Why do we need sound systems?

[The Elf]

Then we just need to find a way to cut the other 20 minutes…

That would be my synth solo...

[shufflebeat]

Mike's right, it's good to see you back even if it's only an occasional visit.

I'm deeply touched.

Sorry about that, I'll be more careful.

Also - the nature of music has changed. Early Bono and full-throttle Adele might just make it work in an unamplified concert hall but Billie Eilish and Gentle Folkie Types would start a shooshing war.

[Exalted Wombat]

Early Bono and full-throttle Adele might just make it work in an unamplified concert hall but Billie Eilish and Gentle Folkie Types would start a shooshing war.

I refer you back to the original question. I'm not suggesting NO amplification. Just small amplification, for instruments/voices that use it as an integral part of their sound.

[shufflebeat]

Early Bono and full-throttle Adele might just make it work in an unamplified concert hall but Billie Eilish and Gentle Folkie Types would start a shooshing war.

I refer you back to the original question. I'm not suggesting NO amplification. Just small amplification, for instruments/voices that use it as an integral part of their sound.

Fair point.

Trousers would have to be of particularly light material in order to flap appropriately at reduced pressure levels.

[Arpangel]

Sound systems are on the whole, always wrong, either too loud, or not loud enough, I’ve walked out of gigs because of both reasons.
The times when PA guys get it right, are so few, I can’t really remember, and it’s always a surprise when they do get it right.
If I’m in a studio and the engineer tells me he used to do PA, I think shit, oh no, for a start that probably means his ears are shot, good PA engineers are few and far between, I've worked with one, a BBC chap, and that was his main job.

[Hugh Robjohns]

You can't beat a good sweeping generalisation... or four!

[ef37a]

I think I am right in saying that small instrument ensemble music was largely written for small audiences? Little more than an extended 'dinner party' for the well-to-do in Bach and Mozart's time?

The RFH was built in 1951 and seats 2,700, no bugger at the back is going to hear much of a string quartet!

The RAH was opened in 1871 and seats over 5,000. I have heard artists say their instrument/voice just "goes away....."! The RAH also had bad acoustics until fixed with the 'saucers'.

Clearly Toni has never done any 'Sound Reinforcement'? This is the ART of amplifying a voice or instrument such that people can hear it that otherwise wouldn't but both they and often the artist are unaware of the assistance.

A very long time ago my technical college hosted a Sitar virtuoso (might have been Ravi, so long ago) He was reinforced by two Quad ESLs either side of the stage driven by Quad lls. 30 watts at the very outside but I doubt it hit ten all night!

#It ain't what yer do...#

Dave.

[Mike Stranks]

Clearly, Tony has never done any 'Sound Reinforcement'? This is the ART of amplifying a voice or instrument such that people can hear it that otherwise wouldn't but both they and often the artist are unaware of the assistance.

Dave.

A good point Dave...

I knew I'd done a good job when, on the way out, a member of the audience said to me, approvingly, "I couldn't tell whether I was listening to the instruments or the sound of the instruments through the sound system."

90%+ of my 'work' was amplifying acoustic instruments and/or singers...

[Bob Bickerton]

At the risk of prolonging a thread which is probably well past its use by date, a number of comments here seem to overlook aspects of live sound which are critical.

Mike’s comment about producing live sound whereby people don’t realise it’s amplified is commendable but only so if that was the intention of the artists/producer.

The aspect of production seems to have been largely overlooked here. Whenever I provided live sound for clients I would always check with them as to their production aspirations, and if they didn’t have any, then I would attempt to replicate something appropriate for the genre.

Now that may mean doing as Mike described, or it may mean producing acoustic music with effects and a close miked palette to replicate a studio recorded sound or (heaven forbid) mixing it at uncomfortable, but hopefully still safe, levels because that is what the band or producer wants.

I have been system tech many times where I would have mixed the gig differently and often at a lower level.

Put a loud drummer in a live venue, or a big band for example, and you’re going to be challenged to balance the sound and make it comfortable for listeners.

One of my all time favourite gigs was mixing a solo singer guitarist at a festival concert in a yurt. This was the driest venue I ever came across. Had I simply amplified the sound given, it would have been disappointingly, well, dry. But put the artist on a Neumann vocal mic, with stereo Sennheiser MKH mics on the guitar and add a high class reverb and we were in sonic heaven - close to studio sound!

Another example was a somewhat famous jazz artist, who when I offered to produce an intimate studio type sound contingent on the band having low monitor levels, agreed. It was a great night.

One question I sometimes used to ask of acoustic performers is “where would you sit in the venue to hear your sound?” Front row? Back of the room? There’s often a significant difference in intimacy and at the end of the day it’s the engineer’s job to produce the sound the artist wants.

Bob

[Mike Stranks]

Very happy to endorse all that Bob's said... he's rightly amplified my somewhat broad brush statement.