Amit Sharma reviews Rob Gainey's guide to getting the best out of your live performance
Whilst there are countless books out there offering guidance on how to play all sorts of musical instruments, the topic of how to sound good on stage is an area that is still relatively unexplored. No matter how punctual or well-rehearsed you are, the nature of live performances means that problems can arise unexpectedly with very little time to solve them. Rockin’ Your Stage Sound is a book that is dedicated to explaining every single detail of setting up so that musicians can get the best sound possible and deliver a confident performance every time. This in-depth guide by industry renowned engineer Rob Gainey offers inside tips from many professional musicians as well as advice on where to set up, microphone techniques and how to get the most out of sound checks.
Suitable for any musician - whatever your instrument
As it is quite natural for musicians to become preoccupied with their actual performance, this book shows how even a little knowledge of engineering can go a long way in getting the right stage sound and ultimately, sounding as impressive as possible. There is advice on different stage set ups, showing the advantages of where to place different members of the band depending on the loudness of their instrument and even where to have the monitors so each performer can hear everything clearly. The great thing about this book is that it is not instrument specific, and actually covers everything from the perspective of guitarists to brass players as well as vocalists. There are tips on how to prepare for a performance, things to check before going on stage, and troubleshooting just in case something doesn’t go as planned.
Great tips on working with sound engineers
Rockin’ Your Stage Sound also focuses on the role of the sound engineer and the mixing desk, de-mystifying a lot of the technical terms so that musicians can communicate more efficiently to allow for a stronger common understanding that benefits all concerned, not to mention the audience too! The list of musicians offering tips is very impressive indeed: from rock stars like singer Ralph Saenz (Steel Panther) and bassist Dug Pinnick (Kings X), to session musicians like guitarist Mitch Perry (Cher) and keyboardist David Garfield (George Benson).
With expert advice from Gainey, as well as many top musicians, Rockin’ Your Stage Sound is a book that arms musicians with all the knowledge they need to keep control of their stage sound and ensure that their live performances are the very best they can be. A very useful, detailed and thorough guide for any performing musician.
Amit Sharma
www.rockinyourstagesound.com
