• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Band setup? How long does it take you?

#101
HA HA -that alluminum falcon is crazy!
I think i would have to kill the drummer if it took him 4 hours. hell the gig would be over :)
Great replies everyone. Tonight is the setup rehearsal! Wish me luck herding these cats!
cat herding.jpg
 
#102
10 minutes or so. There are some advantages to being an all-acoustic ensemble. :smug: Chairs for those who sit, figuring out who goes where in this space, music stands (yes, music stands - horrifying as some may find it) and get tuned (often the longest bit.) The multi-instrumentalists also set up stands for the ones they are not playing at a given point. At the past weekend's gig that "didn't happen" as I don't have pictures, we rolled in 15 minutes early and got started slightly ahead of schedule. Played for 2 hours and turned it over to the duo that had the next slot.

Our numbers vary somewhat, we had 9 this time.
 
#103
Well.. i was super surprised last night! I went by GC after work and picked up a harbinger monitor. Got there and into the warehouse. everyone arrived. We setup PA,e-drums, monitor, mics,lights in 40 minutes. Got bass and guitar up and running in another 10 and here is a picture of me checking the levels. The guys had me worried for a bit as one speaker wouldn't work but quickly found that it just had a setting on the back preventing it from working. We moved everything ina different part of the practice warehouse.
Of course gig day is like battle -anything can happen! However i am optimistic!
Setup.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: DirtDog
#104
guy n. cognito said:
I would take a #$%^&* hostage if setup took that long.

By myself I can setup a full powered PA, with subs and minimal lights, in under an hour. This is a setup for bars and smaller venues. I usually give myself 1:30 in total setup time to account for unknowns.
Click to expand...

This. I would be the one smacking the hostage around while @guy n. cognito is on the phone making demands of the FBI hostage negotiator.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ArteK
#107
As little as 30 minutes with one trio band that has a small Mackie PA. As long as 3 hours (ahead of downbeat) with a 5 piece band that has lights, banner, QSC FOH (2 subs and 2, 2-way speakers), monitor PA etc....it's ridiculous but it sounds GREAT.
 
#108
Jimmy4string said:
We got a gig coming up and we got to get all the gear. PA , mich's, mich stand, amps hell even the banner setup. We got 45 minutes! Hopefully that will work. How long does it take your band. We are going to take a pic of the levels on the mixer and get the cords marked with tape. Any advice is appreciated. OH and we got to load in a big giant boat. LOL
Worried I am young Skywalker....
Click to expand...

The bands I'm performing with now are carrying quite a bit of production, a lot more than most bands on our circuit. I'm talking a 4 piece rock-n-roll cover band with full backline, monitors (4 mixes), 24 channel console with networking, full PA with subs, 4 LED light bars and typically 6-8 guitars/basses. Overkill? Probably...but we also command the best pay at the venues we play because the owners know that people will come see us because we put on a show!

And with all of that, once everything is in from the trailer we can be up in typically less than 90 minutes, and that's mic'ing everything too! I've seen bands with half the equipment take twice as long. The reason we can do that is because of all of the prep work we've done before hand. From 2012-2013 I wrote a weekly blog called "It's Just Logistics". It was targeted at bands working at a club to small theater circuit. Some of my recommendations were:
Good luck!
 
  • Like
Reactions: bassmike2010, DirtDog, Jimmy4string and 1 other person
#109
It takes about 45 minutes but I like to set up early enough that I have 30 minutes to relax and stop sweating. I set up my gear and the lights, and if we need them, the monitors, the drummer does his stuff, and the guitar player has the PA. 30 minutes from end of the gig to driving home. Many of our gigs, only the drummer needs a monitor. If we all do, three Hot Spots do the job.
 
#110
I generally arrive 60 minutes prior to downbeat. As a "switch-hitter" (I play bass and drums....but, not at the same gig), I can set up my bass rig in 10 minutes or less....drums about 20 minutes, if there aren't 4 other musicians onstage setting up at the same time. When drumming, I'll help move the big pieces of PA in, but leave actual setup to the singer/soundman. When on bass, I have more time to assist with that kind of setup.
 
#111
WOW!!! Those are some quick setups!

If I'm doing a sound job, open mic, etc. I usually take about 1:15 from fully loaded in to system check. I don't know how I could trim it back much from that! If I have "help" it can take upwards of 2 hours, & if there's a band milling around, dropping gear wherever they feel like (usually where I need to work) it can take even longer. That's typically with 2 or 4 powered main tops, 1 or 2 powered subs, 4 monitors & a remote FOH with 24-channel analog mixer, 2 outboard FX & EQ racks, PC for recorded music & light control, plus lights (2 mounts on top of speakers plus 2 light bars on stands).
 
#112
40-45 minutes setup; 25-30 minutes tear down. That's for the PA and my bass rig. Drummer takes a bit longer to set up. He arrives earlier and is pretty much done when I get there.

We use a digital mixer that I hook to a wiring harness linked to power supply, headphone amp for IEMs, bass preamp and wireless router (all rack mounted in a road case). All rolls in in two cases. Pull mixer out, plug everything in; plug in snake (16/4). 10 minutes. Everyone is responsible for plugging in their own mics into the snake (10 minutes) while I set up mains speakers (if required), run power and audio cables (10 minutes). No stage monitors. Lights another 10 minutes. Done. Every connection in labelled.

The DL1608 has the capability to save shows (incl gain, levels, dynamics, eq, effects, aux mixes). So quick line check, quick level and mix check, tweak a bit and then off we go.

Rig is below (ignore the mixer to the left - that's the house system in this particular venue). The whole thing wasn't really expensive. The one "luxury item" is the half road trunk on casters that also acts as a table for the whole rig. That saves multiple trips to the car and saves my back and reduces reliance on rickety tables that might be too big or too small for the rig or the stage.

Took me about a year to get to this level of refinement, but it's made life so much easier and convenient. I can't image doing this any other way for what my band does. The band's sound is consistently good and we have no issues with stage monitor levels since we are all IEM (wired).

ShWrUCaG67YfIexJqbqLCTHiL64hz_P25lH6MxE9P3DMPXBS1AWsmjZoNDOwrR4S7lUszOMdyAO4xjzxgI0=w744-h992-no.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jimmy4string
#114
kcarvertx said:
The bands I'm performing with now are carrying quite a bit of production, a lot more than most bands on our circuit. I'm talking a 4 piece rock-n-roll cover band with full backline, monitors (4 mixes), 24 channel console with networking, full PA with subs, 4 LED light bars and typically 6-8 guitars/basses. Overkill? Probably...but we also command the best pay at the venues we play because the owners know that people will come see us because we put on a show!

And with all of that, once everything is in from the trailer we can be up in typically less than 90 minutes, and that's mic'ing everything too! I've seen bands with half the equipment take twice as long. The reason we can do that is because of all of the prep work we've done before hand. From 2012-2013 I wrote a weekly blog called "It's Just Logistics". It was targeted at bands working at a club to small theater circuit. Some of my recommendations were:
Good luck!
Click to expand...

Great idea for a blog!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jimmy4string
#115
Basstards said:
You can fly two overhead mics over a drum set in 5 minutes. You can fly two overheads, plus a bass drum mic and snare mic in 10-15 minutes. It's not a big deal.

Again, most micing is not necessary in a small club/bar
Click to expand...

Depends on how self obsessed the drummer is. I can get a thunderous mix from
one (1) overhead and D112 kick if it's a small gig or festival sound w full Audix
spread, overheads, D112 & Subkick. Line level ck ten minutes tops.


1408159912316.jpg

This guy is another story...
 
#117
Jimmy4string said:
Well.. i was super surprised last night! I went by GC after work and picked up a harbinger monitor. Got there and into the warehouse. everyone arrived. We setup PA,e-drums, monitor, mics,lights in 40 minutes. Got bass and guitar up and running in another 10 and here is a picture of me checking the levels. The guys had me worried for a bit as one speaker wouldn't work but quickly found that it just had a setting on the back preventing it from working. We moved everything ina different part of the practice warehouse.
Of course gig day is like battle -anything can happen! However i am optimistic!
View attachment 2612511
Click to expand...

Love the Auralex soundproofing on the backwall.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jimmy4string
#118
Jimmy4string said:
We got a gig coming up and we got to get all the gear. PA , mich's, mich stand, amps hell even the banner setup. We got 45 minutes! Hopefully that will work. How long does it take your band. We are going to take a pic of the levels on the mixer and get the cords marked with tape. Any advice is appreciated. OH and we got to load in a big giant boat. LOL
Worried I am young Skywalker....
Click to expand...
WOW...only 45 minutes??? It takes us (five) at least 2 hours with unloading, hauling stuff in, set up, sound check, lights, tuning, clothing change, rehydrate, collapse, pep talk, then performance...tearing down about 1 hour...you know the drill only in reverse...I hate winding up cords...of course on the way home a pit-stop at WHITE CASTLE...drive home, unload, shower, collapse...do it all again Saturday night... Oh yes, then you play in Worship Sunday morning and they have everything set up already. You really have to love playing which I do for 50+ years...you'll never get rich but you have all of those stories to swap with band mates through the years...AMEN!!
 
#119
yeah ghostman, it was actually 50 min with guitars plugged in and ready. Of course still got some unkowns for the gig. Like where do we stage gear for loading on to boat, is boat on time? Will e-kit drums be easily transffered to boat, will there be electric outlets and room?!You know the usual stuff that keeps us all up nights :)
 
#120
lbbc said:
15 minutes....Bose L1 Model II w/210 bass module.....no other amps. Also 4 LED par can lighting system on a stand....done!
Click to expand...
I tried this arrangement some time ago (It was someone else's bose) and was not at all happy with the bass module. It sounded desperately over worked even with a small mostly acoustic country band. I do use a Bose mini with my keyboard setup but just haven't found a way to get it working with bass. I have a Mark Bass Micro that I bought to use with my electric upright when playing with acoustic groups and frankly I think it puts out more clean sound that the bose unit. Comments or thoughts???
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back