playing outdoors

[Amado]

orig by mrKnobs We just have to wait until a few more of these things pop up in the clubs, and then all will be clear; a statement I suspect you'll agree with.

 

I will indeed. This really is a fun time, despite the times when ppl get grumpy and/or rude to each other ( guilty! ). And the times when ppl think someone-or-another is full of BS.

 

Does this new approach work? Is it too expensive? Will it last? What are it's advantages? Disadvantages? If it lasts, what will it mean for bar bands/sound professionals/audiences/major touring acts/churches/bars? It will take a lot of listening, testing, and debate before the final verdicts shake out.

 

Unfortunately, I have no hard data to report from Friday's gig. It turned out to be more a test of the gear's weather-worthiness than it's sound-projection ability. We started at 6:05 ish (late, and my fault, too... I hate that), and played until the on-and-off rain sprinkles turned into a steady light shower at around 7:10 ish. We covered up with whatever tarps and rainjackets we had, and hoped it would clear up, but at 7:45 the event organizers gave us our check and sent us home. Loading out in the rain is a DRAG.

 

When I got home, I took the gear out of the truck and gave it a quick dry-off, and let it sit out in the garage overnight. It wouldn't do for my cables to rust, my keyboard to suffer MORE water damage, my cases and gig bags to get musty. I bagged it all back up on Saturday and put it away.

 

The Bose gear, along with everything else, got pretty damp... some of it downright wet. Fortunately nothing quite got soaked. I'll report if any rain-related problems come up.

 

For the while that we did play, it was fun... here's where we wound up:

 

 

...by Vernon, facing East, with just 800 feet between us and the railroad tracks. The person in charge was somewhere down the street, but I don't know how far down, and she said we sounded, in her words, "great." Our audience (just starting to get thick by the time the rain shut us down) occupied the area at least 150 feet or so in front of us, and nobody seemed to be unable to hear us well...

 

...No hard data, and nothing exceptional to report this time. Just the normal benefits we usually get when we use the Bose gear, such allegedly "bold claims" as are well documented elsewhere. This, at least, can be said: the stuff worked, it certainly was enough PA for the the job. For what that's worth.

 

Yours,

Amado

[Amado]

 

Originally posted by RickJ Stop this stuff, man. At the very least you should bone up on sound systems before you post. You obviously have no idea what it requires to provide a concert sound system in the real world. You post, yet you've never looked at the forum title: Live Sound & Production. People who make their living doing sound post in this forum. Do you think we're idiots? (...snip...) To Bose's credit, they post no numbers. They simply give their supposed high-end systems to carefully screened, locally popular gigging cover bands who may have shown an interest in a new sound system at Guitar Center (databases are cheap nowadays) -- and turn them loose on the internet. Evangelists are a dime a dozen these days, and I for one will thank you and the others to stop spamming this once-unbaiased and informative site. The subject line of this thread, for example, is pure deception. I have no doubts that Bose people are telling you how to respond to the "nay-sayers" in forums all over the net. Why not take it to the de facto pro standard for discussion forums about sound: Pro Sound Web's Live Audio Board?

 

 

Okay, posted my last one before I saw this one. One at a time, then...

 

If you wish me to stop, I will, with this post, and leave the informed commentary to those more qualified. Perhaps J the D. Yes, I do NOT make my living in sound reinforcement... but I do have SOME idea of the challenges we faced as musos when we were using a small "conventional" PA system. But no, I do not think you're all idiots.

 

I'd never set foot into a Guitar Center. Bose didn't come to me... I heard about a program called the "Sound Alive" program from Bose, assumed they were getting into live sound in some way/shape/form and, always interested in a promotional opportunity for my little bar band, gave it a shot, filled out the on-line form. I went to them, and got (in my opinion) damn lucky. Same difference, though.

 

They have NOT "turned me loose on the Internet," they've not given me any directives to post publically about my experiences, there are no conditions of my arrangement with Bose that give me any advantage for coming here and telling you how much I like the new gear. And they are certainly NOT coaching me on how to respond. They said, "if anyone asks, tell them honestly what you think."

 

I meant no deception with the title of this thread... it was an ERROR, and when it was pointed out to me that I should make the title more specific, I tried to change it. It didn't work 100% - I can't figure out how to get to wherever I need to go to do that.

 

I don't feel that your vitriol is warranted, but be that as it may. I had no wish to SPAM... I had hoped the professional sound community would be interested in the testimony of a working musician. Maybe I was wrong.

 

Okay, well, see ya when I see ya.

 

Yours,

Amado

the Syndicators

amado@syndicators-blues-band.com

[Scodiddly]

Stick around, Amado... I like hearing both sides of the argument!

[DaBender]

It's ok, amado. People with vested interest are loathe to admit the possibility that the times may be a'changin'. For example, I'm a computer programmer, and I'd laugh if you suggested that self-programming computers were being developed; but there would probably be some truth in your statement. I find it interesting that the following comment was made in a recent post at ProSoundWeb and hasn't been challenged = "Honestly most of the PA gear that's out there is WAY over kill.". Yes, I understand that there are lots of situations that require lots of gear to do the job; but there are certainly lots and lots of gigs that can be covered much more lightly. In fact, it's becoming obvious that guitarists in blues bands can fill most rooms they play in with an un-mic'd 15 watt amp, and many are doing just that.

[rickkreuzer]

Sure times are changing. New technology is on the horizon. Personally, I've been so thoroughly disgusted with the Bose brand that I'd be real skeptical of this new system. Perhaps it's my turn to realize that this ain't my father's Buick either. Bose is a large company with lots of ad bucks and huge R&D as well.

 

I want to see them personally because I've been hearing lots of buzz about them. My problem is that in the greater Phoenix area, the only band that plays with them only does Private shows!! How silly is that, Bose? Then you to to any GC and try to get someone who knows anything about anything....

 

So, if anyone knows of a group in Phoenix using one of those, I'd be quite interested. I'd like to eat crow and find something better.

[Craig Vecchione]

 

Originally posted by DaBender In fact, it's becoming obvious that guitarists in blues bands can fill most rooms they play in with an un-mic'd 15 watt amp, and many are doing just that.

 

 

It's always been obvious to SR folks. Amp design has long since surpassed the need to have high stage volume because the PA was 4-10's.

 

The "I gotta have a full stack" mentality was born and bred by amp manufacturers and the bands they sponsored by providing free gear and marketing the concept heavily.

 

Sound familiar?

[agedhorse]

Big advances in technology, combined with proven concepts that work in conjunction with the laws of physics have the best chances of being sucessful in spite of whatever marketing campaign is proposed!