Amplifying your sound - Setting up and down

We have already covered the basics of health and safety, and also what amplifiers and mixers are. Now, to round up this first batch of summaries, we will go over how to set them up and down properly.

Recap on risk management

Before setting up, check for potential hazards: uneven surfaces, proximity to transit areas, and whether there is a chance your equipment will get wet (by being outdoors or close to where drinks are being served).

Tape your leads to the floor in order to prevent accidents. You can also tape them to the sides of poles or tripods, and if it's important that people see them, you can wrap them in colourful or reflective tape.

Set up your equipment within your reach, but not so close that you could hit it by accident while you perform. If you have poles, extend the legs as wide as the space allows it, and don't make the pole higher than yourself.

During soundcheck, make sure that there is no risk of interference between your devices, and that you have enough space to move safely.

Setting up - BEFORE switching anything on

1. Place your devices, and/or the poles holding them, on a level and stable surface.
2. Insert the power lead into the devices. If you need an extension cord, this is the time to plug it. Only use one extension cord per connection, as making a chain of them drastically increases the risk of burns and damages. Any extension cord you use must be switched off at this point.
3. Make sure all your knobs of your amplifiers or mixers are turned down. If you don't put them on zero before switching them on, you will get loud noises and pops as soon as you do, which can hurt your hearing and damage the equipment.
4. Connect your input devices (microphones, instruments, etc.) to their respective amplifier or mixer. Make sure of using the correct leads for each. To make it easier and faster, you can colour-code or label your leads with tape.

Setting up - Switching on instruments

Once everything is in place as described above, you can switch your amplifier or mixer on. As all knobs were turned to zero, you must now dial them up to the appropriate levels for the venue you are at.

The golden rule here is to go slowly. Whilst setting up can be stressful, and we don't always have the time we'd like to have in order to get it done, sudden dial ups are likely to result in loud feedback, which hurts your hearing and wears your equipment down. Be gentle and pay attention to hums and other noise coming from your devices.

Remember that, the closer an input device is to an amplifier, the more feedback there will be. This means that, if you need more volume, but can't add any more without getting feedback, a potential solution is to position the input device further away from the amplifier. Whilst it's true that your body can act as a barrier between devices and reduce or prevent feedback, don't count on it for your performance, as it reduces your freedom of movement and can easily fail.

1. Start with just the fader at a low setting, and make your input device produce sound. If it's a microphone, a standard "1,2,3" count said at your normal speaking or singing volume works fine. For devices playing backing tracks, like iPads or phones, keep their inner volume level at around 75%.
2. Move on to the gain to adjust the clarity of the sound.
3. Finish by adjusting EQ and pan (more about that in our next article)

Setting down

Organisation is key to prevent misplacing or damaging your equipment while setting down. This is where labels and checklists become extremely helpful. Every device, accessory, lead and adapter must have an assigned place in your bags or cases. This will allow you to take inventory more efficiently, avoiding mistakes.

It is a good practice to turn all the knobs down before switching devices off. 

Once everything is packed, take it to a place assigned for storage backstage, or to your car, if you have one and are about to leave. Don't let it out in the open or within reach of the audience, even if you think you'll remain next to it. Better safe than sorry!

We hope this is useful for many of you. Any shares with fellow musicians or public performers is encouraged and appreciated.