About

Live sound is an immensely complex, and occasionally emotive subject.  With limitations on budget, space and time though, these issues can sometimes be magnified.  It’s all very well reading up on the theory of live sound, based on large scale venues, but there are areas which don’t get mentioned in these environments, simply because they become less important as scale increases.

This blog, aims to assist and open up subjects around getting the best live sound for your functions, pub, or small venue based band, based on the lessons I, and some of my friends have learnt, whilst battling with getting a decent sound for our band. All of the information contained within this blog is based on real world use – some of it will go against the considered norm – and I make no guarantee that any of it will work – it’s quite simply a record of what works in my experience, warts and all!

This blog also acts as a forum for me to learn from those more experience than me, and to document what our band does to improve and tweak our sound.

So who are you?!?

I am the lead singer of a professional functions band called Black Market.  I also provide most of the sound engineering for the band, as well as the bulk of the equipment which we use.

Check us out www.blackmarketband.co.uk

What’s your experience?

I’ve been in bands since I was 13 – I’ve been at the bottom of the ladder, using the worst kit imaginable.  I’ve managed to make every band I’ve played with sound reasonable (barring a couple of situations which were beyond anyone!).  These days Black Market operate a Nexo PS15 Front of House system – but we have also used a number of other systems, reviews of which are posted in the reviews pages.

My aim is to help those in similar bands to myself, to really nail their live sound, and stop them from making the mistakes I did.  Maybe it’ll cut down some of the learning curve?  Maybe it will help you to avoid my mistakes…..

……or maybe you’ll go ahead and make the same mistakes anyway!  I know I would!

Wondering what I look like?  Well here I am, on stage with Black Market at a recent corporate function.combermere-15

 If you want to read stories of my escapades with Black Market, then click on the Blog section of the site.   If you’d rather read about kit I’ve used, then click on the Reviews section.

And if you’d rather see me in action, have a look at my videos online!

 

Leave a Comment