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Is it impossible to play a gig without sound check?

#61
bluewine said:
My sound is not controlled from my rig. As a matter of fact the only dial I use is the volume master. Now I do dial in a little compression from my pedal board but everything else is done by our sound man from the board.

Blue

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Your rig is sideways. If you had a sound check, that would not have happened.

j/k :D
 
#62
No. It's not impossible to play a gig without a soundcheck. The more you play, the more you will wind up doing it. The more you wind up doing it, the better you'll get at it. Experience, open ears, open mind, and a good attitude are really helpful. Sometimes there's just nothing you can do, and the good attitude becomes all that matters. Congratulations, you've now got one of those gigs under your belt. The next will be easier.


+1 - we do it all the time.
 
#63
I'm also in the "check that everything is plugged in and works and levels are OK, no real soundcheck" category. Two things that make it a lot easier seem to be not being very loud and not having a real drum kit (my bands use either electronic drums, loops or cajon).
 
#64
Steve said:
There are players all around you who make their living by being able to grab any properly functioning rig (and sometimes not properly functioning) and make it happen immediately.
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My sound is not controlled from my rig. As a matter of fact the only dial I use is the volume master. Now, I do dial in a little compression from my pedal board but everything else is done by our sound man from the board ( XRL post eq).

Blue
 
#66
I would say it's almost a rule: the bigger the gig, the less the sound check, unless your a headliner. Although I will also say most "throw and go" situations I've been in we're with my own bass, sometimes my rig but sometimes backline, and we do usually get a brief line check, but certainly no time to play through a song together. The first song is your sound check.
 
#67
Possible with an awesome sound person. Or as the previous post stated, if you take the time to listen to what you are doing. Have also played way to many gigs where someone (usually an instrument an octave up with six strings) feels that volume equates to good tone. I found that switching to in ears really allowed a sound guy to adjust the volume and sound properly.
 
#68
Biggbass said:
No. It's not impossible to play a gig without a soundcheck. The more you play, the more you will wind up doing it. The more you wind up doing it, the better you'll get at it. Experience, open ears, open mind, and a good attitude are really helpful. Sometimes there's just nothing you can do, and the good attitude becomes all that matters. Congratulations, you've now got one of those gigs under your belt. The next will be easier.


+1 - we do it all the time.
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Yep! If you play the same places, regularly, you tend to remember your settings for them.
 
#69
swell9 said:
Thanks for the input on this. Like many of you stated, I realized that it is pretty risky to just play without sound check. Although I wish I realized that before we actually performed together as it is kind of too late now.

Anyways, some of you are asking about details. We were mainly using the amplifiers backline with our own instruments (guitar and bass but not drums). Drums were not mic'ed considering the room was on the small size. Nevertheless, the acoustics were terrible in there.
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A small room, drums not miked, playing through amps? Honestly, no sound check should not be a problem. If the PA is set and still sounds bad, then I say look to the sound person, not the lack of a sound check.
 
#70
Biggbass said:
No. It's not impossible to play a gig without a soundcheck. The more you play, the more you will wind up doing it. The more you wind up doing it, the better you'll get at it. Experience, open ears, open mind, and a good attitude are really helpful. Sometimes there's just nothing you can do, and the good attitude becomes all that matters. Congratulations, you've now got one of those gigs under your belt. The next will be easier.


+1 - we do it all the time.
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agreed. A seasoned band seldom has to have a sound check.
 
#72
1954bassman said:
agreed. A seasoned band seldom has to have a sound check.
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Then why do all the big national pros have very granular sound checks?

A few years ago I had the opportunity to watch Jeff Beck and Tal do their sound check at Turner hall.

Jeff is considered seasoned in many circles.

Blue
 
#74
bluewine said:
Then why do all the big national pros have very granular sound checks?

A few years ago I had the opportunity to watch Jeff Beck and Tal do their sound check at Turner hall.

Jeff is considered seasoned in many circles.

Blue
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1 - they have the time and money to make it perfect, plus it's in their rider.
2 - obviously, To dial in the room frequencies, traps, etc.
3 - see #1
 

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