OT: Live Sound Engineering-any good reads?

[nightshadecrisis]

A friend's band has asked me to be their designated live sound engineer, but my experience in this field is pretty limited...Could anyone recommend some good reads about live sound engineering? The band has so far played at a few large places(1800 occupancy, probably close to 300 were there)and some smaller places as well.

thanks!
ev

[where02190]

IMHO the best teacher for live sound is experience. the key to remember is you're doing sound rreinforcement.

[Lowfreq]

Live sound is all about experience. It's a very different world than tracking in the studio. A text I think could benefit anyone, studio or live, in audio is the venerable 'Yamaha Sound Reinforcement Handbook' by Gary Davis & Ralph Jones. Solid audio theory & principles.

[The Legendary Beau]

Another good book for Live sound is Live Sound Reinforcement by Scott Hunter Stark from MixBooks.
It has all kinds of good info to get started. Just doing it and trusting your ears it the best way to get better. Get to the venue early and "play around" as much as you can before its go time.

The one thing I would say is think Subtractive in everything, EQ, Faders, just everything. In live sound Less is more, esp in a smaller venue. Let the band get a good stage level so they can play without a P.A., then use the House System to smooth out the room and blend things.

Once you get into live sound, its a lot of fun. I do a lot of live sound and nearly all of my recording is done Live in a venue. I love the energy of Live music, plus if you are mixing it always sounds like you want it to, or as close as the P.A. will let you get.