Dear Fellow Anklebiters,
I rent out my digital console to regional sound companies once in a while. I rent out EFX processors as well. What is the proper protocol for a console that is to be rented out? Should it be cleaned of all saved scenes? Will the engineer who ultimately uses this console just need to load his/her own libraries? Should the EFX processor have any custom programs on it or should it be factory clean? Bill Johnson , Las Vegas, NV
Paul: I have had situations where some engineers want everything clean and other engineers who appreciate some of my settings. I guess that the main thing is to keep the console as clean as possible, both physically and software wise. The console should have the latest software updates and/or physical updates as well. A manual should be shipped with the console as well. I thing that the EFX processor should follow the same protocol as the console. What do you think Brian?
Brian: You should always send a photocopy of the manual out with any piece of equipment you rent out. Even the most seasoned engineer who might use your gear isn't necessarily familiar with the latest brand or model. And being able to look up the answer to a question on-site is a big time saver. On my first show out with Crown's Itech series amplifiers, we had a polarity problem in our subwoofers, and the systems engineer and I concluded that the problem was internal to the amplifiers' crossover section settings, which had been set in the shop. Had the production company sent a manual along with the new amp racks, we could have found the way to access the polarity setting in the menu and solve the problem quickly. Instead, my trusty systems engineer had to open the back of the rack and flip the polarity of the amplifier wiring. The fact that he had to use a screwdriver instead of opening a hinged panel is another story all together. Save yourself time, save your client time, just keep a manual in the rack. And a laminated copy is a cool plus, too.
Paul: I agree with you on this. It appears that with the flood of new gear on the market that we must really be careful and understand what we are getting. I have spoken with several companies who cross rent gear and each of them had different ideas for how gear should be setup for the rental. If I may be so bold as to establish a pattern, I will set this out for a protocol:
Send a copy of the manual
Send a copy of helpful hints
If sample programs can be stored, then store some labeled as samples. (Do not overwrite them, and keep only a minimum of saved samples.)
Keep the gear updated with the latest revisions.
Clean the gear completely each time it is rented. Grimy work surfaces are disgusting.
Include anything else that you think would be helpful.
What would you like to include Brian?
Brian: Especially with consoles, a soft clean brush is a must. And with the new digital boards, there needs to be something handy to clean the screens without scratching them. I found this especially true with consoles like the Yamaha M7CL, which employ a touch screen interface. All the stage grime from running monitor and XLR cables on the deck quickly finds its way from my finger tips to the console screen. And when I'm wasting time trying to read a dirty screen, I'm not paying attention to the artists on stage.
But as far as cleaning the memory, I'm not sure I'd worry too much about clearing your custom settings off of the gear. Unless of course you're paranoid that someone might learn your personal tricks for that great kick drum sound. If that's the case, you need to relax a bit and remember the engineer who shared tips with you when you were a young tech. What I would worry about is having enough clear memory for the guest user to put his settings into your console or processor for the day. The other thing I would be sure to do is back up any setting or presets that you need to keep for other shows in case the user was to delete them. Just remember, it's his gig, not yours. Your job is to make his life easier for the day by providing clean, usable gear.
Paul: I think that we need to wear white gloves while using the digital consoles. All joking aside, how do you keep things clean while using digital consoles? Is dust a big problem, or grime from running cables, or what about muggy and hot weather? Should we have wipes to clean our hands after moving the stage around? Do we need to remove tape from consoles (yes, I have even seen digital consoles with tape on them)?
Another problem that I have experienced is power instability that impacts the computers in our gear. These include processors, consoles, laptops or tablets or almost all of the new gear. I suggest that we use UPS's (Uninterruptible Power Supplies) that can be rack mountable or boxes that can be purchased at computer stores. When the power goes down it sometimes takes out programs or scenes or causes errors in the stored information. Stable power is very important, and don't forget how important your grounding scheme is.
Brian: I got annoyed the other day because I had a clean fresh pair of welding gloves, and I got them all dirty handling schedule 40 pipes. Why I'm making lighting batons is another story… Guess I won't be using those gloves on the next show. But yeah, we definitely need to take off all the old tape from our consoles; I try to always run a fresh piece onto the armrest so that the next user has a clean slate to start from. Things like wet wipes and hand cleaner are items I like to have handy, but definitely not a must-have with a console rental. One of these days, I'll get around to building a road case dedicated to "creature comforts." Hand cleaner will probably find a spot in there, but the prime road case real estate is going to be reserved for the fridge, microwave and my coffeepot.
I like your idea of supplying a UPS with a digital console rental. I've seen plenty of guys use them. The extra protection is definitely worth the investment and the additional weight. Does it really matter if that power supply rack is 300 pounds or 350 pounds? That's what the loaders are for, right? Hold on. That's me. Well, I still think it's a good investment. Maybe a lift gate is too.
There's only one other thing I can think of to keep with that console. A blank USB drive, PCMCIA memory card, or whatever backup device is appropriate to the console. You could label it so that the user understands that they may keep the backup device for a small fee, above and beyond the rental cost. It could even be at a significant markup for the convenience. An extra revenue stream must be good for business, right?
