Profession instrument technician

Instrument technicians assist and support musicians before, during and after the performance to ensure the instruments and the connected equipment, the backline, are setup properly. They maintain, check, tune and repair instruments and assist with quick changes.  

Would you like to know what kind of career and professions suit you best? Take our free Holland code career test and find out.

Personality Type

• Enterprising / Conventional
• Realistic / Artistic

Skills

• Manage consumables stock

  Manage and monitor consumables stock to ensure that the production demands and deadlines can be met at all times.

• Prevent technical problems with musical instruments

  Anticipate technical problems with musical instruments and prevent them where possible. Tune and play musical instruments for sound check before rehearsal or performance.

• Work ergonomically

  Apply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.

• Translate artistic concepts to technical designs

  Cooperate with the artistic team in order to facilitate the transition from the creative vision and its artistic concepts to a technical design.

• Use communication equipment

  Set up, test and operate different types of communication equipment such as transmission equipment, digital network equipment, or telecommunications equipment.

• Use technical documentation

  Understand and use technical documentation in the overall technical process.

• Safeguard artistic quality of performance

  Observe the show, anticipate and react to possible technical problems, ensuring optimal artistic quality.

• Assemble performance equipment

  Set up sound, light and video equipment on stage before performance event according to specifications.

• Adapt to artists' creative demands

  Work with artists, striving to understand the creative vision and adapting to it. Make full use of your talents and skills to reach the best possible result.

• Store performance equipment

  Safely dismantle sound, light and video equipment after a performance event. Make sure the equipment is correctly stored away.

• Work safely with chemicals

  Take the necessary precautions for storing, using and disposing chemical products.

• Prevent undesired changes to sound design

  Adapt your maintenance of sound equipment to prevent undesired changes in the sound balance and design, safeguarding the overall production quality.

• Perform technical sound check

  Prepare and run a technical sound check before rehearsals or live shows. Check instrument setup and ensure correct functioning of the audio equipment. Anticipate possible technical problems during a live show.

• Repair musical instruments

  Attach new strings, fix frames or replace broken parts of musical instruments.

• Understand artistic concepts

  Interpret an artist's explanation or demonstration of their artistic concepts, inceptions and processes and strive to share their vision.

• Manage personal professional development

  Take responsibility for lifelong learning and continuous professional development. Engage in learning to support and update professional competence. Identify priority areas for professional development based on reflection about own practice and through contact with peers and stakeholders.

• Tune instruments on stage

  Tune instruments during a performance. Deal with the added stress and noise. Use equipment such as tuners or tune by ear.

• Maintain sound equipment

  Set up, check, maintain and repair sound equipment for a live performance establishment.

• Prepare instruments for performance

  Set up, connect, tune and play musical instruments for sound check before rehearsal or live performance.

• Draw up instrument setup

  Document musical instrument setup.

• Prepare personal work environment

  Correct settings or positions for your working instruments and adjust them before starting operations.

• Work safely with machines

  Check and safely operate machines and equipment required for your work according to manuals and instructions.

• Maintain musical instruments

  Check and maintain musical instruments.

• Work with respect for own safety

  Apply the safety rules according to training and instruction and based on a solid understanding of the prevention measures and risks to your own personal health and safety.

• Set up equipment in a timely manner

  Make sure to set up equipment according to deadlines and time schedules.

• Use personal protection equipment

  Make use of protection equipment according to training, instruction and manuals. Inspect the equipment and use it consistently.

• Work safely with mobile electrical systems under supervision

  Take the necessary precautions while providing temporary power distribution for performance and art facility purposes under supervision.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB