Control Geek.net wants to kill more White Mice

John Huntington of ControlGeek.net has posed the question: Just why does most live sound suck?
See his original post at  http://www.controlgeek.net/why-does-live-sound-suck/.

John has also posted a the start of a 'Concert Goer's Bill of Rights at http://www.controlgeek.net/blog/2008/3/26/concert-goers-bill-of-rights.html

So why does most live sound suck?

My thoughts on the situation:

1. Over the last 10 years there has been a progressive decline in audio quality contained in the mass market audio mediums, from CDs to the ubiquitous iPod.  While there are most certainly very high quality digital formats available for  the connoisseur,  the majority of music consumers are quite happy with a highly compressed MP3- especially if it is free!  So we start off with a general lower quality expectation by those who would actually go to a show. 

2. The cost of commercial real estate in nearly every major urban center can be extraordinarily prohibitive to investing in a quality acoustic design and upkeep.  Let's face it, most NYC venues are concerned with getting the most out of every event by keeping costs low and margins high-(moderate ticket prices, $8 dollar beers).  a Venue providing simply adequate sound is able to cut cost by installing 'shout boxes' which provide a very middle sound quality and tons of volume.  I have lost count on the number of  venues  I have attended shows where it was very obvious that pure volume was used to create excitement at the loss of depth-(the old Ritz anyone? ) I will say that I was blown away by the sound quality at the Lion's Den -(McDougall and Bleeker) some 15 years ago. I could hear every lyric and each of the 7 instruments being played.  Not only could I hear the music, I did not leave with my ears ringing for a week!  I went to see  a multitude of bands  at 'the den' I had never heard of -and in many cases never would again- just for the quality sound of the venue. (well, that and the beers were $2 if you showed up early).

3. We have to face it, there are a lot of live sound engineers who either

• Never received any formal education in the art of live sound



• Never served an internship with a veteran sound engineer and learned from their guiding hand.



• Have blown their ears by doing it wrong but refuse to give up the back center stool.

4. It makes white mice spontaneously explode - poor white lab mice, everyone  knows high school sucks.

For the record I support John's Bill O' Rights for concert goers, but fear it will suffer the same fate as the travelers bill of rights - which appears to be suffering from lack of support and atrophy.

T6 readers: what are  your thoughts?  add them to the comment section of this post as this response is linked to John's blog.