Guaging FOH sound quality from the stage

[Craven Sound]

Can someone please explain this to me? How can someone from behind a drumset, or standing in front of a blaring half-stack, tell how good a mix sounds 65 feet away at the sound console? Is this even possible?

[RobTheDrummer]

Well, They CAN'T!!! maybe they have a friend that tells them it sounds crappy, but hey, a soundman can only polish crap so much...as I've heard on this page before. Also, maybe there are a few vets out there that can just tell when it's right...like a sixth sense. There were many times that I thought my band was shitty sounding, yet my friends told me sounded good. SOOO....My conclusion is they can't, unless of course they go back and take a listen themselves(but that's not in the initial question).

[HurricaneBob]

Too bad drummers cant go wireless and run around the place. Bah, id trip and fall anyways.

[facingwest]

I don't think it's possible. I usually go in front of the mains to see what we sound like. During soundcheck, I'll walk around listening to make sure I can hear all the instruments, as well as vocal harmonies. The only thing I can think of to how a drummer or guitar player could say something like that is the reflections from the room.

[Dave]

I think Craven was being sarcastic.

[facingwest]

Look what happens whenever you post most of your messages on here at 5am right before you go to bed and you're about ready to fall over from exhaustion. heh Oh well.

[Craven Sound]

Sarcastic? Of course. But this really IS happening. Sucks to be me.

[Dave]

I know, but I didn't think you were expecting serious answers. Facingwest came up with a great answer to a difficult question. I was just pointing out that it was a rhetorical question. It is a great topic though.

Cheers!

[facingwest]

I'd just ask them if they trust you to be their soundman. If they do, then I'd tell them to leave the sound up to you, so they can worry about their part in the show, which is their instrument. If they don't trust you, then I'd advise in finding another band to run sound for, so you don't have to worry about the BS.

[redawg]

Right on John. To this day, I still don't know what we sound like out front. I totally trust our sound guy.

[songsmith]

Bands who do sound from the stage, and there are still a few smaller acts left who do that, sort of have to go by room sound. Having a bit of sound experience, I was usually the guy stationed next to the mixer/amp, and was the one to dive for the fader when something went sour... it can be done, but it's not optimum.
Of course, I always went out front before the show, and played the old game called, "Add a little presence to Reed's vocal (SCREEE!), whoops not that much..." It's not a good way to mix, I know, but it saved on payroll. Anyway, a few years of that, and you get better at hearing room ambience, so you kinda fake it based on what's loading up in the room. Also, the guys in the band get better at controlling their own dynamics, bumping their own leads and such. The old bluegrass guys worked the single-mic technique, where everybody moved closer or farther away from the mic depending on who was soloing... it sort of works like that.
For a rock or dance band?...it'd never work. There's a reason rock bands have sound people... it's freakin' impossible to keep all the poop straight from onstage, especially when you're playing LOUD music. Now throw in the always-present "Monitor Wars," and the task becomes even more difficult. Generally speaking, I think if you have anything bigger than a mix-pack and boxes on sticks, you need a soundman.----->JMS

[Colton]

just grab a wireless and run around like an idiot!! its fun and ya can hear the quality Being an idiot is the best part