic check as though you're announcing the results of a raffle

[erictheweary]

If I'm feeling feisty I like to sing the words from well known television theme tunes at soundcheck.

It Ain't Half hot Mom is the favourite but Minder and the Cleveland Show also do service.

This is with our own PA, not anywhere there is a sound person BTW.

[Danny1969]

When I was a painter someone always wanted to say "you've missed a bit" as they walked past, used to wind me up.

We have "virtual soundcheck" now with digital desks. As long as you've line checked, saying 2, 2, 1, 2 again and again isn't necessary as you can either recall the venues patch if you have played there before or fly in a disembodied voice from the multitrack to make adjustment. That confuses punters, specially when your doing it remotely from an iPad

But yeah, it's annoying when you do have to do the old 2, 2, 1, 2 game. Our singer doesn't bother, when we did use an analog desk he used to just sing unaccompanied . I would rather drop my trollies though than do that

[maltingsaudio]

To check a mic is working I always use a finger click just as effective as 1,2 when i want to Q a mic for a singer 1,2 is a waste of time you need to hear a string of different words preferably sung.

I have a number of different patches saved on my digi desk but still shy away from a virtual line check..things always change!

my 2p's

[Cirrusband]

I have a number of different patches saved on my digi desk but still shy away from a virtual line check..things always change!

Absolutely! FOH speakers a foot further forward than they were last time? All your feedback frequencies have changed. Guitarist has a cool new speaker in his amp, it's so awesome sounding! (and waaaay bright). Backing singer has a cold today. His voice sounds like a low pass filtered groggy horror.

Mix broken.

[ChrisJordan]

...why does someone in the crowd always have to say any combination of "3-4, 76, 69, I hope you play better than you can count"...

I am so using that.

[Guitar_Slinger]

I know this is probably really silly but I just needed to get it off my chest. When setting up the PA at a gig and getting ready to soundcheck, in response to the usual "1-2-1-2" into the mics...

Every gig the same thing!

Try saying something else then. Or learn to deal with hecklers.

I use words like "Bob", "Octopus" or "Bob octopus" - anything that lets you hear sounds like ""p", "t", "b" "c/k" or "s".

[ESBlonde]

Icicles

Bicycles

Test........ting.

Wum TOOO!