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Plugging into the house system? Or not.


SeniorBlues

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Here's a picture of where my eight-piece will be playing Sunday:
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/19jf2...ZZRLLacSEzR7GA
It's a battle of the bands (yeah, I know, . . . . an agent wants to hear us.)

With 12 minutes between half-hour sets, should I assume we ALL go DI. They provide mics and monitors? Drums? Mix sound on the fly?

This is normally a "metal" room, although I suspect at least a couple of the other seven bands will play other genres.

This could be fun . . . or a train wreck.

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I'm probably telling you stuff you already know but...The last thing you want to do in this situation is to have to depend on an unknown to hear anything but vocals in the monitors, and with a twelve minute throw and go change over, even that may be a crapshoot. Bring amplication for instruments. If you want to make things a bit smoother, have DI's for keyboards and bass already patched into your gear so that all you need is an XLR to their system and your good to go. Let them mic guitars, drums and vocals. Keep the monitors "vocals only" and don't try to muck them up with a bunch of instrumentation just because you can. When I say bring amps, I don't mean to cover the room, I mean as stage monitors. Keep the stage volume as you would (or at least should) when you're rehearsing so that everyone can hear vocals first and instrumentation second. Because here's the deal in a situation like this; unless they're utterly incompetent, if you can deliver a spot on stage performance because everyone is pitch perfect and can hear themselves and each other, it's really hard to screw that up out front. Conversely a train wreck on stage is a really LOUD train wreck out front.

Added: You could also advance a stage plot and bring a few copies with you the day of the show. It shows a level of professionalism on your part and would be appreciated by the crew if they're any kind of professionals themselves.

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I'm probably telling you stuff you already know but...The last thing you want to do in this situation is to have to depend on an unknown to hear anything but vocals in the monitors, and with a twelve minute throw and go change over, even that may be a crapshoot. Bring amplication for instruments. If you want to make things a bit smoother, have DI's for keyboards and bass already patched into your gear so that all you need is an XLR to their system and your good to go. Let them mic guitars, drums and vocals. Keep the monitors "vocals only" and don't try to muck them up with a bunch of instrumentation just because you can. When I say bring amps, I don't mean to cover the room, I mean as stage monitors. Keep the stage volume as you would (or at least should) when you're rehearsing so that everyone can hear vocals first and instrumentation second. Because here's the deal in a situation like this; unless they're utterly incompetent, if you can deliver a spot on stage performance because everyone is pitch perfect and can hear themselves and each other, it's really hard to screw that up out front. Conversely a train wreck on stage is a really LOUD train wreck out front.

Added: You could also advance a stage plot and bring a few copies with you the day of the show. It shows a level of professionalism on your part and would be appreciated by the crew if they're any kind of professionals themselves.

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What's the other option?
Set-up your own PA?
If it's not a powered mixer type set-up (which it looks like a decent board and some subs),
I would go for it.

On the other hand if an agent (that is credible) is ACTUALLY coming out to hear the band I would go to any extreme to put yourself in a controlled environment to look, sound, and perform your best. This automatically omits any battle of the bands scenario. Rent a room to showcase.

example :
if Megan Fox wanted to go on a date I wouldn't take her to my buddy's bail hearing.
That's what you're doing.

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What's the other option?
Set-up your own PA?
If it's not a powered mixer type set-up (which it looks like a decent board and some subs),
I would go for it.

On the other hand if an agent (that is credible) is ACTUALLY coming out to hear the band I would go to any extreme to put yourself in a controlled environment to look, sound, and perform your best. This automatically omits any battle of the bands scenario. Rent a room to showcase.

example :
if Megan Fox wanted to go on a date I wouldn't take her to my buddy's bail hearing.
That's what you're doing.

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The agent set this up . . . . Don't know what that says about his creds, if anything.

I tried calling the venue, but got no answer so far. They're under new management, so I don't know what they'll be able to tell me.

I'm not asking for advice . . . . more like shared experiences with this kind of format/setup. I don't know what choices we'll have, if any.

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The agent set this up . . . . Don't know what that says about his creds, if anything.

I tried calling the venue, but got no answer so far. They're under new management, so I don't know what they'll be able to tell me.

I'm not asking for advice . . . . more like shared experiences with this kind of format/setup. I don't know what choices we'll have, if any.

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The less you can put through the PA the better. An unknown house PA with an unknown soundman with 12 min changeover? I'd take as much out of their hands as possible.

But you need to get a bit more info. How much individual stage gear are they allowing? Is every band sharing a drum set and guitar amps? Or do you get to bring your own backline?

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The less you can put through the PA the better. An unknown house PA with an unknown soundman with 12 min changeover? I'd take as much out of their hands as possible.

But you need to get a bit more info. How much individual stage gear are they allowing? Is every band sharing a drum set and guitar amps? Or do you get to bring your own backline?

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Quote Originally Posted by SeniorBlues View Post
Did you all check out the speakers in the photo? They look like they're set up to handle the whole band, and reviews written up on the venue suggest they're used that way.

I'll try to call them again . . . .
Looks like a pretty serious setup. Odds are pretty good that they are going to call the shots and you won't really have too many options on how you can set up or are miced. Personally, I wouldn't want to run my keys DI and rely on the monitors to hear myself for 1/2 hour set with a 12 min setup. But they SHOULD let you bring your own amp or provide one for you. But they'll almost certainly have a DI set up so you can be heard through the PA.
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Quote Originally Posted by SeniorBlues View Post
Did you all check out the speakers in the photo? They look like they're set up to handle the whole band, and reviews written up on the venue suggest they're used that way.

I'll try to call them again . . . .
Looks like a pretty serious setup. Odds are pretty good that they are going to call the shots and you won't really have too many options on how you can set up or are miced. Personally, I wouldn't want to run my keys DI and rely on the monitors to hear myself for 1/2 hour set with a 12 min setup. But they SHOULD let you bring your own amp or provide one for you. But they'll almost certainly have a DI set up so you can be heard through the PA.
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Just talked to an employee. I may try to talk to the sound man this evening . . .

We have 15 minutes to set up. They provide mics, stands and eight monitors, but not drums or amps.

We're all expected to arrive early because the performance order won't be determined until just before start time.

Sharing drums is fairly common in these cases, isn't it?

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Just talked to an employee. I may try to talk to the sound man this evening . . .

We have 15 minutes to set up. They provide mics, stands and eight monitors, but not drums or amps.

We're all expected to arrive early because the performance order won't be determined until just before start time.

Sharing drums is fairly common in these cases, isn't it?

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Quote Originally Posted by SeniorBlues View Post
Just talked to an employee. I may try to talk to the sound man this evening . . .

We have 15 minutes to set up. They provide mics, stands and eight monitors, but not drums or amps.

We're all expected to arrive early because the performance order won't be determined until just before start time.

Sharing drums is fairly common in these cases, isn't it?
In my experience, yes, but I haven't done or attended a lot of these things. 15 minutes isn't a lot of time to switch over drum kits, but that's not YOUR problem... icon_lol.gif
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Quote Originally Posted by SeniorBlues View Post
Just talked to an employee. I may try to talk to the sound man this evening . . .

We have 15 minutes to set up. They provide mics, stands and eight monitors, but not drums or amps.

We're all expected to arrive early because the performance order won't be determined until just before start time.

Sharing drums is fairly common in these cases, isn't it?
In my experience, yes, but I haven't done or attended a lot of these things. 15 minutes isn't a lot of time to switch over drum kits, but that's not YOUR problem... icon_lol.gif
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Pfft... fifteen minutes to set up? Piece of cake. redface.gif

Trevcda knows what he is talking about. Run guitar and bass through amps at moderate volume, positioned and set so they can be heard well onstage but NOT too loud. DI the keys. Keep the monitors just vocals and keys. Put the bass amp in a spot where the drummer can hear it. In general, keep your amps further back on the stage so everyone, especially the drummer, hears the amps clearly and not a lot of reflections.

It's pretty common to share drums for something like this, but you shouldn't worry. Your drummer, if there is ANY way it is physically possible, needs to have everything already set up, off stage, before your setup time even starts. That way drum setup should take about five minutes.

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Pfft... fifteen minutes to set up? Piece of cake. redface.gif

Trevcda knows what he is talking about. Run guitar and bass through amps at moderate volume, positioned and set so they can be heard well onstage but NOT too loud. DI the keys. Keep the monitors just vocals and keys. Put the bass amp in a spot where the drummer can hear it. In general, keep your amps further back on the stage so everyone, especially the drummer, hears the amps clearly and not a lot of reflections.

It's pretty common to share drums for something like this, but you shouldn't worry. Your drummer, if there is ANY way it is physically possible, needs to have everything already set up, off stage, before your setup time even starts. That way drum setup should take about five minutes.

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Being EXPECTED to share drums in these cases is pretty common.
being willing to do so is less common, IME.

Having someone willing to have their kit shared, and having that kit being an actual useable/viable option even less so.


Prepare for the worst, hope for better.

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Being EXPECTED to share drums in these cases is pretty common.
being willing to do so is less common, IME.

Having someone willing to have their kit shared, and having that kit being an actual useable/viable option even less so.


Prepare for the worst, hope for better.

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Quote Originally Posted by SeniorBlues View Post
Appreciate all the reassuring responses . . . seriously.

I'm not used to playing keys DI. Why keys, but not guitar? (this is sweet soul music, remember. Not R&R.)
Oh, you use an amp? Then amp away! Vocals-only in the monitors is generally ideal for these kinda rushed no-soundcheck situations.
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Quote Originally Posted by SeniorBlues View Post
Appreciate all the reassuring responses . . . seriously.

I'm not used to playing keys DI. Why keys, but not guitar? (this is sweet soul music, remember. Not R&R.)
Oh, you use an amp? Then amp away! Vocals-only in the monitors is generally ideal for these kinda rushed no-soundcheck situations.
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