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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 698
Location: Cork, Ireland | May be playing guitar in public in a few weeks ... gulp!
I expect to be amplified and am guessing that the other instruments will be miked into some sort of PA system. As I'm not likely to know the setup in advance, I need advice. Can I expect a typical PA system to take a standard 1/4" guitar cable directly, or is some other kind of interface usually required? I'll be playing the 1615 with original factory pickup. I've never played through a PA before so its all new. |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 4535
Location: Flahdaw | I've never seen a PA without 1/4 inch inputs, at least in some channels. Probably be some reverb, but not much else. |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | The sound engineers responsibile for the PA system should be able to accommodate you with whatever you bring. Do you intend to use your own amp, too, or just their system? Many engineers will just provide a DI box that allows you to connect a cord from your guitar to the box, then there will be two outputs from the box, one to the house PA system (usually converted to an XLR signal via the box, and a 1/4" output to your own amp). Some amps also have an XLR output jack which eliminates the need for the DI box. If the PA system is close by, then you might just go direct from your guitar to the PA, but most are located away from band, thus the need for patch cable routing. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12755
Location: Boise, Idaho | When Damon agree to do the benefit concert for my daughter, one of the first questions he asked was whether there would be a DI box. She asked me what that was and I told her to ask Damon. |
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Joined:
April 2009
Posts: 130
Location: London, UK | A passive DI box would be the standard kit provided. |
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Joined:
March 2007
Posts: 698
Location: Cork, Ireland | I think there will probably be a PA hired for the occasion, not sure what kind of engineering expertise will be available, if any. The other musicians may know more but they'll be an accordian and uileann pipes so they'll have mics. Will a guitar work straight into the system without a DI box? Of course the may just give me a mic... |
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Joined:
April 2009
Posts: 130
Location: London, UK | Nothing to stop you just rigging up a long unbalanced (jack-jack) cable all the way to the mixer, but you'd be open to any noise and interference that was about. If the mixer is on the corner of the stage, you'll be fine. If it's across the room, I'd prefer to put your guitar lead into a DI box and feed a balanced signal to the desk. |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 4044
Location: Utah | What's the show?
If you have a separate preamp with an XLR output, take it with you. Also take several cables of each flavor, 1/4" and XLR if you have them. Bring a good guitar stand, spare batteries, and a small flashlight. I know I'm nuts and that my job fosters a be-prepared-for-any-disaster mentality, but be prepared. Spare strings, a string winder/cutter. It is fairly common to have to rescue another guitarist who breaks a string or forgets a cord. Depending on the situation, be very very paranoid about theft especially when loading back out to your car.
Usually around here they have a DI box that you plug into, then a loooong XLR cable back to the mixer board. If it is a rental situation you may just plug into their board with your 1/4" cable.
If the sound guy has no expertise, pull the mids down just a bit below the bass and treble. Stay away from the main speakers and try to avoid having a monitor right at your feet, so as to avoid feedback. |
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Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 1609
Location: Colorado | Ditto Fly Sig and Professor...bring a spare battery too. |
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Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | and break a string....
legs hurt too much! |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 1017
Location: Budd Lake, NJ | Sycamore, I am hoping that this goes so well that there will be many more gigs in your future; to be most prepared, you may as well just go buy the direct box for your own gig bag. The first I bought was about $20 US, the next was $30. (The first didn't die--just needed two.) Even though they weren't terribly expensive, they work for what I do.
And even if it's one of those things that should be provided, what if it's not and then you need it?
--Karen |
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Joined:
June 2005
Posts: 1320
Location: Round Rock, TX | I wouldn't count on anything being there, except the PA. Also, I always bring two of most everything I think I might need.
In your case I would bring, at a minimum:
two guitars (with a stand for each),
two 1/4" cables,
two XLR cables,
two direct boxes,
two capos.
Stuff I would just bring one of:
a music stand with a clip on light
a comfortable stool.
If your guitars' preamps don't have built-in tuners I would recommend some kind of outboard tuner.
Put fresh batteries in everything that takes a battery and bring a spare battery per device.
Have at least one spare set of strings.
I also highly recommend a small tool kit with at least a knife, a phillips and a flathead screwdriver, a wire cutter and a small flashlight.
Finally, if you have an amp I would recommend that you bring it. If, for whatever reason, the PA is unavailable (it broke, they forgot to pick it up, etc.) then the accordion and the pipes will probably have no problem filling the space with sound, but you will need an amp to be heard in that mix.
It sounds like a lot of stuff to bring to a small gig and a lot of it will, hopefully, never leave your gig bag - or even your car, but a gig is one of those situations where it's so much better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. |
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PA input?