mrtcat

I've worked with tracks for years. It's ok but not my favourite way of working. A real keys player (and I mean a decent one) is better by miles but if you're needing all manner of random noises a track may be better. In terms of set up its really easy but it all hinges on the drummer being able to work with a click. We used to either use karaoke version or "borrow" original stems from a Russian website. Pan the track 100% left, the click 100% right and then use a stereo to 2x mono cable out of an ipod / tablet / laptop. This was a soundcheck from a few years back with a band that is no more - because we all got fed up of playing horrific music in horrific social clubs lol

We've never played so many tipi's before. Pretty sure we played in the same one 20+ times lol

A drummer that can't keep time has to go. It's miserable for you as a bass player and even worse for punters who want to dance, tap along or even just enjoy listening.

He was the one who initially suggested it. The less gear and set up time the better in his eyes. We both use a helix and it's been such a revelation.

No backline at all. It's the way forward.

That's one amp and one cab more than I usually take to a gig.

Wow that's a great sound and awesome playing

Our gig last night was the classic hard floor, bare wall, low ceiling, hollow stage big room. As is often the case the person who organised the party (a 50th birthday) completely overestimated how big a venue was needed for the 90 or so guests. Had the potential to be too loud due to all of the reflection from hard surfaces and half empty room. Sound check confirmed this but the saving grace was our drummer who read the situation well and reigned it all back. A bit of useful notch filtering and everything wound back on the mixing desk meant it was OK. Not perfect but certainly a perfectly acceptable sound at a comfortable volume. It really is all about the drummer tho.

Sad but true.

Bit of wiring done on the new mixer rig today. Space has been left for the guitarist's incoming wireless iem setup.

This is always something that amazes me. A venue allows live music and goes to the trouble of installing a noise limiter. Why then not be proactive and create a space suitable for live music with appropriate acoustic treatment so that the space itself isn't the main cause of the problem.

I like loud rock music and have played in some very loud bands over the years. Even the AC/DC tribute act I used to be in rehearsed at sensible levels with sensibly sized kit. We played across large parts of Europe for years with dummy full stacks on stage. Yeah they were essential to the aesthetic but were no good for getting the right foh sound because guitar cabs are so directional that they're generally pretty awful at blowing FOH mixes even in some of the big clubs we were playing in Germany. If it's too loud for the room then either the sound engineer needs shooting or the musicians are just being a bit childish. If I walked into a rehearsal room to audition for any band to find a guitarist with a cranked 4x12 they wouldn't have to laugh me out the door. I'd happily leave them to their own childish approach.

I have to disagree. Turning up the volume of a good sound changes that sound. It can make a good sound a bad sound. That's beside the point tho. Too loud is too loud whether the sound is good or not.

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That looks just the ticket! awesome thank you.

Yes agree. This thread could have been named "is poor sound killing all gigs" to be fair. Saw Robert Plant at Symphony Hall birmingham last year which should have been incredible sound. It was awful. Kick drum was wallowy mush that killed the wallowy mush bass and audience were calling out for vocals to be louder all night. Even RP had to ask the engineers to sort it out mid gig.

Is anyone using an app for set lists on a tablet? Trying to remove all paper from the stage and singer is digging heels in a bit. He always has notes on the floor around his feet. Is there an app he can put on his tablet to organise his word sheets into set lists?

He's not from High Wycombe is he?

Always mystifies me why players bang on about how lightweight and compact and loud their latest bit of kit is. If you were genuinely bothered about saving your back you'd use a decent modern PA and in ears. No amps. I absolutely love being amp free. I hear so many people say that they'd miss the feel of the bass but if you have a decent PA you can still feel it's presence and the in ears will let you comfortably hear whatever you want. Getting decent FOH sound is so much more achievable if there's no volume wars to compete with. As long as drummer is able to adjust volume accordingly then you can get lovely fat balanced sound which has more weight to it and less noise.

I love Summer Of 69. Easy, fun and goes down well. Drop D all the way for me. Love the growl of a slightly floppy detuned E string. Love playing original stuff too but have been around long enough to know that the cheesy covers are always going to be the money makers.

Yeah, I think that the 745s are the better PA cab. The horn on the 745 is just so good that the crossover point can be lower so it handles a lot of the high mid upwards leaving the main driver free to work harder lower down. They also have a longer throw which is better in bigger rooms. That said the FR800s are excellent in slightly smaller rooms and rooms where the dance floor starts right in front of the band because the dispersion is a bit wider close in. They handle lows well but I feel they still need at least one sub no matter where you use them. The 745's can definitely be used without subs in smaller rooms. I own the FR800s but the 745s are owned by the band leader in the other band. I ummed and ahhed a lot over which to buy but in the end went for the FR800s because I don't own a bass amp just a Helix and one FR800 is perfect when I dep and the band I'm depping for use backline. It looks more bass amp like in that scenario and the mids and highs disperse well across the stage. I do more work in the band that use the FR800s as it's a band I started years ago and I have absolutely no complaints with them as PA cabs. The clarity of what they put out is absolutely great and they go loud without ever sounding strained or harsh.