Musicians depend on a venue’s front-of-house (FOH) engineers to turn their performances into professional audio that resonates perfectly throughout the performance space. An experienced FOH engineer can detect many sound issues right away, but it’s still possible for small slip-ups to occur occasionally. If you handle sound for live performances, here are three common problems to avoid.

Common Live Music Audio Mistakes

1. Eye Mixing

It’s easy to get caught up in what’s going on with the screen in front of you instead of focusing on the sounds that you hear. While the graphic may look appropriate, it might not be the right arrangement for the venue. Instead of managing the professional audio setup solely with your eyes, listen to what your ears tell you. How do the different instruments sound during sound check? Does the guitarist use a treble-heavy tone that needs to be mixed differently? How does the singer’s voice sound in the context of the other instruments? Use these as your guides instead of what is on the screen.

2. Weak Balance

Don’t get so lost in the instruments that you forget the vocals. This is the most crucial part of any live performance, and audience members can tell very quickly when the singer’s voice isn’t clear in the mix. Listen for issues that might become problematic, such as too much bass or an overpowering snare. Strive to find the perfect balance — one that allows the vocalist’s voice to shine without muddying the sound of the music.

3. Speaker Placement

Even putting speakers in the wrong spot can affect professional audio quality. One of the most common issues involves reverb, which develops when the speakers don’t face the audience and are too close to the walls. The speakers should always be situated closest to where you want the sound to extend. If they’re spaced too far apart, your FOH requirements suddenly grow exponentially because you need to fill those gaps to make up for the poor coverage.

If producing professional audio is your job, trust in the high-quality commercial sound equipment at Claiborne Sharp Professional Audio in Shreveport, LA, for your performance needs. They’ll work with you to devise a customized solution based on your facility’s unique demands, whether it’s purely acoustic, requires a full band, or occurs inside a church, a school, or an auditorium. Visit them online to find out about their professional audio products, or call (318) 861-5953.