Music Factory

One of the first tasks for rock bands upon arrival at a new venue involves adjusting to the sonic properties of the space. A room’s dimensions and surfaces play a dramatic part in determining the quality of sound, but this effect can be manipulated to a point by the musicians themselves. Bigger bands have roadies and technicians to handle such tedious chores, but the onus might fall to you if you’re playing in a small-time rock band.

After plugging an electric ax into a guitar amp, you’ll need to adjust the equalizer settings. Start by turning the bass, mid and treble levels to zero. Starting with bass, strum a power chord on the lowest two strings of the instrument. Crank up the bass knob until you hear a “wave” or “swell” sound – that’s how you know you’ve found the proper sound level for the given venue. The process should be repeated for the mid and treble levels, strumming power chords on the other four strings in a similar fashion.