As a musician who maybe touring soon,I am interested to see what you guys have for your setup. My current local gigging setup is a gk backline 600, gk mbx 410,Squire active 5 string jazz bass and a boss tuner. Was wondering what I should upgrade before touring.
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Touring real-Live setups
- Thread starter BassistSam
- Start date
I don't tour, but I do play regional van dates.... couple days in a row different city and states - not a week straight or weeks straight. Do it yourself touring.
Space, reliability, and audience sound are what matter most to me.
Space - it has to fit in the car/van, etc. I used a small 3 space rack with a conditioner, tuner, in ear transmitter, and head and a small 2x10 cab. It's great. Small and I only turn it up loud enough for me and the drummer to feel it - and I rely on the In Ear Mix to get me what else I need. If I am using a back line - I will bring my own head (it's light), and a couple of different speaker cables and adapters (speakon, quarter inch, etc). I do bring a passive cheapie direct box as well for emergencies. I would like to get a more substantial direct box/preamp in the future.
For doing hour long sets, I want easy to pack up, easy to configure, and good simple sound (an XLR cable which I provide) ready to hand to the sound guy. If I can't use in ear, I bring a small wedge, and take a splitter for my microphone so I monitor my own vocals enough to sing backups well.
Stuff:
- Small rack wtih 15 foot extension cord off of the power conditioner.
- 2x10 bass cab
- IEM, Transmitter, cabling for that unit.
- Bass with a good pickup - doesn't really matter what brand of bass as long as it sounds good - usually get a nice setup and a pickup replacement if needed (passive - if active bring batteries)
- 2 instrument cables 15ft
- 25ft microphone cables - 1 for vocal microphone, one for bass if needed
- awesome gig bag for the bass - light and but not flimsy
- my own vocal microphone - I don't like sharing a microphone - either an SM57 or an EV N/D767a depending on the gig or sound system. Sometimes I bring both.
- sturdy mini stand
- clip on tuner
- hand towel
- show clothes
- phone charger, phone
- tolietry kit
- sewing kit
- travel clothes
- travel/comfy shoes
- show shoes
- strings - 2 sets
- business cards for both of my bands, and personal ones as well
I use the 2x10 90% of the time, but still have a 4x10 for when I want it for local shows. It's a hassle though. Ha. Turning 30 recently - I know my attitude towards gear and such is different than when I was 20 and buying the 8x10 rig. Crazy.
I use a Timbuk2 messenger bag to keep things organized. I use a Vafam rack panel with easy connections ready to go. Lids off rack, plug speaker speaker in, plug in electric, plug bass in, tune, and test in ear signal of bass with a line in on the panel to go right into the in ear rig. I try not to shout in the van all day when I have to sing high harmonies at night. When I'm set up - minus the in ear stuff - I'm done in 4 minutes and tuned up. Usually helping the drummer and guitar player before I get set.
Stretch in the morning, stretch before you go to bed, and stretch all the time. Stay loose. Otherwise playing a gig with a pinched nerve in your neck is terrible!
Space, reliability, and audience sound are what matter most to me.
Space - it has to fit in the car/van, etc. I used a small 3 space rack with a conditioner, tuner, in ear transmitter, and head and a small 2x10 cab. It's great. Small and I only turn it up loud enough for me and the drummer to feel it - and I rely on the In Ear Mix to get me what else I need. If I am using a back line - I will bring my own head (it's light), and a couple of different speaker cables and adapters (speakon, quarter inch, etc). I do bring a passive cheapie direct box as well for emergencies. I would like to get a more substantial direct box/preamp in the future.
For doing hour long sets, I want easy to pack up, easy to configure, and good simple sound (an XLR cable which I provide) ready to hand to the sound guy. If I can't use in ear, I bring a small wedge, and take a splitter for my microphone so I monitor my own vocals enough to sing backups well.
Stuff:
- Small rack wtih 15 foot extension cord off of the power conditioner.
- 2x10 bass cab
- IEM, Transmitter, cabling for that unit.
- Bass with a good pickup - doesn't really matter what brand of bass as long as it sounds good - usually get a nice setup and a pickup replacement if needed (passive - if active bring batteries)
- 2 instrument cables 15ft
- 25ft microphone cables - 1 for vocal microphone, one for bass if needed
- awesome gig bag for the bass - light and but not flimsy
- my own vocal microphone - I don't like sharing a microphone - either an SM57 or an EV N/D767a depending on the gig or sound system. Sometimes I bring both.
- sturdy mini stand
- clip on tuner
- hand towel
- show clothes
- phone charger, phone
- tolietry kit
- sewing kit
- travel clothes
- travel/comfy shoes
- show shoes
- strings - 2 sets
- business cards for both of my bands, and personal ones as well
I use the 2x10 90% of the time, but still have a 4x10 for when I want it for local shows. It's a hassle though. Ha. Turning 30 recently - I know my attitude towards gear and such is different than when I was 20 and buying the 8x10 rig. Crazy.
I use a Timbuk2 messenger bag to keep things organized. I use a Vafam rack panel with easy connections ready to go. Lids off rack, plug speaker speaker in, plug in electric, plug bass in, tune, and test in ear signal of bass with a line in on the panel to go right into the in ear rig. I try not to shout in the van all day when I have to sing high harmonies at night. When I'm set up - minus the in ear stuff - I'm done in 4 minutes and tuned up. Usually helping the drummer and guitar player before I get set.
Stretch in the morning, stretch before you go to bed, and stretch all the time. Stay loose. Otherwise playing a gig with a pinched nerve in your neck is terrible!
I toured regionally for a while, now it's mostly just local stuff but my rig hasn't changed.
Your gear should be fine and won't need to be upgraded, just make sure everything is in a hard case or at least has some protection over it for wear and tear during transport and load in/load out.
If you can get a rack case for your head, you can keep cables and the tuner in there as well. Like I said, keep everything protected and together. It sucks leaving stuff at a venue and being 3+ hours away. Extra cables and batteries wouldn't hurt either.
Most venues will have a di or a mic for your bass, you shouldn't have to worry about that.
My gear goes like this:
Pbass, in a hard case. Strap, picks, extra strings, and a multitool go in there also.
My rack case has my head, eq, and power conditioner in it along with enough room to hold my cables and pedalboard.
My ashdown 4x10 has a duct tape and cardboard covering to protect from wear in tear.
That's it, 3 cases to worry about, nothing more.
It also depends on what you think your personal needs are. If you think you'll need a music stand, towel, or whatever else, bring it. Just remember that you're going to have to be responsible for it all night after night.
As a pop punk band, it's all diy. Get your gear in fast, set up, play, tear down, hangout. No need for superflous gear, just the essentials.
Your gear should be fine and won't need to be upgraded, just make sure everything is in a hard case or at least has some protection over it for wear and tear during transport and load in/load out.
If you can get a rack case for your head, you can keep cables and the tuner in there as well. Like I said, keep everything protected and together. It sucks leaving stuff at a venue and being 3+ hours away. Extra cables and batteries wouldn't hurt either.
Most venues will have a di or a mic for your bass, you shouldn't have to worry about that.
My gear goes like this:
Pbass, in a hard case. Strap, picks, extra strings, and a multitool go in there also.
My rack case has my head, eq, and power conditioner in it along with enough room to hold my cables and pedalboard.
My ashdown 4x10 has a duct tape and cardboard covering to protect from wear in tear.
That's it, 3 cases to worry about, nothing more.
It also depends on what you think your personal needs are. If you think you'll need a music stand, towel, or whatever else, bring it. Just remember that you're going to have to be responsible for it all night after night.
As a pop punk band, it's all diy. Get your gear in fast, set up, play, tear down, hangout. No need for superflous gear, just the essentials.
Grab a nice DI to add to the current setup. I'd go with a Countryman Type 85 personally. It's an industry standard box that every soundman on the planet has worked with in the past. They also sound great and are bulletproof.
It'll hep you get a consistent FOH tone in all venues with PA support, and provide you a small backup option should something happen to your current amp.
A venue might have one, but I'd much rather have the piece of mind knowing that I had one that was in perfect working order.
It'll hep you get a consistent FOH tone in all venues with PA support, and provide you a small backup option should something happen to your current amp.
A venue might have one, but I'd much rather have the piece of mind knowing that I had one that was in perfect working order.
If your going to go on tour my first recommendation would be to have a set a of strings for every week your going to be on tour. When only playing on the weekend strings tend to last a lot longer but especially if your playing rock or metal or really any style on a hot stage, your going to sweat and you'll need new strings more often. For me i normally change strings once every 4-6 weeks but on tour a set of strings would only last a few shows. Keep in mind the venues pa though don't change strings on a schedule. If the clubs pa isn't going to make it worth it i wouldn't change my strings that day.
My setup Is the result of some trial and error and after being able to open for some of my favorite bassist over the years and see what they used. Other than downsizing from an ampeg 810e to a ampeg 410he my rig has stayed the same for a few years now. My rig was highly influenced by Phil from taproot and Cory Lowry from dark new day/eye empire. Both of them used sans amp PSA pre amps. Now ill admit I cheaped out a little and got the RBI instead of the PSA but its been great for me. I may get a psa at some point just for the he k of it but after owning the RBI for so many years I can't really see myself taking advantage of the extra channels an stuff in the PSA. If anything on the RBI ill adjust the presence knob based on how old my strings. With my rig, Phil's or Cory's the FOH sound is the sans amp and everything else is basically a stage monitor.
My setup Is the result of some trial and error and after being able to open for some of my favorite bassist over the years and see what they used. Other than downsizing from an ampeg 810e to a ampeg 410he my rig has stayed the same for a few years now. My rig was highly influenced by Phil from taproot and Cory Lowry from dark new day/eye empire. Both of them used sans amp PSA pre amps. Now ill admit I cheaped out a little and got the RBI instead of the PSA but its been great for me. I may get a psa at some point just for the he k of it but after owning the RBI for so many years I can't really see myself taking advantage of the extra channels an stuff in the PSA. If anything on the RBI ill adjust the presence knob based on how old my strings. With my rig, Phil's or Cory's the FOH sound is the sans amp and everything else is basically a stage monitor.
