Members agedhorse Posted June 15, 2009 Members Share Posted June 15, 2009 How much time we allot versus how much time it takes are completely different. For the shows I do now, generally we are allotted all the time we want (within reason), so we may show up at 2pm for an 8pm show, get set up in easily within an hour, go get a cup of coffee and a snack, come back and read a magazine while the band is getting situated, then mic up the band, fine tune wedges, do a quick line check, hopefully a quick sound check, then dinner. Setting up the system takes almost no time for a small system if everything is where it needs to be. I have set up a 16 channel Crest XR-20 based system w/ 4 monitor mixes in 15 minutes (not counting setting mics, since we always wait until the band arrives and we get the real rider)m but our stuff is packaged to save time and hassle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted June 15, 2009 Author Members Share Posted June 15, 2009 No more looking at little numbers! Good idea! Probably only save a minute or two but certainly save a lot of squinting and these eyes ain't gettin' any younger ! I'm gonna be re-doing my mixer to FOH rack "snake" this week and sounds like it would help there too - thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted June 15, 2009 Author Members Share Posted June 15, 2009 I do a line check on all the mics as I set them up to confirm function and channel assignment.I ain't quite figured out how to do that single handed . Thanks to all, this is turning into a great thread ! I'm both trying to push the boundaries as to what a one-not-so-young-anymore-man operation can handle and perhaps transisioning into a BE relationship with a 6 piece band of guys my age running a combination of my and their gear. At least I'm gettin' a hell of a physical workout - been sittin' on the couch playing the market too much for sure ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fireax Posted June 15, 2009 Members Share Posted June 15, 2009 I come to believe that sound checks are 90% a waste of time with local acts. The part about going through individual mics anyway... since *that* part of the soundcheck is problematic: 1) Generally the band has no organized sound check system... which isn't much of a problem if the soundperson has an organized system & a talk-back mic and can call the shots, but rounding up the members of the band and getting them to stop noodling around is a problem. 2) Generally when doing individual mic levels, the members of the band don't play or sing in the manner they do when the whole band's playing. 3) Generally there's just enough of an audience in attendance to make the situation awkward, resulting in a case of stage fright. I think this is part of the reason for all the noodling around since noodling obviously isn't any sort of performance. 4) Usually the bands don't know what they want in their monitor mixes, other than everything louder than everything else. I guess we are pretty lucky here. As I mentioned before, I and another dad run the sound for our son's. We have them trained. When we say "soundcheck" everything goes quiet, and we run through the drill. We do the drums first. Run the levels first, then do the individual drums. Then, I run them through the mains to balance. Next the guitars, and then vocals. Then I do a quick balance through the mains to hear if everything sounds great. Next the monitors. I give each of them (4 members) exactly what they want through their individual monitors. Drummer gets everyone, except for his drums. Bass player gets only his Bass and vocals. Lead guitarist gets only his guitar and vocals. Lead vocalist/guitarist get's only his guitar and vocals. then We'll do one song, and gig volume, and I'll boost or lower monitors to taste, and we are ready to go. As far as stage fright, not an issue anymore. During the soundchecks, we usually have a number of teenage girls coming by to check out the "boys" I think they thrive on it. I have to admit, I purchased a Soundcraft mixer about a month and a half ago, and it has the talk back mic. I absolutely love it, and so do the guys up front. I don't have to yell, and because I can run it through auxes 1&2 or 3&4, or all 4, I can talk to just who I want to. Also, during the gig, if the guys forget something....announce the band, mention the website, don't forget the introductions, etc. I can whisper it into the talk back, and they'll hear it, and the audience won't. www.myspace.com/southpawkings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted June 15, 2009 Members Share Posted June 15, 2009 Any board has a talkback feature... use a spare channel and route to monitors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fireax Posted June 15, 2009 Members Share Posted June 15, 2009 Any board has a talkback feature... use a spare channel and route to monitors. See, this is why this forum is so great.I didn't know that.I used to use a A&H mix wizard. thanks again everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Imwithpepe Posted June 15, 2009 Members Share Posted June 15, 2009 Most of the gigs I do these days are on house systems for 500 - 1200 people. If I am building the monitor rig, I get there about an hour before the band so I can run NL4, place wedges, wire in the eq and amp rack, and ring out the monitors. Usually 4 - 5 mixes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members KF650SB1000 Posted June 15, 2009 Members Share Posted June 15, 2009 We cut our set-up time buy pre-wiring the racks and effects. We also run a couple drop snakes around the stage. Our biggest time save was setting our FOH rack up on a W3 connector. We have a 01v96 + 1 Mic pre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unalaska Posted June 15, 2009 Members Share Posted June 15, 2009 Being organized is key. I prefer 2hours with 1 hour at least before the band arrives. I'm on my way to a private gig where I'll be in at 2:30, band at 4, soundchech @ 5, band plays 7-10. For club gigs I like to be there as late as possible since I hate club gigs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted June 15, 2009 Members Share Posted June 15, 2009 4) Usually the bands don't know what they want in their monitor mixes, other than everything louder than everything else. This sums up almost every monitor check I've ever done, or been a part off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted June 15, 2009 Author Members Share Posted June 15, 2009 Actually these guys are a real hoot monitor wise. Keyboardist has no amp so they run stereo crossfills as monitors with one or two floor monitors on the front line and all six have vocal mics . So far they are happy with just the one stereo monitor mix so I guess it could be worse . Oh, and thankfully the keyboardist doesn't carry his B3 + 147 anymore . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members W. M. Hellinger Posted June 15, 2009 Members Share Posted June 15, 2009 I ain't quite figured out how to do that single handed . You just need longer arms. Seriously though, it's fairly difficult to line check by yourself... but this is one aspect of set-up that's generally pretty easy to find a suitably qualified improptu helper to help with. I have used the speaker output on my phase checker to do this (mic laying on the stage next to the phase checker send unit) when I absolutely couldn't round up a helper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hamsack Posted June 15, 2009 Members Share Posted June 15, 2009 Actually these guys are a real hoot monitor wise. Keyboardist has no amp so they run stereo crossfills as monitors with one or two floor monitors on the front line and all six have vocal mics . So far they are happy with just the one stereo monitor mix so I guess it could be worse . Oh, and thankfully the keyboardist doesn't carry his B3 + 147 anymore . Same with both the bands I mix for. 1 mix and all they want is vocals and a lil guitar. Easy enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gomer Pyle Posted June 16, 2009 Members Share Posted June 16, 2009 I find the B3 and 147 an easy beast to mic as long as I don't have to move them. This August I'll have a B3 and an A-100 and two 147s between two of the three bands at the Bushkill Blues Feast. The A-100 guy was there last year and he is an incredible player. I run my system in mono so one 57 for the top and one for the bottom rotor works great. When in my studio I use an RE20 on the lower rotor and two 57s at 90 degrees apart for the top in stereo, Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted June 16, 2009 Author Members Share Posted June 16, 2009 Same with both the bands I mix for. 1 mix and all they want is vocals and a lil guitar. Easy enough.This is one STEREO monitor mix, keyboards in stereo (he has no amp), 6 vocals centered, some kick centered, some left guitar in right monitor mix and some right guitar in left monitor mix. Not a big deal but a little "different" . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unalaska Posted June 16, 2009 Members Share Posted June 16, 2009 One advantage of digital boards is you can see all of the prefade input signals at once: it's not a true line check but it's damn close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted June 16, 2009 Author Members Share Posted June 16, 2009 One advantage of digital boards is you can see all of the prefade input signals at once: it's not a true line check but it's damn close.I actually found a Behringer digital board that was unused for cheap money and it has a full LED meter bridge . IMO way better than a Yamaha Promix 01 but not as good as an 01V96 except for the LED meter bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unalaska Posted June 17, 2009 Members Share Posted June 17, 2009 You're really taking a chance everytime you use that board. I hope it doesn't crap out at a bad time, I'd hate to be in your shoes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted June 17, 2009 Author Members Share Posted June 17, 2009 You're really taking a chance everytime you use that board. I hope it doesn't crap out at a bad time, I'd hate to be in your shoes.Can't stop hatin' on Behringer ? Yah, maybe an LS9 some day or a pair of PreSonus linked? In the mean time gotta carry a spare - but I guess you should no matter what board you run? I should certainly get a UPS for it so it is less likely to reboot . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unalaska Posted June 17, 2009 Members Share Posted June 17, 2009 It's just that the mixer is a big failure point and one that would take the most effort to patch around. I've been using an old skool 01V now for 6 year and it was 5 years old when I bought it. I keep it in good shape and can rely on it. The behringer really does have some good features to it. I like to PFL LED ladders next to each channel, the layout is nice too. Having a full 32 channels made me want a yamaha that does the same. Then Yamaha released the 01V96 and while I still want that board I have more important priorities, need a new van, more amps, a few DBX comps, cabling, trussing, on and on and on... Point is, I'd rather have less features and know it will work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Musicman717 Posted November 19, 2010 Members Share Posted November 19, 2010 The time it takes me is about like everyone else in the discussion , it takes me about 2 hours if i dont run lights, and if i do ,it takes me about 2 hours 15 mins or 2 hours 30 mins. and i am also a one man crew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Axisplayer Posted November 19, 2010 Members Share Posted November 19, 2010 Well, I will again be the odd man out. My rig is totally organized. Every rack has a custom I/O panel. 4 conductor speaker cable. 32/8 150' snake. Digital console with everything in one rack and pre-wired and connected. No monitors to ring out (we are on IEM.) No mic stands or cables because we are wireless for everything except for drums. Every cable/twistlock/DI/mic/etc has an exact place in the boxes and it never deviates. No soundcheck ever because all shows have been saved to the console. Any changes happen during the pre-show music (running Spectrafoo.) So....I get there 4-5 hours before shows, whether they be bars, country clubs, hotels or parties. I do a one man setup other than a minor bit of help from the drummer who gets there early with me. He helps lift the big things since I am now a geezer. PA takes about 1.5 hours mainly due to wireless setup. I run RFGuru at home to identify the frequencies, but you never know until you get there and try them all. We need 12 channels free at every show which isn't always easy. Setup PA, dial in frequencies and spend a while monitoring them for interference. The rest of the time is spent flying truss, hanging scanners, lasers, etc. Usually about 2.5 hours on lighting and 1.5 hours on PA is right. Even for a 4 hour club show I have a 9 hour day (4 setup, 4 show, 1 load out.) The entire band helps with load out so it happens fairly quickly, but I don't trust them to get it right pre-show and I hate chasing issues so I choose to do it alone. PS: This is the month for the snake to go multi-pin. I bought the plugs, crimpers, etc. and have set aside about 2 weeks this month to get everything converted over (FOH snake and 4 sub snakes.... and this is NOT my day job.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jhana Posted November 19, 2010 Members Share Posted November 19, 2010 I'm running solo with powered mains and subs, 4 wedges, 2 sticks with lights, and an LS9 (thank god for digital) I usually show up at about 6:15, unload in 10-15 minutes, and have everything more or less ready for the band by about 8:15 when they start trickling in. and (assume they are there in time) I can start micing the drums and get a soundcheck song in at 9. (onstage at 9:30 or 10) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted November 19, 2010 Members Share Posted November 19, 2010 Did a show a couple of days ago where we loaded in the day before, ran audio tests between a remote location (7,000 miles away) and us, verified that all clients were happy and left for dinner and sleep. Call time the next morning was 6:30am, our 20 minute segment was at 10am, done but had to wait around for 3 hours until show break before we could load out our stuff. Fortunately they insisted that we have a catered lunch so it wasn't all that bad. Everybody loaded out and flew home (except lucky me, a 5 minute drive). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1tribe Posted November 19, 2010 Members Share Posted November 19, 2010 Outside of our band when I do the sound system provider gig, I usually only get 2 hours. Several weeks back, wedding gig with live band. fairly large band too with 5 Vox, 3 horns and full band. 16 channels all in use. The doors opened 2 hours before showtime. I really hate that! I would prefer 3 hours if I can get it. More if possible, like set up and go for a bite or a starbucks green tea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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