Next up in our recurring series “Experts Listening,” Aaron Downey, Senior Audio Consultant, tells us how he evaluates the sound in performance spaces and how sound engages him (or not) in live performance:

Sound reinforcement systems are often used to amplify the artists onstage. This can lead to extreme results: very good or very, very bad.

When a sound system is well designed and properly operated, it often goes unnoticed. A common saying among live sound engineers goes something like, “If it sounds good, the artist gets all the credit. If it sounds bad, you get all the blame!” You want the audience to be focusing on the performers on stage, after all, not on the stack of loudspeakers.

Making the system transparent requires that many things come together well. Having been at the controls for many shows, I know how hard that can be, and I can’t help but be picky when I’m out in the audience:

Volume level: There’s loud, and then there’s loud. I find too often that system operators think that louder is better. A well-mixed and properly-equalized concert can actually sound louder than it is. I love to feel the impact of a kick drum or the envelopment of a deep bass line, but that knob doesn’t need to be turned up to 11 to make that happen. “Turn it down!” “What? -I can’t hear you!”

Equalization: I listen to hear if each instrument sounds natural, as it would if it were being played right in front of me. It’s easy for the system to unintentionally color or change the natural sound of an instrument. I’ve heard beautiful concert grand pianos sound like cheap synthesizers too many times. Poor equalization often contributes to the show feeling too loud.

Most of us have also experienced dreaded feedback, or squealing, in the sound system. Even if the system only is on the verge of squealing, the sound operator has already lost, as this will ‘color’ the sound. Feedback is most often caused by poor equalization and/or volume level, but it can also happen when a performer walks directly in front of the loudspeakers, which should be placed appropriately for the audience and the artist. The lighting system is designed to cover the stage; you don’t want the performer walking out of that lit area. The audio system is designed to cover the audience; you don’t want the performer walking into the covered area, at least without the operator making the proper adjustments.

Localization: If I close my eyes, is the sound coming from where the performer is, or is it off to the left or from high above? I find it very distracting when what my ears hear doesn’t match what my eyes see. Careful placement and balance of loudspeakers can make, or come close to making, the sound localized to the performer. The success of this comes mainly from how the system is originally designed and installed, but it is also important for the sound operator to know how each subset of loudspeakers work together as a whole in his mix.

Distortion: This goes back to whether or not a voice or instrument sounds natural. If anything in the signal chain of the audio system is overdriven, the sound will become distorted and be far from natural. I can’t count the number of shows I’ve either painfully endured or walked out of because the system was so distorted that I couldn’t differentiate between a guitar and a piano. For any given system, there’s a limit on how loud it can be turned. Beyond that, the sound quality degrades and equipment can become damaged.

Room Acoustics: If the room acoustics are problematic, even the best system will have a hard time performing well. I attended a Wynton Marsalis concert at Wentz Concert Hall last year. Microphones were used minimally, only for certain instruments and for certain songs. The room’s acoustics and the sound system were developed together to work harmoniously, and with Wynton’s sound engineer at the controls, it was quite transparent when the sound system was being used and when it wasn’t.

When you attend a live theatre or movie event, you hope the performance will transport you, take you away from your busy life for a few hours to experience a mix of emotions, sights and sounds. Similarly, listening to a talented musician is one of the greatest things in life, and it’s easy for the room you’re standing in or the technology within it to get in the way. When those elements disappear or enhance the performance, the experience can be downright magical. I think most of us have experienced fantastic performances. But have you ever asked yourself what made it so great, aside from the artist’s talent? I know, the mirror ball always helps…..