Interview: Neil Gray
Who have you been touring with/mixing recently?
This was my 13th year on tour with the Big Day Out as the FOH System Engineer.
Can you name some other bands you’ve worked with?
No Doubt, Avril Lavigne, Sum 41, Bruce Springsteen, Shania Twain and many others.
How long have you been doing live sound and how did you get started?
A little over 30 years now. I started like many others did by being in a band, then we bought a PA, then went and spent some time in studios, and now here we are!
What is your favourite console and why?
After going around in circles, I keep coming back to the Midas XL4. There is nothing out there that sounds even close to me. I get that it’s not the most convenient and easy to lug around, but nothing comes close sonically.
Favourite microphone or any other piece of kit?
I’m a bit of a compressor nut, although I tend to use them for their individual characters as opposed to just squishing away. Having said that I really like my JLM LA500s and FET compressors. I also like Buzz Audio comps, my Elysias and TK Audios get used all the time as well. As far as microphones, I’m a bit partial to Audio-Technica and Telefunken stuff, everything those guys make sounds great and are reliable.
Most memorable gig or career highlight?
Mixing the Pope for about 800,000 people in Colorado for World Youth Day was pretty big! I’ve had some favourite shows with just about every artist I’ve mixed.
Any tips/words of wisdom for someone starting out?
Ask questions, pay attention, work hard. Learn how a system goes up… from scratch. Learn what it does in a room. I’ve run into many an engineer, and without a doubt, the better ones are the ones that understand the system and how it works with a room.
How has your mixing setup changed in the last 15 years or so?
Besides the PAs being much more accurate and efficient (and quite a bit lighter and smaller), the use of digital consoles has streamlined FOH a bit over the years. Having said that, if I can justify bringing out an XL4 then there would be very little difference!
What are three mixing techniques you regularly employ that you’ve learnt in the last 15 years?
I’ve been using the parallel compression thing forever. It comes from my studio days long ago, although it seems to be one of the live ‘buzz words’ in the last couple of years. Really, it’s all about creating the correct space for each individual input. I rarely have anything more than Kick, Snare, Bass and Lead Vocal panned centre. Use your high and low pass filters.
In the last 15 years, what are three pieces of gear or features that have come out and been game changers for you?
Other than Joe Malone making incredibly great compressors I would say the Dolby Lake Processor has been the biggest thing. It gave you a very, very flexible great sounding crossover/EQ that is reliable and compact. Hard to find many systems that aren’t using this technology in some way. Digital consoles have probably changed the game in the biggest way for everybody though. Although I’m not sure the fact that they have made it all a bit easier has really made anything sound better!
How have your working methods changed over the last 15 years?
Not a lot in reality. You still have to go into each gig prepared and use common sense. I still tune systems with the same 5-6 songs. You need to spend a bit of time with your PAs now as well. They will just do what you tell them to do, so you need to do your homework and take the time to properly set them up.
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