PREFACE

Good sound and lighting are the foundation of any concert; poor sound ruins the audience's enjoyment of the concert, and poor lighting destroys the dramatic impact of the performance. Good sound and lighting systems enhance a concert, create interest, and command attention. Production excellence, however, is not easy to achieve.

I wrote this book to establish a foundation for sound and lighting equipment personnel and to offer necessary information on the exceedingly diverse subjects associated with concert production. This book is intended to provide clear, practical guidance for people interested in working with today's sophisticated production technologies. It is not, however, intended in any way to replace or reduce the need for practical training.

For those of you already working in sound and lighting fields, the information in Concert Sound and Lighting Systems may serve as a source of reference; equipment operation is explained in detail. Because there are no fixed rules for operating sound or lighting consoles, it is not possible to include the artistic elements of operation beyond the most basic concepts. Once you learn how the equipment works, your imagination is free to realize its full potential.

If you are just beginning your career in sound and lighting, you will soon realize that the more prepared you are for a job, the easier and more enjoyable the job will be. After each show one always asks, “Could I have done better?” The answer always is, “Of course.” There is always more to learn, and each show provides you with the chance to grow as you are confronted by different problems. Dedicated professionals are needed to maintain and operate today's concert equipment. In addition to the technical knowledge required to set up, operate, and maintain the equipment, you are responsible for the well-being of everyone present. The concert production environment is potentially dangerous, and mistakes can harm the crew, the performers, or the audience. There is no room for mistakes with heavy loads suspended overhead and complex electrical equipment all around.

The larger a crew, the more complex a setup becomes. It is therefore important to work as a team. Many people are involved in concert production, and everyone must work together. Each person is as important as the next to the success of the show. The technical success of a show is as important as the performance. Without sound or lighting equipment, performers would be seen in a very different light and would not be heard at all. The technology has created the need for logical and artistic people to complement musical performances, to bridge the gap between art and science to give the audience the best possible performance.

This book is divided into two main categories: sound and lighting. Before I tackle these subjects, however, I discuss power and rigging, both of which are common to sound and lighting systems. A good understanding of power and rigging is crucial, because your life and the lives of the crew, performers, and audience may depend on it. The sections on sound and lighting explain each component of these systems and provide an overview.

The appendixes provide electrical formulas, cable wiring information, and a sample production checklist to illustrate the arrangements and checks for each performance. For this new edition, I have expanded the sections on radio microphones and digital dimmers. This new edition covers areas outside the concert touring environment in which the skills and technology developed for concert performances are being used. The book concludes with a glossary of commonly used terms and a bibliography for further reading.

Setting up and maintaining touring concert systems is not simple. I hope that this book will help workers who are starting out on the road.