4 Steps to Optimize Your Equipment and Prep for Ramp-up

4 areas to consider that will help you optimize your sound and lighting equipment and remind you: the up-swing is imminent – if you’re prepared, all the better.

4 Steps to Optimize Your Equipment and Prep for Ramp-up

The Covid crisis too shall pass… but in the meantime, if you’re in the entertainment or hospitality space, you may still be far from your usual busy. Here are 4 areas to consider that will help you optimize your sound and lighting equipment and remind you: the up-swing is imminent – if you’re prepared, all the better.

Make a List

If you have a recording studio, rehearsal room or run sound for a club or church, test your systems and make a list of components that need care, improvement, maintenance or replacement. As you follow the steps below, add your findings to your list. It will feel great to check off those annoying little detail items that never get your attention.

Check your Connections

Check your cables and connections. Figure out that buzzing that’s been driving you crazy! Remember
that microphone cable you had to use as a DMX that one time? Replace it with a proper DMX cable! That channel that doesn’t work? It may just be a cable issue.

Own Your Mess

Take a look at your cable runs. Now is a good time to re-wire your racks and clean up that cable mess. If you have amplifiers with fans, now is the time to clean them. If you have other critical electronics, you may want to take lids off and dust or vacuum inside them. Dust all gear vents (use a vacuum to suck the dust out, not compressed air that pushes it in) Wash mesh
covers, soak those gunky knobs, boil microphone grills and wash or replace the windscreens!

Dial Your Lighting

Do you work mostly with lighting? Now is a good time to check your truss structures, tighten some of the clamps, re-aim fixtures that moved or that you never had the time to fine tune. Lighting fixtures have motors, vents, lenses, etc. They especially need maintenance as they hang high enough to not be doing it regularly. If you’re not sure where to start, refer to the maintenance section of the light’s manual. If you do the detail work of maintaining your light, it can last you years longer.

More ideas about ways to optimize sound and lighting systems? Feel free to comment below.