CAE103 1 Learner Resource Audio Planning ENG

College Humanities and Arts
School Creative Arts

Department Performing Arts
Qualification Certificate in Advanced Audio Engineering
Unit title CAE103 Audio Planning
Learner Resource - CAE103 Audio Planning

Associated Assessment tasks: CAE103 Task 1 Large PA and audio planning, CAE Trimester 1 Work-
placement Journal
This learner resource is designed to support the learning undertaken in classes delivered by your lecturers,
to ensure student comprehension of theoretical concepts and prepare you for the associated assessment
task/s.
Audio planning
Skills in planning and planning documentation involved in audio production can enhanced your ability to
work professionally with audio production. There are many audio careers that are not possible without
highly planned worksheets. This unit will describe some of the planning basics you will need when working
with audio events. Whether you are working in a recording studio or on a large outdoor festival, you will
require documents may detail instrument types, microphone placement or speaker placement for a live
event.
We will begin by describing stage and performance geography. There are specific terms used to describe
performance spaces. Understanding this terminology is important when working with others in the
industry. For example, the area where the audience gathers would be described as Front Of House.
Stage terminology
There is specific terminology to describe various positons on stage. Stage terminology may vary slightly
from country to country (or between theatre and rock and roll type events), but there are two main
conventions. As there are people working on stage (facing the audience) and at Front of House (facing the
stage) simply describing the left-hand side of a stage will not be accurate for all workers. The term “stage
left” (abbreviation S/L) describes the left side of the stage when you stand on it facing the audience. As
most of your sound crew will be working on the stage this is the most common way to describe this part
of the stage. If you are mixing a band you will generally be front of house with the audience. You may
describe the same part of the stage as being Front Of House Right (FOH/R).
In theatre shows the stage left position would be described as Prompt Side (P/S) and the other side of the
stage would be described as “Off Prompt” (O/P). Theatre and stage shows have been around longer than
amplified sound systems have been invented. The term prompt side originates from hundreds of years ago
when a Prompt (a person whose job it was to remind actors of words when they forgot their script) would
usually be hidden under a small trap door on stage left.
The front of a stage is described as “down stage“ (D/S), and the back of a stage would be referred to as
“up stage”(U/S). Again, this terminology is derived from old theatre terminology. Before television and the
internet people would get all their news of the world from theatre production. Theatres in these days
where much larger than those today, in fact so many audience members would be crowded in to see the
productions the stages where built with a ten degree slope up to the back wall. This gave the audience a
better view of things happening at the back of the stage. In modern venues where stages may be in a
corner or, on an angle projecting out from a corner of a room up stage and down stage can be used to
avoid confusion when talking to various workers in an event or production.
Creation date: 12/12/2018

Review date: 12/12/2019 Created by: David Rodger & Shane Simmonds
Version: 1 © Melbourne Polytechnic 2018 | Page 1 of 6
Centre (C) will describe the centre of a stage and Mid- stage (M) will describe the halfway point between
upstage and down stage on stage left or stage right edges.

Documentation: Input and equipment lists

Input lists and equipment lists form an essential part of planning audio productions. Knowing what
microphones are being used and what channels they are to be patched to will make for an easy and
efficient set up. Information typically supplied on these documents include:-Channel number, microphone
or DI type, microphone stand type and whether a channel will require phantom power.
Here is an of a simple Input/ equipment list

Channel Input Microphone/ DI Phantom Power Microphone
Number type Y/N Stand type
1 Kick Drum Shure Beta 52 No Short Boom
2 Snare Shure SM57 No Medium Boom
3 Overhead mic 1 (S/R) AKG-C451 Yes Tall Boom
4 Overhead mic 2 (S/L) AKG-C451 Yes Tall Boom
5 Bass Guitar BSS-A133 Yes No
6 Electric Guitar Shure SM57 No Medium Boom
7 Vocals Shure SM58 No Straight
Topographical Stage maps

A topographical stage map is details of where musicians and sound equipment will be placed for a
performance. A clear, well drawn stage map will ensure a quick and neat set up before the event. Many
bands will submit a stage map, and an input/ equipment list and this documentation may be referred to as
a “technical specification” or a “band rider”.

Signal Flow diagrams for PA set up

Signal flow diagrams can be a useful way of communicating a complex audio set up. These block diagrams
can help technicians correctly patch audio equipment for an exacting set up. For really large complex set
ups it may be necessary to divide the diagrams into separate smaller diagrams. For example, you may
choose to provide an Front of House speaker diagram, a stage monitor diagram, a delay speaker diagram,
and still have separate diagrams for audio operators rack set ups.

Sound checks and Line checks.
Line-check
This is the process where the audio engineer will individually check every input and output of the sound
system, so it may be ready for a proper sound-check. This is generally done before the artists arrive and is
much easier with a quiet stage. In a quiet room you will get your stage tech to scratch or tap the front of
microphone grills so you can ensure the channels are correctly patched. This will ensure the mic you are
checking is easy to P.F.L. for identification. Loud noises like kick drums will bleed across channels and not
be easy to identify. Repeating line checks between bands is important to ensure changeovers have been
correctly patched.
Sound-check
This is the process where the audio engineer will individually check every sound source (musician,
entertainment), and adjust the stage levels ready for a live performance. It is wise to ensure vocal mic’s
are working so the artists can clearly communicate with the audio operators for the sound check. Each
instrument must then be checked off individually generally starting with drums for a rock band. After each
sound of each performer is set, the band should then perform at performance volumes to ensure levels
are correctly balanced for the audience and for performers stage sound.
If you have multiple bands performing at an event it is best to begin sound checks with the headline or
main act and work backwards through the running order until you get to the opening act. This will allow
maximum time to check the main performers and the opening act will then be checked just before they
begin the event.
Other documentation:
Event time tables should include information detailing crew lists, crew roles (e.g. supervisor, FOH
engineer), and bump in, and bump out times. Creating simple lists in with word processing software can
ensure that everyone knows what is required of them, and when they required to do it.
Run sheets for events should also include a separate sheet with show run times detailing when artists are
required for sound check and performance times. These should be very easy to read and printed in a large
font. Run sheets need to be readily available so performers know exactly what is required of them.
Large pack ups may also require information on what equipment is being packed on trucks, and in what
order. These details are very important when you are touring a show, because a disorganised pack up will
make your next set up more difficult.

WHS event safety documents.

Planning and document safety and emergency procedures is also very important. Large event maps must
always include location of medical services and first aid kits. Supervising staff names and contact phone
numbers should always be clearly displayed on documents so they may be quickly contacted if an
emergency occurs. For large events and festivals, it may also be necessary to list CB radio channels for
important contacts like- supervisors, medical officers, security, where to locate ear plugs, hard hats or
climbing harnesses etc.
Site maps are a good way of proving that all workers have access to emergency details, and they can also
be used to detail special event considerations. An example of this may be ‘No Cars On-Site after 6PM-
Emergency vehicles only’.


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College Humanities and Arts

School Creative Arts

Learner Resource - CAE103 Audio Planning

Creation date: 12/12/2018

Creation date: 12/12/2018

Documentation: Input and equipment lists

Here is an of a simple Input/ equipment list

Topographical Stage maps

Creation date: 12/12/2018

Signal Flow diagrams for PA set up

Creation date: 12/12/2018

Sound checks and Line checks.

Creation date: 12/12/2018

WHS event safety documents.

Creation date: 12/12/2018

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