Live Sound Engineering Course

Overview	This Point Blank course actually takes place in the Barfly in Camden, one of London’s top live gig venues. This is a vocational course that clearly demonstrates how to be a live sound engineer. With the massive increase in live bands performing in recent years, and therefore the popularity of live gig venues, coupled with other routes to employment in the theatre, radio and BBC, skilled live sound technicians have become a valuable commodity. This hands-on, practical course gives you the tools you need to get a job as a live sound engineer, starting with work experience opportunities at the Barfly itself! Ian Button (guitarist with Death In Vegas) and Barfly’s head sound engineer show you how to set up and mix bands live. You will get to grips with the mixing desk monitoring system and lighting board. We invite bands to rehearse to demonstrate engineering techniques which you then try out. The course ends with a live performance and the chance to engineer a band at one of London’s coolest venues, the world famous Barfly. Enrol now!
Live Mixing	Front of house mixing desks; signal path; levels and metering; monitoring (headphone mixes, monitor mixes); setup and connections (XLR, jack, balanced/unbalanced etc).
FX	Signal processors and FX units. Different types and how they work; setting up insert and send FX. Compression and EQ; different types and how they work.
Microphones	Different types of microphone, patterns etc; choosing the right microphone; microphone techniques (close/distant, stereo etc).
Live drums	Setting up drums; microphone selection and placement; EQ etc; setting up headphones/monitoring for drummer; working with different venue acoustics.
Live instruments & vocals	Setting up vocals, electric guitars, basses, keyboards, DI boxes; working with pedals, FX, different amplifiers, electronics/samplers/backing tracks etc.
Life on the road	Working with stage crew and venue staff etc; stage and tour management; soundchecks; life on tour; health & safety; getting work.
Lighting	Conventional lighting equipment and techniques.
Live recording	Capturing the performance – different recording techniques.
Engineer a band at live London venue.	Completing assignment, engineer a band live at a working venue; group evaluation and feedback from tutors and Point Blank staff members.