0

The Art of Sound at Small's Bar, Detroit

David Miseveth runs sound at Small's Bar, a hyper-cool venue in Hamtramck, a small city surrounded by Detroit. He told us all about it...

How long have you been running sound? How did you get into it?

I have been running sound for around 24 years. I got into doing live sound through a combination of doing studio recordings and DIY punk shows needing a sound person and I was the only one around they knew who had any experience with sound.

How did you get hooked up with Small's?

I used to attend shows at Small's all the time. One day a friend heard they needed someone for a show and suggested me.

Any particular highlights? Which bands have been the best to work with?

As far as highlights go, no one sticks out to me, but just being able to meet so many talented musicians and people through the years has been amazing. Even a bad day at work is better than an ok day working in a cubicle.

How would you describe the acoustics/layout at Small's?

The layout at Small's is basically a small concrete box with a stage and PA. We use some curtains to mitigate the audio bouncing around so much. But it is definitely a lively room. But we use the space to it fullest potential.

What gear do you use?

We have a Midas M32 for our console. The PA and monitors are custom made using JBL speakers. It does not look like much but sounds great. We use your standard collection of Shure and Sennheiser microphones. Sometime I will use some of my personal mics when I feel like it. I have on occasion used a Waves server with plugins when I have the time to bring it in and set it up.

For more information, visit smallsbardetroit.com.