Course 18: The Venue

If at all possible, try to walk the venue you’ll be working in before the show begins. This will give you an idea of what you’re dealing with and remove any potential surprises during the show. You’ll learn what to look for when inspecting a venue and how to adapt to any irregularities or imperfections in the venue.

Where the live sound engineer sits in the house has a huge impact on what they are hearing. You’ll learn what steps you can take to combat poor positioning and ensure your mix can be as balanced as possible. Sound checks are critical, so get to the venue early enough to see (and hear) what you are dealing with.

At the start of your career, you’ll probably need to be part live sound engineer, part roadie, part manager, and part whatever else the band needs to sound their best. Course 18 will teach you what you need to ask of the venue manager as it pertains to setting up before the show. Where to unload the gear, how to access the power supply, potential stage limitations, and other aspects of the venue are things you need to know.