Keeping artists on stage happy can be very rewarding and some times challenging, find out what it take to be a Monitor Engineer. From one time shows to a multiple show run. Why line of sight is so important, and the different ways artist communicate changes while on stage. We talk about exercises to identify different frequencies and the best ways to protect your hearing.

Podcast Episode Summary

00:00 Intro

1:03 What do you find most enjoyable about live theatre?

1:58 Tell me about some of the roles and responsibilities of an audio monitor engineer?

3:11 What personal qualities do you think make a good monitor engineer?

4:35 What are your tops 3 must haves in your gig bag?

7:06 Any applications and software that you use?

8:14 Do you carry an iPad with you?

9:30 Where is your operate position?

Pre Production;

10:19 What contact do you have with the client in pre production?

11:24 What paper work are you given to help you prepare for the act?

12:34   Is it good to have a broad knowledge of a range of different desks? and which ones do you like to work with?

15:44 How closely do the offline editors relate to the console version?

17:15 Whats your favourite desk to work on?

Bump In;

18:10 What dose your first day off bump in look like?

19:29 Do you sort out IEM and radios as well when prepping side stage?

20:26 How do you set up your monitor area?

21:52 Any setting with in the desk that you always do?

23:42 Keeping it simple, the signal flow from stage input to desk, and back out to their wedge?

25:54 What process do you work though to tune the wedges?

27:28 Can you use Smaart as a monitor engineer?

30:00 Do you carry a basic show file for all desks?

31:03 What do you have in your standard show file?

33:16 What are your thoughts on external plugins?

34:20 How do you communicate with the performer to make sure they get the mix that they want?

36:18 How do artist communicate during a show to get a change to their wedge?

Tech Run;

37:35 Whats your involvement in tech run?

38:33 What do snapshots record?

Dress Run;

40:22 Are you monitoring on the desk while they are doing their dress show, maintaining the mix for the performer on stage?

Show Day;

40:58 When do you arrive at the venue and what checks are done?

42:20 How do you deal with a problem during a show?

44:21 If there’s a turn around from one act to another what is your role in this time?

45:34 Line check, checking it's appearing where its meant to on both desks?

46:12 What pack up and post show duties do you have after each show?

Bump Out;

47:00 What do you do? How long are you there for?

Post Production;

47:55 What are your responsibilities?

48:45 If you could change one thing about the theatre industry, what would it be?

50:27 Largest number of mixes managed for one show?

51:43 It can get loud on stage how do you look after you hearing?

54:07 Any tips or tricks you would like to pass on?

57:41 Outro