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{"id":3319,"date":"2012-02-27T11:59:50","date_gmt":"2012-02-27T17:59:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/markdroberts\/?p=3319"},"modified":"2015-03-13T15:34:24","modified_gmt":"2015-03-13T20:34:24","slug":"good-news-for-sound-guys-everywhere","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/markdroberts\/2012\/02\/27\/good-news-for-sound-guys-everywhere\/","title":{"rendered":"Good News for “Sound Guys” Everywhere"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

In my experience as a pastor and speaker, \u201csound guy\u201d is virtually a technical term for the person who oversees the audio for a lecture or concert or similar presentation. Yes, I know that \u201csound guy\u201d might seem sexist since there are plenty of female audio techs. But I have heard women refer to themselves ironically as the \u201csound guy.\u201d And I\u2019ve never heard \u201csound gal\u201d or \u201csound girl.\u201d If you don\u2019t like \u201csound guy,\u201d you can always go with the generic \u201csound tech\u201d or \u201csound person.\u201d<\/p>\n $\"\"$ <\/a>\n

At any rate, \u201csound guys\u201d are almost always under-valued. In fact, they\u2019re often ignored completely until something goes wrong<\/em>. Then they are the recipients of all measure of scorn: \u201cWhy can\u2019t the sound guy ever get it right?\u201d \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with the stupid sound guy?\u201d Etc. etc. etc.<\/p>\n

To be sure, there are some folks out there running sound who haven\u2019t been well-trained. Others might not have the \u201cears\u201d for the job. I once worked with a \u201csound guy\u201d who was literally hard of hearing. No wonder he tended to turn up the volume too much. Human error is always possible when it comes to audio tech, especially when set ups are complicated.\u00a0 But, in my experience, even the most talented \u201csound guys\u201d face unforeseen problems. When they set things up and do a sound check, everything is prefect. But, when the show starts or the sermon begins, the audio demons get to work.<\/p>\n

Last night\u2019s Academy Award show was no exception. The sound problems were legion (or, perhaps caused by Legion). First, the orchestra was so loud that it was difficult to hear the lyrics of Billy Crystal\u2019s opening number. And when people came forward to receive their awards, the music overwhelmed the voiceover that explained who received what award for what activity.<\/p>\n

About half-way through the program, the too-loud-music problem was fixed. But it was replaced by tinny feedback. It seemed as if the sound was so loud that it was just about to get shrieking feedback from the speakers. You could hear what people were saying, but with an obnoxious electronic echo. That problem continued throughout the rest of the evening.<\/p>\n

This morning, I did a Google search to make sure what I heard was widespread and not just limited to my own ears or television set. Indeed, people were Tweeting their complaints all during the Oscar show. It was a worldwide phenomenon.<\/p>\n

So, why did I call this post \u201cGood News for \u2018Sound Guys\u2019 Everywhere\u201d? I supposed I could just as well have entitled it \u201cBad News for \u2018Sound Guys\u2019 Everywhere.\u201d But here\u2019s my point. Last night\u2019s program was viewed by several hundred million people throughout the world, perhaps even by a billion. It is one of the biggest deals on television. No doubt the sound equipment was top notch (even in the Chapter 11 Kodak Theatre). And no doubt the \u201csound guys\u201d were the best in the business. Yet, even with the top people using the top equipment, the sound quality was still a mess. If you\u2019re a perfectionist \u201csound guy,\u201d I suppose this is bad news. It suggests that no matter what you do, you\u2019ll never get it quite right. But, if you\u2019re a \u201csound guy\u201d who is tired of feeling as if you\u2019re a failure every time something goes wrong, if you\u2019re doing your best and still stumble over unforeseen problems, then take heart! No matter how hard you try and how well you do, there will always be problems of one sort or another. And, much of the time, these will not be your fault. They often have to do with technical flaws that you could not predict. Sound equipment, even the best stuff, is touchy and unforgiving.<\/p>\n

If you work with \u201csound guys,\u201d or if you listen to what they produce \u2013 and that\u2019s most of us \u2013 let the case of the 2012 Academy Awards program be a reminder to regard your \u201csound guys\u201d with grace. Even if sound equipment is not forgiving, at least those of us who benefit from it can be.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"