Tips for live gigs

F

Flores_68

New member
Hello everyone,

I've played guitar for a while but I have zero experience when it comes to PA systems, what speakers are necessary, where to put them etc.. I usually just showed up with my gear, plugged everything in and got started. Anyways, after a few gigs I've decided that I have to know what's going because I can't hear my backing vocals and people complain that they can't hear my guitar although I have my amp right next to my face and ALL I can hear is my amp...
My basic question is: I have an AC 15 C1 - can I plug a cable to the back and directly to a speaker or do I need to mic my amp?
Help, please
 
Well, you do need some sort of speaker simulation if you plan on going direct to the PA. Otherwise, it's going to sound like a raspy, fuzzy mess. And you also need to keep a speaker load (or some other sort of load) connected to your amp's speaker output, otherwise, you're goint to blow its output transformer.

There are some solutions for that if you want to go direct and don't want your amp to have any volume onstage. Two Notes Torpedo, Suhr Reactive Load IR, etc. Look into loadboxes with IR loaders.

You could go all analog too for simplicity's sake, but analog speaker simulation always sounds subpar and very dated to a time where there weren't IR's around, IMO. Like a Palmer PDI.
 
I would not feel comfortable playing live with a 15w amp. The smallest I have ever gigged with is a 22w Fender Deluxe, a deceptively loud 22w. As Rex has mentioned, you can get an IR or direct box for the end of your signal chain. A DI box would be the least expensive alternative. However, I would be worried about relying on unknown house systems at random gigs supporting my sound. You can set something up for going direct; I would also look into something with a bit more wattage for live situations.
 
I would just put a mic on the amp. It'll sound better and be more manageable. The fact that right now you can hear it and no one else can means that's the perfect situation to mic it. Also the fact that you can't hear your own backing vocals means you've got more problems than just the amp. You should look into a personal monitoring system to go between your vocals and the P.A. Like your mic goes into a personal monitor and has a pass-through feed that you give to the P.A. If you are using in-ear monitors on a house system, then either you're stuck, or you might need a personal mixer where you can up the volume individually. Need to know more about what exact set ups you are going through now, however, to make an appropriate recommendation.
 
I have played live with a 15 watt Mesa many times, but it was basically my monitor onstage. It needed a microphone to go through the PA system. Give what the audience hears serious consideration, as they hear you through a PA system (except maybe very small gigs). My PA sound is more important to me than what I hear, although these days, they can be equally fantastic if you have the right gear.
Investing in a full PA can be very expensive, and you have to take into account several things- what size gigs, if your band wants to contribute to it, if the gigs pay enough to hire a sound person to bring, setup and mix, etc.
 
your amp is fine, but itll either need to be mic'd or youll need to get outboard gear and use ir's.

can you give us more detail about what your gigs are like and what gear is being used other than your guitar amp?
 
An AC15 is louder than the average 15W tube amp, IME. Especially since if you're playing an AC15, you're more than likely not going for a tight but huge, clean low-end.

I'm a huge defender of 50W and up amps for gigs, but an AC15 is NOTHING like a Tiny Terror in terms of volume either, IME.
 
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If that is the AC15 to your left pointing at you on the stand, it is no surprise the audience can not hear it. The amp is pointed away from the crowd. Have you tried an ext cab facing the crowd? That might do the trick.
 
From reading your OP, I would say it´s possible the amp right beside you pointing at your head may be causing both problems.

If you face the amp at the crowd and leave it beside you unmiked can you still hear it?
Can the audience?
Do you hear the vocals any better?
If not, then maybe try miking the amp and looking for a monitoring solution for the vocals.
 
Flores_68 said:
Should i mike my amp and run it in the PA system?
Click to expand...

yes. and id put it behind you so it faces the audience as well. as bruce said, with the amp setup the way you have it, you get all the sound and the audience gets none. your amp placement is probably a huge part of both problems you mention in your initial post.
 
Doing sound is something that is a constant learning experience. In 20+ years as a " sound guy " ( literally as my only profession ) there was never a day when I didn't see another way to do a thing.

So the question you have is very hard to answer. For me, I walk in with $100,000 worth of audio equipment and do my thing making the band members as happy as I make the patrons. My talent is just a little bit better than the average musician, and I say that confidently as a musician and performer of 30+ years. I have been on both sides of the stage. It is not easy to make bad talent sound good... let's leave it at that.

As for you not being able to hear what you want to hear, that is all about monitoring. If you have a monitor wedge in front of you, only have it produce the sounds of things you need to hear. No more, no less. As for your own guitar playing, I would say it is advisable to have your guitar amp mic'd up and able to be reproduced out of the PA. The Pa that is behind you guys in that picture is a no-no. Not sure if it is your main PA or not, but it should not be for either pointed in that direction, in that location. There are mathematical calculations called NAG and PAG, that can show you why.

Get a sound guy. Do not try and run sound from the stage. It doesn't work. Just remind yourself that what you hear on stage is not what others hear in the crowd. It is worth it to pay a friend in beer or monies to stand by the mixer and do their best.

I go by this rule. PA in front is what the people hear. Monitors make up for the band what the PA lacks for them. Monitors should have very little low end output and complement the main PA for you on stage. Mic everything, whether you need it in the PA or not is a mute switch away. Better to have and not need sort of thing. Only trust someone who has no vested interest in your band to give you feedback about sound quality. The singers girlfriend is always going to want more vocals...
 
Most people don't realize that, depending upon the sound reinforcement available. their sound 12' out in front of their setup is not the same as what they are hearing right next to their equipment.
 
I had a similar but slightly different issue. When we were playing in larger venues sometimes the monitor mix was horrible, so if I crossed the stage to my bass player's side of the stage I could no longer hear myself. I got this sub-woofer box from Best Buy and some hardware online. I loaded two Fener Utah speakers I had kicking around and it is now my monitor for larger venues. Most times, it goes on the other side of the stage as a side fill. In your case, you could put your VOX behind you on the stage, pointing at the crowd, and use something similar to this as a side fill on your side of the stage. You can find a 1x2 box under $50 and put a budget speaker in it.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Scosche-...Carpet/567956840?wl13=1753&selectedSellerId=0


ZbNGcX9.jpg
 
I have some idioms that many musicians hate :)

1) If you can hear yourself at all, you're already too loud.

2) I don't understand how you can't hear yourself

3) Crap in = crap out

4) I am an overpaid adult babysitter, and I still don't get paid enough for this BS

5) My job is to herd adults, you should see what I can do with cats...

6) it's an ice cream cone, not a penis.

7) Your right to play as loud as you are, ends the second it touches my ear.

8) This is a team sport, and I am not your bat boy.

9) I expend 99% of my energy fixing the 90% of problems that musicians cause for themselves.
 
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