Spare amp or Pre amp DI pedal

[Jack]

For what it's worth my seldom-gigging hard rock band have taken a hybrid approach and it's working really well.

 

Electric drums, modelled guitar and bass, all of the 'backline' coming from one wedge. No earplugs needed, you can still hear the room without the isolation of IEMs, still in total control of what sound is being made where. Terrible photo as it's actually a screen cap from a phone video, but you can see the pedalboards, the edrums and my qsc wedge, all being supported by our decade-old Alto pa.

[Tech21NYC]

In the end you either know how to play a low volume gig or you don't. It seems if volume is such a huge issue the "first" thing to ditch would be the acoustic kit. Use a Cajon player or electronic kit, that brings the volume way down. Maybe it's different on your side of the pond but in most live music venues I go to it's the PA system that is always too loud. DJ's as well. In a small venue there is no need to mic anything unless your drummer has a weak foot. When everything is direct you are totally at the mercy of the person running sound and on the average the skills of most sound "techs" is pretty subpar. Our sound tech works for a big sound company in NYC and he will tell you that most techs barely mix. They are level setters. 

 

 

[BassAdder60]

Very true, drummers in small venues set the level for the band and it’s tough getting them to drum at a lower volume especially if they are rock drummers ! 

[Jack]

1 hour ago, Tech21NYC said:

In the end you either know how to play a low volume gig or you don't. It seems if volume is such a huge issue the "first" thing to ditch would be the acoustic kit. Use a Cajon player or electronic kit, that brings the volume way down. Maybe it's different on your side of the pond but in most live music venues I go to it's the PA system that is always too loud. DJ's as well. In a small venue there is no need to mic anything unless your drummer has a weak foot. When everything is direct you are totally at the mercy of the person running sound and on the average the skills of most sound "techs" is pretty subpar. Our sound tech works for a big sound company in NYC and he will tell you that most techs barely mix. They are level setters. 

 

 

Nearly everything true there is true of bands using backline and those without. The only difference is that you either need to find one (hopefully competent) person to control the mix or 4+ (hopefully competent) people to control themselves in the mix. Guess which is more likely?  You are right that most sound techs are subpar, what are the chances you find a band that's entirely comprised of good ones?

 

This thread about preamps is in danger of becoming "the pros and cons of ditching backline thread #18662" but I would argue that it's possible to get a bad mix and a good mix using either approach. What can't/won't/doesn't happen in an ampless setup is volume creep and volume wars where everyone turns themselves up throughout the night. Maybe you start with a quiet drummer, maybe you start with a loud drummer. What you don't get is a drummer who keeps hitting harder and harder because that bloody guitar amp is drowning them out. 

 

On drummers and electric kits: budget guitar modellers from Nux/Hotone/Valeton and the like are exceptional. Your own Paradriver is brilliant. Great electric drum kits are hard to come by and very expensive IME.

Edited 54 minutes ago by Jack