There are a few different roadie jobs often filled in modern musical groups. For example, guitar technicians, as well as technicians for other types of musical instruments, are responsible for the care, management, and configuration of their respective instrument. Another roadie job is that of the lighting technician, who is usually responsible for all aspects of lighting equipment, including wiring, lamp control, and ensuring that proper safety measures are taken. A final common roadie job is that of the pyrotechnician, who handles the care and use of explosive materials designed to add visual and audio entertainment during live musical productions.
Guitar and other instrument technicians handle the management of instruments. When filled, these roadie jobs keep musical equipment tuned, repaired, and prepared to the specifications of the musicians they work with. In some musical organizations, an instrument technician works with many instruments, but in others there might be multiple technicians who specialize in the same type of musical equipment and work with specific pieces exclusively.
Another roadie job that most bands need filled is the lighting technician position. Lighting technicians handle every aspect of lighting a stage performance, including balancing the use of electricity and assembling cables. For example, lighting technicians prepare for potential problems such as light bulbs exploding near people and set up apparatuses like safety mesh to prevent this from resulting in physical damage to people and objects. Lighting technicians also typically engage in activities such as packing, unpacking, and focusing lights, as well as changing materials to modify light coloring during production. In addition, these technicians often hook lights up to dimmer or other intermediary equipment so that the lights can be managed effectively.
Another one of the most common roadie jobs is that of the pyrotechnician. Some musical groups deploy pyrotechnics, essentially fireworks, that produce light, sound, or smoke in varying quantities and effects as part of their live shows. The pryotechnician roadie job description includes every aspect of utilizing pyrotechnic materials, from ensuring their proper transportation to setup and use. Partaking in the protechnic profession often requires special training and certification based on the jurisdiction and is often related to the use of certain restricted materials that would be illegal to use otherwise. Some jurisdictions specify a lower class of protechnics certification, allowing the authorized person to behave as a pyrotechnics assistant and assist with and utilize certain types of pyrotechnics material.
