COURSE INFO
GRIP is open to everyone over the age of 18. We emphasise our aim to welcome more women, non-binary and trans people in sound, light and AV technician roles in Bergen’s cultural organisations.
No previous experience is necessary.
You don´t need to want to be a sound or light engineer to join GRIP! We recognise that many people working in music, culture, education and youth work would like to feel more empowered in sound and light technology. GRIP aims to give a base introduction to gear, technical terms, and trouble-shooting.
(one day):
The GRIP one-day introductory course offers a basic introduction to sound engineering for live events. The course is a way to start to build expertise in sound engineering, confidence and networks!
Through theoretical and practical demonstrations and tasks, participants get to know how a sound system works, routines for setting up sound equipment and good practice for creating sound for live events.
- There are 12 places available on each course
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Courses are available in Norwegian and English.
- Course fee: 100 NOK
(6 sessions):
GRIP stage 1 for beginners consists of a course series with six practical workshops where we learn how to use mixers and PA systems for live concerts, performances and club nights. Including:
- PA system and how it works
- Mixer and mixing live
- Microphones and how they can be used
- Stage rigging and lines
- Back line
- Workflow, communication, planning and structuring of the job
- A practical approach to working as a sound engineer
Participants also gain practical experience together with professional sound technicians at live events at Bergen Kjøtt, BIT Teatergarasjen, Borealis- a festival for experimental music, Carte Blanche and Vill Vill Vest.
- There are 6 places available on each course.
- Enrolment is by application, rather than first-come first-served. This is to ensure we can put together a diverse group who will both support and challenge each other.
- The course is offered in Norwegian, with English as an option if required by participants.
- Course fee: 750 NOK
Photo: R. Halleraker
Photo: Johanne Karlsrud
(one day):
The GRIP one-day introductory course offers a basic introduction to light engineering for live events, to start building experience with how light systems work and routines for setting up and operating lights for concerts, clubs and live events.
This introduction course gives you the opportunity to start building up your competence in lighting technology, technical terminology and create dynamic events with light!
- There are 12 places available on each course
- Courses are available in Norwegian and English.
- Course fee: 100 NOK
(6 sessions):
Coming soon...!
Photo: June Lysjø
The GRIP courses in maintenance and repair are intended to empower trainees in how to take care of and repair technical gear, make cables, handle gear safely and identify problems which can be fixed.
The aim is to create greater sustainability of technical gear by storing it correctly, reducing damage to the gear (and bodies) when handling and installing, and being able to make repairs rather than buying new.
1. Cables: testing / fixing / making
This workshop provides a hands-on introduction to soldering and diagnostics of various common audio connectors, cables and electronics.
The course consists of hands-on work, with the necessary tools and equipment provided, with live demonstrations of how to identify common pitfalls and mistakes when working with soldering and cables.
2. Lifting and flying: storing gear safely on the ground and in the air!
This course gives an introduction in how to carry, install and rig heavy gear safely. This course is about how to look after technical gear and yourself while moving, installing and storing it - safely and without injury to either gear, technicians or audiences.
3. Taking care of your sound gear: maintenance / cleaning / repairing
This workshop aims to give trainee technicians an introduction into how to take care of sound gear. The aim of maintaining gear for longer, means avoiding having to replace with new and empowering trainees that they can do the cleaning and repairing themselves.
4. Taking care of your light gear: maintenance / cleaning / repairing
Are you nervous about opening the covers on a Diablo? Do you wonder why we lighting technicians blow on everything? What exactly is Schuko? At this course, the aim was to lower the threshold for opening and maintaining lighting equipment. The course aimed to empower trainee technicians to open and perform basic maintenance on moving head lamps, maintenance of other conventional lamps and other equipment connected to lamps.
Photo: BEK - Bergen Senter for Elektronisk Kunst
Photo: Nayara Leite
Through the Stage 2 course, trainees gain more confidence and focused experience in live sound mixing and working with bands and musicians. The trainees practice on different mixers and get 1:1 tuition on mixing. As part of the course, the trainees learn about setting themselves up to work as a technician, including managing contracts, riders, managing expectations and accounting.
- There are 6-8 places available on each course, and the course is only offered to participants who have completed the Stage 1 course.
- The course is offered in Norwegian, with English as an option if required by participants.
- Participants are paid to participate in the Stage 2 course, so we can support them to prioritise the training and make the leap to working professionally as a sound engineer.
Workshops in this course include:
Photo: R. Halleraker
An introduction in managing your time, business, accounts and communications when working as a freelance sound engineer. In addition, this course will introduce how to establish your rates, manage working across different jobs, read different riders and make sure you´re prepared for the job.
2. Get to grips with: the mixer!
An in-depth tutorial and practice in mixing live sound.
3. Rigging and mixing live sound - for real
A live session with a full band to rig, soundcheck and mix as if a real concert. During this session trainees will gain a better understanding of reading a rider, setting up the gear, sound checking and then mixing live sound.
Participants from Stage 1 and Stage 2 courses are offered mentorship and shadowing with professional technicians on live events and festivals to put their training into practice, develop professional networks and get hands-on, real-life experience working on busy productions.
Participants are offered the chance to shadow alongside professional technicians at:
- Vill Vill Vest festival
- Borealis - a festival for experimental music
- METEOR festival for contemporary theatre and performing arts
- Landmark / Bergen Kunsthall
- Kulturhuset i Bergen
- Østre
- Creative Technology
- Prøverommet
- BIT Teatergarasjen
- Carte Blanche
Participants are paid to participate, so we can support them to prioritise this training and make the leap to working professionally as a sound engineer.
(supported by Bergen kommune)
In 2024-25 GRIP partnered with Papillon to pilot a sound engineering training course for young women aged 13-14 with multicultural backgrounds at Hop Ungdomsskole. The aim was to open a door for young women under 18 into sound engineering, learn more about this career, develop new skills in using tech gear, and gain confidence in setting up the gear at the school themselves.
Papillon is an organisation based in Bergen, established in 2015 by founder Leïla Rezzouk. The purpose of the organization is to empower young women and youth with a multicultural or migrant background to stand up for their choices and within their own strength, and own the power of their voice.
Over several sessions, participants learned the basics of sound engineering. This was put into practice at the school´s celebration of International Migrants Day, where the young women did the sound for the conference and concert at the school!
An introduction to how to use and feel comfortable on different mixers. Trainees will be introduced to a few different mixers, consoles and interfaces that you may encounter on different jobs in different venues including the Pro series, Midas M32 / X32, Soundcraft and more.
This session takes place at the headquarters of Creative Technology, Bergen. Trainees are also introduced to the inner-workings of a large-scale rental company, like CT who are supplying many organisations, festivals and stages around Bergen and Norway.
5. Get to grips with: wireless microphones!
An introduction to the set-up, use and troubleshooting of wireless microphones. How to configure them into the mixer and venue, how to prepare for different models of rented mics and how to troubleshoot when it goes wrong.
Foto: Nayara Leite