Editor in Chief Pamela Porosky loses the battle of the cable tangle in this horribly cheesy photo.

Summertime brings warm weather, and plenty of outdoor shows and festivals at which music fans can soak up some song and a little vitamin in the key of D. For musicians, it’s a great opportunity to expand your experience and fanbase, but it can also be a cause for frustration when it comes to sound and the vast expanse into which it can dissipate.

As I looked into the problems involved in mixing sound for outdoor venues (humidity, temperature, wind, etc.), I realized that in the vast majority of outdoor venues, the band has little to no control over sound. For that matter, even getting a sound check at a festival is a rarity. So instead, I decided to focus on the things you can do to make sure your sound is as good as it can be.

Be early if you can, but at very least, be on time. The larger the show is, the less grace time you’ll be given. Once you get to the venue, make a point of introducing yourselves to the sound people and learn their names. Put yourself in their shoes for a second. How would you react if all you ever heard was, “Sound Guy, gimme more vocals in my monitor!” You’ll get better results with, “Hey, Vladimir, could I possibly get a bit more of Elmer’s guitar in my monitor?” Well, as long as the person handling the monitors is in fact named Vladimir… Basically, regardless of how tight, talented and well known you are, the Front of the House (FOH) determines how your band is going to sound on that particular night and at that particular venue, and it’s in your best interest not to piss them off.

Also remember that when you’re setting up your gear on stage, those in the band are not the only people that need to get things done on stage. Be courteous. If the engineer is setting up the drum mics, ask if you can help. Chances are they’ll just want you out of the way. If that’s the case, get out of the way. And whenever anyone is near your rig, stop playing. Nothing will upset a sound person faster than a close-quarters blast from full stack.

2008's Monsters of Rock festival in Calgary, Alta. sounded muddy in the pit, but up in the bleachers, the sound carried well.

When the FOH is ready for a sound check, do as you are asked. And do it one person at a time. If you’re not the person being checked, don’t play. If you’re asked to play half a song, play half a song. And don’t play the only song in your set that’s all acoustic with a didgeridoo solo. When it is your turn, play in a manner similar to what you’ll be playing during the show. There’s no point in showing off that new two-hand tapping arpeggio you just learned if you don’t ever play anything like that during the course of the show. All you’re doing is showing off. Remember, you’re not there to impress the sound person. Play as you would during your set and you’ll end up with a better overall sound. And when you are asked to stop playing, do so because if the sound person wants you to stop, it’s for one of two reasons: a) they want a quiet moment to adjust something, or b) they’re done. And if they’re done, so are you.

One of the biggest obstacles to getting good sound from the FOH is stage volume. When the sound people ask you to turn down your amp, do it. Don’t argue. I know “teh methulz” is supposed to be loud, but high stage volumes make things much more difficult for the sound crew. Remember, you’re amp is not what the audience is hearing, for the most part. The audience hears your amp after it comes through the PA. That crushing guitar tone you get when you crank your amp in your jam pad is almost as much about the room and the way it responds to your speaker cabinets, and vice-versa, as your amp settings. Putting a mic in front of a cabinet (or a DI for the bassists out there) changes things. Your sound is no longer the result of your amp, but of your amp, through the PA, in a specific room.

Taking the fan perspective into consideration is always more important than on stage. So long as you can hear yourself, naturally.

If you’re that worried about how you sound out front, move out front. Use a long cord or a wireless to move around and hear what the audience and your other bandmates will hear. Trust me. The sound out there is very, very different than on-stage. Use this opportunity to adjust your EQ settings according to the room. The old saying “garbage in, garbage out” applies here. If your tone is not right for the room, there’s only so much the sound person can do. If you make the right adjustments at your end, the FOH will have more to work with.

Also remember that what sounds great on its own may not sound all that great when the rest of the band is playing. The kick drum, bass notes, and that crushing distortion on your 7-string guitar have overlapping frequencies that can wash out or even bury notes. So do cymbals, vocals, guitar leads, and slapped bass lines. Slowly adjust your settings – not your volume – until you can hear things more clearly. As a bassist, I find that my best live tone sounds really harsh on its own, but it cuts through the kick and is audible over the guitars without being overly loud. If you play with a pick, back off your upper mid’s and treble so the sharp attack doesn’t overwhelm your amp and peak out the board’s inputs.

Guitarists face a different set of challenges, especially if multiple settings are used throughout the set. Take the time prior to any gig to make sure that your levels are consistent. Make sure your clean channel is comparable in volume to your distorted rhythm channel, and that your lead channel is only slightly louder. Make sure your effects don’t cause drastic volume changes. Check and make sure all of your cables are working properly and that there isn’t any mystery buzzes or crackles, especially if you use multiple effects. Trying to determine which of the 6 cables is the bad one, while on stage in the middle of a set, can put a serious damper on the evening’s festivities.

There are times when you’ve done all you can do, and the sound is still poor. Be as prepared as humanly possible. Know your parts inside and out so you can still keep playing regardless of the circumstances. Don’t publicly blame the sound crew. You don’t know why the sound was poor. It could very well be a problem with the house system, or several other factors that are beyond their control. Even if they are at fault, be courteous and thank them afterwards. Everyone has bad days/nights – yourself included – so give them the benefit of the doubt. You don’t want to develop a reputation as being difficult to deal with, and you never know where or when you might be working with them again.

But most importantly, have fun. Remember that you play music, and isn’t fun what playing is all about?