First, you should consider the size of the venue. If you are playing in a small 100 seat bar or venue and the PA you need is not huge, you can do it yourself. It is best to have the mixer on the right side of the stage. If a guitarist or bassist is right handed it is easier to do it on the right side as the neck of the instrument will point away from the mixer and it easier to remove your right hand than your left in mid song if something goes wrong.



However, if you are jamming at some large venue (500 people up) or outdoors it is probably better to hire a professional who can supply the gear and operate the additional equipment you will need.

Another thing to consider is the mixing skills of your band mates. This would include knowledge associated with amplifier wattage, speaker impedance, graphic and parametric equalization, compression, effects, and locating troublesome frequencies that will create feedback (squeal or hum). Don't forget to consider basic knowledge of dynamic levels, microphone polar patterns, and overall mixing of the sound levels. If your band members don't know this, you should hire a professional.

Third, factor in the size of your band. If your band is larger than the average five piece all playing a variety of instruments then it's better to hire a sound guy who knows what he is doing. Also the requirement for microphones, cabling, DI boxes, stands would be huge and possibly too much to do yourself.

Finally, what is your budget? You need to decide whether to invest in a sound system of your own or continue to hire and pay out ‘dead money' in hire fees. You can virtually buy a good basic PA system for the costs of hiring for year or so if you are playing a few nights per week every week and earning some money. Remember you have to buy many accessories in PA systems but if you are mostly doing small venues and you have someone who can setup and mix your band, you will save a bundle by doing it yourself.

Always listen to the guy perform at another venue to make sure he is the right mixer for you. Many PA/sound guys are really bad at mixing and will tell you they do to get a job. That is why it is important to her them before you hire them. Don't be fooled by techno babble and smooth talk.

Hiring a proper sound guy is a lot of work. Make sure your bands weighs all the factors before deciding. In some cases, it may be better to do it yourself. If you play a large number of big venues and have a lot of equipment, hiring someone will probably be beneficial for your band.