What songs do you tune your PA with ?

Re: What songs do you tune your PA with ?

Currently in my ''sound check'' folder are:

* Thunderstruck (AC/DC; in stereo, makes any left/right reverses immediately obvious!)
* Have A Drink On Me (AC/DC)
* Going to California (Zeppelin)
* Control (Puddle of Mudd)
* Bulls on Parade (RAtM)
* All These Things That I've Done (Killers)
* Shadows of the Night (Benatar)
* I Wish (Skee-lo; usually good for a laugh from house staff)
* Word up (Cameo)
* Ditty (Paperboy)
* Let Her Cry (Hootie)
* Firework (Katy Perry)
* Hey Man Nice Shot (Filter)
* Welcome to Jamrock (Damian Marley)

I really don't enjoy PA check when there are business-folk or kids present. I have to remind myself what may not be acceptable!
 
Re: What songs do you tune your PA with ?

I like Jeff's method. Play stuff you know and like. Just remember to be critical while listening instead of having your own private butt shaking party.
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Anyway, this crowd turned me on to Steely Dan as test material, which I have gotten to love. Smooth and crisp and very full range.

For subs, my current favorite test track is 'Hot Toddy' though.
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And a good sine sweep is the easiest way for me to hear peaks and dips in response.
 
Re: What songs do you tune your PA with ?

Dixie Bee-Liners: Lord Lay Down My Ball and Chain, Down on the Crooked Road
Steep Canyon Rangers: Call the Captain, Turn Up the Bottle
Fitzmaurice: Twenty Five Years, California

Any assortment of Jubal's Kin, Alison Krauss, Crooked Still, Abigail Washburn, or where ever I happen to be on the list in my walkin music.

I usually put something on to play and then just let it go in the background. I can't say I use specific songs to tune specific things.
 
Re: What songs do you tune your PA with ?

Depends upon the gig, but my list includes:

* A 16 bar loop from the intro of the song ''Woman in Chains'' by Tears for Fears (good for driver checking without needing to mute individual frequency bands)
* Willie Nelson's version of ''Stardust''
* ''Flight of the Falcon'' by Pat Metheny (Nearly every possible musical texture in one 4 minute track)
* The vocal-only track that follows the 'bonus' version of ''You Oughta Know'' on Alanis Morissette's album LIttle Jagged Pill
* Various spoken word tracks on the cowboy poetry album ''ELKO! - A Cowboy's Gathering''

If there's a problem with the rig or something about the room I need deal with, those tracks will find it for me.
 
Re: What songs do you tune your PA with ?

In the same vein as ''playing what you are familiar with'':

I've used recording of events that I attended, and recordings made by friends. This provides a strong referential memory.

I also include ''minimal'' recordings of acoustic instruments; being familiar with the sound of them live. Often they are solo or duo performances - the intent is to focus without the ''decisions'' made by mixing and mastering.

The Stereophile Test CD series has some very useful tracks.

Some other recordings: Patty Larkin - Stranger's World

UMASHA from Mickey Hart's Planet Drums - SupraLingua.

Michael Hedges, David Lindley,

Bob Katz has a page devoted to using his recordings to setup.
 
Re: What songs do you tune your PA with ?

Stuff I know well:

Woman in Chains - Tears for Fears (right on Milt!)
Anything on Depeche Mode's Violator album.
Anything on Duran Duran's Rio album.
Manhattan Skyline/Genius - Julia Fordham
Slave to Love/More Than This - Bryan Ferry

Stuff I've personally recorded/mixed:

Hot Action Cop's debut, self-titled album.
Big In Japan - Alphaville (Remix)
Romeos - Alphaville (Balcony Mix)

Many others but those are the mainstays.
 
Re: What songs do you tune your PA with ?

Evan Kirkendall wrote on Thu said:
... but why would I want to give them all away?
Click to expand...

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Cause it's like ideas.

Share 'em and everyone benefits...

''Hands With A Hammer'' from Frank Zappa - You Can't do That On Stage Anymore Vol 3

( Amazing Terry Bozzio drum solo ).

Ali Farke Toure w Ry Cooder - Talking Timbuktu.

Tony Levin ( anything )

California Guitar Trio ( ditto )
 
Re: What songs do you tune your PA with ?

I have a long list and usually end up going with stuff that suits the style of the gig.

One observation that I found interesting about my list is that there are only a handful of mix engineers used on the majority of the recordings I have in this list.

Like Void mentioned, if you have any studio experience, it can also be useful to use some tracks you mixed yourself. My own work offers me significant familiarity advantages at a fairly deep level.
 
Re: What songs do you tune your PA with ?

as my friends put it:

''are you going to play that annoying Japanese sh*t?''

I like this topic though. I'm always on the lookout for well recorded stuff to broaden my tuning horizons.
 
Re: What songs do you tune your PA with ?

Jeff Babcock wrote on Thu said:
I have a long list and usually end up going with stuff that suits the style of the gig.

One observation that I found interesting about my list is that there are only a handful of mix engineers used on the majority of the recordings I have in this list...
Click to expand...

If the ''audience'' hasn't arrived yet - total freedom of choice...

Otherwise they might get ''cranky'' unless it's close to what they like. Variety, I like to have a lot of instrumentals handy.

I am curious, as well, as to your ''handful of engineers'' list.
( The mastering engineer AND the producer have the final word on the recording and production values. )
 
Re: What songs do you tune your PA with ?

Steely Dan
Sting
Peter Gabriel

Those are my go-tos. I like some of the sting stuff because it is very neutral and full range. Then I will play a few ''rock'' songs I am more familiar with.
 
Re: What songs do you tune your PA with ?

Hey Void

- the Lord-Alge brothers
- Roger Nichols
- Rich Costey
- JJP (Jack Joseph Puig)

Those guys occupy probably 3/4 of the credits for the stuff I most often use. Most of the time I'm dealing with Pop & Rock type acts so the list is somewhat skewed in that direction.

On a related note, good job yourself, I haven't heard all of your work but the few bits I have has been very well done - in particular you seem to do a great job managing bass frequencies, which IMHO is the toughest range to get right in mixing.
 
Re: What songs do you tune your PA with ?

LOL, the Lord-Alge brothers. I used to be a 2nd engineer for them in my very early days, late 80s, early 90s. Learned a lot from those guys.

Rich Costey and I used to also work together a lot at Unique Studios in Times Square, NYC. We came up together as 2nd & 1st engineers and he's obviously gone on to do some huge things. Good for him.

Thanks for the kudos. I play a bit of bass so I guess I tend to focus on getting that right. It can be tricky, but it's fun and when it works... it WORKS!
 
Re: What songs do you tune your PA with ?

Same stuff I used in the 80s with a few additions.

Hey 19...................Steely Dan (ALWAYS first)
Take the Long Way Home...Supertramp
Rosanna..................Toto
Silver Blue..............Linda Rondstat
Rosalinda's Eyes.........Billy Joel
No Frontiers.............Corrs
Unloved..................Jann Arden
Jealous of the Moon......Nickel Creek
Fantasy..................EW&F


several 80s Chicago songs
few others

These are also what I used to tune various stereos, evaluate speakers, headphones, and as recording mix references.
 
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