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Producing a special event and being responsible for all of the many complicated facets that go into producing requires you have a workable understanding of many different areas. An effective strategy is building a team to both spread task responsibility and gain the knowledge and insight different members bring to the table.
Live Sound Companies in NYC
One area that is critical to creating a memorable stand out event is the technical production aspect. Today, the creative technologies of lighting, sound, video and staging have evolved to the point where it’s possible to create whole new worlds and environments within almost any venue. Finding and working with a professional technical event production company can remove all of the technical aspects of your production from your to do list.
While a good technical event production company will be able to handle your entire production, sometimes you may not need “full service.” Your venue for example, may provide an in-house lighting system. As a result, you may find yourself only needing to find a company to handle one area of your production, such as sound.
If you’re working in a major metropolitan market like New York or New Jersey, you have dozens of choices. There are many live sound companies in NYC and surrounding areas, including full-service technical event production companies that offer sound reinforcement services as well as all other services.
You need to interview and vet your top choices to find the best fit for your event. Here are 8 questions to ask to help you intelligently reach your decision.
1. How long have you been in the industry?
This is an important question! Longevity doesn’t always indicate one of the best live sound companies in NYC, but in a competitive market, such as New York City, it’s a pretty good indicator. Having a track record means that the company you work with has probably accrued experience with a number of different types of special events. They will have experience with their equipment and an understanding of the market.
Longevity can also denote knowledge. The audio technology field has changed drastically in the past decade or so. It’s good to work with someone who has experienced the changes and has a good working knowledge of, and access to, a variety of both old and new technology.
2. What clients have you worked with?
It’s a good gauge of experience for your audio company to be able to show a solid track record with a number of clients through various types of events and situations. If, for example, you are producing a trade conference and the company you’re vetting has been exclusively handling rock acts for the past decade, you might want to move on to your next candidate.
Related to who your candidate has “worked with,” you should always make sure that any company you talk to can provide a current referral list of recent clients. Get this information, and use it! Call and ask how they performed. Any legit sound company will be happy to give you referrals. If they aren’t, move on.
3. What venues have you worked in?
It’s always a good idea to ask live sound companies in NYC this question. If they have experience in the venue where you will be producing your event, they should have an understanding of what’s required. Each venue is different. They have different layouts, different size and different requirements in general. Some may have a house sound system that your sound company can supplement whereas some may require a complete install.
This question can also give you some idea of their professionalism, experience in the market and qualifications.
4. What equipment do you use?
You want to hire a sound company that can provide name brand, current technology that is right for your needs. The latest big thing may sound great, but it might not be great for your purpose. Choose a company that really works to understand your needs and design a system tailored to you.
A professional technical event production company or sound reinforcement company will transport, set-up and operate the system. They should have a large inventory and be able to support all of the needs you might have for your event.
5. Do you provide equipment and operation?
This is related to question four, and may seem obvious, but you always want to make sure any company you hire will provide both the equipment and the technician to operate it. If they don’t, you may be scrambling and that’s not a comfortable position to be in.
Ideally, any company you hire should be able to supply all of the equipment necessary for your event. They should also have the staff to handle load-in, setup and tear down of the system before and after the event.
6. How big is your team?
This is an important question. Ideally, you want a sound company that is big enough to staff your event with qualified, creative professionals in a variety of positions as needed. Depending on the size of your event and the venue support, you may need a number of different positions filled. You want to make sure that any company you hire will be able to meet the needs of your event on time and on budget.
7. Have you worked on any events like mine before?
General experience is an important factor, but direct experience is the key. If you are producing a trade show and the company you’re considering has never done one, that should raise a red flag. You want to make sure that any of the professional live sound companies in NYC you consider has the necessary experience working on an event close to or exactly like yours.
8. Who will I work with?
Depending on the size and scope of your event, you want to make sure you have a point person in the company you choose. You want to have someone you can call with any questions that will answer the phone or call you back quickly.
Whether you are dealing with a Vice President of accounts or a production manager, you should have a point person. The company you choose should also put together a team specifically for your event that will have the knowledge, experience and skills to pull it off without a hitch!
Choosing your sound company is an important part of building your event production team. When vetting live sound companies in NYC, make sure to dig deep and ask plenty of questions. Your sound is a critical component of your event. You want to make sure that whoever you hire has the gear, team, talent and experience to pull off your event.
There are many live sound companies in NYC for you to choose from. Do your homework, define your needs and ask the right questions. BML-Blackbird is one of the leading live sound companies in NYC. We have decades of experience, a knowledgeable staff, state-of-the-art technology and a passion for what they do.
