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Theatre Radios Part 2

SOUNDTRAP

Nick has spent the last 19 years working in the sound industry. He began his formal education in sound from the bottom - learning to coiling and cleaning speaker cables. He has since come a long way and has worked on many big name concerts and tours in Asia and in the UK. Nick is currently employed as the Head of Sound of a major production rental house based in Singapore.

Theatre Radios - Part.2

by Nicholas Chua

Running of radios in a theatre environment is similar to that of any other shows, except its more defined in the ways of positioning. This issue’s subject is on the finer “doings” of running radios which should happen at the very start. Let me explain by bringing up a few points.

1: Microphone Fittings

Each cast member is different. Different roles requiring different nationalities. Hence your assorted markers. The most common mic used in theatre is the MKE2 made by Sennheiser. It is skin colored pink. Being this color, you can then color it to whichever tone that is needed. It is even hard to see in blond hair. The artist might be bareback, being of a darker skin color, and coloring will make it “hard” to spot from the audience.

The most exposed part would be the area below the hairline and above the neckline of the costume. This would be the part of any mic cable that needs coloring. Fitting the mic on the head depends on the person being fitted. They could have a “high” hairline or they could be bald. Because of the role they are playing, they could have hair cuts that are short on the sides or be wearing a hat at times during the show. Maybe even a wig for the whole show (I find this the easiest).

You will face many types of hair styles called for the show: No hair - Use the ear hangers; Short hair - use hairpins or clips; a full head of hair requires using an elastic band or clips as well. A clip or elastic for a wig. As for a hat, well taping the mic to it or lowering the mic would be your solution.

It is how you work with the artist; Making them comfy with the mic fitted is your main aim. When fitted, it should not bother them in any way. Work with them - it is the only way. Do your fitting on stage if you have to (stops in rehearsals), and keep doing it till both of you are happy. Some artists are used to a certain method and you might be used to methods that they have not tried. So compromise, it can be done. Once the fitting is done and every department is ok, than that method should be used for the “whole show”. Actors need to cut their hair every so often to play a role. So your mic colors should always be constant.

2: Microphone Positions

Placing the mic in the best optimal position might be a bit more tricky than coloring it. Some departments would likely get involved. Got a hat? See costume. Wigs? Find wigs team. If any minor change, talk with the creative team. Is the hat too high for improved mic placement? Check lighting. You must be around all these times, doing your minor changes as it happens and taking notes. Placing the mic in the right place EVERY time there is a change is of the upmost importance. A misplaced mic will affect the sound quite drastically. After all is said and done, that mic Must Always be in that position, everytime, every show. If an actor is changed for that role, another mic should be used for him or her. Do not use the mic that belongs to the original actor. Fit this person out as and when you know, not at the last possible minute. If said person is the main cover, than the mic should be kept till he/she is due on. Do not fit it on any other person unless really necessary. The hair clips or elastic or even ear hanger is fitted for one person, not multiple persons. Whenever possible, check the position. Do not think that it will magically stay in its position. Some cast members will do the wearing and placing of the mic themselves. You check on them when they come down at beginners (5mins to curtain up). Since there are two of you backstage, one will listen, and the other will do the visual checks (yup, it involves walking). Some cast members prefer that they are mic’d up by a member of the sound team. Still, listening and visual is a must when they are at beginners.

During the show, expect the unexpected. Do not expect that all will go right and do not expect that the mic will stay in position from start to end of show. Mr. Murphy always shows his ugly head. Listen, Walk, Look, Lis- ten again, Look again, Walk again. You will go anywhere to look at any mic at any one time. There is no place in the theatre that is off limits to the sound team, maybe only the male and female toilets.

3: Microphones - Care Of

I don’t know if this is a record, but here goes: Cast on stage; First fitting done; 8 shows a week; Show went on for 11 months for a total of 352 shows, and used the same mic for that entire run. How did it last so long you ask? Was is a mic so perfect when it came out from the factory? In truth, I’ll never know. As the sound team, you must look after all your gear. The most sensitive items, well, there are many, would most likely be microphones. They are exposed to hot, warm, cool and cold air every day. Hot skin radiating heat, stepping out into the cold night air, condensation, etc. Taking care of mics include cleaning them with distilled water, air spraying them, protecting them with nail polish, tape to keep it off the forehead, and asking the cast not to go out into the cold after being in a warm/hot environment. Taking the mics off the packs and stretching them over night on a mic stand is good. Mr. Gaffer Tape gets involved in this. It helps to keep the cable straight over a long running show.

When a mic starts to fail, it does not mean its not working. It is just that the sound quality is, how shall I say, not that great. It can be used, but will not sound fantastic. Let the sound number one decide what to do, that’s their job. Sound quality dropping in a mic does not mean that you are not looking after the mic, it could be a whole bunch of other technical problems.

A dry box is very useful. Mics like it in there because they need airing. That’s the best place to suck any water residue out from the mic. Fine copper wires don’t like liquids in any shape and form.

Cast should know that its perfectly fine to approach the sound team if they feel anything is not right - Belt too tight, Belt old and loose, Clips running off position. Any thing does feels “ not as usual”, please let them know that its ok to approach your team. In this way, things can be looked at and fixed if need fixing. It’s really about preventive measures.

4: Radio System

The Rack, the Antenna Cables, and antenna fins are slightly more rugged than mic and packs but they still need care. Hanging them in a safe place is good. Not getting knocked is good. Cables runs from rack to antenna should not be in anyone’s way, or moving objects. From the rack, straight up and away is the best bet.

Most venues where you place your racks, there would be things that you can fly the antennas off above you. Simple and straight forward and won’t get in the way of anyone or anything. Otherwise bring with your tour with you some poles. They make a great way to fly your antennas. Keeping the antennas away from any metal work as much as possible is a good thing. Wood is of course acceptable. As near to the stage is good too.

Most radio systems have two IP’s - A and B. Keeping A and B apart, downstage and upstage, works fine all the times for me during setups. Good RF into both. If you

have more than two sets of antennas, keep both the A’s and B’s apart. Try not to put them close to each other. If A and B are close, it won’t work in “diversity”.

That line of sight to the antennas might have something in the way, hence A and B may lose the signal. Keeping them apart means that if A is lost, B will kick in. Never run antenna A and antenna B side by side, it defeats the purpose of what it was designed for.

5: Doing it in a minute

Electronic items can and will fail at any one time. You have to be ready to move fast to fix something when you know about it. Having these items with you at all times will be good: Spare clips; Spare elastic bands; Spare skin tapes; Spare batteries; Spare mics; Spare transmitters. It no use if you know a problem, and after getting to the changing room and finding out you do not have a certain item with you. Some call it the “fanny” pack. Like a carpenter you keep them around your waist. Its all you will ever need to service a cast member.

Imagine this - cast on stage, doing a dance with member of the audience and the mic gets flooded out and that cast member won’t be off for another five more minutes during which he will be saying many lines. He is not coming off, so what could I do to fix the problem? So running onto the stage, within all the audience, I managed to get to him and un-flood the mic. Lines were clear and audible.

Some times you have only one minute, sometimes you have the whole act to fix something. Some cast members knows when their mic has failed and they would speak louder, or even into the other cast’s mics. All to help the sound team till it is fixed. Remember, the show must go on. Changing a dead mic or a transmitter might take some time. To do it fast, both of you at backstage must work quickly.

Hint – “Don’t not beat yourself up over it during the show if something goes wrong, get on with the show and fix it. You can always beat yourself up later after the show.”

If it’s a complicated swap, and during a very short time span, the two of you will need to do it. If time allows, only one is enough. Someone needs to listen at the racks. If time absolutely doesn’t permit it, the show goes on without that person’s input and you will have to fix it when you can.

DPA miniature omni microphones being fitted on the cast of the stage production of Disney’s High School Musical

Remember to listen at the racks so you can identify and preempt any possible events. Walk and look. At times, cast members will think you are crazy, going up to them and looking not at them but at their forehead. Don’t worry, after a while, they will get used to it. You are just doing your job. If they should complain, stab them with your comb, the one with the pointed end.

These are just a few points about the running of radios in a theatre setting which I like to share with you - how, what and why certain things should be done, whether you are on the road or in a set venue.

And finally...

I will touch on one last point and that is - Communication with the Sound Operator at the desk. This final part is pretty important. It’s a bit different from the usual corporate shows that you might or would have done. The Sound Op will not deal with things back- stage. You have to deal with it. He or she may have larger issues on their mind. They have a show to do! Snd Op’s walkie-talkie WILL NOT be turned on while yours will be On during the whole show. If anything goes wrong, you fix it from backstage. It’s your job to know when things go wrong like a dead mic or a mic going dead or a blown amp. You have to try to fix it. There is nothing that the Sound Op can do to help you. Hence his or her walkie is turned off. Part of back stage work is monitoring. You or the number two will keep going through all the mics at the rack and you will do this countless time during a show. As an example:- Cast member’s E’s mic is dead. You change it when you can get to E. Fader will be down when E is not on stage. You get to E, change it, and get on with the show. Sound Op does not need to know. Sound Op will know if a dead mic gets onto stage. Try not to let a dead mic get on stage. If it does, carry on with the show. Don’t panic. Fix it when that person is off.

The Sound Op will turn on the walkie and have a chat with you at times. By “Chat” I mean FIX THAT ITEM! “Go check it out” is about all you will hear from the FOH. You can bring up the problem(s) after the show at the pub, not during the show. During the show - Get on with it.

http://caeditorial.wordpress.com/avl-times/ for original article. courtesy of boss clarence.

Machine gun above!!

Well, during BMT, there`s this thing called the BIC.

Battle Inoculation Course.

Sounds like some bloody medicine we have to take huh? Taste like shit too.

the general gist, to make you know what’s its like in real battle. wad you`d expect when you r in battle.

so we had lessons on it. told wad to do. looked at drawings. wad to do at each stage. shit like that.

I did this a few years ago, it might have changed now adays. but basically the same.

u crawl the whole time.  lol. yup. no standing up allowed. would you stand up with lead flying around? I wouldn’t.

 crawling. hmm.. many types. crawl on your front. crawl on your back. maybe on your side?  leopard crawl. yup. we do it the same way as the animal. back crawl. yup. on our backs.

 oh the mud. the fukin mud. lol. well, we aint gonna let some mud stop us are we? barbed wires? nope. that don’t stop us too. sand? nar. its piss easy.

So. the action starts. we all line up. kinda start in some kind of trench I think. cant remember now. its like ww1 or ww2. u always start in a trench before you go “over”. when you go “over”, that’s where the buzzing shit are. lead. seeking you out. so… u keep low. LOWWWWWWWW

u crawl.

people go. u move up the q. more people go. u move up till its gonna be your turn.

before any one starts, well, to make it more sexciting, they shoot guns. they shoot those thinges called the GPMG. some general purpose machine gun thing. loud fuker as well. they also set off some thing called “ simulated explosions”. bloody noisy! they don’t hurt, just your ears.

soooo. its your turn. u get the go ahead from the instructors. u start.

fuk! straight into the mud puddle. lol. ok. all wet now. u crawl. you come to some kind of zig zag passage. u crawl your way round this. u keep going on your front.

u come to this set of shitty wires. u turn onto your back. u gota get under this wire, use your loving wife to hold up the wire, u crawl , move repeat the same shit. shoulder. move. gun. move. hips. move. u get out this mess.

turn over. keep crawling. elbows. knees. feet to push. wide open like a crab. crawl again. fuk its noisy.

shit. arrrr fukin sand in my pants. fuk.

shit. arr fuk cant see mud in my face. stop. wipe. keep going.

fuk! eeee wet boots. shit. fuked up feeling.

sand in mouth. spit spit. keep going.

ok more than half way. phewwwwww.

breaths coming hard now. breath deep. just don’t get mud or sand in yer gob.

crawl. go. u can see the trench. the end point. a little bit moreeeeeee

u reach the trench, u kinda fall into it. u are done.

nowadays, I think u have to get into a foxhole and hide, fire at your enemy, than charge at the enemy.

my time, don’t think we did that. cant remember.

so there u are. cant see your camos. u are all orange. lol. mud. oh well, some real washing up to do later.

GPMG. shoots 7.62mm things out its barrel. called a medium machine gun. fuking far too, can kill at 1800m.  so we were told to fukin crawl and not stand up.

of course there`s safety. the gun is firing at 3m`s over our heads. if some one stands up, will not get hit. the instructors firing will also know wad to do. its pretty safe. just that when going through it, the sexciteness of it all will make u piss adrenaline.

loud noisy things. they just make sound. to add to the ding. makes you wonder wad the real shit is. I don’t want to find out thank you very much.

well, that’s BIC. lol.