It’s a critical moment in any artists’ career when they’re asked to play their first festival, or they’re invited to play a 1200-capacity gig with an internationally touring band. Suddenly, you’re put in front of a bigger audience than ever before – it’s the wrong time to make a wrong move.
Whether you’re a band ready to take on their first big show, an engineer clocking into their first big gig, or a venue organising your next upgrade, the tech you bring is a huge factor in the success of any performance.
When it’s time to go big or go home, the last thing you need is to be weighed down. Before you transition to the big stage, make sure you have your setup sorted.
Go wireless
At your next festival or big music event, take a look at the stage and tell us what you don’t see a ton of of. Wires. Once your performance is dynamic enough to be earning big stage slots, the last thing you need is to catch an ankle against that 12m coil of leads beside your amp.
A range of wireless systems are available, and they’re more advanced than they’ve ever been. Alongside the wireless mic systems you’ll be used to seeing onstage at conferences or music events, you can invest in unobtrusive instrument systems for your guitarists, bassists, and others.
While you’re seeking a new level of live sound, consider Sennheiser’s evolution wireless G4 range.
Monitoring
Obviously, monitoring or foldback is essential for any live band. And the more intricate a performance becomes, the more control you’ll need over those assets – just compare what you’re hearing at a local pub gig to a Tame Impala concert and you’ll understand.
Modern in-ear monitoring systems have plenty of benefits including sending personalised mixes to seperate band members, replacing foldback for keeping the stage volume down, and of course being wireless never hurts.
Sending different mixes to each band member will be something you need to experiment with, as it usually adds a layer of complexity to your rehearsal process. If you can pull it off, the results are often spectacular.
Choosing your engineer
If you’re the talent or you’re the venue, you’ll need an engineer who understands the ins and outs of a world-class live show. For artists tackling their first big stage show, reach out to a few engineers you’ve worked with previously at smaller gigs or in the studio – there’s a good chance they’ll know their way around a larger system too.
Don’t balk at hiring an engineer for a pretty penny either, it could mean a world of difference for your show. They want you to sound excellent too – always trust your sound guy.
For your transition to the big stage, consider Sennheiser’s evolution wireless G4 range.
Enmore Audio is the studio and tech arm of Happy Mag.
