Throughout my many years sojourn within the world of live audio and production I have noticed, and become very aware of, an underlying hum that seems to permeate this specialized universe we all inhabit. Sometimes it's very quiet and other times it becomes overbearing in its volume, but it is almost always present. I have noticed it at large gigs, and I have heard it rear its ugly little head on small, seemingly simple shows. Often it is hard to pinpoint as it isn't centralized in one location, and frequently it stems from different sources. Many times this hum doesn't stop even after the gig is finished and many times I even hear it going on back at the shop. It's a hum that seems to be prevalent in our business and no, it's not a floating 60-cycle ground hum that I am speaking about, although a certain amount of "grounding" might be just the solution to alleviate this incessant hum that often clutters our best endeavors. What I am referring to is the grumbling and undercurrent of discontent that insidiously seeps into our work space regardless of one's position or capabilities. In the same way that I identify and attach the 2.5k frequency to a person prone to hysteria I also associate the 60Hz frequency with the grumblers and not so forthright complainers. Believe me, I am just as guilty of being 60Hz as the next guy and I know from personal experience just how easily the 60Hz grumble can turn into an incessant 2.5k whine. I have found that there is never a shortage of things to complain about, and there is always a better way (than the way it's being done) to do something, no matter what that something might be. It could be setting up, running cable, loading a show, driving a truck, rigging a system, better planning, better equipment, more labor, less work, not enough work, more money and even how to run the company. Regardless of topic, there will always be someone who is grumbling that they could do it better, faster or more efficiently. While I am aware that this 60Hz grumble is not unique to our vocation alone, I also know that we have a radically different lifestyle than most of the American workforce, and often it is those same qualities attracting us to this business that cause us to be the source of the 60Hz hum.
For example, as a live engineer you might enjoy the fact that it is not necessarily a nine to five job, you get to travel all over the world, and it's very much like a party every night. Of course, each day is at least a 12 hour day, if not more, and though you are traveling the world you are doing it on a bus with 10 other guys and not your wife or girlfriend. It's a party every night, but the party consists of a bunch of drunken people slopping beer all over you and your gear and telling you that you need to turn one thing or the other up or down to enhance their personal listening experience.
Having these perks is like a visit to the twilight zone where you wish for one thing and receive it without realizing all it entails. Every job has its frustrations and dilemmas and ours is no different, except in our job we have to solve the problems and make everything perfect in a day's time before packing up and doing it again the next day. We try to be perfect, but there are so many variables we need to make work that often they seem insurmountable
Over the years I have learned how to deal with artistic people in a capricious business, but despite all the hours spent on diligent attention to detail and my striving for perfection I still can't escape the 60Hz grumble. On any single day one must coordinate multiple vendors, labor crews, technicians, drivers, band members, production teams, equipment and promoters; therefore, given the amount of people involved, it's not surprising that there might be an ongoing 60Hz grumble. Fortunately, there are ways to abate the stress and stop the 60Hz grumble before it gets out of hand. One way to do this is to try to have a meeting with everyone involved in the daily show. When I say everyone I am speaking of those people in charge. The crew chief for the labor, the lighting director, the audio A-1, the head rigger and the tour manager or coordinator for the event. Basically, a point source person who will deal with their own staff and have an understanding of how the day should proceed.
If you are the audio A-1, try to get with the production manager and get a map of the daily plan, much like you might get the stage plot and input list from the band's tour manager. Get on the same page and let everyone know what to expect. I have found that people tend to get 60Hz when they are surprised (no one likes to be blind-sided), and if they are caught off guard then the 60Hz grumble will get very loud indeed.
Do not bring personal problems to work because they tend to be acted out in negative ways. Do not make everybody suffer for your domestic problems. If you're really concerned because your wife is threatening divorce because of your late hours, grumbling about the bands second encore and then rushing everybody on the load-out is not the answer. Stay home! If, on the other hand, it is a work-related issue that is creating angst, it doesn't help to get 60Hz even if you have others with whom to grumble. Take the problem to the guy who can make a decision regarding the issue, but don't take it out on the people around you.
If there is a problem with the daily production take it to the production manager; if there is a problem with the sound take it to the audio technician. I find that if there is a labor crew then I, as the production manager, want to deal with only the crew chief and not 16 different guys that I don't know. If you are an engineer and you require a specific piece of gear without which you are unable to function then carry it with you everywhere you go and this way you will not be disappointed when the local rental company cannot find it anywhere within a three day's journey from the venue.
If you think you can do a better job at something than the guy who is doing the job you should somehow vie for position and start getting hired for that post. In the meantime, getting 60Hz is not as helpful as making a useful suggestion to the right person. Negative and positive attitudes are subjective to the individual person and it is our job to maintain the positive and to eliminate the 60Hz grumble hum that gets generated at gigs. Planning is a key to success, but we all know that even the best laid plans go to waste…so improvise.
We've all done this work before, and it's just wasted energy to get 60Hz. I know it's a waste of good energy, I've generated as much 60Hz grumble hum as the next guy, but complaining doesn't help! If there is a problem, fix it. If you really are not enjoying what you do, do something else. It's a big world, with lots of opportunities. You do not need to stay around grumbling. Go be happy somewhere else. I am aware that grumbling is a very satisfying release. I also realize that many people, rather than fix their problems, are happier living with a 60 cycle hum inside their head, but let's remember: There are no problems, only solutions–and creating a 60Hz grumble hum is not the answer.
