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DI banned by the sound guy

#63
Certainly seems ridiculous, but more of the SE's reasoning is needed to better understand what's what. In similar situations I try to leave my assumptions out of it, and (especially when time is of the essence) say things like, "Thanks. This will be fun."
 
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#64
sean_on_bass said:
i'd still like to know more about the gig before throwing the sound person under the bus. just the fact that there was a backline is somewhat telling. can't help but wonder if this was an open mic, lol.
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Yeah I can't imagine what kind of gig has a backline keyboard amp, of all things, but not a bass amp. Sounds like the sound guy just didn't want to run another channel for whatever reason, who knows.
 
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#65
I'm so happy that the whole "don't argue with the sound person" mentality is going away. I've worked with plenty of great sound people and I've worked plenty of sound ppl that wouldn't be qualified to run a Ninja, let alone a real mixer. My go-to mantra is always to do what's best for the band. Sometimes the sound person might actually see it as a learning opportunity.
 
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#66
kyral210 said:
Setting up for a gig the other night the sound guy refused to take a DI off my Helix and insisted i use their backline amp (a keyboard amp) that he miced up. He said the PA was worth £20k so couldn’t risk the bass player blowing it.

I think he was being ridiculous, what are your insights?
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Really sounds like the sound tech might have an expensive "PA" that he doesn't know how to use, thinking it was risky for the bass player to run a DI out of his amp. Far more expensive gear is used in pro recording studios where they will often have the Bass run direct to the board (D.I. connection) so it doesn't bleed over onto the drum tracks. Some will often put the bass on two tracks, one from the D.I. and the other from the mic and then blend the two - gives them more options with the sound.

Whether they get a signal from a mic'd cab or a DI from the amp or stomp box preamp, makes absolutely no difference on the signal they get on the mixing board. They set the gain, levels, EQ, and compression on whatever signal they get before it gets to the speakers. Having said that, sure, some techs prefer to mic cabs and some prefer a DI. But the board doesn't care, it can handle either signal just fine. It's the guy doing the mixing that might have trouble with one or the other.
 
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#67
I can see their worry that you might step on a patch that has some serious gain boost. But if it is such an expensive PA, I would be surprised if there was no limiter.

I have had sound techs take my bass signal into a DI and then send to the PA and your amp.
 
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#69
Somewhat related:
Last gig, we're under 10 minutes to vacating the venue after the gig. A good night, appreciative crowd with plenty of drinking and dancing going on. House PA, our mixer. A pair of subs in front of the stage were being used to rest a couple mic cable totes on as we're wrapping up, one foot out the door. Owner comes hustling across the dance floor, crying "that's not a workbench!" in disgust and starts pulling things off his precious, delicate woofer cabinets. "I got $Xk invested in this system...."
So yeah, when people start grinding about ridiculous, irrelevant crap and start quoting dollars invested, you start realizing you're probably dealing with a wannabe, or in that case, worse.

(No, we won't be gigging for that D-bag again, as it wasn't the first childish outburst and pouting session we've endured from him. I think he did this to amp up his rage/put us in the "wrong" just before cutting our check, as he then promptly and proudly shorted us on pay to ice the poop cake.)
 
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#70
kyral210 said:
Setting up for a gig the other night the sound guy refused to take a DI off my Helix and insisted i use their backline amp (a keyboard amp) that he miced up. He said the PA was worth £20k so couldn’t risk the bass player blowing it.

I think he was being ridiculous, what are your insights?
Click to expand...

That "sound guy" is comically incompetent: he very literally had no idea what he was doing.

Whether using a DI or a mic'ed amp, he is still controlling the volume level and EQ shape of the bass signal being sent to the PA speakers :roflmao:
 
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#71
Good sound guys are expensive, and mediocre sound guys can usually get close enough for most venues, at least in their minds.

I've definitely been hearing more bad sound in the past 10 years then before that. Definitely also seen some guys that might have seen a mixer at some point in a movie or something, but have definitely never touched one before. It astonishes me what passes as acceptable these days.
 
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#72
Ralph Manak said:
Certainly seems ridiculous, but more of the SE's reasoning is needed to better understand what's what. In similar situations I try to leave my assumptions out of it, and (especially when time is of the essence) say things like, "Thanks. This will be fun."
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I'm sorry, exactly what legitimate reason might he have to take the bass guitar off a miked keyboard amp?
 
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#74
Back in the late 80s we opened for some big time international bands. The in house sound guy was brutally grumpy. We used all our own equipment set up in front of theirs. I had an Acoustic head and 215 cab. He used to yell at me "Turn down or you're out of the mix!!!" I didn't realize at the time my cab was extremely Long Throw and he was at the back of the room.
Anyways, I was always provided with a DI at every venue and got my sound out of my amps. Times they are a changing and I'm amazed with my Sansamp BDDI V1.
I believe that if you're doing a major gig, even as an opening act that the SE should be serving the band, not the other way around!!!
 
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#75
Groove Doctor said:
My bass/rig cost $10k alone.
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I'm darn close here, if not over the line:
Ed of H & 621.jpeg

Note that I am using the DI... my own DI, right offa' the preamp, with the switch set to pre-EQ, just for Soundgirl Lizzie.
 
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#76
Pocket Dave said:
Most keyboard amps are basically small PA combos. If you have to play there again, at least bring your favorite preamp or preamp/DI pedal to go into the front end of the KB amp.

Otherwise, a sound guy who prefers micing over DI for bass? Yeah. You can't fix stupid.
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Great suggestion about bringing a Pre.
I respectfully disagree about micing. I have been told about a fourth of the time playing medium and large gigs inside and out that they are going to mic my cab and run DI. I haven’t asked. Some engineers see it as a tonal choice. Just like in studio they get to decide how much of either they want. That I don’t have control of. When I’ve heard myself in the FOH. I hear my sound.
 
#77
chadds said:
Great suggestion about bringing a Pre.
I respectfully disagree about micing. I have been told about a fourth of the time playing medium and large gigs inside and out that they are going to mic my cab and run DI. I haven’t asked. Some engineers see it as a tonal choice. Just like in studio they get to decide how much of either they want. That I don’t have control of. When I’ve heard myself in the FOH. I hear my sound.
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That's all well and good, but this guy insisted on micing his Keyboard combo amp, not the bass players rig.
 
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