Balancing sounds for live performances

[dcraftfrombr]

One other thing to consider is whether you are running stereo and if the FOH is set for stereo panned hard left and right. Not only does the quality of sound suffer if you are running mono, but I have found that when running mono, the synth and piano sounds seem to vanish in the mix.

[analogika]

Do NOT balance your sounds using a dB meter.

Whether a sound is loud or not depends upon the song and the part - the synth hook line to "Narcotic" or "Jump" needs to be WAY louder than the accompanying piano or string synth on "Heartache".

Balancing all these parts so that each is precisely the right volume for the song you're playing is one of the most difficult aspects of our job. And for this, a dB meter is a useless tool, since our hearing reacts very differently at different frequencies. 100dB at 120 Hz can be a pleasing thump, while 100dB at 8 kHz will rip your head clean off.

You do NOT want all sounds to be the same volume - this absolutely guarantees that the sound man will pull it down to the maximum acceptable level for the quietest needed sound, and probably never touch it again (he has enough other work to do than to constantly track the keyboard player and adjust his volumes), especially if he's not the band's own regular mix guy.

When I started doing these kinds of cover jobs, I would talk to the mixer and warn him that my levels weren't cleaned up yet, and ask him - if he had time - to keep an ear out for my levels and let me know if any parts were way out (too loud or too soft). Over time, I got the sounds adjusted to where they all work in the mix (though I still occasionally get requests from the regular tech like "the horns in the bridge on song xxxx are pretty soft - I have to keep remembering to pull them up. Could you make them at least twice as loud for that song?").

[AlQuinn]

I agree and have only used my ears, never a meter, to determine the proper volume balance.

[RedLeo]

There are many sound guy(s) who believe that keyboards should be seen and not heard, especially in smaller venues. Their priority is (1) vocals, (2) all guitars, (3) drums, (4) bass and finally (5) keyboards. Unless your sound guy is willing to put you up in the mix, you're not going to be heard, period.

Unless you take matters into your own hands, which I learned to do a long time ago.

cphollis has nailed it.

No amount of messing around with levels in your Nord is going to change the fact that, without your own amplification, you are totally at the mercy of the sound engineer. If you can't be heard, it's down to him, pure and simple.

[Frantz]

Lucky I am, we have a Presonus mixer, I can connect using a tablet to the mixer and do my own mix of the whole band, sent to my amp.
During the gig, I just "play", naturally following what we play, as explained by Analogika above.
Velocity, volume pedals and all knobs (level, filter, reverb, comp, ...) are part of the instrument.
That's really the best case imo (1)

Another case (2), small gig, you have your own dedicated amp, only for you instrument !
I think it's the worst case for amateur keyboard players, because it's the : "play your part and let the soundman mix" solution, and usually neither you, nor the soundman can do the proper job during the gig.
Isn't that the most common case ... ?

Last case (3), small gig, no amp, just the FOH.
Get used during the sound check trying the few typical sounds you'll use during the gig ( B3, piano, EP at different levels ).
That was not a bad experience for me, better than the (2).

[Scilla]

Hello again everyone!

Thank you for all of your amazing responses. I felt like each one of you genuinely wanted to help me out. I thought I was going to get chewed up in here because all of you have so much knowledge and experience. You've been nothing but welcoming, kind, and generous with the newbie I am. You have given me extremely valuable advice and insight on how things should be handled, and I understand better what needs to be done. I got the direction I wanted and needed from people like you. I will try different things and I will definitely let you know.

And cphollis, this comment really made my day:
"I bring my own amplification. Either a pair of QSC K series (1000w each), or a pair of Fulcrum Acoustic 12acs (2000w each). I have my wife or a friend check the balance out in the crowd, and I simply turn up until they can hear me. Very often, I've got more watts onstage than the sound guy, so I win. I've learned to bring my own weapons." I think I will be doing just that! I think it's time to shop for some more gear! MY weapons! Haha!

You guys are truly fantastic! Thank you again!!

[Berretje]

I have a different theory on what is going on here. Congratulations, you have done your homework on balancing your sounds. Maybe a small mixer would help in boosting your signal levels.

But that's not where the problem is, in my estimation.

There are many sound guy(s) who believe that keyboards should be seen and not heard, especially in smaller venues. Their priority is (1) vocals, (2) all guitars, (3) drums, (4) bass and finally (5) keyboards. Unless your sound guy is willing to put you up in the mix, you're not going to be heard, period.

Unless you take matters into your own hands, which I learned to do a long time ago.

I bring my own amplification. Either a pair of QSC K series (1000w each), or a pair of Fulcrum Acoustic 12acs (2000w each). I have my wife or a friend check the balance out in the crowd, and I simply turn up until they can hear me. Very often, I've got more watts onstage than the sound guy, so I win.

At one festival gig, where we knew the sound guy wasn't that great, I brought both. Yes, 6000w of onstage keyboard amplification. I didn't have to use all of it, though

That being said, if we have a good sound guy, I don't need to do this. But that tends to be the exception vs. the rule.

Sorry to say, but it's happened to me consistently. So I've learned to bring my own weapons.

Solution: kick that (not functioning) sound-guy out, try a new one!

[Scilla]

Unfortunately, Berretje, I'm not a big enough rock star to choose our sound man and bring him with us wherever we play. I can only wish we had that kind of opportunity. We play in smaller venues and they are the ones assigning the sound people. We don't have anything to say about it. Thanks for trying to help us. I appreciate it.

[analogika]

No amount of messing around with levels in your Nord is going to change the fact that, without your own amplification, you are totally at the mercy of the sound engineer. If you can't be heard, it's down to him, pure and simple.

More often than not, though, it's the experience of keyboards just being hellishly annoying because levels are all over the place.

A competent sound guy who's unfamiliar with the band and the material will keep adjusting volumes DOWN until they no longer annoy.

Which means that even if he's well-meaning towards the keyboards, he'll have them set at a level that's comfortable in the mix, and the second a sound comes over that's TOO LOUD, he'll pull it down until it's comfortable, and not touch it again.

This isn't ill will, at all:
Experience will have taught him that if the band is working with a keyboard player who can't handle his levels, he'll probably be better off tackling the lack of microphone discipline and riding the lead vocal's levels throughout the show.

[rb4u1]

My question is; How far away and how elevated do you have your speakers ?