Light it up and Make it Loud

A Complete Guide to the Grandview High School Light and Sound Systems

By Zach Stewart GHS Class of 2011

A Note from the Author

When I first entered Grandview High School in the fall of 2007, I was immediately asked to help run the lights and sound for different things that the high school, and other schools, did. I was a little hesitant at first, but with the help of a senior at that time, I learned the basics on how to run the lights and sound, and it just snowballed from there. When I graduated in the spring of 2011, I was a sad to leave, especially without passing on the tips and tricks on how to run the sound booth to the next generation of theater technicians. Through my tenure as the light/sound operator, I have worked two high school one acts, helped on three junior high one acts, lit up about 3 talent shows, and set the lights and sound for the promenade all four years I was there. I have even won three awards for my lighting designs for the one acts I worked on. I won two for my work in And They Dance Real Slow in Jackson and another for my work in The Women of Lockerbie. During my senior year, I was asked to write a manual on how to run the lights and sound so I was not being asked questions while I was at college. Well, I never got around to that, but I finally found a good time to write this, and get class credit! It took me three weeks and a whole bunch of time, but the final outcome is this awesome manual that I hope gets a whole lot of use in the coming years. So when it comes time to use this book, remember these things: 1. 2. 3. 4. Dont use the God Mic while the director is talking, they will get mad. When youre in the sound booth, try to keep it down, otherwise all the gossip will get out. There is a trashcan in the booth for a reason, try to keep it classy people. When there is a banquet of some sort going on, turning on the chase lights will not make people happy, it will make them want to hit you. 5. If you are one of the people that knows how to run these systems, you will get asked to work them all the time, so try to get something good out of it. I hope that this manual can help get the jobs it needs to do done and if there happen to be any grammatical errors throughout, get over it or fix it, I dont really care. In the words of Coach Acosta.ITS A GREAT DAY TO BE A ZEBRA!!!

Good Luck, Zach Stewart Lighting Technician 2007-2011

GHS Lights and Sound

Table of Contents
Introduction Correctly Turning on all the Systems Turning on the Light Board Turning on the Breakers Turning on the Strip Lights Turning on controls for the strip lights Turning on the Sound Board Turning on the Sound Box Controlling the Lights Working the X/Y Faders Working A/B Rows Creating a Blackout Working the Chase feature Controlling the Sound Board Playing a CD/Tape Working Microphones Through the Microphone Box Microphones using the Sound Board Controlling the Stage Mics God Mic control Controlling volume How to Mute and Unmute controls Appendices Grandview High School Light Schematic Grandview High School Strip Light Plot Cleburne High School Light Plot How to work the projector How to work the spotlight GHS Sound Booth Layout Grandview High School Layout Glossary 4 5 5 5 7 8 8 9 10 10 11 12 12 13 13 14 14 15 16 16 17 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

GHS Lights and Sound

Introduction
If you are reading this manual, then you have been selected as one of the lucky people to run the sound booth, either on the lights or the sound. I wrote out this manual to explain all the need to know features of how to run Grandview High Schools light and sound, something that, until recently, had been passed down from person to person. I set this manual up to guide you through the process of theater tech work so the job could be completed to it fullest potential.

Layout of the manual:

I laid this book out into three very important sections: Section 1: Turning on all the systems Section 2: Controlling the Light Board Section 3: Controlling the Sound Board I then included an appendix that contains several different lighting plots and schemes, as well as instructions on how to run the spotlight and the auditoriums projector. Finally I included a glossary that defines some terms that may seem unfamiliar to the novice theater technician.

TIP: Throughout the manual, Ive included little tip boxes that give you
some pointers as needed. These tip are just some of the things I have picked up over the years working the board for countless events. Tip boxes will be outlined in black and will always have a stage light beside it.

For Your Information

Along with the tip boxes, I have also included some boxes labeled For Your Information. These boxes just have little tidbits of information that I personally felt that you, the user, should know. Whether these pieces of information mean anything to you or not, they are there to help you hopefully solve a problem or learn something new. It all depends on how you use it. This manual will definitely help you on your way to learning how to run the lights and sound. I tried to write this in a very easy to understand language and with simpler terminology. I did not have to really include any safety warnings because this system is very secure; you are more likely to hurt it than it hurt you. If any safety issues were needed I made the warnings stand out. Warning: all these systems are electronic, so be aware that you are around heavy-duty electrical systems. I hope this manual helps you work the boards and I hope you actually enjoy working them. Pretty much any problem that you, a high school student, might encounter will be able to be solved by simply reading the directions thoroughly. Good luck!

GHS Lights and Sound

Correctly Turning on all the Systems

Turning on the light and sound boards for the Grandview High School sound booth is a simple task, but without following the correct steps, can cause harm to the systems.

Turning on the Light Board

Turn on the light board by finding the ON/OFF switch on the back of the light board, as shown in Fig. 1.1. ALWAYS TURN THE BOARD ON FIRST. If you do not turn the board on first, it will result in what is known as a Ghost in the Machine. Once the board is turned on, proceed to step 1.2. This is the same procedure when turning the board off. Board then breakers

Fig. 1.1 Light Board control switch

Turning on the Breakers.

Proceed to the electrical room in the 200 hall right next to the band hall and choir rooms. Straight in on the right wall will be a bank of breakers as shown in Fig. 1.2.

WARNING: This is an electrical system. There is always a chance of shock.

Fig. 1.2 Breaker Boxes

Once boxes have been located, flip all switches to the ON position.

Fig. 1.3 Breakers in ON position

GHS Lights and Sound

Correctly Turning on all the Systems

Turning on the Breakers cont.

Make sure that the small squares on the inside of the breakers are lit up as shown in Fig. 1.4. Once they are on, the light board is now turned on.

Fig. 1.4 Squares lit up on breakers.

TIP: When it comes time to turn on the lights, make sure that the entire light
board has everything turned all the way down. If there are lights left on, they will turn on and it will become extremely bright. If nothing happens after you turn on the board and breakers, check and make sure that the BLACKOUT switch (explained later) is not turned on. If this is not the case, please refer to the troubleshooting section in the back.

Fo r Your Information
At Grandview High School, there are two types of stage lights that are used in any production. These are called Stage Lights and Strip Lights. The difference is how they are mounted and controlled. The Stage Lights are mounted in pairs of two on a bar at three different locations through the performance area. The light board in the Sound Booth located in the back of the auditorium is use to control these. Strip lights are mounted along a strip at two different locations in the performing area, in front of the proscenium and behind the proscenium. These lights are controlled by a wall-mounted control in the back of the sound booth and are run on different breakers.

GHS Lights and Sound

Correctly Turning on all the Systems

Turning on the Strip Lights

Turn all the Breakers located in the back of the sound booth to the ON position, Fig. 2.1 shows what the breaker box in the back looks like. Notice that there is two pieces of paper taped to the breaker box, one is a list of what breaker controls what and the other is telling the user to not turn on one breaker. The strip lights also control the can lights around the auditorium. The breaker that is told not to turn on is what is affectionately known as the Schizo light. This is because the light flickers like crazy and only turns off when the breaker is all the way off.

Fig 2.1 Breaker box for Strip Lights

Hint: This is a close up of the breakers for the strip lights turned to the ON position. You will notice that the second breaker going down is the breaker that is known as the Schizo light.

Fig 2.2 Strip light breakers up close

TIP: The strip lights can be used to light the entire

stage if there is no need to turn on the Stage Lights. These lights can be used as plain, white light, or filters can be placed on it to change the color. GHS has red, blue, and green filters that can be placed on it at any time. Many plays have scenes that need a blue light to look believable, so the blue is usually always already in the lights.

GHS Lights and Sound

Correctly Turning on all the Systems

Turning on controls for Strip Lights

Looking at the controls, left of the breaker box, turn the master switch ON. The controls for the Strip Lights are to the left on the opposite wall from the Strip Light breakers. These controls, as shown in Fig. 2.3, are very simple to use. There is a one single ON/OFF switch on the left, and then there is just ten switches that control all the Strip Lights and can lights for the auditorium. The first five switches are used for the can lights and the second five are used for the Strip Lights.

Fig 2.3 Strip Light controls

Can Lights

Strip Lights

Underneath the light controls, there is a switch that flips up, down, and sits in the middle. This is called a master control switch. If it is flipped up, then the master switch on the left can control the light. Flipped down, it works independently of the master switches. If it sits in the middle, the light is turned off.

Turning on Sound Board

On the back, flip both switches to the ON position.

Fig 3.1 Power switches for Sound Board.

When both of the switches have been turned ON, all the lights on the light board will turn on. DO NOT TOUCH ANY CORDS ON THE BACK OF THE SOUND BOARD! To complete the sound turn on, proceed to the next step. GHS Lights and Sound Correctly Turning on all the Systems

Turning On the Sound Box

1. Locate the sound box to the left of the soundboard. Once located, locate a power button at the top right of the box and a second power button at the bottom left of the box, as shown in Fig. 3.2 and Fig 3.3. 2. Flip both on.

Fig 3.2 Switch at top right of box

Fig 3.3 - Switch at bottom left of box.

Only when both switches are turned on, will the soundboard work. Most of the time, when someone says that the sound is not working, it is because they have forgotten to turn on the bottom button. Make sure that the button is flipped on.

GHS Lights and Sound

Correctly Turning on all the Systems

10

Controlling the Lights

Working the X/Y Faders
Most light boards are set up with two different rows, an A row and a B row. These rows are controlled by X/Y faders, or faders that affect the X, or A, row and the Y, or B, row. When used correctly you can set up two light schemes at one time and you can use the X/Y faders to seamlessly switch between the light schemes. Make sure that the light board is on, then set up a light scheme on the A row and the B row. The X/Y Faders is in the bottom center of the light board and has a small row of lights inbetween it. The X fader numbers 0 to 10 from the bottom to the top. The Y fader numbers from 0 to 10 from the top to the bottom. (Fig. 4.1) To use them, you simply move the switches as needed to change between light schemes.

X Fader

Y Fader

Fig. 4.1 X/Y Faders

TIP: You will notice that above the faders, there are two knobs
labeled DELAY. Leave these at 0, because otherwise there will be a delay in the transition of X/Y rows and that could affect your show.

GHS Lights and Sound

Controlling the Lights

11

Working A/B rows of lights

As stated previously with the direction of the X/Y faders, the light board has an A row and a B row. Each row has 24 lights that correspond with the full 24 lights on the stage. To the left of each row, there is a set of two dimmer switches that are used to control the brightness of each row. These will be your main controls.

A row

B row

Fig. 4.2 A/B rows on light board

It is much easier to leave the A/B faders to the left all the way up, it leaves one less thing to worry about. To control the actual lights on each row, do as follows: 1. Find the light needed 2. Push up to increase light 3. Pull down to decrease light

For Your Information

Youll notice that above each light switch there is a little toggle where there is an A up top and a B down low, same, but with C and D on the bottom. These will not mean much as long as you keep the A and B fader switches all the way up. To make life simpler for all who use this board, leave the toggle flipped up.

Fig. 4.3 A row fader

Fig. 4.4 B row fader

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Controlling the Lights

12

Creating a Blackout
A Blackout is a simple as it sounds; it creates a stage wide blackout, useful in really powerful scenes. This is very simple and highly effective. To create a blackout, simply flip the switch that says BLACKOUT, as shown in Fig. 4.5.

Fig. 4.5 Blackout switch.

TIP: Youll notice that the

actual switch for the blackout is broken. Just because there is no switch doesnt mean it wont work. A pen or pencil works just fine to work the switch.

Working the Chase feature

The chase feature is a rarely used feature, but still needs to be known. This allows the first 8 stage lights to constantly blink and flash, one right after the other, hence the chase name. 1. Turn the chase switch to ON. 2. Select if you want the lights to go forward or in reverse. 3. Adjust the speed as necessary with the faders underneath.

GHS Lights and Sound

Controlling the Lights

13

Controlling the Sound Board

Playing a CD/Tape
The sound system used will play a CD and a Cassette Tape. To play a CD or Tape, first make sure that the sound board and sound box are both on. 1. 2. 3. 4. Insert CD or Tape into appropriate player. Wait until you see the little screen come up with 00:00 and Track 01 Press Play Control volume using switch 23-24 on sound board.

CD Player

Fig. 5.1 CD/Tape Players

Tape Player Info. Screen

For Your Information

There are occasionally some CDs that do not work in the CD player. Usually there is a reason that the CD will not work, including a scratch or if the CD was burned in the wrong format. When burning a disk, try to stick in WAV or AAC music fomats, pretty much use the format that is standard when burning a disk in iTunes.

GHS Lights and Sound

Fig. 5.2 CD

Controlling the Sound Board

14

Working Microphones
The microphones for GHS get controlled in one of two ways; either by plugging into the sound boards system or by plugging into the microphone box in the back. Youll learn how to plug into both, but youll mainly learn how to go through the sound board as that produces a much better sound and control ability.

Through the Microphone Box

1. Plug the microphone into one of the three mic plug-ins around the stage or in the plug-in in the back by the sound booth. 2. In the booth to the left of the sound box, youll see a black box with several knobs and wires sticking out, turn that on. 3. Use one of the knobs labeled CHANNEL to adjust volume as needed.

Power button

Volume control knobs

Fig. 5.3 Microphone Box

TIP: While using the microphone

box is a legitimate way to work the microphones, it has a lot of static feedback. Unless absolutely necessary, I highly recommend using the sound board for your microphone needs.

Fig. 5.4 Microphone plug-ins on stage

GHS Lights and Sound

Controlling the Sound Board

15

Microphones using the Sound Board

On stage left, behind the curtains, there will be a large box on the floor with many plugs sticking out of it. (Fig. 5.5) Plug the microphone you need to use into slot 1, slot 2 can be used if needed.

Fig. 5.5 Mic Box on Stage

In the booth on the sound board, use the volume controls for slot 1 to adjust as needed.

Volume Controls

For Your Information

The other things plugged into the mic box as shown in Fig. 5.5 are the stage mics. Dont worry about messing with those, they have pretty much been plugged in like that since the HS was built. They will be explained in the next section.
Fig. 5.6 Mic control on sound board

GHS Lights and Sound

Controlling the Sound Board

16

Controlling the Stage Mics

The stage mics hang from the ceiling over the stage. They are mainly used for choir concerts since they make the choir louder. They are only controlled from the sound booth. Make sure the sound board and box are turned on then you just decide what mics you need.

Stage mic
Fig. 5.7 Stage mic

Fig. 5.8 Stage mic controls

Stage mic controls on sound board

God Mic control

The God mic is a microphone that get plugged in directly into the sound board. If you actually use the God mic, you will probably get told to stop playing with it, just a warning. 1. Hook the God mic into an unused port on the back of the sound board, usually number 17 (Fig. 5.9) 2. Use the volume control to adjust sound level. 3. Hold down button on mic to talk.

Fig. 5.9 God Mic plugged in

Fig. 5.10 God Mic

GHS Lights and Sound

Controlling the Sound Board

17

Controlling Volume
Controlling the volume is very simple, but can affect the entire production or concert. A good listener really needs to be in charge of sound You control sound simply by moving the sliders up and down. On the far right of the board, there is a main volume control. This control will adjust all of the volume across the whole board. This adjusts the same way,

Stage Mic Volume

Fig. 5.11 Main volume control

Main Volume Control

How to Mute and Unmute controls

Above each volume control, there is a button that says MUTE. Its function is obvious. To mute or unmute, press the button. If the button is depressed and the light on, then it is muted. The opposite for if it is unmuted.

Fig. 5.12 Unmuted volume

Fig. 5.13 Volume muted

GHS Lights and Sound

Controlling the Sound Board

18

Appendices
Includes: GHS Lighting Schematic GHS Strip Light Plot Lighting plot of Cleburne HS How to work projector How to work the spot light Sound Booth Layout Grandview High School Layout

GHS Lights and Sound

Appendices

19

Grandview High School Lighting Schematic

GHS Lights and Sound

Appendices

20

GHS Strip Light Plot

Fig. 6.1 GHS Lights

GHS Lights and Sound

Appendices

21

Cleburne High School Light Plot

Fig. 6.2 CHS Light plots

GHS Lights and Sound

1
Appendices

22

How to work the projector

The GHS auditorium is equipped with motorized screen and a ceiling mounted projector. A DVD player and laptop can be hooked up and used for movies and presentation. 1. First you need to pull down the screen. 2. Then you need to turn the projector on using the wall system in the sound booth. 3. After your system is hooked up, you can use it.

Fig. 6.3 Projector plug-in in booth

Fig. 6.5 Projector drop button

Fig. 6.4 projector plug-in backstage

Fig. 6.7 auditorium projector

Fig. 6.6 projector pull-down

GHS Lights and Sound

Appendices

23

How to work the spotlight

The spotlight is only used for talent shows. It has 7 different color filters. To work: 1. Turn on 2. Choose the different color settings as needed 3. Focus the light using the knobs in Fig. -------The spotlight has a blackout, pink, yellow, violet, blue, green, and red filter. To change between them, pull down the white lever to the left of all the colors.

Fig. 6.12 Pink light

Fig. 6.13 Green light Fig. 6.8 Spotlight color switches

Fig. 6.14 Yellow light

Fig. 6.15 White light Fig. 6.9 Spotlight ON/OFF switches Fig. 6.10 Focus switches on spotlight Fig. 6.16 Violet light

Fig. 6.17 Blue light Fig. 6.11 - Spotlight adjustment knob

GHS Lights and Sound

Appendices

24

GHS Sound Booth Layout

Fig. 6.18 GHS Sound booth layout

GHS Lights and Sound

Appendices

25

Grandview High School Layout

Auditorium

Breaker Room

Fig. 6.19 Layout of GHS

GHS Lights and Sound

Appendices

26

Glossary
Ghost in the Machine a term used when the light board will randomly run through an auto program when incorrectly turned on. Breakers the electrical switch needed to supply power to the lights. Stage lights lights that are centered directly on the stage and run off the light board. Strip lights lights set on a strip that is controlled separately than the stage lights Faders a switch that will control a light on a scale from 0% to 100% Delay when turned on, this will give timed delay between the action and the actual movement. Dimmer switch the same thing as a fader. Blackout when the stage goes completely black Chase when the first 8 lights follow each other in a set sequence. CD compact disc Cassette Tape an obsolete format of media that is a tape wrapped around two spools. WAV waveform audio format AAC advanced audio coding iTunes music program by Apple Inc. used to store music and create playlists. Channel the name for the outlet that a microphone or sound system will come through over the sound board. Stage Microphone a microphone that hangs from the ceiling of the stage. Is used mainly in choir concerts or musical to enhance the sound. God Microphone a microphone that gets plugged in straight to the sound board. When used, it makes the users voice seem as if it is appearing from nowhere. Sliders the equivalent of a fader for the sound board. Moves from dB to 10 dB. Lighting Schematic a layout of how the lights are installed in a ceiling Can Light a light that is mounted in the ceiling in a can like fixture. Lighting Plot a layout of how the lights cover a stage when on. Filters a type of translucent cover that goes over a light, will be made of either glass or gel film. Focus making a light either clearer or blurred.

GHS Lights and Sound

Glossary