Turnkey is not good.

I have the fundamental belief that building a rack for a single show in particular is better than building one super versatile rack to use for the next 10 years. And maybe I just like the extra work, regardless, I have reasons that I’ll explain here in a minute.

Don’t get lazy. Don’t ever let yourself get lazy. Or comfortable. Always be improving everything you can, all the time. Most of the time, after I build a rack or a system for a show, I think about how I can do things differently and potentially better. Ask yourself, “How can I make this be more streamlined later?” … “What part of this makes no sense?” … “What if I put this bit of processing BEFORE this other bit?”

Experiment! Try something new. Do something different. That way, you’re set apart. We all know and love cardiod subwoofer configs, but what do you think the person who came up with them just ‘accidently’ turned the rear sub around and placed it x feet behind the frontline sub and then ‘accidently’ threw in a time delay and phase reverse? No. They tried something new, and after a ton of times of nothing good happening, they figured it out, and the concept is used everywhere that matters, all the time.

The problem with turnkey is that you get lazy. If you install an ideal system for one thing, like bands, what happens when theatre comes in? They don’t need the 16/4 snake, the room is acoustically treated. They don’t need a monitor rack backstage, they want wing space. They don’t need stageboxes installed in the floor on the frontline, they’re not a rock band. They need a nice, open, clean stage, with enough space for props, people, and setpieces.

If you are used to just flipping on a few power conditioners and having a show, that’s great and convenient, but the minute someone asks for a fourth stereo DI for their other-other-other Moog and it’s in storage, you’ll go “UGHHHHH!!!! SO much WORK!” Don’t do turnkey. Don’t get lazy. If you build a good monitor rack, use it for a few shows, then rip it apart, clean it up, and build it differently. Innovation doesn’t come from static activity. Change things. Try stuff.

Even if you run those 4 leads the same way, every time, clean them up regardless. Make yourself do the work. You’ll feel better about your day and you certainly won’t get lazy.

Ok, that’s my rant for now, I’ll head out.
AJL