CONSIDERING STAGE VOLUME IN PA TUNING

A Balancing Act: Considering Stage Volume in PA Tuning

For the past several years, I, as a system engineer, have often found myself joking that I now tune PAs for social media. While this seems like a strange statement on the surface, what is at the heart of it? Many times, artists will walk into the dressing room on social media and hear their show from the audience’s perspective immediately after a concert. The reality of our work as system engineers is to create consistency in the day-to-day implementation of the show and over the total audience area for every show. Every production (even different legs of the same tour) can have different needs and variables. In some shows, my goal is to keep the PA system as consistent as possible, while in others, ensuring a consistent audience experience involves adapting to what the audience is already hearing rather than minimizing changes in the system itself. However, what happens when the stage volume exceeds the PA close to the stage? 

I refer to stage volume as the unamplified sound emanating directly from the stage. This includes the crack of the snare drum, the guitar amps cranked up to 11, and any other sounds audible without microphones when standing in front of the stage. This unamplified sound can sometimes be anywhere from nostalgic to problematic regarding the sound engineer’s job. Without accounting for stage volume, even in small venues, a mix can sometimes feel like trying to make everything louder than everything else. 

Before we consider adjusting the PA deployment and tuning, the SE can take steps to help reduce or control stage volume. We use tools such as drum shields and acoustic blankets and switch to or add in-ear monitors to turn down or remove stage wedges. Conversations can be had with musicians to make them aware of the impact of their stage volume on their audience. However, when more than those measures are needed on their own, we can consider an alternative approach, which is to consider stage volume in our methodology and decision-making when it comes to sound system tuning and deployment. 

Why is this something we care about? For starters, increased stage volume and full PA coverage can cause issues in some small venues. You may have issues hearing the vocal over the stacks of amps aimed off the front of the stage. Some drums may sound like they are being hit twice, as you may hear the sound off the stage and then again through the PA. 

So, how can we begin to handle these problems as we scale up our venues? While in a small venue, it might be no big deal to not mic overheads or a snare because they can be heard in the back of the room regardless of whether or not the PA is on, as we grow and our venues grow, there becomes a big difference in the audience experience where the front row gets all of the drums and guitars from the stage volume, while the people in the back get nothing without the help of our speakers. 

So, how do we begin to address these issues? 

Let’s look at 90% of the audience area, i.e., those who need the PA to hear the show. To give them the best experience, we, as system engineers, will cover the whole audience area with the PA (yes, no cheating. The stage may help us, but it won’t do our jobs for us). Then, as we go through the tuning process, we may allow a bit more level variance down towards the front of the audience area so that the band is on stage. The PA is on; those who get both the stage volume and the speaker coverage have a balanced sound (this may take a good bit of listening and adjusting both during soundcheck and the show). 

From there, some engineers may delay the PA back to the backline (most commonly the snare drum) so that you don’t get two arrivals from the same source when standing in front of the speakers. At times, if you don’t, you may experience what feels like an echo or hear two hits from the same drum just far enough apart that your brain recognizes it as a separate arrival. 

Lastly, we’ll consider what we need to help. For example, on a show I toured recently, we put only the vocal in the front fills and flown center cluster because without the PA, the guitars, bass, and drums were loud enough to sound like a full mix acoustically; however, without the reinforcement, the vocal wouldn’t have been able to be heard clearly over the stage and crowd. 

The art of balancing stage volume and PA system tuning for concerts is a nuanced task that demands a deep understanding of both the technical aspects and the audience’s experience. As system engineers, our primary objective is to ensure consistency and clarity across the entire audience area, regardless of the venue size or the production’s specific needs. We can mitigate the challenges of high stage volume by implementing strategies such as reducing stage volume with drum shields and in-ear monitors, engaging in thoughtful conversations with engineers, and carefully tuning the PA system. Furthermore, by considering the unique acoustics of each venue and adjusting our approach accordingly, we can create a balanced and immersive audio experience that resonates with every listener. Ultimately, our goal is to provide an exceptional and unforgettable concert experience where all can fully appreciate the magic of live music.