Members moody Posted July 11, 2008 Members Share Posted July 11, 2008 I've actually (finally) been hired to run sound for a local band for a gig in around two months. I have a small to medium PA but it will suit the needs for this gig and I am sure that I can do a decent job of it. No snake so I'm mixing from side-of-stage. My plan was to set up the speakers, run all the cables across the front and make two stacks of amp rack sleeves at the side with the mixer on the top of one and the eq rack case on the top of the second. Doing a dummy run last night it just doesn't look any good - the stacks are stable but don't look right and I'm trying to figure out how to fix that - all the cases don't match (some black ply, some carpetted, 1 tolexed) and a couple of the amps in them are so old that they just don't look professional. Very rock 'n' roll but that's not really what I'm looking for. I'm after suggestions, this is just for looks - not for changing equipment. Paint jobs on the amps? Make more plywood sleeves to match some of the ones I have? Some sort of curtains draped down the sides? I've got two months to figure this out but not really any money to do anything with. Do I just get a foldup table, put the amps under it and the stuff I'm using on top? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6Imzadi Posted July 11, 2008 Members Share Posted July 11, 2008 Try a picture of the setup you described. That will help to get an idea of what youre talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members moody Posted July 11, 2008 Author Members Share Posted July 11, 2008 Try a picture of the setup you described. That will help to get an idea of what youre talking about. That will have to wait for at least a day, not anywhere near the gear right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members witesol Posted July 11, 2008 Members Share Posted July 11, 2008 probably isn'tr worth too much stress over. At corporate gigs black cloth and visqueen are your friend. Just don't mess with the air flow/cooling. A skirted table can go a long way and the table always good for other things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted July 11, 2008 CMS Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 Do I just get a foldup table, put the amps under it and the stuff I'm using on top? Considering your situation....yep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kevinnem Posted July 11, 2008 Members Share Posted July 11, 2008 black table cloth at wall mart ... 2.50$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members STRAT TOOL Posted July 11, 2008 Members Share Posted July 11, 2008 I'm in the same boat. I have a road case full of amps and EQ under a folding table with the mixer on top. I get paid so little for this gig every wednesday I could care less what it looks like. My PA cranks in this bar and that's all I care about right now. I had to buy 3 mics, 2 speaker stands, 2 mic stands, 2 subs and a crossover just to be able to do this gig. Out of pocket, about $1400 so far. So getting paid $60 a week to do sound at my friends open mic is going to take a while to get my money back. As soon as I get close to even again, I'm going to get a mixer case/rack and a snake from Audiopile and move my mixer in the house where it should be because having the mixer on stage blows. FWIW, I think people that get badass sound from {censored}ty looking gear are way cool. So many dudes out there with brand new shiny stuff that are clueless and sounding awful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6Imzadi Posted July 11, 2008 Members Share Posted July 11, 2008 FWIW, I think people that get badass sound from {censored}ty looking gear are way cool. So many dudes out there with brand new shiny stuff that are clueless and sounding awful. I can't help but to use this in my sig! It reminds me of ME! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members congaron Posted July 11, 2008 Members Share Posted July 11, 2008 I can't help but to use this in my sig! It reminds me of ME! Which one are you? Sorry, couldn't resist...tongue firmly planted in cheek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6Imzadi Posted July 11, 2008 Members Share Posted July 11, 2008 Which one are you? Sorry, couldn't resist...tongue firmly planted in cheek That's funny!! check out my rig here, then you decide for yourself. :poke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members moody Posted July 12, 2008 Author Members Share Posted July 12, 2008 I'll try to see the actual venue in the next week or so, it's not far from my house so I'll try to go there next saturday night when there is an equivelent crowd and band (also, early enough to pull out if it is beyond my capabilities). I gather that it is a large stage in a relatively large room so maybe I can just put everything in the wings?? I'm tossing up between having the mixer accessible to me and having the mixer accessible to the general public because it's accessible to me... (I'm still finishing making the mixer case - part of the design will be being able to put the cover over the faders while still having everything plugged in and running... for set breaks and stuff.) Generally in the past I've put the amps behind the subs and what i've needed on the sub just in front of me - good height, but the band I play with rarely has anything substantial as a stage. I'm going for looks here and the subs will probably be out the front of the stage and I don't really want my stack of amps or mixer there. Sorry, I've just subjected everyone to one of my long, rambling, chain-o-thoughts posts with out any real ending or conclusion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members moody Posted July 12, 2008 Author Members Share Posted July 12, 2008 Try a picture of the setup you described. That will help to get an idea of what youre talking about. Here's a basic pic. The Yamaha amp will go in a 4 unit rack sleeve along with two crossovers, the sleeve for that is identical to the bottom most sleeve, not currently in it as I am working on patch panels. Add to that a mixer case with the same sort of dimensions as a 4 unit sleeve, painted black with an open front and top (has one rack unit + the mixer). It is all functional it just looks downright dodgy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6Imzadi Posted July 12, 2008 Members Share Posted July 12, 2008 Lordy!That's sure a pile. Have you considered just getting a couple of same size rolling racks for the gear that you could set the mixer case on top of?Two racks like this in a 14U size. Patch panels on the back. That would clean up the whole mess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members moody Posted July 12, 2008 Author Members Share Posted July 12, 2008 Lordy!That's sure a pile. Have you considered just getting a couple of same size rolling racks for the gear that you could set the mixer case on top of?Two racks like this in a 14U size. Patch panels on the back. That would clean up the whole mess. I have considered it, I am currently impeded greatly by 3 things. Size, weight and money. Size: Even though they 4 unit amps are massive i can fit them, I don't think I could fit big rolling racks in my van - the 4 unit sleeves fit in places that a big rack would never fit. Weight: I am a single person outfit. I couldn't lift any of the 4 unit amps if they were racked together but I would consider it I I could be guaranteed help at every gig I did. Money: The cost of two big rolling racks is not currently in my budget. It it were however, I could afford to get a pair of smaller, lighter 2 unit amps and not have the current problem. As I get more gigs this problem should be minimized. Smaller amps should be forthcoming along with more professional looking cases to house them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dogoth Posted July 12, 2008 Members Share Posted July 12, 2008 Depending on what the job pays, I personaly wouldn't worry about it. As stated a bit of black dubotine or tablecloth and some gaff will go a long way. Far more important is making sure everything works right. I keep getting promissed a new monitor board and amp racks (to rack up the already owned QSC's). I inheireted sort of a mess and have sworn I'm not going to clean it up till I get new racks. It may look like **** but It does work right every time. period! other than that I just have a long black drape covering the racks (and the coils of slack monitor lines etc) from the public view. It kind of reminds me of the poser who's worried about wearing the proper colored spandex. The question is can he sing? Just do you job well and all will be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members moody Posted July 12, 2008 Author Members Share Posted July 12, 2008 Depending on what the job pays, I personaly wouldn't worry about it. As stated a bit of black dubotine or tablecloth and some gaff will go a long way. Far more important is making sure everything works right.I keep getting promissed a new monitor board and amp racks (to rack up the already owned QSC's). I inheireted sort of a mess and have sworn I'm not going to clean it up till I get new racks. It may look like **** but It does work right every time. period! other than that I just have a long black drape covering the racks (and the coils of slack monitor lines etc) from the public view.It kind of reminds me of the poser who's worried about wearing the proper colored spandex. The question is can he sing? Just do you job well and all will be fine. Being a first job as running sound I have definitely undercharged ($150) where the other people they were looking at hiring were in the $350 range. Everything does work right, if it doesn't I get it fixed or replaced in order of most need, amps are low on the list, patch bays and cables very clearly marked for easy of setup and trouble shooting is the current project. A drop snake is high on my list of priorities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mike M Posted July 12, 2008 Members Share Posted July 12, 2008 As a one man operation doing sound gigs, I carry my amps in "matching" road cases. If all of the cases (are) the same, things would look tidier. Mike M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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