Sizing a mixer to the band needs

[Pete]

16 inputs will cover a lot of bands in the club market. 24 will do that and have more room for effects returns etc. A typical input list for a band I don't nkow might be like this:

Kick
Snare
Hat
T1
T2
T3
OH
Sequencer/drum pad
(start on ch9)
Bass
Guit 1
Guit 2
Key L
Key R
Vocals on CH17
Effects either 15/16 or wherever makes sense

Tonights gig is on an 01V
Kick
Snare
Hat
Seq
Bass
Guitar
Vocal (9-12)
Ipod 15/16
T1 & T2 (17/18 on adat card)
CD on 23/24
Effects are internal on dedicated returns

 

[Vinny D]

so the guy that does "the least amount of backup harmonies" gets the shaft, having to put up with the lead vocals blasting in his face? i've been in that situation, and usually i'll just shove the wedge over so the singer gets both of them and i do without entirely. (it's not like the singer is ever willing to compromise their mix for me )

not so big a deal with guitar or bass players and wedges (since they can still hear their amp), but absolutely intolerable with in-ear mixes.

Well, you don't have to hire me if you don't like what I offer.
I think I provide a pretty good system for a CLUB

Most club bands I see are all sharing the same mix because monitors for some reason are always the last thing a band wants to spend money on.

What do you think you should get for $250 a night???

 

[walterw]

oh dear, i didn't mean to come across as slamming your PA rig!

i'm just relating my experience in the same bar/club world on both sides of the mixer for many years.

around here, while the punk/hard rock/original music bands seem to be amazed to even get audible monitors at all, the more polished pop-rock/cover band/wedding band types usually have all members singing, and many use IEMs.

bands like that will much rather have the extra mix than an extra "specialty" effect send, and it's the norm for mixwiz-sized systems to run 4 mixes.

 

[Barisaxman]

Well, you don't have to hire me if you don't like what I offer.
I think I provide a pretty good system for a CLUB

Most club bands I see are all sharing the same mix because monitors for some reason are always the last thing a band wants to spend money on.

What do you think you should get for $250 a night???

Not sure how things go in RI, but out here in the boonies $250 a night is good for 4-5 monitor mixes, 16-24 channels, and 2 tops and subs per side plus a 12-16 par cans. Your definition of a club may be more akin to my definition of a dive bar gig with not stage and just a corner setup with everything on the floor. Our regular venues are 3-500 capacity, with the occasional small bar of 100-150ish capacity.

There's several providers who will do the aforementioned for $300 a night, as that's where the market sits. Any more than that and the bands go buy there own PA and hire a freelance sound guy to run it...I know because that's what my band did since we couldn't hire out at a decent price for some of the out-of-town gigs we were booking.

 

[Geddyfleaharris]

Not sure how things go in RI, but out here in the boonies $250 a night is good for 4-5 monitor mixes, 16-24 channels, and 2 tops and subs per side plus a 12-16 par cans. Your definition of a club may be more akin to my definition of a dive bar gig with not stage and just a corner setup with everything on the floor. Our regular venues are 3-500 capacity, with the occasional small bar of 100-150ish capacity.

There's several providers who will do the aforementioned for $300 a night, as that's where the market sits. Any more than that and the bands go buy there own PA and hire a freelance sound guy to run it...I know because that's what my band did since we couldn't hire out at a decent price for some of the out-of-town gigs we were booking.

I gotta agree with your some of your thoughts. Clubs won't pay so it makes it almost impossible to hire a PA/Soundman company and have anything left for the band. I own our PA and lights. We hire a soundman or for smaller places just run it off the stage.

If I was into renting out my gear with me as a soundman I think I could get $250 to $300 per night pretty easily around here without the lights. Most sound companies in my parts are probably closer to $400 to $500 per night, no lights, depending on the size of the PA and venue. Not as much competition compared to your parts.