Solo and Duo Acts

[Dr.Tom]

We've always played together as a band ;now we're going out as an acoustic trio, once we have all of our material put together. I don't want to spend any more money on a rig and would like to use what I have until I can justify an upgrade.

2 male and one female members; the 2 guys play acoustic guitar(guitar synth added for a few songs)and female member plays harmonica and flute. 1 male and female lead voices and second male backup only(that's me).We will play small venues at first. Here's what I'm planning on using:

2 Peavey 115H PA Speakers

Mackie ProFX 12 mixer

2 Genz Benz CPK-10 acoustic guitar amps

1 Genz benz Shen 150LT acoustic guitar amp

Shure SM-58,SM-57 and Beta-87 mic's

I plan on using one of the amps from the Genz benz CPK-10's as the power amp for the PA. I haven't tested this yet to see if it has the power to do this but hopefully that will work so that I don't have to buy another power amp. If it does work we can use the empty speaker cab as a monitor. I'll probably still mic the guitar amps and send them thru the PA.

Has any one else had to do with what they had in their possession? Thank you.

Tom

[Telecruiser]

2- JBL PRX612's

Yamaha MG 124FX Mixer

Fishman Aura Spectrum

TC G Natural

Sennheiser 945

[Piano Whore]

So far:

QSC K10 (going to add another soon)
Behrenger 502 and 802 mixers
Radial JDI Duplex
SM58s
Yamaha P120 piano
Alesis Nanoverb
Hohner Chromonica, Blues Band harps, custom bullet mic

@ Telecruiser, how are you liking those PRX612's? I almost went that route.

[Dr.Tom]

Telecruiser & Piano Whore,

Thank you for sharing your rigs. I see that you both have 1000W amps in your active speakers. I wonder if I'm going to have enough power/headroom with my 300W amp. I guess I'll have to set it up and try it out. How are you liking your speaker choices?

Regards,

Tom

[tlbonehead]

for my solo shows I use...

Crate CMX53FX mixer

pair of M-Audio GSR12 powered cabs

1 or 2 Proel FLASH15SA powered subs

M-Audio GSR10 powered cab for monitor

TC Helicon VSM300 powered personal monitor

Vox Tonelab LE direct for electric guitar tones (I use various hybrid guitars part of the time)

Digitech Jamman, mainly for stored song tracks

a couple different drum boxes.

and a bit of lighting obviously.

[Graeca]

---

Dr.Tom wrote:

We've always played together as a band ;now we're going out as an acoustic trio, once we have all of our material put together. I don't want to spend any more money on a rig and would like to use what I have until I can justify an upgrade.

2 male and one female members; the 2 guys play acoustic guitar(guitar synth added for a few songs)and female member plays harmonica and flute. 1 male and female lead voices and second male backup only(that's me).We will play small venues at first. Here's what I'm planning on using:

2 Peavey 115H PA Speakers

Mackie ProFX 12 mixer

2 Genz Benz acoustic guitar amps

1 Genz benz Shen 150LT acoustic guitar amp

Shure SM-58,SM-57 and Beta-87 mic's

I plan on using one of the amps from the Genz benz CPK-10's as the power amp for the PA. I haven't tested this yet to see if it has the power to do this but hopefully that will work so that I don't have to buy another power amp. If it does work we can use the empty speaker cab as a monitor. I'll probably still mic the guitar amps and send them thru the PA.

Has any one else had to do with what they had in their possession? Thank you.

Tom

---

Don't know how well using the amp of the Genz-Benz will work, what I'd do is borrow a small power amp, plug the instruments directly into the mixer and use one or both  CPK-10s as monitors...then, as soon as you can afford it, buy a good power amp with at least 400 watts and a couple powered monitors...plenty of PA for most acoustic gigs. Your mics are fine, your PA cabs (on stands) will do nicely.

My PA is a Carvin PA1200 (12 channels, 3 X 333 watts), a pair of Carvin LM12s, a powered subwoofer, a pair of hot-spot-type monitors (for bassist and self) and a pair of floor wedge monitors (for percussionist)...if a solo gig, I just bring the hot spots, and leave the wedges and sub home. Mics are Shure 58s (voices) and 57s (percussion).

Travel light!

[Louis Schwartz]

PA for solo, duo, trio acoustic gigs:

Mixer:  ZED10FX

Powered speakers:   RCF 310a (1 or a pair, depending on the gig)

Mics:  Heil PR35, PR22, SM57

My two guitars plug into a Radial PZ-Pre, with a T.C. Electronics Flashback Delay in the effects loop.  I go from the post-EQ XLR out to the ZED.

In my duo, I play with a hand percussionist who usually goes without amplification or he uses an SM57 and goes into the ZED.

In my trio, a second guitarist goes via a passive DI into the ZED.  He uses the PR22 for vocals.  If necessary, I run the percusionist's mic into a Mackie 402 VLZ3, so he can go through the ZED as well.

We don't usually need monitors in the places we play, but when we do, I either run one of the RCFs from the aux out of the ZED or, if I need both speakers for FOH, I use my Genz Benz ProLT instead.  I also have a little Kustom PA50 that works OK if space is tight.

I'm on the verge of investing in another pair of 310a's and a bigger board for my larger band, so I assume that one of the speakers and the mixer will do double duty with the smaller ensembles for monitoring and to solve the slight shortage of inputs problem.  Mostly, though, just one 310a and the ZED works fine for most of our gigs.

Louis

[Piano Whore]

@Dr. Tom, I don't actually have the K10 yet, will take delivery soon. Some owners have said that they get the most out of their K10 with an additional preamp/mixer and the cheap, Behringer Xenox line is said to work well for that- they do have alot of gain compared to the Yamaha MG series or about anything else. My solo or duo gigs are usually of the wallpaper variety- no backing tracks or drums of any kind- so my needs for that are fairly modest. 

[Howie22]

Yamaha EMX512 powered mixer

Yorkville NX35's mains (1 or 2 depending on gig)

RCF Art310A monitor

Shure SM58

Looking to seriously upgrade this year. Need more power and more channels for my trio. I'll be going with an unpowered board and then will either get a bigger amp for the Yorkville's or upgrade to RCF Art312s for mains. A sub may come later.

[moogerfooger]

alesis multi mix 12r, midiverb 4,  AT M2 inear monitor system,  JBL eon 15s.  I have 8 tops and 8 subs. i set up as many as needed for the venue.  my rack also has a 8 channel splitter for when FOH PA is provided. 

[rodclement]

Here we go...

Soudcraft Efx8 mixer

2 x RCF 312a powered spekear

2 x Behringer Eurolive F1320D Powered Stage Monitor ( we used 2 RCF 310a before, untill someone dumped a beer in one, so we set them aside, and started using these Behringer ones, tell you what, they work fine for this application)

Shure SM87a ULX digital wireless microphone for me, and a wired Beta 58 for my partner

I use a mic mechanic pedal for my microphone, Kenny goes direct into the board.

His guitar goes into a di and into the board.

That's about it!

Rod

[Steven S]

2 Yorkville Ls608

Qsc plx3002

2 Qsc k10

Mackie mixer vlz1402

Lexicon reverb

Dbx compressor

Dbx crossover  (at 100Hz)

Akg c535eb mics

Yamaha Mox8 keyboard

/Steven

[Telecruiser]

I love the PRX's

As far as the 1000W rating, that is more of a marketing ploy. The PRX's have two amps at 500W each. The trick is that the speakers are 2 ohms. This mean the low freq drive if an 8 ohm speaker it would only require about 125 watts to do the same thing. The second amp is for the high freq driver which is probably limited to 25-30 watts max. No HF driver that I know of will handle 500W's but I could be wrong.

BTW, I have a set of 512's and you can't tell the difference and they are rated at 500W (250 LF-250 HF)

[Shaster]

---

Dr.Tom wrote:

We've always played together as a band ;now we're going out as an acoustic trio, once we have all of our material put together. I don't want to spend any more money on a rig and would like to use what I have until I can justify an upgrade. 

I plan on using one of the amps from the Genz benz CPK-10's as the power amp for the PA. I haven't tested this yet to see if it has the power to do this but hopefully that will work so that I don't have to buy another power amp. If it does work we can use the empty speaker cab as a monitor. I'll probably still mic the guitar amps and send them thru the PA.

Has any one else had to do with what they had in their possession? Thank you.

Tom

---

One thing to remember is that you want to make things reasonably okay right from the start.  If you use a system that is hard to manage, the response from buyers might be less than stellar - and thus there's little chance of success.

I would be tempted to use the right tool for the job, however you could always talk to Genz Benz.  Actually agedhorse (on the live sound forum) might have designed one of those amps, I can't remember. You could always PM him.

My opinion is to get an inexpensive yet durable power amp like Peavey, or a lower end QSC and do it right.

BTW I often use anything from one eight inch speaker (Yorkville NX84) and a tiny powered head (Yorkville M8) to two Yorkville elite e210's, a five hundred watt head and one Yorkville NX720 sub. That's as loud as I've ever needed to be as a solo.  I've never used my Yorkville Unity U15's and LS608's.... Although I see somebody here does use their LS608's.  Now that sounds like  a rockin' solo or duo!

[nousername]

Alto Truesonic TS110A (monitor) and TS112A (main)

Generic mic splitter

TC Helicon Harmony G-XT

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/48964107/Photo%20Mar%2002%2C%208%2046%2005%20AM.jpg

It works very well for our acoustic duo. Plenty of volume for restaurants and wineries. I'd like to add a small mixer to better facilitate level adjustments from my position and not have to move.

[Sick boy78]

I'm still using this older system. Mackie 808s powered mixer, 2 mackie c300s for mains, and one peavey pr10 for monitor. I run a tc helicon voice create for my vocals. Two acoustic guitars to the board, and a 16" bass drum, that's it. If its a small place ill bring one speaker for mains.

I'm still happy running passive speakers and using this mixer. I think if I ever upgrade to powered speakers I'd still keep the powered mixer for monitors. I'd love to add a small active sub for my bass drum at some point though!

[Bobby1Note]

I generally use one or two Yorkville NX55P's for FOH

an AER Compact 60/2 acoustic combo-amp as a monitor

mixer; Soundcraft EFX-8, or a Soundcraft Notepad 124FX (just bought an MFXi-8 too,,, great board)

Sennheiser e945, or e935 (or both) and I always bring a few extra SM-58's and N'D767a's.

one or two Lumi-Pro 4-head LED light-stands, with LEDRain wash-lights, with MiracLED dance-floor light.

[Steve Flash]

I am using an EV 767a , into a Soundcraft Notepad 124fx mixer and a pair of EV ZXA-1 speakers.

Guitars are Takamine, Ovation, or Godin A-6 Ultra into a pedaltrain board with Para Acoustic DI, Korg DT10 tuner, Digitech Jamman looper, Digitech VL2 harmonizer.

For the electric side of the Godin, I run through a volume pedal, to a Fulltone Fulldrive2 and Boss DD5 delay.

I recently aquired an IPad, and am learning to incorporate it into the setup

.I also have a Yamaha emx 512 and JBL Mrx 512's for larger gigs.

Steve

[Dr.Tom]

I want to thank every one for there advice and sharing there rigs.

I have decided to bite the bullet and purchase a QSC GX7 amp so that I have some additional power for the speakers.

As additional info I use use aTakamine TAN 15C and my partner uses my Takamine EF360SC. I also use a ztar S6 guitar synth driving a Yamaha ES sound Module. One or 2 songs, I play my les Paul Custom;small pedal board with Empress Super Delay(VM),AnalogMan Chorus,Pigtronix Tremvelope & AnalogMan BiComp.

Tom

[Dr.Tom]

Sick boy78,

I had a Mackie 808s powered mixer and it was one of the best  powered mixers I ever had . I really liked the effects as well. I can see why you stay with that sysytem.

Tom