Finally someone gets it!

[Nate Najar]

I'm on tour in the UK this month. We've played a variety of rooms from upstairs rooms at pubs, to real jazz clubs to theaters and small halls. I carry my classical guitar, red eye DI and ev re15 mic and have to play through the FOH.

On one gig the tech guy ignored my rider I had sent ahead and set the stage up backwards to how I do it. I put me on SR, bass in the middle and drums SL so I can see and hear the band properly and do any cueing may be necessary. He had a laney electric guitar amp for me and had the drums and I switched. I asked nicely if we could change it and he argued that the drums sound better and that side and it is where they belong. Through a conversation with the promoter I managed to get it switched. Then he's getting a level on my mic and complains that the output is weak and it needs gain. (I'm pretty sure that's what your gain knob and fader are for). He then says "I have lots of nice mics" and what he had are a bunch of cheap Chinese condensers. Which will pick up all cymbals and no guitar! We got through the gig and it was fine.

The next night (last night) we were in a small black box theater- maybe 200 seats. They were all ready for me with the proper stands and leads ready to go. The sound in the room was excellent and this is the best part. When I was playing solo bits or the drummer wasn't doing much, he used just the mic, but as it got louder he would blend the pickup to make up the difference. They were friendly, helpful and extremely accommodating. And more importantly actually did his job with skill. It was so nice to play and actually hear my guitar.

[Don Pearce[_3_]]

On Sat, 29 Mar 2014 03:42:06 -0700 (PDT), Nate Najar
> wrote:

>I'm on tour in the UK this month. We've played a variety of rooms from upstairs rooms at pubs, to real jazz clubs to theaters and small halls. I carry my classical guitar, red eye DI and ev re15 mic and have to play through the FOH.
>
>On one gig the tech guy ignored my rider I had sent ahead and set the stage up backwards to how I do it. I put me on SR, bass in the middle and drums SL so I can see and hear the band properly and do any cueing may be necessary. He had a laney electric guitar amp for me and had the drums and I switched. I asked nicely if we could change it and he argued that the drums sound better and that side and it is where they belong. Through a conversation with the promoter I managed to get it switched. Then he's getting a level on my mic and complains that the output is weak and it needs gain. (I'm pretty sure that's what your gain knob and fader are for). He then says "I have lots of nice mics" and what he had are a bunch of cheap Chinese condensers. Which will pick up all cymbals and no guitar! We got through the gig and it was fine.
>
>The next night (last night) we were in a small black box theater- maybe 200 seats. They were all ready for me with the proper stands and leads ready to go. The sound in the room was excellent and this is the best part. When I was playing solo bits or the drummer wasn't doing much, he used just the mic, but as it got louder he would blend the pickup to make up the difference. They were friendly, helpful and extremely accommodating. And more importantly actually did his job with skill. It was so nice to play and actually hear my guitar.

I think you have just described perfectly the difference between a
room above a pub, and a proper venue - however small.

Be prepared for plenty more of both. In the former, stick to your
guns, and hopefully they can learn a few things from you.

d

[Nate Najar]

Actually Don, in most of the pub type rooms, I am in control of the PA and that works well for me. The bad experience I described was a proper jazz club.

But I have bad experiences in the US in most regular theater and club venues. I've had good experiences too, but not as good as this last one!

N

[Don Pearce[_3_]]

On Sat, 29 Mar 2014 06:36:58 -0700 (PDT), Nate Najar
> wrote:

>Actually Don, in most of the pub type rooms, I am in control of the PA and that works well for me. The bad experience I described was a proper jazz club.
>
>But I have bad experiences in the US in most regular theater and club venues. I've had good experiences too, but not as good as this last one!
>
>N

Can you name check the sound guy?

d

[Luxey]

субота, 29. март 2014. 14..36.58 UTC+1, Nate Najar је написао/ла:
> Actually Don, in most of the pub type rooms, I am in control of the PA and that works well for me. The bad experience I described was a proper jazz club.
>
>
>
> But I have bad experiences in the US in most regular theater and club venues. I've had good experiences too, but not as good as this last one!
>
>
>
> N

That's because average Jazzers they know it all. The most nice people and the
worst pompous pricks, as far as "related to music" goes, you'll find ammong
Jazz people.

[hank alrich]

Luxey > wrote:

> ??????, 29. ???? 2014. 14.36.58 UTC+1, Nate Najar ?? ???????/??:
> > Actually Don, in most of the pub type rooms, I am in control of the PA
> > and that works well for me. The bad experience I described was a proper
> > jazz club.
> >
> >
> >
> > But I have bad experiences in the US in most regular theater and club
> > venues. I've had good experiences too, but not as good as this last
> > one!
> >
> >
> >
> > N
>
> That's because average Jazzers they know it all. The most nice people and the
> worst pompous pricks, as far as "related to music" goes, you'll find ammong
> Jazz people.

Not in my experiene, which only goes back to 1968 for live sound work.
Try to get the rockstar to turn his amp down…

--
shut up and play your guitar * HankAlrich.Com
HankandShaidriMusic.Com
YouTube.Com/WalkinayMusic

[Gary Eickmeier]

Hi Nate -

Almost got to see you in Tampa and wanted to meet you, but family matters
and schedules got in the way. Are you coming back? Was Tampa the guilty
venue?

Gary Eickmeier


"Nate Najar" > wrote in message
...
I'm on tour in the UK this month. We've played a variety of rooms from
upstairs rooms at pubs, to real jazz clubs to theaters and small halls. I
carry my classical guitar, red eye DI and ev re15 mic and have to play
through the FOH.

On one gig the tech guy ignored my rider I had sent ahead and set the stage
up backwards to how I do it. I put me on SR, bass in the middle and drums
SL so I can see and hear the band properly and do any cueing may be
necessary. He had a laney electric guitar amp for me and had the drums and
I switched. I asked nicely if we could change it and he argued that the
drums sound better and that side and it is where they belong. Through a
conversation with the promoter I managed to get it switched. Then he's
getting a level on my mic and complains that the output is weak and it needs
gain. (I'm pretty sure that's what your gain knob and fader are for). He
then says "I have lots of nice mics" and what he had are a bunch of cheap
Chinese condensers. Which will pick up all cymbals and no guitar! We got
through the gig and it was fine.

The next night (last night) we were in a small black box theater- maybe 200
seats. They were all ready for me with the proper stands and leads ready to
go. The sound in the room was excellent and this is the best part. When I
was playing solo bits or the drummer wasn't doing much, he used just the
mic, but as it got louder he would blend the pickup to make up the
difference. They were friendly, helpful and extremely accommodating. And
more importantly actually did his job with skill. It was so nice to play
and actually hear my guitar.

[Sean Conolly]

"Luxey" > wrote in message
...
??????, 29. ???? 2014. 14.36.58 UTC+1, Nate Najar ?? ???????/??:
> Actually Don, in most of the pub type rooms, I am in control of the PA and
> that works well for me. The bad experience I described was a proper jazz
> club.
>
>
>
> But I have bad experiences in the US in most regular theater and club
> venues. I've had good experiences too, but not as good as this last one!
>
>
>
> N

That's because average Jazzers they know it all. The most nice people and
the
worst pompous pricks, as far as "related to music" goes, you'll find ammong
Jazz people.

==================================

Yes, the nicest people I've worked with with are Jazz players.

Coincedentaly there have also been a few of the pompous types, but they were
really just hanger-ons - self-important patrons - not connected at all to
the players or promoters.

Through my limited career I've found that the better the player/performer,
the nicer the person. The worst ones by far were rock & roll types who had
something to prove, and used every opportunity but their playing to do so.

Sean

[geoff]

On 30/03/2014 12:51 a.m., Don Pearce wrote:
> On Sat, 29 Mar 2014 03:42:06 -0700 (PDT), Nate Najar
> > wrote:
>
>> I'm on tour in the UK this month. We've played a variety of rooms from upstairs rooms at pubs, to real jazz clubs to theaters and small halls. I carry my classical guitar, red eye DI and ev re15 mic and have to play through the FOH.
>>
>> On one gig the tech guy ignored my rider I had sent ahead and set the stage up backwards to how I do it. I put me on SR, bass in the middle and drums SL so I can see and hear the band properly and do any cueing may be necessary. He had a laney electric guitar amp for me and had the drums and I switched. I asked nicely if we could change it and he argued that the drums sound better and that side and it is where they belong. Through a conversation with the promoter I managed to get it switched. Then he's getting a level on my mic and complains that the output is weak and it needs gain. (I'm pretty sure that's what your gain knob and fader are for). He then says "I have lots of nice mics" and what he had are a bunch of cheap Chinese condensers. Which will pick up all cymbals and no guitar! We got through the gig and it was fine.
>>
>> The next night (last night) we were in a small black box theater- maybe 200 seats. They were all ready for me with the proper stands and leads ready to go. The sound in the room was excellent and this is the best part. When I was playing solo bits or the drummer wasn't doing much, he used just the mic, but as it got louder he would blend the pickup to make up the difference. They were friendly, helpful and extremely accommodating. And more importantly actually did his job with skill. It was so nice to play and actually hear my guitar.
>
> I think you have just described perfectly the difference between a
> room above a pub, and a proper venue - however small.
>
> Be prepared for plenty more of both. In the former, stick to your
> guns, and hopefully they can learn a few things from you.
>
> d
>


Went to see The Motels (and Martha Davis) in a small club last weekend.

House sound guy, in his wisdom, had decided to mix the sax really quiet,
and in stereo exactly imaging the stage set-up. Which meant that all of
us on the far left missed the expected joy of some of the most poignant
memorable saxy bits ;-(

geoff

[Nate Najar]

Gary,

Do you live in Tampa? St Petersburg is my home base. I'll be home in a few weeks and have a few different things coming up. They usually do pretty well for me around there because they know me so well.

N

[polymod]

"Sean Conolly" wrote in message ...


Through my limited career I've found that the better the player/performer,
the nicer the person.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I'll second that.
And I find they're less apt to talk about their talents.

Poly

[Gary Eickmeier]

"Nate Najar" > wrote in message
...
> Gary,
>
> Do you live in Tampa? St Petersburg is my home base. I'll be home in a
> few weeks and have a few different things coming up. They usually do
> pretty well for me around there because they know me so well.
>
> N

Lakeland. Please keep me posted on your performances - would love to come
and listen and meet you. I just happened to hear about that last one on Bob
Seymour's events around town. Got your latest album Blues for Night People,
sounds terrific.

I see you have a web site that might keep me updated on everything. Will
check it out!

Gary