What are the best ways to communicate with performers about their audio preferences?

2 Ask the right questions

Once you have some background information on your performers, you can start asking them specific questions about their audio preferences. These should be clear and direct questions that focus on the essential aspects of the sound, such as volume, balance, tone, effects, and feedback. For example, you could inquire about how loud they want their monitors and main speakers to be, their desired balance between vocals and instruments in the mix, the type of tone they prefer for their voice and instruments (bright, warm, crisp etc.), what effects they want to use on their voice and instruments (reverb, delay, distortion etc.), and how they want to deal with feedback (use a gate, cut some frequencies etc.).

4 Use common language

One of the challenges of communicating with performers about their audio preferences is that they might use different terms or expressions than you do. For example, they might say that they want their voice to sound "more airy" or their guitar to sound "more crunchy". To avoid confusion or misunderstanding, you need to use common language that both you and your performers understand. You can use examples, analogies, or demonstrations to explain what you mean or what you can do. You can also ask them to clarify what they mean or show you what they want.

5 Be respectful and supportive

Finally, you need to communicate with your performers in a respectful and supportive way. You want to build a rapport and a trust with them, so that they feel comfortable and confident with you and your sound. You want to avoid being rude, arrogant, or dismissive of their audio preferences, even if you disagree with them or think they are unrealistic. You want to be polite, friendly, and helpful, and offer them suggestions, solutions, or alternatives. You want to be respectful of their artistic vision and their audience, and support them to deliver their best performance.