Band wants to go "ampless" ?!?

[stettoman]

So we went to the first Disturbed concert in 5 years in Fargo ND last Wednesday nite, and now my band is all a-twitter to go in-ear and clean-stage. Yeah, the band had nothin but room to roam (cept the drummer), and it made the visuals and lights VERY effective, but I'm a rock dinosaur and just had custom Eden XL10 clones built for my stage rig and now they want to take that away---I do like the idea of traveling lighter (no more wedges and side-fills--YAY!) and set-and-forget monitor mixes for every gig EVER, but how will I adjust?

Anyone who's made the move to in-ear, please reassure me!

 

[two fingers]

I liked it in one band and hated it in another. It really all depends on the tone you are going for and how you can achieve it without speakers.....or the kinds of amps that must be plugged into a load.....such as speakers.

As for the in-ears themselves, I loved that part I both. But I sing a lot as well.

I just couldn't get the tone I wanted for the 2nd project without an amp so I bucked the system and brought one anyway. I tucked it away and ran a small cab with it.

I guess you guys are going all wireless as well?

 

[RoadRanger]

It hopefully goes without saying that you can't go IEMs unless you always have a soundguy.

 

[stettoman]

I liked it in one band and hated it in another. It really all depends on the tone you are going for and how you can achieve it without speakers.....or the kinds of amps that must be plugged into a load.....such as speakers.

As for the in-ears themselves, I loved that part I both. But I sing a lot as well.

I just couldn't get the tone I wanted for the 2nd project without an amp so I bucked the system and brought one anyway. I tucked it away and ran a small cab with it.

I guess you guys are going all wireless as well?

Appreciate the output. Yeah, we've been wireless for well over a year ( Line 6 G50, took like a negative second to get used to). Don't think I could go back to hardwire. With in-ear I hear we'll be investing in the Duracell company. I use 2300 MaH NiMh rechargeables, get a good 8 hours on a full pair of AAs. Same batts last much less on the Sure P3RA beltpack. Our deaf guitarist has been using the Sure system for a week and can't get more than 5 hours on the AAs.

Thing is, in small rooms how can I feel the beef without those 10XLs at my back?

 

[stettoman]

It hopefully goes without saying that you can't go IEMs unless you always have a soundguy.

Actually we use a Presonus ai board, monitor mixes can be set and locked and need no adjustment because of the room, and volume can be set or reset on the beltpack.

I don't do without a FOH guy though. Never have, wouldn't know how.

 

[BassikLee]

Once you trust that the beef is there in the PA, you won't need it as much on stage. Hell, I normally get enough low end off the back of the PA anyway. I guess that's me tho. I do go for a more articulate tone, vs a fog of low end.

 

[stettoman]

Once you trust that the beef is there in the PA, you won't need it as much on stage. Hell, I normally get enough low end off the back of the PA anyway. I guess that's me tho. I do go for a more articulate tone, vs a fog of low end.

I've gotten good beef off the mains yes, but not consistently. It depends on the room, of course, but also what the venue allows for levels. Open areas outside can be a total loss for "backwash" low end.

I like definition too, not just a 160 Hz junky, but we are a power trio, and in a power trio you got guitar and drums taking up the chicken and pork, someone has to supply a good source of beef!

 

[s0c9]

It hopefully goes without saying that you can't go IEMs unless you always have a soundguy.

Sorry..but that's complete hogwash... of COURSE YOU CAN!
You DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE a soundguy to run IEM !! (don't know where that idea came from but it's simply NOT true)

We've been running our own IEM mixes for 2 yrs now.. digital console on stage, remote access/control using Android/iDevices thru router (housed in rack) with IEM xmitters in same rack. Light weight (relatively), coupled with stage box splitting to house for house PA.. doesn't matter where we play... IEM mix is the same.
NO house or FOH involvement in our IEM mixes at all..!!!

 

[BassikLee]

We don't have a soundguy either. Ears are fine.

Beef, depends on the other guys... I once was accused of being too loud. I stood there, not playing, arms above my head. They finally realized it was the gtr player going for maximum chug.... I hate that.

 

[morgansterne]

"RoadRanger said: ↑
It hopefully goes without saying that you can't go IEMs unless you always have a soundguy."

Sorry..but that's complete hogwash... of COURSE YOU CAN!
You DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE a soundguy to run IEM !! (don't know where that idea came from but it's simply NOT true)

We've been running our own IEM mixes for 2 yrs now.. digital console on stage, remote access/control using Android/iDevices thru router (housed in rack) with IEM xmitters in same rack. Light weight (relatively), coupled with stage box splitting to house for house PA.. doesn't matter where we play... IEM mix is the same.
NO house or FOH involvement in our IEM mixes at all..!!!

But if you're ALL running IEMs -- and that's what the op's band plans to do -- who sets the levels for the front of house?

I have run in ear monitors for 90% of my performances of that past three years, about half with a band member running sound. Even before we had a digital board, I could just walk over to the mixer between songs and tweak my aux send levels the way I wanted. Now both bands I'm in use the same digital mixer and I have an app to set my own levels so the FOH tech doesn't have to even think about it.

BUT my opinion any band that goes all IEM's and doesn't have someone minding FOH is crazy.

 

[stettoman]

I come from such a different planet. From a time when more and bigger was better, and being seen playing onstage with Ampeg, Eden, Trace Elliot was part of the cult of image. Monitors were something you set a foot on to look cool and the wall of 4x12s and 8x10s were the backdrop. There is no recognition of these iconic stage tools anymore. Now it's lights, lights, effects, prerecorded intros and lights. I just wanna rock....

...but not dragging in the extra 4 hundred pounds of cab & amp monitor salad in and out of every gig at my age?

...priceless...

 

[s0c9]

But if you're ALL running IEMs -- and that's what the op's band plans to do -- who sets the levels for the front of house?
.
.
BUT my opinion any band that goes all IEM's and doesn't have someone minding FOH is crazy.

No arguments there... we mostly do sound check without IEM's when running our own PA. For house provided, it doesn't really matter.
After that, we have someone "pushing faders" on the iPad and communicating with us during 1st few songs of the set. Given that our IEM mixes are fairly static, it takes seconds to dial in the mix at a venue.
While it may not be CD quality at FOH, we've not had any complaints..

 

[Scottkarch]

We have a Mackie DL1608 and all 4 of us have individual IEMs. All of us now have 0 stage volume. The next thing could be using a preamp pedal or just bring my head and no cabinets. our drummer has changed to a Roland set of digitals. Having our monitor mix preset saves time.

Even at a bar with FOH, we use ours and have a splitter so we can keep our mix and IEMs the same. I'd never go back. have a friend walk around and tweak the pa mix. 3/4 of us have iPhone or iPads to adjust our own mix if needed.

we play in a week and ill go speakerless to try it out.

 

[Ric5]

If you don't get an amp then you need a chicken roaster, or a clothes dryer, or a sausage maker / time machine ...

 

[Ric5]

I prefer a real bass amp ...

 

[73jbass]

I went ampless about a year ago. Everyone in my band uses IEM's,so amps really arent needed. I currently just go from my effects board to a Radial JDI. On the list for a Fractal Audio AX8. These days its the most practical way to go.

 

[Johnny Crab]

Yo may want to check into Kemper.
Friend is at a dance hall in Texas tonight doing a sub gig.
His rig? A Kemper with his Markbass model/sample inside of it into IEM's. He said it is much better than DI or loading the amp and even works in the studio.

 

[Fingerpickingood]

NO. I paid hard-earned money for my Eden rig. I don't give a sh!t if the amp weighs 100lbs and the cab weighs 50. Aching back be damned!!!

 

[superheavyfunk]

If using IEMs is anything like hearing yourself thru stage monitors instead of having an amp, count me out. The sense of separation that I get when I can't feel my instrument, slash the weird off axis volume drop that I get when I'm forced to leave my amp and cab at home and run a preamp DI, is intolerable for me.

 

[Nev375]

I don't give a sh!t if the amp weighs 100lbs and the cab weighs 50. Aching back be damned!!!

I remember when I was younger and thought like that.
I have an Ampeg cab that weighs 167 lbs and used to lift it into the back of my pickup all by myself.
I don't lift it at all anymore.

Not saying it's wrong to lug a big rig around. Play what you like.
Just think again about that last sentence. Take care of your spine. Trust an old geezer on this one.

I'm rocking either a mini micro rig of doom or a sansamp these days.