Definitions of the Situation in Live Bluegrass Music Performance: Sound Engineers and Musicians

• In Event: 078 - Section on Sociology of Culture Refereed Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 100min: Table 06. Roles and Identities in Arts, Work, and Recreation

Abstract

This paper examines definitions of the situation held by musicians and sound engineers participating in live bluegrass music concerts using sound reinforcement. Successful production of a live bluegrass music concert requires cooperation between the musicians who perform on stage and the sound mix engineer who is responsible for operation of the sound reinforcement system in the concert space. Cooperation between these key actors facilitates the creation of a shared definition of the situation that defines parameters of the roles they expect each other to play. Fundamental to the creation of an effective definition of the situation is communication between the musicians and sound engineer. Also basic to role definitions are musicians’ and sound engineers’ background assumptions, including whether the sound engineer is primarily a support person or whether he or she makes use of expert knowledge before and during the show and thus takes on the role of creative artist. To examine these processes the author administered a 50-question interview instrument consisting of closed-ended and open-ended questions to a sample of 30 bluegrass musicians and sound engineers. Results of the interviews are analyzed and illustrative excerpts from the respondents’ comments are highlighted. The author discusses implications of these findings for interactional processes in a live bluegrass music performance setting.

Author

• Stephen C. Light, SUNY Plattsburgh