Timeline for Why can't we leave all mics on during a gig?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
6 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 5, 2017 at 15:38 | comment | added | Tim | My keyboard of choice doesn't do that, I'm afraid. With patches like you use, it's different, and also the thing is touch sensitive - but with a volume pedal in line, I get round it fine, except when someone says turn up your ludest. Funny, it's the same with vocal mics... | |
| Jul 5, 2017 at 14:54 | comment | added | Graham | @Tim Re the keys though - if your patches are all different levels, then surely you'd spend some time at practises or between practises to get them evened out? I say this as someone who used to play guitar and guitar synth in a covers band, with something like 20 guitar multi-FX patches and 10 guitar synth patches. We practised in a village hall, so I got levels and tones fine-tuned during practises. When it came to the gig, all I had to do was hit the footswitch. | |
| Jul 5, 2017 at 14:50 | comment | added | Graham | @Tim Of course the soundcheck isn't totally accurate - it's just the best you can do with what you have, and you develop those listening skills to figure out how it'll sound with the audience in. :) I agree that stage volume levels are usually the biggest problem, and that unreliable drummers can screw your balance up too! That's a matter of training your fellow band members. Re guitar volume controls, yes it can control overdrive too, but that makes it more forward in the mix as well so it still works. An overdrive FX pedal is more repeatable level-wise though, which is more gig-friendly. | |
| Jul 5, 2017 at 12:53 | comment | added | Tim | ..If the mics feed back, one main reason is they're too loud - particularly in foldback. Sound pressure on stage needs to be enough so players van still talk to each other.It's volume out front that maybe needs to be up, but not on stage.And - electric guitars are often used in such a way that their volume control becomes an overdrive control, so checking with full volume isn't the best way. And - will the drummer play his loudest in a sound check?Somehow doubt it!My muting for SM57s in front of my gtr amp when the soundman wasn't doing his job properly involved kicking it gently out the way! | |
| Jul 5, 2017 at 12:45 | comment | added | Tim | A couple of disagreements for you! A sound check can only be accurate if it's done with the audience in the auditorium. Which never happens. Volume balance is hand in hand with tone and instrument frequency, so it's never going to be good enough to leave alone afterwards. I say this after thousands of gigs, both as sound guy and performer. The part about every instrument being on max to get a balance was one cause of me leaving a band.On keys, every sound will come out differently - piano, organ, horns, strings, so it's down to the player to balance in the absence of an off-stage sound guy.. | |
| Jul 5, 2017 at 10:27 | history | answered | Graham | CC BY-SA 3.0 |