Running our own sound for smaller shows - help mixing???

[gareth dunster]

That's a lot of kit for 100-150 people. 2 4x12s is whole bunch to deal with. If quality is your aim you'll be looking for ways to bring that waaaay down. I have a selection of 2x 12 tube combos and they're all too loud for most gigs that size, so you're going to pushing up your own volume, then the drummers going to pushing his monitor up etc etc.

 

[Stewie26]

I've been doing this for more than 10 years. Since 3 of our 4 singers sing lead, what we do is leave the vocal mics at "lead singer volume," and control the blending of the vocals by backing off the mic when not singing the lead part. This minimizes changes needed by the 'soundman' (me) during the gig. For the smaller places, I rarely put anything but kick drum and vocals in the mains.

This is the exact same mixing formula we use. We also have 3 out of 4 lead singers and the kick into the PA. Works well in small venues of 100 or less.

 

[stonewall]

Its like anything you have to work out the bugs at first but playing week after week gig,n it becomes quite easy.You have the right plan with your chordless set up.If guy,s have decent gear and ear you usually dont need much more then a lite flat blend from the PA for the instruments in addition i mic kick and toms never needed to mic the snare yet.

 

[musicman7722]

I got a Mackie 1608 and can now run sound from my ipad and walk out front for sound checks.

 

[camthebassman]

Mackie 1608 saved our bacon Sat night. Long rectangle room with concrete floor, steel ceiling, one cinder block wall and the other wall plexiglass. Feedback and ringing nightmare. Lead guitar went out with iPad and "fixed it" during sound check. New tools are definitely paying off

 

[Toddbass65]

Had our first show with us doing it ourselves and worked pretty well. Got my guitarists to just bring their combo amps which we micd just to keep them happy. Micd 2 kick drums along with vocals. Done. No pa for me at all just my 410 cab. Sounded good we felt. Owner happy...just turned down slightly after first 2 songs. I never got above 4 on my amp and my wife said I was clear to her in back of the room. Thanks for all the ideas. Wave of the future for us I think.

 

[camthebassman]

Great! Glad it worked out for you!

 

[RoadRanger]

Seriously. 100 to 150 person room can't support the shear volume of this bands gear, unless earplugs are included with your paid cover charge. Why bother with all this fine tuning of a PA when the twin 412 guitars, 410 bass, double kick drum will overwhelm everything.

One of the basement bands I play with has had up to three Marshall half stacks, my SVT/810 and drums and not needed earplugs. I run my master on 1.5 and everyone has no prob staying down to that level. I'm not a fan of miking the kick in rehearsal but that drummer is so quiet we have to . Point being all that stuff can work just fine at lower volumes.

BTW I have a festival gig coming up in June with a folk jam group (acoustic guitar, drums, bass - and possibly lead?), I might bring my SVT and both my 810's just to freak people out . It's only a couple miles from my house and a big stage .

 

[camthebassman]

Ha! I saw the Marshall Tucker Band last night on a small stage (500). 2 Guitar players had small, mic'd combo amps hidden behind black plywood shields. Drummer played behind Plexi. But the bass player was letting it all hang out with giant SVT/810 rig in road case trim!!