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the making of a sound... man(An ongoing and growing diatribe... a perpetual rough draft) I came into this world with a deep attachment to music. From the very beginning it moved me. I was indoctrinated early and exposed to all kinds from all places... A lost young man, I was pulled into the fold of the theater.. (the technical side) to embark on a historic path traveled by most of my immediate family. I was in heaven... too much to do and it used ALL of me... I finally found my place... As a green tech in UNC's Memorial Hall, the first sound board I saw was a Yamaha 8-channel, self-powered, piece of shit.. but I saw God. (Thanks Speedy!) I was completely engaged for the next 3 years . Whats a guy to do? Run wild in UNC's libraries... especially the Physics Library... scrounging everything I could; from the basics of "soundman cookbook's" through to entire tomes exploring the complexities of sound propagation and psycho acoustics! I spent the next 15 years in the gut of the Entertainment Industry. I worked everything our "Little" Memorial Hall road house brought in: Ballet, Pilobolus, Michael Hedges , Husker Du. I worked with IATSE local 417, on the coliseum shows... then there was Duke.. fine facilities... almost no perceivable internal programs to use them... but boy did New York know it was there. Broadway had a habit of booking Duke facilities for a month or two and bring their shows down here to NC to prep 'em for the road. We had an enormously talented labor pool and yet had to be a 3rd of the cost. I was exposed to so much so fast! Rough weather makes good timber. No life in entertainment can be complete with out tour. Three years on the road, full time as house engineer will make you good or kill you.. I was in the right place at the right time when I joined "Mike Edwards and The Banned". I will Never forget that first night in that small ass joint in Richmond. Scared to death... felt Like I was in way over my head. The Banned didn't hold back.. they unleashed a monsterous taste of their 250 plus song repertoire of cover tunes, from lush harmonies of CSNY to the (famous) 36 minute Pink Floyd Medley from hell. I learned so much.. we all did.. not just our crafts, but about life on this gyro rock covered with dancing monkeys.
I learned soo much.. we all did. I got real good.. had to... was one hell of a lab. Take the same stuff (gear and personalities) and make it work in places that should never see Rock or Roll one night... the next night do a outdoor concert for 6,000. Thanks Mike E.!
Burnout and the desire for a life and companionship (Hi Dana!)... leads to bouts of "house engineerism".. I came home and stared at the world for a bit... then took over and sat in the house sound seat of the Carolina Theater for 2 years. Everyone was overworked... The trickle down effect of information caused poor schedule management and my eventful burn out. Here's the scenario..
Simple insanity and no benefits or insurance to boot. Duke University's Technical Services offered me a position. I functioned as their lead Audio Engineer but also did crap like deliver slide projectors.. Tech Services was responsible for all of the non theater performance spaces, including the PA and scoring systems for the Athletic department and Duke Chapel as well as a clearing house of audio video support services. 3 full time employees managed a student staff. The Good part was I was exposed to the most amazing talent and instruments from all over the world. As lead engineer I got to wave my hands over most concerts and decide whether we would handle it in house or sub contract it out... Yes! you can attach guitar tuners to antlers with old wire and strap those antlers to a dried gourde... just string up some more of that old wire or if you are lucky... some used guitar strings and by god you have a Bolon... perhapse the oldest tonal instrument known to human kind.. and one of the oddest instruments I have ever seen. Elegant is not what the eye sees.. Placed in the hands of a Bolon artist and that is what you ear takes in. In between a Lute and and Harp, the bolon is often used to shape west african music. The player I worked with spoke zero English. He was used to engineers making him stand still by a mic on a stand... Yep... I set up a stand-bound mic as backup, but i inserted a wireless lavaliere mic. We were all so happy! I didn't know Bolon players Dance too! This guy would shape a tune by diddle-twangin' the strings and then slap the gourde on the down beat.. kida like a bass drum. (His Bolon was not traditional... both the antler and the tuners were the mark of an artist in search of more control). didil didil da twang thaap! tw-tw-twang thap!! So... We have both flavors... seasoned and experienced. I now see myself as an artist and a technician. The performance space... my canvas. The equipment.. my brushes... The talent... my paint... If there was any more wax in this poetic we would run outa Q-tips!.. A sign that you are a good engineer? Well... when you are great You slide down the "razor blade of inverse mixing" and dance with compromise... and of course, walk right up and unplug offensive guitar amps... The clients want to smoke hash with you or have your child, you can understand the vocals and the the band pays and tips 25% at intermission begging you not to leave... I know how Jackson Pollock could exist in an aural context [[shiver]] Now, out of all of those years I never did any real recording... sure.. a cassette here.. a reel there... never had the desire. Well... Guess what Time It is!
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