Backyard party - Go through PA?

walknbluez · #1 08-20-2011, 01:04 AM

We're doing a backyard party on the deck shown below. There is drums, bass, two guitars, and keys. We play Grateful Dead covers so it's not heavy. I've got a Peavey VB-2 all tube 225 watt amp through an Avatar 212. The deck is elevated and the wall on the right will be to our backs.

The keys has his own power and two speakers, 1000 watts each. When we play at his place inside he runs the keys and vocals through those. For this party we will also have another PA. I don't know the power handling of the speakers and would have to ask the guitar player since it is his.

Being outdoors I'm thinking I won't be able to project enough. If I'm correct in this assumption, then I will suggest to the other members that I run through the PA. Should I go through the keyboard player's monitors with him or should I go through the main vocal monitors? If I go through the mains, would my bass drown out the vocals? Also is it necessary to mic the kick drum? Or am I overthinking this for such a small outdoor area? Here is also a view of the yard....listeners will be on the far side of the pool.

N.F.A. · #2 08-20-2011, 01:09 AM

I don't have any answers, just wanted to say hey now to a fellow Deadhead...Hard to believe you'd get drowned out in this scenario though.

walknbluez · #3 08-20-2011, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N.F.A.

I don't have any answers, just wanted to say hey now to a fellow Deadhead...Hard to believe you'd get drowned out in this scenario though.

Hey NFA! Well I hope your right.....this music needs bass!

N.F.A. · #4 08-20-2011, 01:17 AM

That's true and it is better to be safe than sorry I suppose. Would love to hear what some of tunes are on your setlist

walknbluez · #5 08-20-2011, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N.F.A.

That's true and it is better to be safe than sorry I suppose. Would love to hear what some of tunes are on your setlist

Thanks for your interest NFA. Here is the setlist we will be playing:

Set 1

Cold Rain and Snow
It's All Over Now
Don’t Ease Me In
Althea
Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad
Sugaree
Around and Around
Gimme Some Lovin'
Deal

Set 2

Bertha
Deep Elem Blues
Franklin's Tower
Me and My Uncle
Peggy O
U.S. Blues
Scarlet Begonias
Casey Jones
Good Lovin’
I Know You Rider

N.F.A. · #6 08-20-2011, 01:24 AM

Outstanding! Thanks for sharing.

jdlwareagle · #7 08-20-2011, 08:43 AM

Judging from the pics , your amp should project fine , especially with the wall behind you . D.I. into the mains and mix accordingly as to not drown out anything . Mike the kick and , with that deck roof , vocal mikes will pick up snare , toms , cymbals , etc ...

BassGen · #8 08-20-2011, 08:52 AM

I would think you've got enough power to fill that backyard just fine without PA support.

As for running through the PA and drowning out vocals? Well only if the mix is bad and the bass is cranked and the vocals are not. You do use a mixer don't you?

modulusman · #9 08-20-2011, 09:32 AM

The big question is will the PA be able to handle the bass or kick. Without knowing more about the PA itself you can't really give a good answer. Judging from the pictures you could get by without micing the kick or bass.

walknbluez · #10 08-20-2011, 02:50 PM

So, assuming I don't go through the PA, would I want to elevate my cab as is recommended indoors? That way I would hear myself better and I could adjust EQ to bring back any low end lost?

John S · #11 08-20-2011, 03:18 PM

Don't forget about the houses on the other side of the fence. If you play loud, the party will end with the police at the door.

walknbluez · #12 08-20-2011, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John S

Don't forget about the houses on the other side of the fence. If you play loud, the party will end with the police at the door.

yeah I'm talking to each of them. I also talked to a cop when we had a community celebration in the park and with the severe budget cuts it is not even a priority. He said the ordinance is from 10pm to 6am and we're playing from 1pm to 6pm. In fact, he said if he got called out on it he would just let us know a neighbor complained and ask us how much longer we would be playing. Then whatever amount of time we told him, that would be the amount of time until problem is solved!

Waterpilot · #13 08-20-2011, 05:12 PM

Bring your rain gear! Somebody always ends up in the pool.

walknbluez · #14 08-21-2011, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walknbluez

So, assuming I don't go through the PA, would I want to elevate my cab as is recommended indoors? That way I would hear myself better and I could adjust EQ to bring back any low end lost?

anybody have any opinions on this?

basscamel 420 · #15 08-21-2011, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walknbluez

Thanks for your interest NFA. Here is the setlist we will be playing:

Set 1

Cold Rain and Snow
It's All Over Now
Don’t Ease Me In
Althea
Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad
Sugaree
Around and Around
Gimme Some Lovin'
Deal

Set 2

Bertha
Deep Elem Blues
Franklin's Tower
Me and My Uncle
Peggy O
U.S. Blues
Scarlet Begonias
Casey Jones
Good Lovin’
I Know You Rider

Amazing set list!!!!!

hdfixer · #16 08-21-2011, 10:25 PM

Check out the sound at this outdoor gig:

Deal.mp4 - YouTube

Recorded on my Flip ~30' from stage center.

We all ran through our stage amps, put the drums (they were fully mic'ed) through their own mixer to a pair of 2 way powered speakers (forget the brand - house PA) and ran the vocals through another mixer and my set of JBL 15" Eons. Monitors were vocals only. It was nice on stage, and great for the audience. Didn't need a lot of gain on anything, and had lots of articulation.

Bass signal is relatively omnidirectional once you move back a bit from stage -positioning of guitars, if not run through the PA, is a lot more critical.

My bass rig is a Genz Benz Shuttle Max 12 w/ 2 ea Epiphani UL410. For Dead music you can't have too much headroom on bass, especially if you want to drop bombs ; )

Chris

stingraysvt · #17 08-21-2011, 10:34 PM

Less is always more at gigs like that, I like the idea of the drums having their own rig so to speak, in a small room there would be less of a need IME but worth the exploration for sure.

Sounded great to me BTW!

walknbluez · #18 08-22-2011, 04:32 PM

The party went very well and I had more than enough power without PA support. One of my bass player friends said that the low end sounded deep and tight and the high end had just the right amount of sizzle. A friend did some video recordings on his phone and I was surprised how everything came through on a little phone recording. I love my Peavey VB-2!