do your own sound or use sound man??

safeshow · #1 11-19-2010, 06:01 AM

We have using a sound man I just cant justify using a sound man at some of the bars we have been playing,,,,(small places)

he carries in a truck load of cabinets an amps we look like a major act in a small bar,,,,,,,

you guys use sound men? If not what would be a good all in one powered mixing board to buy???

Stinsok · #2 11-19-2010, 06:02 AM

I run it from the stage. It's mostly small clubs. I am sure it could be better, but I feel I have a pretty good handle on it.

worxforme · #3 11-19-2010, 06:16 AM

The main bar we play at has a sound man and major PA/lights and in some ways it's great except for he's losing his hearing and we will too if he keeps running it so loud.

On Sunday's we play were we run it from stage with a small Peavey set up with a powered mixer and some 2-ways on stands and it's plenty for just the vocals.

So I think it depends where you play and what instruments you need to put through it as well as stage volume. When we toured in the 90's we had a massive pa and a giant truck and NO one to set up and tear down but us. Some of the bars it was overkill and on old recordings we would just kill a song and at the end when they should be applauding, nothing.

The crowd was trying to find something to put in their ears to protect their hearing.

MNAirHead · #4 11-19-2010, 06:23 AM

Combination.

I have a trio...
We hired a VERY good sound guy to dial in our entire setup.... I then do a level check on wireless from mid room...

If it's a higher $$$$ gig, we'll hire someone to do an initial mix (takes a good sound guy about 20 mintues tops - easy money)

We're all IEM and direct.. (no acoustic drums).. makes life tons easier.

Timmy

musicman7722 · #5 11-19-2010, 06:24 AM

We have a sound man who has IMHO a very good but modest looking system. All custom built cabinets (not Kustom). He uses a wireless 16 channel digital mixer so can mix from anyplace in the room with a laptop which means no more snake. this is really good for small clubs and function work. He also runs 4 monitor mixes for us. We do the occasional gig without him and though we make it through we are dependant on him now. Takes all the guesswork out of the night.

meycom · #6 11-19-2010, 06:35 AM

We actually have several different sound Men(companys) we work with depending on availability and location. Size of the venue has a part in what we may decide as well. But, we have tried to use our own PA(which we use for practice) and mix from stage and realized having someone FOH is pretty valuable. It allows us to concentrate more on the performance. We also have someone running our lights as well, which with our set up, can get complicated.

modulusman · #7 11-19-2010, 06:48 AM

We usually mix from stage but we know what we are doing.

That being said a band will almost always sound better with a competent soundman. As far as a mixer what will you be using for speakers?

safeshow · #8 11-19-2010, 07:25 AM

one of the guys has PV speakers i believe on stands,,,I just cant see all of the over kill equipment for a bar that is holding 100-200max people

WardEarth · #9 11-19-2010, 07:38 AM

We do our own sound, unless someone is provided. We have a 1000w powered mixer and various other equipment. Its been enough to throw a few all-day concerts in the desert. I don't think sound is all that complicated. Its just like anything else, you have to run into each problem once.

SteveC · #10 11-19-2010, 07:43 AM

We do our own unless its a special event - outdoor thing, multi-band thing, stuff like that.
We have a really good handle on it. We use the same gear, the same guys, the same venues so it only takes us a few minutes to do a sound check and get mixed for the room.

Geddyfleaharris · #11 11-19-2010, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by musicman7722

We have a sound man who has IMHO a very good but modest looking system. All custom built cabinets (not Kustom). He uses a wireless 16 channel digital mixer so can mix from anyplace in the room with a laptop which means no more snake. this is really good for small clubs and function work. He also runs 4 monitor mixes for us. We do the occasional gig without him and though we make it through we are dependant on him now. Takes all the guesswork out of the night.

Very nice!

I own our PA. If we run the full PA we hire a soundman. If it is just vocals and kick we get by without the soundman. We also play some places where the PA and soundman is supplied.

I would love to have a soundman and always mic everything but some of the smaller clubs we play just don't pay enough to justify the extra expense. And that's sad.

electracoyote · #12 11-19-2010, 08:22 AM

We have a large system with subs, lights, fog, etc., everything goes to the board. We can't do the show and run the sound/lights, so we have a dedicated soundman who is a full band member.

A big system doesn't have to translate to a loud system. We use the full system regardless the size of the room because we want our full sound to be the standard everywhere we play. You can have low end without rattling the windows or shaking glasses off the tables. We're very good at controlling volume and keeping it appropriate.

alembicguy · #13 11-19-2010, 08:22 AM

We use a soundman always.

Geddyfleaharris · #14 11-19-2010, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by electracoyote

We have a large system with subs, lights, fog, etc., everything goes to the board. We can't do the show and run the sound/lights, so we have a dedicated soundman who is a full band member.

A big system doesn't have to translate to a loud system. We use the full system regardless the size of the room because we want our full sound to be the standard everywhere we play. You can have low end without rattling the windows or shaking glasses off the tables. We're very good at controlling volume and keeping it appropraiate.

I bolded what I completely agree with. That's where I am heading in my head. Not sure if the band feels the same or not.

Vinny D · #15 11-19-2010, 10:35 AM

The *problem* with a big system and turning it down.....is it still looks loud.
I have worked in plenty of rooms with my larger system and even though it was turned down to basicaly a vocal only PA it still wasn't enough to satisfy the management.
It was still too loud in there minds.
Sometimes looks are everything, and a large PA too many club owners is loud no matter what you do.
That is why I ended up with two systems, now I work those same rooms with a visiable smaller system...mic everything....nobody complains

And to the OP, if you are not used to mixing from stage make sure you bring someone who can tell you honestly how it sounds out front and what to adjust for corrections....don't depend on friends and girlfriends because it will always sound good to them.

SteveC · #16 11-19-2010, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vinny D

The *problem* with a big system and turning it down.....is it still looks loud.
I have worked in plenty of rooms with my larger system and even though it was turned down to basicaly a vocal only PA it still wasn't enough to satisfy the management.
It was still too loud in there minds.
Sometimes looks are everything, and a large PA too many club owners is loud no matter what you do.
That is why I ended up with two systems, now I work those same rooms with a visiable smaller system...mic everything....nobody complains

This is all so true. We also use a small looking but great sounding PA to try an avoid that. Even then it looks too loud to some. Example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2hRA...eature=related

Anyway, we mic everything almost all the time - drums included. It's not that anything needs to be louder, it just sounds more balanced if you have everything coming from a single source - FOH instead of FOH, stage amps, monitor bleed, etc. We also are almost all DI with little stage amps so the guys need some of everything in the monitors anyway.

Bassdirty · #17 11-19-2010, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by electracoyote

A big system doesn't have to translate to a loud system. We use the full system regardless the size of the room because we want our full sound to be the standard everywhere we play. You can have low end without rattling the windows or shaking glasses off the tables. We're very good at controlling volume and keeping it appropriate.

THANK YOU.

I don't know why it is, but some people just don't understand that this is the best way to spread out the sound...in fact you can run the entire band queiter BECAUSE the sound is spread out evenly.

modulusman · #18 11-19-2010, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassdirty

THANK YOU.

I don't know why it is, but some people just don't understand that this is the best way to spread out the sound...in fact you can run the entire band queiter BECAUSE the sound is spread out evenly.

Yeah but I would rather spend my money on an SVT/Fridge bass rig.

That is the way most musicians think. They would be better off putting their money towards a decent PA and using a smaller amp. My big rig can sterilize small rodents but for most gigs I can get buy with a small combo that is DIed to the PA.

musicman7722 · #19 11-21-2010, 12:03 PM

As for speaker fright for gig owners that is true. Some people just associate size with volume. Our lead singer freaks out some times and says we have 2 much gear in the band. I think it is because our gear is pretty hi tech but I feel we have a very small foot print. Well the durmmer uses the Yamaha elecrtonic drums and he has a cage and he has it full to the max of the head (14 sources I think). But 3 of us use IEM so there are only 2 monitor wedges onstage. The drullmer folds his kit and his monitor into one of the two. That is down from 6 wedges onstage. Guitar amps are quite loud ish but all combo size. I use a single Avatar 2 x 10 cab. Funny isn't it. FOH is two to 4 subs with 12's in them and two tops each with 10"s, mulfit frequency type, EV I think but I don't pay a lot of attention.
Our Sound man is a regular member and though he owns the FOH he takes an equal cut. We all load him in and out and he has us trained to set up his system with him. I provide all the monitors both wedge and IEM. Sorry for the long post.

Wes Whitmore · #20 11-23-2010, 09:14 AM

We provide our own sound and soundman if one isn't provide, and even when one is... 2 18s, 2 12" 2-ways. IEMs. Low stage volume except the drums. We mic and DI almost everything except the cymbals. It is loud and clear but not obnoxious. You might have to yell your drink order in from time to time though

. We generally still have a good bit of headroom left, and often hear about how loud and clean it is for a small system of it's size...but that's all relative I'm sure.