Tips for soundcheck and running sound while playing bass?

[EricOnTheBass]

As few microphones as possible, always di if that's an option.
Backing vocal mics and especially drum vocal mics get optogates.
Nobody apart from you touches anything after soundcheck.
Listen again once the place has filled up.

Yes, fewer microphones. I'm starting to realize how much of our sound consists of microphone bleed. 3 vocal mics right next to the drum kit, plus the drum mics themselves. I'm going to have to study up on how to use gates effectively. I'm just using the presets in the mixer at this point.

 

[Mike Caldwell]

Yes, fewer microphones. I'm starting to realize how much of our sound consists of microphone bleed. 3 vocal mics right next to the drum kit, plus the drum mics themselves. I'm going to have to study up on how to use gates effectively. I'm just using the presets in the mixer at this point.

Gates are fine on drum and some instrument mics, finding the right threshold, hold and release times so the gate doesn't sound like hitting the mute button on the input channel is the trick. Also don't go overboard on the gate depth (how much it turns down the input) 10 to 15db is good in most cases.

As for gating vocal channels well don't. By the time your get the threshold high enough to the drums and stage volume out of the vocal mics you most likely will be gating the vocals to some extent depending how the vocalist work the mic.

 

[EricOnTheBass]

Gates are fine on drum and some instrument mics, finding the right threshold, hold and release times so the gate doesn't sound like hitting the mute button is the input channel is the trick. Also don't go overboard on the gate depth (how much it turns down the input) 10 to 15db is good in most cases.

As for gating vocal channels well don't. By the time your get the threshold high enough to the drums and stage volume out of the vocal mics you most likely will be gating the vocals to some extent depending how the vocalist work the mic.

Makes sense, thanks for the advice!

 

[micguy]

Running sound from the stage is like performing surgery on yourself. You might get away with it, but don’t expect professional results.