LIVE SOUND MIXING
www.dunkworld.com
You CAN learn how to mix from a book - as long as it's THIS book!
People used to say “Ah, you can’t learn how to mix from a book!”
Wrong! Now there’s LIVE SOUND MIXING.
LIVE SOUND MIXING is the first book to show you just how to pull a great sound out of a PA system. I survived many years on the Live Sound trail, and I've put together an easy-to-read ‘hands on’ manual that no beginning Live Sound engineer should be without.
Now in its Fourth edition, and updated to include even more topics, LIVE SOUND MIXING is jam packed with useful information, diagrams, helpful hints and explanations — from the basic principles of how a PA system works through to trouble shooting when it doesn't!
Relax...this is NOT a technical book - it's an easy-to-read 'hands on' manual
This is not a technical book. Technical books can often be so intimidating that you are reluctant to risk twiddling a knob in case it’s the wrong one. Well, this book is not one of those. If you have an ear for music, then this book will show you how to link those ears to your fingers, and pull a good live sound out of any PA system.
Forget about endless pages of boring acoustic theory; who wants to get bogged down reading that? Not me! Instead this book tells you exactly what each knob does, why, and when to turn it. There are examples of just about every type of equipment you're likely to come across, as well as sections on:
Equalizers and equalizing
This section goes into detail about Graphic and Parametric equalizers and how to get them to work best for you. There is also an in depth section on setting up the room EQ with suggested techniques - some basic, some advanced, but all useful.
Mixing console layout and gain structure
Different console layouts, both analog and digital, what each knob does, and why it does it, what to watch out for - these are just some of the areas covered. Also included are suggested layouts for channels, groups, and monitor consoles, and gain starting points.
How to run the soundcheck
How to keep on top of things during the soundcheck, and to stop the band using it as a full on rehearsal!
How to get the monitors happening
How to get the maximum from your stage monitors, where to start and things to watch out for. It covers how and what to EQ, what to leave in, what to leave out.
Effects units, from tape echo through to digital reverbs
From tape echo units and spring reverbs through to digital technology, it's all in here. Although I've tried not to be too product specific, various industry standard units are covered, and each has a 'How to get it to Work' section.
How speaker processors work
Nearly all speaker systems these days have some sort of controller or processor to keep things under control while still sounding good. This section tells you how they work and how they affect your job.
Putting the mix together
Once it's all been put together and checked, we go deeply into how it should sound, what should be loudest, what to listen for, where things can go wrong, plus how to cope with solo artists, the band's girl and boyfriends, the audience and more.
What to do when there’s no time for a soundcheck!
Everyone's worst nightmare. The truck broke down, you got lost, whatever! But the show must go on - especially if you want to get paid. The book walks you through a complete setup and non-soundcheck survival guide that should have something recognizable coming out of the speakers at the end of it!
...and lots more.
Crossovers, compressors, gates, delay stacks, Balanced cables, even a section on basic soldering 101! This book has got the lot, and it's great fun to read as well
If you want to get into mixing Live Sound, and don’t know where to start, or if you’re already doing some mixing but feel you could use a little help, then LIVE SOUND MIXING is the book for you.
Used as a text book by Live Sound courses everywhere, LIVE SOUND MIXING - Fourth Edition is available Worldwide from selected distributors, or you can order direct by going to the Buy the Book page
Live Sound Mixing 4th Edition
© 2005 Duncan R Fry.
Published by Dunkworld Communications, 33 Advantage
Road, Highett Victoria 3190, Australia