mike257

Urgh. Just saw this today, I'm reworking a pedalboard for a client and this would have been just what I needed!

Sound engineer here, have seen many people turn up with various flavours of these things over the years. 

In my experience, the Boss ones are best avoided, and the TC kit, as with the general consensus in this thread, is far and away the best. 

I'd also advise moderation, and much like dialling in a multi-effects pedal, often what sounds great in your house/in the shop is probably overkill at gig volume through a proper rig. 

On 28/03/2024 at 10:55, Chienmortbb said:

I

On 28/03/2024 at 10:55, Chienmortbb said:

I am actually subscribed to that channel but somehow missed that  video. I think the centre fill  speaker is meant to help although the height, on top of the subs, does not get through to the middle. However, as he says do the best you can and don't fret.  

Centre fills are normally something that comes in to play in larger venues with a big stacked or flown PA to fill the gap in coverage for the folks right up on the barrier. They're usually on the front lip of the stage, or occasionally on Sunday stacks if they're spaced appropriately to make it work.

They're not meant to hit the middle of the room because if the main system is properly deployed, it'll be covering that space - they're just filling in where the horizontal dispersion of the main hangs/stacks don't reach.  Not really something that you can translate to a small portable setup, unless you're carrying a 4ft high stage with you too!

Proper pieces of kit! I never really spent time with the MPCs but for a brief period in my late teens I did a lot of work with an S6000. Akai were always head and shoulders above anyone else when it came to sampling hardware. 

Looking forward to hearing how you get on with it!

On 24/03/2024 at 11:43, Gasman said:

Please tell me - apart from playing on Youtube - what is his musical career?

Creating successful content on YouTube is a musical career path these days. It's just not one that existed when most of us first set out on our musical journey. The landscape has changed. 

If he made a successful TV show on a mainstream broadcast channel about bass that had over a million viewers, would that be different? 

6 hours ago, DJpullchord said:

Cheers man. Can you hear the tone on the bass well?

I’m the only one on stage that will use iem, drummer occasionally. This means I’ll still need the 810 for everyone else I guess. 
I have lead guitarist Marshall stack right to the left of me and can’t even hear the bass drum , let alone vocals or rhythm guitar. I know the songs well so can just about get away with it but would be great to know if I was slightly out of tune or randomly decided to play in a different key.😄

The important thing here (aside from the fact that it sounds like your guitarist is loud enough to (1) cause his band members serious hearing damage and (2) ruin any hope of a decent FOH mix) is that you need to make sure you get the best possible fit on your earphones to block out as much of the outside noise as possible so you can have a clear IEM mix. 

The best you'll get is custom moulds, but if you're looking for budget wireless I'm guessing you're not keen to drop hundreds on that. Next best thing is to experiment with the different sizes of Comply foam tips on generic IEMs to see what seals the best for you. 

Sounds like the real problem is plugged in to the Marshall though, and addressing that will do you all sorts of favours!

It'll never be cost effective printing in such small runs. The unit price comes down as the quantity goes up, so it's best to go bigger if you can, rather than multiple small orders. 

I use Ozzi at https://www.ozmerchco.co.uk/ a lot for merch printing, tour laminates etc. They work almost exclusively with touring bands, so know the market and know the margins. Saw Pins & Knuckles get a mention above, they're great too. Also just had some really good quality merch from BSI on a recent tour. 

Good advice above about simplifying the design to keep the cost down, I'd echo that. 

The ability to take card payments is essential these days. I've generally used Zettle for shows in the UK, but SumUp and Square are popular too. They all run regular offers to get the cars reader for next to nothing for new sign ups, and (depending on your phone model) you can also take contactless payments in the app without needing the card reader at all.  The fees are relatively low (around 2-2.5% of each transaction) and the increase in sales you'll get from being able to take the card payments makes it absolutely worthwhile. 

2 hours ago, VTypeV4 said:

 

 

I've been doing a little work from home today - the 02R performing as well and reliably as ever. 😃

 

A&H have done so well with the SQ range - they've certainly rattled some cages, no doubt both Behringer / Midas and Yamaha must be cursing them as the SQ has absolutely stormed that end of the market. I wonder if Soundcraft will hit back with something as there's been nothing special from them for a while?

Love to see it still in action! What are you up to with it?

Yeah, the SQ is far and away the best option in thar price range for sure. Really not a fan of the TF and the X/M32 are showing their age.

I think Soundcraft is a lost cause at this point, sadly. Nothing has really happened since Samsung acquired Harman, which they mainly did for the home entertainment end of their portfolio of brands. I don't think they've got any real interest in sustaining a presence in the pro audio sector, but it's a shame to see a historic brand run down like that. Maybe someone will buy it out, who knows?

On 29/02/2024 at 18:54, Cliff Edge said:

Most vocalists in the big West End musicals are kitted out with wireless versions, and they are very good at hiding the mics, quite often in the artists hair. 
Back in the dim and distant past I saw the original run of JC Superstar where hand held mics were positioned in clips around the stage. The artist would grab one, sing and put the mic back in the clip for the next singer. Great choreography made it strangely fascinating to watch. 

There's a real skill to hiding the mics discreetly in the costumes and still getting them in a good spot for the audio. The advantages they have on a West End stage is that they're working with top notch musical theatre performers who really understand how to project their voice, and the band are quiet, and below them in a pit (usually with the drummer in a box) so they're not fighting stage spill.  They also mix the shows line by line, with the FOH engineer having every scene in the script blocked out with a corresponding scene in the console to recall mutes/levels, and riding the faders of every live mic with each line. It's a whole different art/skill set than mixing a band! 

15 hours ago, Rayman said:

As the lead singer and bass player of the band, I’ve often wondered about a headset microphone instead of our usual SM58s on a stand. 
 

Anybody do this? Any good? Any recommendations? Am I stuck in the 80s?

If it worked that well, everyone would be doing it. 

They're a big compromise in a lot of ways. An omni headset mic will pick up loads of spill on a live band stage. A cardioid one will be very sensitive to positioning. Genuinely good headset mics are a lot more expensive than their hand held equivalents too. 

Unlike a mic on a stand, you can't back off or move in to control your dynamics if you're one of those singers that really belts it out. You also can't turn away from the mic to cough, catch your breath, call the next song, tell the guitarist the right chords or ask the drummer to slow down. It's always there, picking up every huff, puff, grunt, burp and muttered curse. 

Of the common brands, Zettle seems to have the best app features, reporting etc. Also has robust integration with WooCommerce, so if you sell from an online store too you can tie them together. 

Worth noting that if you tour abroad, none of these will work for you in other territories and you'll need a different solution. 

On 21/01/2024 at 22:41, VTypeV4 said:

Looking great Mike, it's good to see you keeping busy despite it being January. Modern stuff lights up so pretty! ❤️ I've enjoyed all of the Academy gigs - I've worked all three rooms at various points over the last few years and Marius has usually looked after me pretty well although he's not a fan of the Spear / TOH / Ruts / DMW manager.. 😆

Marios is a good'un! I'm in the main room tomorrow on house mons. We've got Thrice in, which I'm very much looking forward to as I'm a big fan but have never caught them live.  Won't be mixing anything all day as both the headliner and the support are self contained, so it's a day at work of mostly just watching good bands! 

Just got back home from a couple of weeks around Europe as TM/FOH with a pop artist from South Africa on his first headline tour up these ways. Smallest rooms I've done in a while but we had an absolute ball. Great shows, all sold out, and a lovely bunch of people to be on the road with. Took my trusty little SQ5 out for its first shows of 2024 and it did a cracking job. Doesn't get used too often these days but it's such a great little desk for the money. 

On 19/02/2024 at 17:26, Baloney Balderdash said:

Then ask yourself, would anyone not making a living from washing dishes consider themself a dishwasher?

 

That tells you something, doesn't it?

 

I've just got home from two-and-a-bit weeks on tour, and judging by the way I found the kitchen on my return, I'll be considering myself a dishwasher for a fair portion of the evening 🤣

19 hours ago, redd said:

Hi Mike, 

 

Do you mean adding ambient mics to avoid that feeling of detachment you get on stage? 

 

Yes, I'll always put ambient mics out when I'm mixing monitors for IEM. Usually a small condenser mic at each side of stage, firing up in to the room (you often see them pointed straight at the crowd, but I find you get too much "front row chatting" that way). Some people like them subtly in the mix, most likely them just pushed up in between songs so you can get the vibe of the crowd that you can't hear naturally because of the isolation. 

18 hours ago, redd said:

Just realised after a quick Google that Cosmic ears are just down the road from me as well! Result!

Yep, they're in the outer fringes of Manchester. If you speak to Mike at Cosmic, feel free to tell him Mike Prosser sent you along and he'll look after you!

16 hours ago, AxelF said:

I don't know whether the Cosmic Ears model I went for (must be pushing 10 years ago now if not longer) aren't high enough spec, or if it's a dynamic driver vs balanced armature thing, but with the Future Sonics the bass is just so much fuller and sounds fantastic.

@AxelF the usual advice is that because our ears keep growing throughout our whole life, any custom fit IEMs or plugs are generally only good for 4-5 years before the fit won't be quite right and the isolation suffers. Low end response is the first thing affected if the fit isn't right. If your Cosmics are 10 years old, I'm not at all surprised if the bass feels lacking to be honest!

9 hours ago, Higgie said:

Yes I use the CE6B models. I'm afraid they have since been discontinued as I found out recently when going to buy another pair. Cosmic informs me they are able to modify their 6P model to give a more 6B like response, but are also apparently bringing a new model out that will "replace" the 6B in their line up, so I'm waiting for those to drop before I make my mind up on whether to get those or some modified 6Ps. Another thing for me to bear in mind is, now I'm using a Porter and Davies BC2 stool, the added low end of the 6B can be too much at times, so maybe this time round I will just get the 6P for a flatter response.

@Higgie I've had a couple of artists on the 6B, but generally speaking I don't think there's any need for more low end than the standard 6P gives you. The response is great, and I've used them to prep FOH mixes with multitrack recordings, and the low end has translated really well once I throw it in the PA. If you really feel you need it, you can always bump a little low shelf on the EQ but there's plenty bass in the standard models. 

6 hours ago, Sharkfinger said:

One thing to bear in mind; when I got mine done from CE, they only accepted moulds from 'approved' audiologist.  

@Sharkfinger They'll only guarantee the fit if it's from an approved audiologist. Cosmic use second-bend impressions, which are a little deeper down the ear canal than some others use, and they issue specific guidelines for audiologists to follow when taking the moulds.  They will accept moulds that aren't from their approved people, but if you use the approved ones and the fit needs tweaking, I think (if I recall correctly) they'll do the first adjustment for free. If you're up north, their in-house person does weekly appointments at Cosmic's place in Manchester, and their recommended person in London is Gisele who does the fitting for all the majority brands for all the big artists and is wonderful. 

3 hours ago, redd said:

Thanks Rosie. I literally just got another recommendation from a friend for the same company. 

 

I've been trying out various models. I used the Shure 215s cheapish ones for a bit but for bass they were not great. Upgraded to some Mackie's which were better for bass reference but I've struggled to get them to fit well. I think I've actually hurt my ears by using them, did a LOUD gig just before Christmas and my left IEM kept falling out and I stupidly kept turning up to compensate. 

 

Thought the moulded ones might be the solution. 👍🏻👍🏻

My go-to recommendation for a UK manufacturer is Cosmic Ears. I'm a touring monitor engineer so spend an enormous amount of time with them stuck in my head. I've been very happy with the service I've had from them, and with the IEMs themselves (CE6P), they sound fantastic. I had an issue with the cable connector and they were very responsive and got it sorted quickly too. 

Moulded IEM are a big investment, but they're night and day compared to generic-fit models. The isolation is fantastic.

One thing worth bearing in mind is that getting high end IEMs will expose the limitations in the rest of your monitoring setup! You'll likely want to add ambient mics to your mix as the isolation from outside noise is so effective. 

Lovely stuff!

I've been back at the "wrong end" of the multi doing FOH again this month. A few in-house shifts at Manchester Academy on their Quantum225.....

...and then back out on the road with an S5000 for a lovely chap called James Marriott and his band

I'm out on a little club tour in a splitter next month so I'll be giving my little SQ5 its first run out of the year on that, hasn't been out of the case for a while!

Video wall works great when treated as a big lighting fixture. Don't be afraid to keep it simple, to use big solid blocks of colour, and to leave parts of the wall blacked out to create shapes behind you. 

Maybe have a look at live videos of bands playing with video wall behind them and get a vibe for what people are doing - there's a lot of really great show designers out there who integrate it really nicely along with the lighting rig. 

If you can afford it, getting a good lighting engineer and a good Resolume operator involved to "play" it along to your performance (or to preprogramme it for you and timecode it if you're playing to click) would be a great shout. 

If you're planning to just record, I'd echo what other people have suggested and look at an amp modeller. 

If you buy an amp, your recording quality is still going to be dictated by the microphone choice and placement, the acoustics of the room you record in, and the quality of your mic preamps/recording interface. 

If you're not well equipped with recording kit already or well experienced at dealing with those things (and without jumping to conclusions, I'm guessing you're not super experienced at recording if you're asking if an 8x10 is overkill) you'll get acceptable results much quicker from a modeller. 

Lots of recorded bass tones are a good quality DI signal with no amp involved at all. Guitar tones are shaped much more by the amp sound, with the frequency response and performance of guitar speakers being a key element of it. I'd suggest you'd be better off with something that gives you good guitar tones as a priority, rather than buying something bass-focussed and trying to make it work for guitar. 

2 minutes ago, chris_b said:

WD-40 is a lubricant, rust preventive, penetrant and moisture displacer.

 

It's not a switch cleaner.

Did you miss the bit in the original post, with a helpful link included, saying they've launched a WD40-branded switch cleaner?

Just realised this week that their office is in the same building as mine - might have to knock on and see if I can have a go 🤣

15 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

I thought I'd recorded the best bass tone ever on a track over the weekend using my non-reverse thunderbird with cobalt flats plugged straight into my focusrite interface and using a bass amp model and compressor built-into logic. It sounds awesome in the track — but when I solo the bass track it sounds all clanky and weird on its own.

Go listen to some isolated bass tracks from Motown records. Exactly the same, beyond glorious in mix, all clank and finger noise in isolation. 

If it sounds right in context, it doesn't matter how it sounds on its own!

On 20/11/2023 at 23:38, mike257 said:

I did similar on a bunch of pedalboards for a project I was involved with.

 

You could replace the grub screw with equivalent threaded wing bolts for manual tightening and make it even easier!

Found a couple of pics... 

This was when I was working with a touring orchestra show playing rock tunes, with the whole string section on electric instruments and playing through loads of gnarly distortion and effects. 

They'd been laying out pedals, DI boxes, stage power etc every day and it was a faff, with things getting damaged and going missing, and everyone was on a variety of mic stands/music stands/iPad clamps for their sheet music. 

Built seven of these boards that all mounted in to a single flight case for transport. They all had a power in and thru connections on Neutrik True1 so they could be linked across the stage in one run to save cable mess everywhere.

Wasn't my choice of effects units, I heavily campaigned to ditch them the whole time I was involved 🤣

The mount and stand are a standard K&M part made for ceiling-mounted mics, and came with Allen bolt fixings which I swapped out for chunky knurled thumbscrews that could be easily popped in and out with no tools. 

I did similar on a bunch of pedalboards for a project I was involved with.

You could replace the grub screw with equivalent threaded wing bolts for manual tightening and make it even easier!