(inspired by a thread on a contracting forum I frequent)
What keeps you in this business day after day?
What keeps you in this business day after day?
Why we do this....
- Thread starter Philip LaDue
- Start date
Tim Weaver
Senior
Re: Why we do this....
Back in my install days it was the quest for knowledge and the satisfaction of a job well done.
Now it is fun and the quest for better.
Back in my rental days-it was those magical gigs that would happen from time to time when it all came together.
Back in my install days it was the quest for knowledge and the satisfaction of a job well done.
Now it is fun and the quest for better.
Re: Why we do this....
You know I was sat on our bus the other night having a drink after a pretty tough gig..... we were rolling along on our way to 2 days off in Paris..... and it hit me right then. I really do have one of the best jobs in the world.
Tours over in 3 days time and we head home, happy and sad all in one breath, 6 weeks on the road making some awesome friends, but to get home...... that first day back Im gonna get up and wonder where everyone is and wonder why there is no catering!
Every job has its ups and downs but for some reason the ups in our job are as Ivan put it..... quite Magical.
Its the moment during the gig every hair on the back of your arm stands on end. Not always the biggest gig sometimes the smallest with minimal audience attendance. Your left thinking WOW.
You know I was sat on our bus the other night having a drink after a pretty tough gig..... we were rolling along on our way to 2 days off in Paris..... and it hit me right then. I really do have one of the best jobs in the world.
Tours over in 3 days time and we head home, happy and sad all in one breath, 6 weeks on the road making some awesome friends, but to get home...... that first day back Im gonna get up and wonder where everyone is and wonder why there is no catering!
Every job has its ups and downs but for some reason the ups in our job are as Ivan put it..... quite Magical.
Its the moment during the gig every hair on the back of your arm stands on end. Not always the biggest gig sometimes the smallest with minimal audience attendance. Your left thinking WOW.
Re: Why we do this....
Exaclty. I love what I do, apparently I have some talent for it, and when my "Big Four" come together like they did this past weekend-great room, good system, good knob twisting, and great talent(with quality rigs), the audience really appreciate it and have a great evening. Here's a Youtube link to a set by Liz Carroll and Cormac Mccarthy. Liz needs no intro, one of the great Irish fiddlers in the world, and local Chicagoan. Cormac is a young brilliant pianist and son of Johnny Mccarthy, another great Irish fiddler and flute player, who played and was in attendance as well. Also playing this show were Matt Cranich, Jackie Daly, and Paul de Grae, and finishing the evening were the great Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill. All were spot on, bringing their A game, however you want to describe it, and all of them hung around to watch each other's set, which doesn't happen all the time.
They'd only been working on their new material for a couple of weeks.
Liz has a Shure SM86 on the tall boom stand, and is running a LR Baggs bridge pickup into their acoustic DI preamp. The old grand piano has a pair of Crown CM700 over the open hammer area at quarter stick. The BMS coax wedges are obvious, the video camera is picking up the right house Danley designed Trik loudspeaker, I suspect about 25' away. A bit of actual panning too, Liz is just a bit stronger on the house right side, Cormac a bit stronger on the left, hence the video mix reflecting the fact that Liz actually sounds a bit strong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6ukooLgsGM
Best regards,
John
You know I was sat on our bus the other night having a drink after a pretty tough gig..... we were rolling along on our way to 2 days off in Paris..... and it hit me right then. I really do have one of the best jobs in the world.
Every job has its ups and downs but for some reason the ups in our job are as Ivan put it..... quite Magical.
Its the moment during the gig every hair on the back of your arm stands on end.
Exaclty. I love what I do, apparently I have some talent for it, and when my "Big Four" come together like they did this past weekend-great room, good system, good knob twisting, and great talent(with quality rigs), the audience really appreciate it and have a great evening. Here's a Youtube link to a set by Liz Carroll and Cormac Mccarthy. Liz needs no intro, one of the great Irish fiddlers in the world, and local Chicagoan. Cormac is a young brilliant pianist and son of Johnny Mccarthy, another great Irish fiddler and flute player, who played and was in attendance as well. Also playing this show were Matt Cranich, Jackie Daly, and Paul de Grae, and finishing the evening were the great Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill. All were spot on, bringing their A game, however you want to describe it, and all of them hung around to watch each other's set, which doesn't happen all the time.
They'd only been working on their new material for a couple of weeks.
Liz has a Shure SM86 on the tall boom stand, and is running a LR Baggs bridge pickup into their acoustic DI preamp. The old grand piano has a pair of Crown CM700 over the open hammer area at quarter stick. The BMS coax wedges are obvious, the video camera is picking up the right house Danley designed Trik loudspeaker, I suspect about 25' away. A bit of actual panning too, Liz is just a bit stronger on the house right side, Cormac a bit stronger on the left, hence the video mix reflecting the fact that Liz actually sounds a bit strong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6ukooLgsGM
Best regards,
John
Silas Pradetto
Graduate Student
Re: Why we do this....
Tim and Kim pretty much sum it up for me, I love this job and the fact that it pays the bills is an added bonus. I can't see myself doing anything else anytime soon.
... I really do have one of the best jobs in the world.
Tim and Kim pretty much sum it up for me, I love this job and the fact that it pays the bills is an added bonus. I can't see myself doing anything else anytime soon.
Re: Why we do this....
This is why. I get it a couple times a year, sometimes the act and the room and the PA and the mood all come together. Other times I'm just listening to an incredible set of speakers... all right, I'm a nerd.
Besides that, for the fame, fortune, and glory.
This is why. I get it a couple times a year, sometimes the act and the room and the PA and the mood all come together. Other times I'm just listening to an incredible set of speakers... all right, I'm a nerd.
Besides that, for the fame, fortune, and glory.
Re: Why we do this....
I am definitely into the "learning new things" aspect, but then I am also a science nerd.
I am definitely into the "learning new things" aspect, but then I am also a science nerd.
Re: Why we do this....
I still remember a rehersal for a large church that was opening up their first service with a Beatles medley with a juggler on stage-and on the drive home I was seriously PUMPED and excited!!!!!!! I still recall that feeling. A truly big WOW!!!! And only the tech guys heard it.
To bad the actual service day rehersal and then 2 services never quite got to the "feeling" that a late night rehersal did.
Agreed-it is the one gig that is awsome that makes up for the previous crappy ones (for whatever reason-not always sound related).
I still remember a rehersal for a large church that was opening up their first service with a Beatles medley with a juggler on stage-and on the drive home I was seriously PUMPED and excited!!!!!!! I still recall that feeling. A truly big WOW!!!! And only the tech guys heard it.
To bad the actual service day rehersal and then 2 services never quite got to the "feeling" that a late night rehersal did.
Re: Why we do this....
I will always remember the audience's reaction when we had Peter climb the window sill and float in the bedroom at the beginning of Pan. The collective gasps and excitement lowered the barometric pressure of the room. It was magical. We had changed all these peoples lives for the better, even if just for today. I've seen techs get bent out of shape when audience members ask for a drum sticks or set list but they are looking for a memento from a high point in their lives. They will theoretically remember that show for the rest of their lives, and we produced that memory. We, as an industry, genuinely create happiness and enjoyment.
No one comes to an opera, or festival, or conference because they are looking to get away from their exciting lives, they are there to excite their lives. And someone will pay me to be surrounded by hundreds or excited and happy people? How do I say no to that?
I will always remember the audience's reaction when we had Peter climb the window sill and float in the bedroom at the beginning of Pan. The collective gasps and excitement lowered the barometric pressure of the room. It was magical. We had changed all these peoples lives for the better, even if just for today. I've seen techs get bent out of shape when audience members ask for a drum sticks or set list but they are looking for a memento from a high point in their lives. They will theoretically remember that show for the rest of their lives, and we produced that memory. We, as an industry, genuinely create happiness and enjoyment.
No one comes to an opera, or festival, or conference because they are looking to get away from their exciting lives, they are there to excite their lives. And someone will pay me to be surrounded by hundreds or excited and happy people? How do I say no to that?
Re: Why we do this....
I should probably answer myself.
No two days are exactly the same and I get to work with some of the coolest people I have ever met.
I should probably answer myself.
No two days are exactly the same and I get to work with some of the coolest people I have ever met.
Re: Why we do this....
I burned out as a software developer and got back into this crazy business.
OK, so spending all week in the shop is not very fun. But show days... that's where a 12-20 hour day doesn't get boring in the way that sitting behind a computer all day gets boring.
I burned out as a software developer and got back into this crazy business.
OK, so spending all week in the shop is not very fun. But show days... that's where a 12-20 hour day doesn't get boring in the way that sitting behind a computer all day gets boring.
Re: Why we do this....
After 20 years at it I still ask myself this very question. But, if I didn't like it, I wouldn't be still doing it. Every single one of those magic moment type shows that happen take care of 10 of the bad underpowered PA/poorly cabled/nothing goes right shows so it keeps it all in balance I figure. I know I won't get rich or famous doing this, but it keeps a roof over my head and I haven't hit the point yet where I don't like music anymore so I guess I will keep on plugging away. At least at this stage of the game I find myself lifting less often and mixing more and that is kind of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
After 20 years at it I still ask myself this very question. But, if I didn't like it, I wouldn't be still doing it. Every single one of those magic moment type shows that happen take care of 10 of the bad underpowered PA/poorly cabled/nothing goes right shows so it keeps it all in balance I figure. I know I won't get rich or famous doing this, but it keeps a roof over my head and I haven't hit the point yet where I don't like music anymore so I guess I will keep on plugging away. At least at this stage of the game I find myself lifting less often and mixing more and that is kind of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.