Is your solo gig pedal board bigger than a band?

[Stackabones]

I play solo for the simplicity of the set up -- guitar, mic, PA (sometimes just no electronic gear whatsoever). Yet I read about some solo performers who have effects, loopers, vocal harmonizers, flashing doohickeys, wondrous whatchamacallits. Very elaborate setups.

 

Care to elaborate?

[Telecruiser]

I use a POD HD400 direct into the PA for my Tele and that's it for now. I have a looper at home and a TC VL Touch on the way. Both I would like to slowly incorporate into what I do. I have never been a big pedal guy as I believe the best thing you can put between you guitar and amp is a cord and that's it.

[EightString]

I have an iPad running Ampkit+ for guitar and and a TC Helicon Harmony-G XT for vocals. That's it.

[Stackabones]

 

I have an iPad running Ampkit+ for guitar and and a TC Helicon Harmony-G XT for vocals. That's it.

 

 

What's your backup?

[Howie22]

My "acoustic pedalboard" consists of one 15' guitar cable between my K&K equipped guitar and the mixer.

 

I apply reverb and a little compression at the board.

 

I actually do have a K&K preamp that I can and sometimes do use.

[leftyjay]

line 6 xt live pedal direct to the mixer.

 

i carry a few backup pedals for backup. (tech 21 blonde, tech 21, boost reverb, digitech hardwire delay)

 

even with my xt live, i only have 4 settings. (clean, wet with delay, slightly overdriven, and dirt) dont need much to cover those sounds.

[EightString]

 

What's your backup?

 

 

Same virtual rig running on an iPod touch.

[amx13]

I have a line6 X3 live and a TC Helicon vocalist 2... both are kind of big, but those are well worth the stage space they took

[Stackabones]

When y'all practice (or perform) and your doohickeys aren't available, do you miss them? Does it restrict you from playing your sets in any manner at all?

 

I've been around solo performers who can't seem to get along without their gear when they play without it. They lose something after about the second chorus on each song, which is usually when they need the gear to enhance the performance. This is just an anecdotal observation.

[daddymack]

My "acoustic pedalboard" consists of one 15' guitar cable between my K&K equipped guitar and the mixer. I apply reverb and a little compression at the board. I actually do have a K&K preamp that I can and sometimes do use.

 

I have to agree to a point...if you care about the sound of your instrument, and you are using good gear, then anything that gets between you, your amplification and the audience reduces the natural sound and sucks your tone....so the less cords and less little boxes, the better/more natural you will sound. The other consideration is how do you want to sound? Are you willing to trade off some tone to get chorus, phase, delay, flanging, octave multiplexing, etc.? Same vocally, although I am inclined to think that there are times when being able to sound like more than one person would be , there is still that auditory quality trade-off to consider.

For the duo, I am plugging my Epi Performer or Martin 000CXE straight into my Super Champ XD, and running alternately on the A(clean) channel, with a touch of reverb/delay or on the B channel Acoustisonic setting. I have several outboard delays, but I just need a taste of slapback, and the amp provides this, so...one amp, one cord,...done.

[Telecruiser]

 

When y'all practice (or perform) and your doohickeys aren't available, do you miss them? Does it restrict you from playing your sets in any manner at all? I've been around solo performers who can't seem to get along without their gear when they play without it. They lose something after about the second chorus on each song, which is usually when they need the gear to enhance the performance. This is just an anecdotal observation.

 

 

When I play at home it is just me and my Martin 00016. Effects are cool but I just love the natural sound of a flatop guitar.

 

I have heard guys that leave the chorus on all the time and just strum from one song to the other. Very boring and unimaginitive if you ask me.

[Stackabones]

I have heard guys that leave the chorus on all the time and just strum from one song to the other. Very boring and unimaginitive if you ask me.

 

I heard a guy at gig use a vocal harmonizer (on something like a CSN setting) through every song, verse & chorus & bridge. Only turned it off inbetween songs to talk.

[EightString]

When y'all practice (or perform) and your doohickeys aren't available, do you miss them? Does it restrict you from playing your sets in any manner at all? I've been around solo performers who can't seem to get along without their gear when they play without it. They lose something after about the second chorus on each song, which is usually when they need the gear to enhance the performance. This is just an anecdotal observation.

 

This is what happens at a gig with just me and a Martin.

 

 

 

 

So no, I'm not dependent on my gear.

[Stackabones]

[pikappant82]

I personally love the natural sound. I play a gibson songwriter deluxe (not the cutaway) with the simple LR pickup in it (just a volume control in the sound hole). I run it through a radial JDI and directly into the mixer. My mixer is a sound craft efx 8 and has lexicon fx built into it. i use just a little bit of reverb, occasionally a little delay. but very light on the effects. same with my vocals, sure beta 87c straight into the board, and use the same effects as guitar. no harmonizers, no backing tracks, no modeling, no loops, etc. I like for the audience to feel like they were just sitting around the campfire listening (just projected a little more). But that's my opinion. Everyone is different.

[Dingoist]

I'm only thinking of adding in a fishman aura spectrum blender DI box, otherwise it's guitar, mic, cables, mixer, and powered speaker. The Spectrum DI would reduce the dependency for the microphone on the guitar. Though sometimes for more presence I also add into the mix the UST pickup output from the guitar in with the microphone on the mixer which seems to work (pretty much doing the mix/piezo blend on the fly).

 

I have a TC Helicon VoiceTone Create XT which I have been playing a bit at home but haven't brought out to a gig -- more to round out vocal presence with some extra options but it's not looking like it's going to make it into the gig bag, I haven't really seen the need for it. The jury's still out on that piece.

 

So I'm pretty light weight when it comes to add-ons. I have a yamaha acoustic effects pedal but I pretty much haven't touched it much in years.

[fingerpicker]

Looper and a zoom acoustic effects pedal (A2)

 

I use the looper so i can throw in a lead, and/or some percussion. the a2 is on the same setting until i play a lead. of course i caould do a gig without it but it breaks it up. if you can use more tools to your advantage your staying ahead of the game

[richardmac]

 

When y'all practice (or perform) and your doohickeys aren't available, do you miss them? Does it restrict you from playing your sets in any manner at all? I've been around solo performers who can't seem to get along without their gear when they play without it. They lose something after about the second chorus on each song, which is usually when they need the gear to enhance the performance. This is just an anecdotal observation.

 

 

I think we've all had different experiences with different musicians. I saw a guy open up for Joe Satriani once and it was just him and his guitar. For a couple of songs he used a looper, but not for the whole song. He was very good and very entertaining, but not memorable enough for me to hit the merch table to buy his CD. I've also seen a dude perform solo guitar with a looper and what he basically did was put down a rhythm track and solo over it. For several songs. It was extremely pointless and boring - the only person who wants to hear a five minute guitar solo is the person playing it.

 

I went to one event where they had a guy with his acoustic and after three songs I wanted to leave. He strummed every damn song the same. I am personally of the opinion that backing tracks or no, looper or no, harmonizer or no, you're either good or you're not.

[dcooper830]

I have a pedalboard I put together for my acoustic gigs. I LOVE it!! Looper + effects + volume pedal really opens it up for me and adds lots of color to my sound.

 

But I could easily do a solo gig without it if I had to. I just wouldn't be able to play any leads.

 

Here's a cool demo I did of it:

 

[video=youtube;f7bieh52dhA]

[James Clausen]

For solo gigs I use a Variax through a POD X3 Live, a Roland GR-33, and a Digitech Vocalist live all run stereo and into the PA. I change patches with almost every song and play out of book that tells me what patches to use where and when to kick what ever piece in or out. I would prefer to play with other musicians but don't have venues here that will support it. I get a pretty good response to this set up.

For smaller solo gigs, I use my acoustic and an acoustic amp.

[richardmac]

To sort of answer the question, I play a Fender Strat and Tele through a Line 6 Floor Pod Plus straight into the PA. And I love it. If you use backing tracks, the Line 6 stuff straight into the PA makes your guitar fit into the mix really well IMHO. The purists hate all things Line 6 but I see it as a compromise. Does my guitar sound good? Yes. As good as a great amp? No. Is it nice to not cart a 45 pound amp around to gigs? Yes.

[Wild Lettuce]

 

I think we've all had different experiences with different musicians. I saw a guy open up for Joe Satriani once and it was just him and his guitar. For a couple of songs he used a looper, but not for the whole song. He was very good and very entertaining, but not memorable enough for me to hit the merch table to buy his CD. I've also seen a dude perform solo guitar with a looper and what he basically did was put down a rhythm track and solo over it. For several songs. It was extremely pointless and boring - the only person who wants to hear a five minute guitar solo is the person playing it. I went to one event where they had a guy with his acoustic and after three songs I wanted to leave. He strummed every damn song the same. I am personally of the opinion that backing tracks or no, looper or no, harmonizer or no, you're either good or you're not.

 

 

Hi Richard,

I play in a duo band called wild lettuce.

It's only me and a percussionist.

I use a Looper with effects. I loop different rhythms and play some crazy progressive solos over it.

It's only instrumental and we are doing really good for ourselves.

I would say the guy that you listened to that was using the looper probly had very dull sounding solos... did he have any brakes inbetween? Was it only acoustic?

I'm interested cuz we play only instrumental music and just like to hear general opinions on it.

 

Here is a video of our band performing...

http://youtube.com/user/S1ay3R007?feature=mhee

can't seem to embed? any help?

[Terry Allan Hall]

Was using a VL-2 for a while, and a looper, but for the last year, it's been just voice, racked harmonica, acoustic guitar and Toe Tapper (foot percussion), into the PA and anointed very lightly w/ reverb.

 

Only "pedals" are a Baggs PADI for my guitars and an ancient Barcus Berry Hot Dot Box (anyone else geezerly enough to remember those? ) to buffer/preamplify the Toe Tapper's signal...none of the venues I perform at seem to mind the "stripped-down" approach, either!

 

For duo/trio gigs, Kat plays the Toe Tapper, along w/ congas, etc.

[Bajazz]

Both guitar and mic straight into the PA. No effects, nada! Not even reverb. EQ flat. Love high quality gear!

[OneThing]

I like your style, Wild Lettuce. We share some similarities. Good to hear you are doing well at it. Keep up the good work!