Festival FOH protocol

P

Primoz Vozelj

Freshman
Apr 21, 2014
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The band I mix got booked for a festival a couple of months ago. I got a list of PA equipment that's gonna be used. Midas PRO9 on FOH. I built a show in offline editor, channel names, DCAs, dynamics, some eq starting points, aux sends, FX rack, etc. When I came on soundcheck (morning of show day) I asked the system engineer if I can load my show file of USB and he said no, because he would have to do all the input patching (16ch inputs, and LR sub FF outs). He loaded a generic scene and I started doing my thing. It was no disaster because I had just enough time to do most of the things on location. (except that I felt a bit like an idiot)
So my question is what is the correct protocol for this kind of situations? Should I email them a show file I built in advance? Or should I put it in the rider that its condition that I use my own show files?
 
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Re: Festival FOH protocol

That FOH guy is either totally burnt out, totally understaffed (no patch monkey on stage) or just plain L-A-Z-Y. Regardless of why he did that he gives the production company, and himself, a bad reputation.

16 inputs is hardly a lot. How was he otherwise? Perhaps his days in the industry are numbered...


Don't be a dick
Show up
Do your job

...1 out of 3...not great odds...
 
Re: Festival FOH protocol

One of the things I take pride in as a system engineer is trying to get the band engineer's file working for him and that means either making patch changes at the desk or loading into a laptop, editing the file and then saving it with a new name, ready to load in the desk. It's not his job to make his file work for me and unless his file is damaged or built with incompatible firmware, he shouldn't have to start from scratch.
 
Re: Festival FOH protocol

As Helge points out - I load it on a offline laptop, scan it for bugs, review it, safe the routing and preamps on the console, then and only then load it.
 
Re: Festival FOH protocol

This has gotten easier to do lately, with the easy ability to load an individual scene as opposed to the song and dance of early Yamaha-style scene management (5D, M7CL). A few times, I had guys show up with a file to load 15 minutes before their band's time slot in the festival. Fortunately, it was never a big deal to reset the outputs, then I learned the drag-and-drop way with the notebook. I never scanned to reviewed files before I loaded them. I guess I was dumb lucky that somethin' bad didn't happen. I was diligent in keeping the consoles updated...
 
Re: Festival FOH protocol

In all festivals I do as babysitter, the visiting engineer has all the right to do what he/she wants with the console in his time, as long as it's not something that will damage or endanger the equipment. That of course includes loading showfiles into the desk, even if soft patching into his session has to be done.

Telling an engineer that he can't load up his file seems unprofessional and disrespectful to me.
 
Re: Festival FOH protocol

Geri O'Neil said:
This has gotten easier to do lately, with the easy ability to load an individual scene as opposed to the song and dance of early Yamaha-style scene management (5D, M7CL). A few times, I had guys show up with a file to load 15 minutes before their band's time slot in the festival. Fortunately, it was never a big deal to reset the outputs, then I learned the drag-and-drop way with the notebook. I never scanned to reviewed files before I loaded them. I guess I was dumb lucky that somethin' bad didn't happen. I was diligent in keeping the consoles updated...
Click to expand...

There's a way to do it on those consoles without a laptop too.

You can use copy and paste. You Copy the "house" preset, then load the guest engineers show into the desk. Then Paste the "house" preset back into the new show.
 
Re: Festival FOH protocol

Hey, I'm working with a theater that insists I can't repatch the back of the console to do a direct out split and discourages me from using both VCAs and groups because it's too complicated for other people to follow. :roll:

In other words, you guys are all doing great!
 
Re: Festival FOH protocol

I don't think I've ever had someone refuse to let me load a show file. Most festivals at the very least give you a patch list of where their outputs land.
 
Re: Festival FOH protocol

Nobody sent me patch show file. Thats why I'm asking for standard protocol. Should I ask providiers for patch show files in advance?
 
Re: Festival FOH protocol

Mike Brown said:
Should be in the first advance email IMHO.
Click to expand...

I agree, but if the typical production provider is no better at advancing a gig than most acts I'm not holding out for any miracles.

Believe me, we're absolutely delighted when a BE or PM calls us first, but most often we have to perform continuous outreach to effect a meaningful advance. I hate surprises on site.
 
Re: Festival FOH protocol

The festivals I work at, I use a system processor to tie all mixing desks into the system. That means visiting engineers have to patch their L/R to the AES output, and that's it. Their inputs will be patched as per their rider, so no other patching (soft or hard) will be needed. That also means the can use the desk any way they want, in total freedom. I don't care if they do a full factory reset...
 
Re: Festival FOH protocol

Primoz Vozelj said:
The band I mix got booked for a festival a couple of months ago. I got a list of PA equipment that's gonna be used. Midas PRO9 on FOH. I built a show in offline editor, channel names, DCAs, dynamics, some eq starting points, aux sends, FX rack, etc. When I came on soundcheck (morning of show day) I asked the system engineer if I can load my show file of USB and he said no, because he would have to do all the input patching (16ch inputs, and LR sub FF outs). He loaded a generic scene and I started doing my thing. It was no disaster because I had just enough time to do most of the things on location. (except that I felt a bit like an idiot)
So my question is what is the correct protocol for this kind of situations? Should I email them a show file I built in advance? Or should I put it in the rider that its condition that I use my own show files?
Click to expand...

To me it sounds like the dude didn't know how to operate the desk or the desk is severely lacking. How much weight you carry depends on how late in the day you are playing. I have been mistreated in this scenario before. Sometimes you just have to play along because if you push back it gets worse.
 
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