They will tune the drums and sometimes sit next to the drum riser for the performance, making any necessary adjustments. Some Backline Technicians specialise in instruments generally, or specific types of instruments.įor example a sound technician specialising in drums will build the drum kit, soundcheck it with the sound team, make sure the drummer is happy with the setup and be responsible for looking after the kit while on tour. For a larger scale performance there may be a number of Backline Technicians with different specialist responsibilities. For a small scale performance there may be one Backline Technician who is expected to deal with everything. Depending on the musicians and the type of event the Technician is working on they may be responsible for a range of road crew tasks or they may specialise in a particular area, such as percussion or strings. They will need to be comfortable with different types of equipment and different setups. Each artist, orchestra or band is different and will have different needs, so the work can be varied. Have your production person connect with the artist’s and review who is providing what to make sure nothing is missed.Backline Technician What do Backline Technicians do?Ī Backline Technician provides technical support for live performances. It’s necessary to fully advance your show to make sure all their needs are met. They expect them to be there onsite and you don’t want to surprise anyone by not having equipment there. In some cases, such as Hip Hop and EDM artists, the artist considers those turntables and mixers just part of their sound and lighting requests. In general, be sure to clarify who is paying for and arranging for backline, even if no one asks. That way they don’t have to travel with it they cover the expense and it shows that you are trying to be accommodating. If you cannot afford the backline, try to offer contact info to the artist for your local backline company, so they themselves can pay for and arrange for the backline to arrive onsite. Most artists will still try to make it work. If I cannot afford the backline, will the artist turn down my offer? You can either say no to their request and hope they still confirm your show, or you can offer a backline buyout, which means you pay them a sum of money on top of their guaranteed payment to pay for their backline to travel with them. What if I live in a small market and there are no backline companies nearby? Normally artists can be a little flexible unless they have a sponsorship agreement with certain brands. Your backline company can typically offer suggestions for substitutions, and then you can ask the artist team if they will accept those substitute items instead of what they requested. What if my backline company doesn’t have something they requested? Backline usually costs between $500-5,000, depending what is needed and where you are located. If an artist has asked you to provide backline, before saying yes you should always ask for their backline rider (which is their list of backline needs) and reach out to a backline company to get a quote. It can also be expensive for the artists to fly with instruments, especially a drum kit that is so many pieces of checked luggage. That way they show up, set up, and sound check instead of the added steps of unpacking all the equipment, putting it together, and packing it back up post-show. Some artists may carry an item or two from their list, such as a special guitar, but otherwise they’d rather use local instruments that can be delivered to the venue by a backline company. Flying with these items can be expensive and cumbersome. Usually artists ask for the buyer to provide the backline when they are flying into your town for the show, instead of routing a tour through. Why do artists ask the buyer to provide it? When working with a DJ, EDM or Hip Hop artist that has a track show, backline is their turntables and mixers. Some people are a little embarrassed to ask the question, and others have absolutely no idea what it is or why an artist is asking for the buyer to provide it.īackline is the collection of musical instruments that the artist needs for their set.
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