Backline (stage)

Backline (from the English, to German, mutatis mutandis, back row ) is a standard international technical term from the fields of stage equipment and sound equipment. The backline is part of sound systems for concerts by musicians and music groups. The term is used in popular music, especially in rock and pop music, collectively used for part of a PA system, which is used by musicians on the stage. These include guitar amplifiers, bass amplifiers, the corresponding speakers and the like. ( Hence the name ) Such devices are on concert stages traditionally behind the musicians and are usually directed at the audience. Occasionally, all of the required music groups on the stage equipment is also simplistic (English: Equipment) as a backline including the designated drums. Other instruments used on the stage can be counted for backline.

The backline differs from also belonging to PA systems front - of-house ( FOH ) and monitoring systems. The former are for the sound of the concert audience, the latter only the sound of the musicians that appear.

Prior to the development of specialized public address sound systems (in short: PA) had Backlines also the task of sound for the concert audience. On very large stages, the backline was also used for monitoring. In the smaller stages often results in the backline negatively affects the sound of the front of house PA and sound engineer at the mixing console has no way to compensate for this. Especially in pop and rock music it is, authentic play back the specific sound of the amplifier system in combination with the instruments through the FOH and monitor system; the sound characteristics such as tube amplifiers for guitars satisfy naturally very different criteria than that of a PA sound system.

The backline can also assume monitor tasks, however, is suitable for this purpose is limited. Acoustic point of the tool boxes are laterally positioned as a so-called side-fill. The actual monitor sound should mainly come from the specifically designated monitor system, the zuspielt every musician his special monitor mix. Sometimes the speakers of the backline also be completely or partially isolated and miked, such as soundproof enclosures, standing below the stage, or just facing the back. Even today use a lot of bands called modeling amps that require no special tool boxes anymore, but are connected directly to the mixer the FOH PA, which is the simplest solution for the engineer at the mixing desk.

Not infrequently, the backline is now even a dummy and consists at least partially of non-connected amplifiers and speaker boxes, or only of the empty casings ( " dummy ").

A designated as backline stage technician is responsible for the construction and operation of the technology on and off the stage and is commonly associated with the profession of the Roadies.