Live Band sound

[P. Funk]

Hello everyone,

 

I'm meant to be doing sound for a school 'Rock Night' soon (3rd December) for a friend, but I have not much idea about how exactly to do it. The reason *I've* been asked over anyone else, is that I'm the only technically knowledgeable person at my school (although I normally light things), and anyone else thought to be any good has already attempted a gig like this and failed miserably due to total incompetance (as opposed to my partial incompetance).

 

So I thought I'd ask for a few pointers on how to do it if thats OK :o . I don't really have much sound knowledge beyond the basics (I know how to operate all the school sound stuff but I dont know much about different types of mic, where to put them etc).

 

Essentially, the night will be about 6 different bands playing sets to an audience. Typical rock band setup - drums, bass, vocals/guitar, another guitar. They will all be playing on a fairly small stage in this 200 capacity school hall. I understand that I need to mic the vocalist, but beyond that I'm stuck. In house we have 2 Mackie Art 500 speakers and an amp, and stands, and a Folio Spirit SX desk (along with a few FX boxes and a feedback destroyer). We have a 6 way stage box that will reach from the FOH sound position to the stage to take the mics from as well. We also have access to a couple of Laney foldbacks (not sure on what they are exactly) and amps, and a few more of those 'normal' kind of microphones (some Sennheiser and AKG vocal mics - fairly cheap I think), and probably quite a few other mics. What should I be mic'ing up, and what should I be sending through the monitors?

[James]

What should I be mic'ing up

anything that wouldn't be heard without re-enforcement.

what should I be sending through the monitors?

 

Whatever the musicians ask for.

 

I did a band this afternoon. in a slightly smaller room than you discribe

My input list was.

1 Kick (D112)

2 Tom1 (e604)

3 Tom2 (e604)

4 Snare (ß57)

5 Hats (c391)

6 Overhead (c391)

7

8 Bass (DI)

9 Rythm Guitar (DI)

10 Lead Cab - top left (SM57)

11 Lead Cab - bottom left (SM57)

12 Backing Vox (SM58)

13 Lead Vox (SM58)

 

Monitors were, (In order of importance in the mix

1 (Bass) BASS + LVOX + RGTR + BVOX

2 (RGTR) LVOX + RGTR + BVOX

3 (LGTR) LVOX + RGTR + BASS + KICK

4 (Drums) LVOX + RGTR

 

I put a little chorus on BVOX and reverb on both VOX.

 

I compressed kick , t1, t2 and sn.

 

that's 12ch for a 4 piece band

 

 

HOWEVER

 

This is a serious evolution as this band has found itself. When I started with them it was a 1 mic PA, That's it, 1 Mic, they had no cabs on stage the drums were accoustic and I ran 3 DI's and a single Vox mic through the PA.

 

I would sugest that you just stick to vocals through the PA. don't try to give everyone their own foldback mix.

 

(Or find a small PA provider localy who you can pay to come and do a proper job, as long as you (and anyone else interested) can be there to help, watch, operate, ask questions etc....)

 

You talk about hiring a PA, I don't know about other small operators but I don't do dry hire of PA to people I haven't worked with before and I know I can trust. I'm sure you can easily hire a handful of magic boxes from a dry hire company but by getting an operator for the night hopefuly the night will end up being a great learning experience for all concerned.

 

If this midnight post double gig rambling makes sense

 

 

James

[P. Funk]

Thanks very much James - just the srt of info I needed really. I doubt we're going to be hiring anything - I just meant that I have a few friends I can blag some fairly average kit from.

[dominicgross]

If you havn't got much experience: don't try to over-do it.

 

Listen to the band and hear what needs to be reinforced: If you havn't got subs: Kick, toms and bass is going to be a problem to do well.

 

My standard setup:

 

Mackie 1604

 

Kick: D112

Snare: 57

Toms: E604

Hats: SM81

OH: pair of Calrecs/NBC/C3000

 

Vocals: SM58(B)

Guitar (amps) SM57 or AKG 414

Bass: DI' and D112

Accoustic guitars always DI'd

 

I would compress kick, snare and toms and gate snare.

 

It very much depends on the situation your in: I wouldn't dream of using this setup in certain situations.

 

You find that the more amature the band, the higher the stage volume, therefore: less reinforcment is required.

 

You'll find that one of the most importent things is to ensure that there is seperation in the mix: this is achieved by panning out and having well tuned drums.

 

Remember though : S*it in = S*it out! knowmatter how good the PA is, or the opp is, if the band is crap...

[paulears]

if it's school, with the bands knowing little about 'proper' stage setups, don't even worry about monitors, they'll turn up louder then everyone else, WHATEVER you do or say. Best thing is to stick as much vocals through the monitors as you can without it taking off, and like has been said, just put the unamplified stuff through the PA.

 

To make monitors work, you need experienced performers who can actuallly tell you what they want. I've spent ages on bands like this, to then stand on stage where they were to find out that the monitor mix is hopeless, and they didn't notice.

[P. Funk]

Well, got it all planned out perfectly now.

 

That night I'm going to...

 

...go to a jazz gig, and let the assistant headteacher and his 200W yamaha mono PA powered mixer sort out sound ;)

[paulears]

The reason *I've* been asked over anyone else, is that I'm the only technically knowledgeable person at my school (although I normally light things), and anyone else thought to be any good has already attempted a gig like this and failed miserably due to total incompetance (as opposed to my partial incompetance).

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

well, in the words of a popular song "when the going gets tough.........."

 

If you are the most technical person, it's a bit mean to let the event suffer. Or maybe the boss just thought you were complicating things too much?

 

Let's be fair, a few hairies playing out of tune rock music won't really need much more than a 200W PA to groan their vocals through.

[P. Funk]

It had occurred to me yes... But having said that I'm the most technical person, there's still wont be anything for me to do that others cant according to this thread.. Sending vocals alone through a PA system doesnt take too much technical/artistic capability, and I've also just been reminded that there's a fairly major production on the following week, so the LX rig can't change from that too much. ;)

 

Plus if I dont go to this gig, the jazz mafia are going to hunt me down and kill me (and I also have these things called A levels to do...)

[paulears]

I'm not sure. One thing I have learnt is that the simpler a job appears to be, the more chance there is of weird things happening that #### it up. The guitarist who forgets his lead and steals one from the PA, the mics being plugged into wrong sockets, etc etc.

 

I hope the Jazz evening turns out better.

p

[Bobbsy]

I'm not sure. One thing I have learnt is that the simpler a job appears to be, the more chance there is of weird things happening that #### it up. The guitarist who forgets his lead and steals one from the PA, the mics being plugged into wrong sockets, etc etc.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Amen! The "simple" gigs always turn out hardest....and if you're doing it as a "favour", double the hassle factor!

 

(Having said that....I'm teching a "simple favour" starting Sunday....you'd think I'd learn!)

 

Bob