Hi Folks,
I'm not sure if I'm asking for something from you, or whether I'm just venting. Probably just venting. But if you have something...
Background
In our little town, we hold a number of festivals that include a stage and music in the town center. Bands either play for free, of for a small stipend from a grant. I've been supplying sound for the majority of these festivals over the past three years. I may have made $200 (gross) over that time. Yeah, I'm working for free. I do it as a return to the community, so I don't go crazy listening to lousy sound, and to make contacts with the groups that play there for possible future job opportunities.
I'll drag my nearly new, $10K rig out there. Folks like what I do (or so they say). I'm VERY conscious of sound levels.
A local "nanny" has taken it upon himself to protect the city from hearing loss - primarily targeting the festivals, but has also been "nagging" folks at indoor venues. I know of at least two times where he has called the cops (not on my events). Of course, they say no law is being broken, and no city sound ordinance is being violated. He's also gone to the city council... Did I mention he is not on any festival planning organization, or helps in any capacity?
At all the festivals I worked last year, I took hourly level readings (via my Radio Shack meter) to the extent that I could map sound dispersion to nearly 1/8 mile. Except for the Blues Festival, I was running 85dB(A)(slow) at the end of my 100' snake. The Blues festival we kept below the 65dB(A) level at the property edge.
Current rant:
So I got this unsolicited email about "...This is about creating a "sound-safer" GM Festival than we had last year."
Copies to the Mayor, City Manager, and other city officials.
I've never been good at bully fighting - I'll finish out this festival this weekend, but am seriously contemplating just saying "F%^# IT" and let it be someone else's problem. Obviously, it's not about the money (or lack thereof - Did I mention last year at this event, a vendor drove over my snake killing about 1/2 the channels - for which I was never reimbursed?) I've made a lot of good friends with the organizers, bands and participants and feel some guilt about leaving them in the lurch, but someone has to curb this dog.
So the email...
Hi Sound Guys,
It was unforgivable of me not cc'ing you on this.
So much for my memory.
I hope it will be helpful.
Best, Bill xxxxxxxx
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Bill xxxxx
Date: Tue, May 7, 2013 at 5:42 PM
Subject: 2013 Green Man Festival, Sound Concerns
To: [email protected]
Cc: Celia [email protected]>, Lore [email protected]>, Michael [email protected]>, Judith [email protected]>, Michael [email protected]>
Hi to the Committee,
Here is a reminder just in case not all of this information and opinion has reached you. This is about creating a "sound-safer" GM Festival than we had last year.
While I am not a audiologist, or a sound man, or a lawyer or a PhD level physicist, I have read perhaps 100 times more than the average person has on the subject of hearing damage resulting from exposure to higher sound levels for excessive durations.
Based upon that I urge the following in the setup of the sound for the bands.
1. That the band and the band and speakers be set back as far as possible from the audience as was done at last year's Crazy Quilt Festival.
2. That no speaker be placed where a person could accidentally walk less than at a distance of 5 feet in front of it. This is still not a safe distance in the case of sound mishaps or high level sounds, but is a safer distance.
3. That no booth be placed within 20 feet of the bandstand, as persons working in the booths will be stuck all day, and will experience the longest exposures possibly to sound levels in excess of 85 decibels. Duration of exposure is just as significant as intensity of exposure.
4. That band leaders be instructed that there will be young children present and that their hearing is more vulnerable to damage than is the hearing of the adults present. The band should be playing at a level of about 20 decibels lower when there are younger children present. Ref's provided upon request.
5. That no seating be provided in front of the band, as placement of the seating near the band and their speakers brings an expectation of safety, which I believe could get the City into legal trouble if there is some sort of mishap whereby there is an accidental extremely loud (140 decibels or more) speaker pop, squeal, roar, static, crack etc, such as sometimes causes a lifetime of tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and/or some degree of permanent hearing loss. A list of possible mishaps that can cause extreme sound from speakers provided on request.
6. That, in the event that music is being played at a level in excess of 85 decibels, signs be installed instructing parents to keep children farther away from the band and its speakers.
7. That a sound level meter will be in use by the sound man.
8. That there will be established before the event that the sound man is in control of the overall sound level as well as of the sound level from any individual voice or any instrument, even if he must walk up to the individual on the bandstand and instruct a turn-down of a band member's personal amplifier which, perhaps, might not be "running through" the main speakers and is not controllable from the sound board. I believe that it is essential that the sound man be in complete control of the sound, and the performers should not have to allow such concerns to distract them from their performing.
9. That, if the sound is extremely loud, and if cheap ear plugs are being offered, the users of the earplugs will be instructed that there are two requirements for safe use of earplugs: 1) a high-quality pair ($30/pair and up) should be used, and 2) that there be skillful installation of the earplugs. Otherwise there arises a false sense of security which can lead to hearing damage.
I'm sorry about being so worrisome here, but the administrative and set-up discomfort we see here is small to the discomfort experienced by (sometimes suicidal) persons who have permanent tinnitus and/or smaller or larger increments of permanent hearing loss.
Many thanks for whatever you can do to insure a more sound-enjoyable Green Man Festival 2013.
Bill xxxxxxx
----------------------------
So there it is. Kinda takes the joy out of it.
frank
I'm not sure if I'm asking for something from you, or whether I'm just venting. Probably just venting. But if you have something...
Background
In our little town, we hold a number of festivals that include a stage and music in the town center. Bands either play for free, of for a small stipend from a grant. I've been supplying sound for the majority of these festivals over the past three years. I may have made $200 (gross) over that time. Yeah, I'm working for free. I do it as a return to the community, so I don't go crazy listening to lousy sound, and to make contacts with the groups that play there for possible future job opportunities.
I'll drag my nearly new, $10K rig out there. Folks like what I do (or so they say). I'm VERY conscious of sound levels.
A local "nanny" has taken it upon himself to protect the city from hearing loss - primarily targeting the festivals, but has also been "nagging" folks at indoor venues. I know of at least two times where he has called the cops (not on my events). Of course, they say no law is being broken, and no city sound ordinance is being violated. He's also gone to the city council... Did I mention he is not on any festival planning organization, or helps in any capacity?
At all the festivals I worked last year, I took hourly level readings (via my Radio Shack meter) to the extent that I could map sound dispersion to nearly 1/8 mile. Except for the Blues Festival, I was running 85dB(A)(slow) at the end of my 100' snake. The Blues festival we kept below the 65dB(A) level at the property edge.
Current rant:
So I got this unsolicited email about "...This is about creating a "sound-safer" GM Festival than we had last year."
Copies to the Mayor, City Manager, and other city officials.
I've never been good at bully fighting - I'll finish out this festival this weekend, but am seriously contemplating just saying "F%^# IT" and let it be someone else's problem. Obviously, it's not about the money (or lack thereof - Did I mention last year at this event, a vendor drove over my snake killing about 1/2 the channels - for which I was never reimbursed?) I've made a lot of good friends with the organizers, bands and participants and feel some guilt about leaving them in the lurch, but someone has to curb this dog.
So the email...
Hi Sound Guys,
It was unforgivable of me not cc'ing you on this.
So much for my memory.
I hope it will be helpful.
Best, Bill xxxxxxxx
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Bill xxxxx
Date: Tue, May 7, 2013 at 5:42 PM
Subject: 2013 Green Man Festival, Sound Concerns
To: [email protected]
Cc: Celia [email protected]>, Lore [email protected]>, Michael [email protected]>, Judith [email protected]>, Michael [email protected]>
Hi to the Committee,
Here is a reminder just in case not all of this information and opinion has reached you. This is about creating a "sound-safer" GM Festival than we had last year.
While I am not a audiologist, or a sound man, or a lawyer or a PhD level physicist, I have read perhaps 100 times more than the average person has on the subject of hearing damage resulting from exposure to higher sound levels for excessive durations.
Based upon that I urge the following in the setup of the sound for the bands.
1. That the band and the band and speakers be set back as far as possible from the audience as was done at last year's Crazy Quilt Festival.
2. That no speaker be placed where a person could accidentally walk less than at a distance of 5 feet in front of it. This is still not a safe distance in the case of sound mishaps or high level sounds, but is a safer distance.
3. That no booth be placed within 20 feet of the bandstand, as persons working in the booths will be stuck all day, and will experience the longest exposures possibly to sound levels in excess of 85 decibels. Duration of exposure is just as significant as intensity of exposure.
4. That band leaders be instructed that there will be young children present and that their hearing is more vulnerable to damage than is the hearing of the adults present. The band should be playing at a level of about 20 decibels lower when there are younger children present. Ref's provided upon request.
5. That no seating be provided in front of the band, as placement of the seating near the band and their speakers brings an expectation of safety, which I believe could get the City into legal trouble if there is some sort of mishap whereby there is an accidental extremely loud (140 decibels or more) speaker pop, squeal, roar, static, crack etc, such as sometimes causes a lifetime of tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and/or some degree of permanent hearing loss. A list of possible mishaps that can cause extreme sound from speakers provided on request.
6. That, in the event that music is being played at a level in excess of 85 decibels, signs be installed instructing parents to keep children farther away from the band and its speakers.
7. That a sound level meter will be in use by the sound man.
8. That there will be established before the event that the sound man is in control of the overall sound level as well as of the sound level from any individual voice or any instrument, even if he must walk up to the individual on the bandstand and instruct a turn-down of a band member's personal amplifier which, perhaps, might not be "running through" the main speakers and is not controllable from the sound board. I believe that it is essential that the sound man be in complete control of the sound, and the performers should not have to allow such concerns to distract them from their performing.
9. That, if the sound is extremely loud, and if cheap ear plugs are being offered, the users of the earplugs will be instructed that there are two requirements for safe use of earplugs: 1) a high-quality pair ($30/pair and up) should be used, and 2) that there be skillful installation of the earplugs. Otherwise there arises a false sense of security which can lead to hearing damage.
I'm sorry about being so worrisome here, but the administrative and set-up discomfort we see here is small to the discomfort experienced by (sometimes suicidal) persons who have permanent tinnitus and/or smaller or larger increments of permanent hearing loss.
Many thanks for whatever you can do to insure a more sound-enjoyable Green Man Festival 2013.
Bill xxxxxxx
----------------------------
So there it is. Kinda takes the joy out of it.
frank
