This article is written by George Long at Aggreko, after I had some concerns in how close we can place the size generators we needed to our stage without there being any issues of generator noise bleeding into the film. I had asked him to help ensure we were receiving “whisper quiet” generators. Here is his very well thought out reply:

First off, there’s no industry or any other standard that is “whisper quiet”, it’s a marketing term.

Film grade – surprisingly the “crystal sync” phrase didn’t get referred to. Film grade would simply mean that the generator has some sort of electronic governing versus mechanical speed control. Think your average gas generator that cycles according to load – you drop a higher demand on it and for a second or so, the voltage drops as the engine tries to catch up. This is caused by magnetic resistance imposed in the generator end – As the demand increases (trying to draw more out of the straw as it were), the increase causes more magnetic resistance which needs to be compensated for within the windings.

Twin pack 1.5 MW Generators capable of providing electricity to 330 households

Think of it like this – you’re towing a boat down the highway and have cruise control on going 65 MPH. If that road is flat, the amount of energy required to keep it going at 65 MPH remains the same. However, if you hit a hill that load (the boat) starts to slow down the truck because the amount of available energy, assuming all factors are constant, exceeds the energy available to get up that hill – so what does the cruise control do? It applies more fuel to bring the vehicle back to 65. Typically there’s a lull where the engine basically has to catch up to the load. The same works in reverse, you crest that hill and start to go down and there’s less demand (load) on the truck and the cruise control doesn’t need to feed as much into the engine to keep the speed up.

With generators it’s roughly the same thing – as the load, in this case, amperage demand increase, it’s like hitting that hill. However we want the speed to remain constant always ~ speed = frequency/Hertz. If it was just mechanically governed (some construction generators have this with a bar you pull out to set engine speed), there’s a lag as the engine demands more fuel, and your lights dim, etc. With electronic governing, the generator senses things like the RPM and voltage a lot sooner than when the demand is there and compensates earlier/faster. Think of this like if you see the hill coming and you start to feed more into the engine prior to reaching the hill with your boat. You don’t notice the lag as much, if at all. Maybe another way of thinking about electronic generators control is using a super computer to calculate pi versus your I Phone app. You get there both ways but it’s a lot faster with the super computer.

Typically any filming or taping needs a steady sine wave at a precise Hertz or frequency. This is to ensure that the image speed remains consistent but it’s really a moot point. The plants have Deep Sea electronic controllers in them which regulate all the applicable elements to ensure this.

65db – Where? At 3 M? 7M? Engine end? Controller end? Averaged? Here’s a handy chart on average noise levels –

Environmental Noise
Weakest sound heard	0dB
Whisper Quiet Library at 6′	30dB
Normal conversation at 3′	60-65dB
Telephone dial tone	80dB
City Traffic (inside car)	85dB
Train whistle at 500′, Truck Traffic	90dB
Jackhammer at 50′	95dB
Subway train at 200′	95dB
Level at which sustained exposure may result in hearing loss	90 – 95dB
Hand Drill	98dB
Power mower at 3′	107dB
Snowmobile, Motorcycle	100dB
Power saw at 3′	110dB
Sandblasting, Loud Rock Concert	115dB
Pain begins	125dB
Pneumatic riveter at 4′	125dB
Even short term exposure can cause permanent damage – Loudest recommended exposure WITH hearing protection	140dB
Jet engine at 100′	140dB
12 Gauge Shotgun Blast	165dB
Death of hearing tissue	180dB
Loudest sound possible	194dB

 

OSHA Daily Permissible Noise Level Exposure
Hours per day	Sound level
8	90dB
6	92dB
4	95dB
3	97dB
2	100dB
1.5	102dB
1	105dB
.5	110dB
.25 or less	115dB

 

Perceptions of Increases in Decibel Level
Imperceptible Change	1dB
Barely Perceptible Change	3dB
Clearly Noticeable Change	5dB
About Twice as Loud	10dB
About Four Times as Loud	20dB

 

Sound Levels of Music
Normal piano practice	60 -70dB
Fortissimo Singer, 3′	70dB
Chamber music, small auditorium	75 – 85dB
Piano Fortissimo	84 – 103dB
Violin	82 – 92dB
Cello	85 -111dB
Oboe	95-112dB
Flute	92 -103dB
Piccolo	90 -106dB
Clarinet	85 – 114dB
French horn	90 – 106dB
Trombone	85 – 114dB
Tympani & bass drum	106dB
Walkman on 5/10	94dB
Symphonic music peak	120 – 137dB
Amplifier, rock, 4-6′	120dB
Rock music peak	150dB

NOTES:

• One-third of the total power of a 75-piece orchestra comes from the bass drum.
• High frequency sounds of 2-4,000 Hz are the most damaging. The uppermost octave of the piccolo is 2,048-4,096 Hz.
• Aging causes gradual hearing loss, mostly in the high frequencies.
• Speech reception is not seriously impaired until there is about 30 dB loss; by that time severe damage may have occurred.
• Hypertension and various psychological difficulties can be related to noise exposure.
• The incidence of hearing loss in classical musicians has been estimated at 4-43%, in rock musicians 13-30%.
• Recent NIOSH studies of sound levels from weapons fires have shown that they may range from a low of 144 dB SPL for small caliber weapons such as a 0.22 caliber rifle to as high as a 172 dB SPL for a 0.357 caliber revolver. Double ear protection is recommended for shooters, combining soft, insertable ear plugs and external ear muffs.
  At 7 M, the “rating” of the 200 is 70 dbA – so less than a singer. Then add to this the inverse law of squares which says that any intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source. A quick rule of thumb is sound level will decrease 6 db for every time the distance is doubled, although the calculations are slighting more complex than that.

SIMPLE EQUATION FOR PREDICTING A SOUND LEVEL:

If you measure a sound level 70 = dB
at distance
d1 =7 m = 22.965 ft

then at distance
d2 = 20m = 65.616 ft

the inverse square law predicts a sound level
I2 = 50 dB

i2/i1=[d1/d2]

Thank you, Geo! He also collaborated on our Electricity Guide if you would like to read up even more about power.

The biggest rookie mistake in social media for events is that the brand waits to begin social media postings (or doesn’t post often) until the event is almost there.

Social media has significant value for search engine optimization, it keeps your brand top of mind for festival goers, and begins building an audience that you can continuously market to. So, if you have an event in the next 6 months, stop reading this now and go set up your social accounts.

Here are 4 things you absolutely should be doing on social media way before you event starts:

1. Determine a hashtag to use it wisely: 
Create a hashtag that is short, easy to remember, and looks good when you put the words together in all lowercase. Twitter doesn’t distinguish between cases in searches, for example: #musiccreation vs #MusicCreation will return the same search results, but when it’s written using lowercase letters, it’s difficult to read. You won’t be able to control how people use it. Be sure to test out your hashtag and make sure it’s not overly utilized elsewhere – especially in a negative way. Then make sure your partners, artists, sponsors, etc. know what it is. 

TIP: Not sure what a hashtag is? Start here or email us at Pigtail Media so we can discuss how it can be best used for your brand.

2. Tease your event (and use your hashtag):
With each announcement you have, use social media to update your audience and keep your festival top of mind. It’s a no brainer for the big stuff, but keep in mind the small stuff can still create a story. 

You may think each announcement isn’t all that exciting. But it gives people a chance to get to know your brand, see it come to fruition, trust your brand, and follow along in your excitement. Finish your logo? Signed your first artist? Posters were just pressed? Your blog is live? Batch of tickets sent? Share it.

Tip: Don’t go overboard on Facebook posts. 1 post a day is sufficient and make it really good. Twitter is much more acceptable to post 5+ tweets a day, but make sure each tweet is not all about your event.

3. Let your partners know your event is on social media:

Email your sponsors, partners, artists, etc. with an overview about your social sites. Provide them with your hashtag, your social links, and simple messages they can share on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook that benefit your event.

Tip: The easier you make it for them, the more likely they will follow and share your event news.

4. Use Twitter to build influencer relationships – and take it outside of social.

Through Twitter, you can search, follow and put users into specific lists. Those lists can then be viewed independently of all the other accounts you follow. Think about it as a tool to clear out the clutter and only see the posts from the people who matter most to you.

For example, identify the media outlets that are fitting to your press and outreach strategy. See who the writers are and do your diligence and search for them on Twitter. Follow, engage 1-3 times with their content to put you on their radar and then compartmentalize them into your LIST of media.

Utilize this list in two ways: 1) Episodically visit that list and engage with the content to keep yourself top of mind. Don’t be afraid to tweet that person when there’s something you want to share, just don’t tweet the same message to multiple media outlets/writers at once. That’s visible for all to see and removes any personalization. 2) If you DON’T have a PR Team, consider digging deeper and finding the email address of this person. Introduce yourself via email in an authentic way – where you aren’t selling anything. Keep those emails contacts is a safe place. When you have a press release or announcement, those can be your source of press mentions.

Tip: One effective and efficient way to find a writer on Twitter is simply put in their name + “twitter” into a google search. Additionally, searching Twitter.com with the media’s twitter handle name. Many writers will include that in their bio.

Social media does take time, but give it the time that it deserves because it can easily become the leading referral source on your website, an “in” to media contacts and bloggers, and the biggest way to connect with an audience and have them fall in love with your event … before it even happens.

Whether it’s your first event or you’ve got years under your belt, it’s always good to be reminded of proper radio etiquette.   It’s something that is very simple, yet consistently eludes even the best of us, especially when we want something immediately.  

First, let’s have a quick primer on what etiquette means.  According to Wikipedia:

• Etiquette refers to conventional forms and usages: the rules of etiquette. Decorum suggests dignity and a sense of what is becoming or appropriate for a person of good breeding: a fine sense of decorum.

Easy enough.  So how does that translate into the event and festival world?  Pretty simple.   When using a two way radio to speak to someone, utilize the following as a guide – in this example, I, Mike, am going to ask to talk to Kara:

1. I press down on the proper button, and if it’s a digital radio I wait for a beep.   Then I say, “Mike for Kara”.   This properly identifies who I am and who I wish to speak with. 

   Note what I don’t say:  “Kara!”  “Hey Kara, you out there?” 
   Or even worse, I don’t even say her name:  “I really need that gaff tape delivered to the stage!” 

2. I wait until Kara replies.   Around 10-20 seconds is acceptable.   If I hear nothing, I try one more time:  “Mike for Kara”. If I don’t hear back, I either try to reach someone else that can help me, or I try texting or calling Kara on her phone.   
3. At the end of the conversation, it often makes sense to say “Copy”, “Good Copy”, “Copy That”, “10-4”, or some other form of acknowledgement, so they can carry on and you can, too.

In this example, I’m going to respond to someone calling me, in this case, Kara again:

1. I hear (ideally) “Kara for Mike” on the radio. 
2. If I am free to talk, I respond back with “Go for Mike”.  That way she knows it’s me responding back.
   If I am not free to talk, I respond back with “Standby for Mike.”  The word “standby” is preferred over “hold” because “hold” sounds very much like “go”, and you’ll often hear people try to continue the conversation when you aren’t ready for it. 

   After a while, or if they know the person well enough, they’ll simply say “Go”, “Send it”, or “Go for me”.   This is acceptable but ideally you would identify yourself by name, especially if it’s with a new team that doesn’t know each other that well yet. 

And that is it.   Some people like to do the reverse and say “Kara for Mike” instead of “Mike for Kara”, but I prefer the latter. Either way works fine, but it can be confusing at first so it’s best the entire event team stays consistent – pick one method or the other.

You’d be surprised by how many people don’t follow these sort of guidelines, and as a result, sometimes already busy channels will have even more traffic and noise, preventing those who have urgent and important requests from getting through.   So whenever possible, keep it simple, short, and use the above as a guide and that should keep everything running smooth – at least radio wise – at your event. 

For those of you that travel several weeks or even months out of the year for gigs, over time you tend to develop (and try to keep) some good habits as well as maximize your office space. Here are some tips – and all pictures link directly to an Amazon page:

Packing Tips

• When packing for a long time away, make sure you know your laundry situation before you leave.  If you will be provided with opportunities to send away your laundry to a fluff and fold, then plan to have a day or two more than you may need in between laundry runs.If you will not have any time to do laundry, then pack as much as you can and see about bringing larger luggage / checking bags if you don’t normally do that.  Having enough laundry is so important, especially on the final days.One cool gadget to make sure you’re under the weight limits imposed by your airline is a luggage scale (like the one pictured).   These will help ensure you aren’t caught having to pay extra money at the ticket counter and they can also help you determine how much your laundry will be (often, it is $1/pound) when it’s time to get it washed at the gig.

• One great addition to my luggage was having a large laundry bag to keep dirty and clean clothes separate.   This can also double as an easy way to send out your dirty laundry when it’s time.  Make sure you always have some cash and envelope handy to tape on your bag, along with labeling the bag with your name somewhere, so it’s easy for them to process your laundry.

• For longer gigs, I normally can get by with 1 large suitcase, 1 duffel bag, and my laptop shoulder bag.  I’ve been able to fit my laptop, second monitor, numeric keypad, printer, and all cables in it, which leaves more room in my luggage for clothes, tools, and shoes.   Don’t forget to put anything sharp in checked luggage – I’ve had a leatherman get confiscated before that I forgot about at the TSA checkpoint.

Wellness Tips

• If you want to keep your daily fitness routine going, first find out the hours of your hotel’s gym, and then try and see how you can fit that in before or after your scheduled hours on-site. If you’re a runner, look to map out a route near the site and/or the hotel that you can easily do before or after work.

• Try as best you can to stick to your normal diet once on-site. Most catering setups will have some healthy options, and you can always see about adding some healthy snacks to your team’s runner list.  As enticing as those white chocolate cookies may be everyday at lunch, you’ll pay for it in trying to stay awake an hour later.

• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate – as much as possible, avoid caffeine-based drinks that are full of sugar, and try to stick to green tea, coffee (although as a diuretic, both should be consumed in moderation), or super-hydrating drinks like coconut water, Vitamin Water Zero or kombucha. My all-time go to drink is the Synergy Brand Kombuchas – they are the most bitter tasting, but I feel they are the most energizing.If you’re in a part of the country that doesn’t have easy access to those kinds of drinks, or you’re in the middle of the city but can never leave, see if you can order some via InstaCart or Amazon and get it delivered.

• As much as possible, aim for the amount of sleep you normally need to stay functioning at a high level – for some people that’s 8 hours, others it’s 4. You know your body, and if you get the gig off to a sleepy start, it’s going to make it harder for you once it’s show day.

Office Tips

• Most festivals provide staff with office space, but it usually is at a premium. That said, finding the best balance of what’s best for your productivity versus what space you have is key. I have an 11″ Laptop with a USB powered slim monitor (pictured) and a number pad so I can easily type out invoices / spreadsheets.This uses little more than what my old 17″ laptop used to take up, but it gives me a lot more flexibility. I also make sure to bring along a power strip just in case.

• If space allows, I also recommend a portable printer, like the Canon pictured to the right. I can fit my laptop, monitor, printer, and all cables in my shoulder bag, believe it or not. It makes for a very quick setup when you have to be up and running and can’t wait to connect to the main printer or if there isn’t going to be one.

• If your job has you in the office or trailer for long periods of time, make sure you get up, walk around, take a quick walk outside – even if it’s really hot or awfully cold. This help reduce eye strain / fatigue from staring at the computer as well as get the blood pumping.  If you’ve got a FitBit or other exercise tracking device, see if you can still hit your daily goal even by taking short breaks every so often – you’d be surprised what a ‘lap’ around the site can do; one event day I walked over 45,000 steps!

• And if possible, try to find the most comfortable chair, or bring your own if it’s a local gig. Having to sit on a plastic folding chair for weeks on end is terrible for your posture and back. If possible see what other options may be around you, or ask your supervisor if they can help. At the least, you buy a cushion / pillow to help keep you comfortable.

For those of us that have been either on the road or experienced everything you could possibly think of at a venue, over time we tend to build up a trusted set of tools, equipment, gadgets, and supplies that we won’t leave home without.  What is in your bag when you roll into your next gig?

Here’s what’s inside mine – granted, some of these I have to leave home when traveling:

Gaff Tape

Measuring Tape (300′)

Measuring Wheel

Event Grade Scissors

Sharpies

Highlighters

Poncho / Rain Jacket

Hoodie for colder weather

Reflective vest

Extension cord

Power strip

Large blanket – for covering a desk, keeping warm

Circuit tester

Leatherman – primary

Leatherman – mini, for keychain

Ear plugs – for keychain

Flashlight – for keychain

Flashlight – primary (very wide angle lens)

Zip ties

Marking Flags

Simple tool kit (pliers, wrench, hammer)

First Aid Kit

Sunscreen

Bug spray

Luggage Scale

Laundry Bag

Pouch for radio and other gear