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Let’s face it- everybody who has run sound or a musician has at least a small handful of shameful war stories about how the other side has totally blown it at a gig:

“The sound guy didn’t know what he was doing and the mix sounded terrible.”

“The frontman cupped his hands around the mic and kept pointing it into the monitor.”

etc. etc etc.

The reality is, the relationship between the venue or headliner’s audio crew and the bands involved is the most important relationship in putting on a great show. You need each other. It doesn’t matter how well prepared the band is to perform, if they aren’t working well with the sound crew, the vision of the performance won’t translate to the audience with nearly the impact it could if the sound person and stage techs are completely on board with that vision.

Always assume you’re talking to someone who’s smarter than you- who’s a person who might surprise you when you get to know them.

I’ve stage-handed for 17,000+ attendee festivals, been the A1 at convention centers, and designed and installed AV systems in small Universities- but when I walk into a venue with skinny jeans and drum set, nobody I talk to knows what my background is. Conversely, how can I walk into a venue and assume to know the background (or lack thereof) of the guy standing across from me who’s running sound or stage teching that night? There have been times when after the show, I find out the guy mixing used to work for Journey, Steely Dan, or Prince. The stagehand could have just come off a tour with All Time Low or Hey Violet and be working this show as a favor for a friend. You never know what someone’s contacts are, and you never know what their chops are like until you actually interact with them. In this case as in any, always assume the best in the people around you.

Be friendly and personable.

Now, I can tell by their demeanor that many of these guys have been treated like crap over the years, but if I avoid the pitfall of being the stereotypical arrogant, diva musician, I may be surprised at the wealth of resource in front of me. I might even make a friend. Memorize their first name and use it regularly when speaking with them. It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes that friend I make at the soundboard references me to a local band who just sold the place out last night or gives me the contact of a promoter who puts us on a sweet show next time we’re in town.

More than that, it’s just generally a sad and disappointing reality that many bands are disrespectful or dismissive of sound crew. I’ve met some of my closest friends through this industry- as a general trend sound guys are some of the most selfless, generous, and authentic dudes and ladies out there. If you lead with a friendly handshake and a smile, you might be surprised by the connection you inadvertently make.

Be accurate and specific in your rider.

You’ll make a bad impression early on if you don’t pass along your tech information or if you walk into the venue and the first thing you say is, “oh yea, that email was wrong. We actually also have….” Not only does this make the sound guy roll his eyes and probably not like you, but it will also take you twice as long to set up for your soundcheck and will have you playing catch up the rest of the night before doors. Not fun. Much better to plan ahead with specific information so that everyone’s on the same page. Make sure your technical rider is crisp, clear, as simple as possible, and up to date.

Leverage your gear so that processes are streamlined. The time it takes you to load onto stage and be ready for soundcheck should take no more than 5-8 minutes.

I’m a little bit of a fanatic on this. In order to avoid any need for a monitor guy and to significantly reduce stage volume, I built my band a custom in-ear-monitor rack controlled by everyone’s iPhones. This system contains 5 wireless in ear systems, a digital mixer, and a splitter for all the channels going to front of house for every show. Regardless of venue or stage size, this setup is pre-configured and tested fully at rehearsal. It has labels on everything, and has repeatable steps for assembly each time we set it up. Each person in the band has a rough aspect of this system he is primarily responsible for, but everyone is at least vaguely aware of how it all goes together so that during setup time we’re always ready to help each other out if one part needs more time than another.

Now, I recognize that not all bands are equipped financially or tech-minded to be able to have a system this robust, but the principles still apply to any band. Label all your equipment. Have general responsibilities on stage for who sets up what. Have labels (color coded if possible) for all your cables and other common equipment so you can quickly glance at a pile of gear and know which one is yours. Preset as much of each member’s equipment as possible off-stage before your allotted setup time, so that when it’s your turn, all you’ll need to do is lift your rig onstage in 1-2 trips and patch into the system.

There’s are several huge wins you’ll earn for your band if you take on this mentality. First, it’s never a bad thing to be thought of as “easy to work with”. For sidemen and sound dudes, this is the best way to earn a positive regional rep. Second, it makes you an easy book as support for a big show- if they know you aren’t a lot of work and you have a professional changeover time, you’re more likely to be asked back. Third, being a quick setup means you’ll have more time at the show to interact with your fans and meet new people, which is still the number 1 way bands build a following. The faster and simpler your setup is, the more time you’ll have for this critical face-to-face interaction.

Always be explicitly thankful and grateful.

Not only is this just a good rule of thumb for how to do life, but it is a simple, unassuming way you can breathe life into the day of the guy running sound. It’s one of the most thankless industries to work in, and one in which the people slave away on crazy hours for often very low pay. While these types of folks might typically come off as a little gruff and weathered, a simple, non threatening way to meaningfully “see” them is to just thank them explicitly and behaviorally throughout the gig. Truly, your fans experience of your show would not be even possible without them, and when human beings feel valued and appreciated, they always produce their best work.

Earlier this week I received a press release announcing the third wave of talent that will be appearing in Austin, Texas during the week of SXSW 2016. It was a great list that teased many potentially game-changing performances, but more importantly it reminded me just how close we are to the start of the world’s largest music festival. If you’re any better at planning than I you should have already booked a hotel, solidified showtimes, and began ordering whatever promotional items you’ll hand out up and down Sixth street, but I am willing to bet that is not the case for many young performers. So, with that in mind, I’ve compiled a list of questions every musician should ask themselves before making the trek to SXSW:

1. Do you know your travel plans and budget for the week?

Budgeting and planning a trip can be a headache, which is why many people choose to procrastinate nailing down the details of any journey until the last possible moment. If you want to make this SXSW the most successful is can possibly be you need to know your plan of attack as soon as possible. Book a flight (while you still can), lock in your lodging, and discuss amongst everyone coming with what your daily budget will be. Many events offer free food and drink, but those seeking water or actual meals will need cash in order to satiate their cravings.

Beyond budgeting financially, you will also want to begin discussing how you plan to use your time in the city of Austin. Create a calendar and fill in every event you absolutely need to attend. Once that is complete, work together with your band members and anyone else going to Austin and devise ways to promote you music and any performances you may have during the week. Assign each other tasks and brainstorm various approaches you can take to gain the public’s attention.

2. Speaking of promotion, how are you going to get the word out about your music?

There are over 1500 bands performing in Austin during the week of SXSW, and more than 90% will walk away without seeing much, if any change in their careers. We could go back and forth about the reason for this, but more often than not it boils down to how much attention the individual act is able to bring to themselves during the course of the week. If your plan for promotion is social media updates and handbills, you probably will not see a very big impact on the trajectory of your career following the festival. If, however, you begin researching innovative marketing techniques for 2014 and apply them to your efforts in Austin the sky is the limit. Creativity is key to success, and when you’re surrounded by literally thousands of creative people it takes something extra special to stand out from the herd. Do not let your art become part of the majority.

3. Are you focusing on your efforts on quality or quantity?

There are bands who believe the key to being noticed at SXSW is to play as many shows as humanly possible, but the real way to take your career to the next level is actually far simpler: Connect with the audience. Whether you play one show or ten, it only takes one person with the right connections noticing your music for your career to change overnight. Do not stress over the amount of gigs you have or the time allotted, but instead focus on delivering the highest caliber performance possible when the time comes. Remember: It only takes one person to change your world.

4. What are you doing right now to promote your time in SXSW?

The entire list of artists showcasing at official SXSW events was recently released, which means everyone with a publicist on their team is already at least one email into their promotional efforts for Austin. As an independent artist with few festival appearances under your belt, it would be a good idea to begin promoting and otherwise advertising your presence at SXSW as soon as possible. Reach out to bloggers, share your latest music and let them know if they’re coming to SXSW you would love to meet up. You don’t need to sell them right away, but you should at least make them aware of your plans. It won’t be long until publications begin compiling the ‘must-see’ bands of SXSW and with a little luck your group could make the cut. Click here for some additional tips on contacting members of the press.

5. What goals do you have for SXSW?

The worst thing you could possibly do before heading to SXSW is convince yourself that one trip to Austin will change your life forever. We’re not saying such things will not happen because they most definitely could, but the odds are incredibly stacked against you. Set achievable goals that will help you further your efforts in the long run instead of focusing on short-term success. If you want to play to 50 people, then do whatever you can to bring 50 people to your show. If you want to find a manager, order business cards and make plans to network whenever time allows.

SXSW works for those who know how to work it, and the first step to doing that is understanding you get out of your efforts what you put in. Those who do the work necessary to play at their absolute best and go out of their way to be creative with marketing are going to get further than the band with great hooks and zero following. It’s that simple.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.