Jump to content


Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

How long does it take ***YOU*** to set up your live rig?


Recommended Posts

I remember playing rhythm guitar in a 4-piece junior high school garage band. The band consisted of lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass, and drums. Our drummer (who had a 6-piece kit, including cymbals and Rototoms), always had the most gear to set up. But, once I discovered and was able to afford synths, ***I*** became the one with the longest setup time.

 

With my current band (many years later), my live rig involves setting up a computer, computer keyboard and mouse, LCD monitor, two synths, a MIDI keyboard controller, a MIDI merger, a MIDI thru box, two MIDI bass pedals, keyboard audio outs, click-track outs, a wireless headset and receiver, a wireless guitar transmitter and receiver (I double on rhythm guitar), three guitars, and various effects pedals. It can take (with testing) well over an hour to set up my gear, but the results are well worth it (after all, keyboard players are the "special sauce" in a band, these days).

 

I'm curious...how long does it take ***YOU*** to set up your live rig? :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Replies 131
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Wow, I'm the exact opposite. Two boards, stand, pedalboard (with built-in loomed cables), mixer, IEMs. I take 10 mins to set up, and 5 to tear down (provided no-one's obstructing me on stage). Life's too short otherwise...

 

Cheers, Mike.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My live rig for my pop band is extremely streamlined. It took me quite some iterations to get to this point, but after doing a lot of festival gigs with 10 minute change over, I designed my rig to be optimised for setup time, while still giving my the flexibility to cover all my sounds. I have a DSI mopho and a Nord A1, a pedalboard (containing mixer, IEM mixer, delay pedal, Micromonsta synth module and power) and an Aphex stand (I might add an extra Akai mpx8 sampler). Everything is pre-wired from the pedal board. I literally can setup within 3 minutes or so.

Rudy

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My 3 board rig that I use in the PF tribute takes maybe 15 minutes. 3 keyboards, stand, rack on a stand, 2 monitors, 5 pedals, midi thru box with 3 cables. The pedals take the longest because I don't have them on a board. The rack has a snake of 6 cables coming out from the mixer. Prewiring as much as you can is the key for a quicker setup/teardown.

 

In my other band we can be loading out the last piece of gear not much more than 30 minutes from the last note if we do it with purpose. Full PA, lights, all our gear. The venues love us lol.

Live: Korg Kronos 2 88, Nord Electro 5d Nord Lead A1

Toys: Roland FA08, Novation Ultranova, Moog LP, Roland SP-404SX, Roland JX10,Emu MK6

www.bksband.com

www.echoesrocks.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Prog bands in the 70s and 80s? Four keyboards on two stands with pedals and rack gear... about an hour. (Although some bands had a full crew, in which case Id show up and play)

 

These days, never a crew. Nord Stage, pre-wired pedal board, stand, bench, in-ears... maybe 5 - 10 minutes.

I would like to apologize to anyone I have not yet offended. Please be patient and I will get to you shortly.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use a single keyboard (NS2 of one kind or another) on a custom keyboard stand and an offstage rack. I have a snake with custom multipin connectors (thanks to vonnor on the forum). I can roll all of my gear in one trip and have it set up in about 5 minutes.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What Another Scott said.

 

It also depends on how much of soundtest / soundcheck you include. The physical setup is 5-15 minutes depending on rig complexity. However I tend not to do multi-act shows, so there is more time available. A recent NYC show took 30 enjoyable minutes to dial in with a very competent sound guy who wanted to make sure my monitor mix was precisely correct.

 

If the whole band is comfortable you are going to have a better night, so you might as well take the time to get it right if you have the luxury.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll assume you mean setup time once all the gear is loaded into the performance space. I'll guess it takes me about 10-15 relaxed minutes to get my keyboard on its stand, set my speakers up behind me, and wire everything to & from from my laptop rig. I can cut that time down if I'm in a rush but as I've gotten older I've learned to get to gigs early enough to avoid the stress of a rushed load-in & setup. I'll be booting the computer and loading my software as I finish my setup, so no extra time is used for that part.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thus far, about 10 years I recon

:roll::roll::roll:

Sometimes I get people at a gig asking me, "How long you been playing keyboards?"

I tell them - since 7:30.

Set-up time = 10 minutes, if I hurry - but I never hurry. So, @ 20 minutes. Then I set up the lights, which I run during the gig. That takes @ 20-30 minutes.

Always arrive at least 90 minutes before downbeat - ready for sound check 1/2 hour B4 hand.

Professional musician = great source of poverty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can be loaded in/set up or torn down/loaded out in 20 minutes max, but then kind of feel obligated to help with the PA which adds over an hour on load out or 2+ hours on load in, something I hate but don't think it's fair to everyone else to just bug out once I'm finished. As far as the solo jobs it's 5-10 minutes depending on set up circumstances.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

NE4 73sw, vent, powered speaker, xlr to FOH, stand, seat...

11 minutes

Hammond B-2, Leslie 122, Hammond Sk1 73, Korg BX3 2001, Leslie 900, Motion Sound Pro 3, Polytone Taurus Elite, Roland RD300 old one, Roland VK7, Fender Rhodes Mark V with Roland JC90
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My pet peave (I'm surprised I didn't start this thread). Two keyboards, stand, gemini table top, voce midi drawbars, 3 midi cables, 6 or more audio cables, 6+ power cables, 3 pedals, mixer, powered speaker, midi box. My big issue is that I put the mixer, midi drawbars, gemini in cases then put the cases in a wheeled bag. Removing everything from the cases and then hooking up the connectors, power cables, audio cables and midi cords is the time grinder for me. I've contemplated a pre-wired rack to speed up the process but I find for different gigs I have different needs and then I'd start robbing from the rack (I've been down this path in the past). It takes 30 rushed minutes to get everything setup, then there's the fire it up and see what's not working time. Typically another 5-10 minutes.

 

I've been longing for the Crumar DMC in a single manual version (76 key) w/ the built in Gemini. This would allow me to reduce my setup by 15 minutes since the Voce drawbar, gemini module and all of the associated hookups wouldn't be necessary including the unboxing and reboxing at the end of the night. I'd need one Midi cord to play from the bottom keyboard for piano and lower manual organ. The Single manual DMC could also be used for smaller gigs where only one keyboard is necessary. The alternative would be an E5 or E6 rather than wait for Guido to produce such an item (which he may never actually do) but I'm just not happy with the E5/E6 sounds enough to go that route so I struggle on.

57 Hammond B3; 69 Hammond L100P; 68 Leslie 122; Kurzweil Forte7 & PC3; M-Audio Code 61; Voce V5+; Neo Vent; EV ELX112P; GSI Gemini & Burn

Delaware Dave

Exit93band

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to set up 1 keyboard, 1 stand, 2 pedals, 2 speakers and 2 speaker stands. That's for keys. Then I set up sax and stand and wireless mic transmitter and receiver and connect to PA. I can do it fairly fast if I have to but I hate doing that. I always do something wrong. I like to take my time and make sure everything is set up just the way I want it, with good sound, volume control, etc. I could do it in 10-15 minutes under pressure but I'd rather take half an hour and be less stressed and more relaxed for the gig.
These are only my opinions, not supported by any actual knowledge, experience, or expertise.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

for the 80's band which I have officially left but am filling in this summer twice - a good 25 min.+, I like to set up nice and slow, not always possible though. I really needed to set something up for faster turn around and pre-wire a rack(s) but just thinking of that solution was taking time! Not always easy actually for a gig like that! There are a lots of small pieces of gear too and future rooms and stages to consider...part of the reason I had to leave ...there were many others though that were greater. Taking care of my aging folks being numero uno!

 

for blues gigs, rock and jazz cocktail ...they are all about 10-15 min...easy peasy - a piano only, a piano(dp)/organ , just the organ ...an amp, maybe a small rack, seat....easy compared to the 80's gig the way I did it!

 

I'm admittedly out of my league logistically/physically to some degree for gigs like that anymore without a roadie here at age 63, it's been a long time since I've had to play any music with special requirements on a level needed for a gig like that . . .though I enjoyed building it and programming it, I found setting it up and breaking it down was to much work for me for the type of band it was and how they worked...it sounded and played great though.

 

both minus load-in time

 CP-50, YC 73,  FP-80, PX5-S, NE-5d61, Kurzweil SP6, XK-3, CX-3, Hammond XK-3, Yamaha YUX Upright, '66 B3/Leslie 145/122

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure where the time begins, but this means from "inside cases" to "ready to play, I can be done in 5 mins if I have to. However, that's the raw set-up time. There are usually other elements in play, like adjusting monitor position or a BL deciding he really wants the keys on the left instead of the right this time, or the drummer bringing the drums onto the stage right over the top of my board so I move it aside, or me hitting on the woman running the lights and forgetting we are at a gig.

Now out! "Mind the Gap," a 24-song album of new material.
www.joshweinstein.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gig dependant. I can do it in 5 mins but I'm usually sweating like hell and not quite confident of the position of everything if I've got both keyboards out.

 

15-20 mins is the comfortable norm for my "full" rig.

Hammond SKX

Mainstage 3

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the keyboards and associated gear (Kronos, Stage 2, mixer, amp and pedal board) only about 15-20 minutes. But in my duo I also bring PA...so about an hour for all of it.

 

Yamaha CK88, Arturia Keylab 61 MkII, Moog Sub 37, Yamaha U1 Upright, Casio CT-S500, Mac Logic/Mainstage, iPad Camelot, Spacestation V.3, QSC K10.2, JBL EON One Compact

www.stickmanor.com

There's a thin white line between fear and fury - Stickman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not including lug in , to actually set up takes me about 5-6 mins. Legend organ going into a Leslie , easiest setup Ive had in years.

 

"Ive been playing Hammond since long before anybody paid me to play one, I didn't do it to be cool, I didnt do it to make a statement......I just liked it "

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

NS2 & Spacestation has been my rig for a couple years now. About 5 minutes. I usually sit while I play, so a bench & a platform stand is the 2nd trip from the car.

 

If I use the Vent, then I also need my little MX28 mixer. This adds another 5 minutes.

 

If I'm providing PA, then I bring a Behringer XR18 stage box & laptop, 4 powered PA speakers, mics & stands, etc. That takes an hour or so.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

NS2 & Spacestation has been my rig for a couple years now. About 5 minutes. I usually sit while I play, so a bench & a platform stand is the 2nd trip from the car.

Or you could try sitting on the Spacestation!

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Once I am at the stage, 15 minutes tops.

 

Onstage two -tier Z

PX-5S

Arturia Keylab 61

Laptop stand with Macbook

Two USB cables to MBP from the keys

One USB to audio i/o

Two short 1/4inch from audio i/o to Radial Pro D2 DI

 

Done.

 

I never fully breakdown the Z. At the end of a gig I just remove the 2nd tier, and fold the bottom.

 

No Amps or anything else to deal with.

 

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

About 20 min. 2 keyboards on a stand, mic boom and mic, midi cable, 2 sustain, one swe'll, click to drummer, keys and POD to radial DI loop out to small mixer to K10. While the Kronos Boots I tune my guitar E and am ready to sound check.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pretty complicated setup here but I'd still say maybe 20 minutes max. If the stage is crowded or dark and I don't have easy access to the back of my boards then it goes a little slower. If it's well lit with room and an easy schlep I'd go with 15 if I'm working hard.

 

Kurz Forte, Hammond XK3c, Mainstage with both keyboards integrated, Steinberg I/O device, Line6 XTL for organ effects and volume, Motion Sound M20D amp.

 

The real problem is I also typically schlep my guitar rig, which is pretty simple but it still adds another 10-15.

 

Line6 Helix with two FRFR speakers, two guitars.

You want me to start this song too slow or too fast?

 

Forte7, Nord Stage 3, XK3c, OB-6, Arturia Collection, Mainstage, MotionSound KBR3D. A bunch of MusicMan Guitars, Line6 stuff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At peak, I had two 'boards and two modules. Biggest time-suck: assembling my Invisible Support Stand 2-tier model. Everything else came with cords rolled and labeled, including surge protector/line conditioner. I surprised and pleased a few engineers by handing them balanced stereo outs from my mixer and saying "Here ya go." I learned early on to save us all some setup grief that way. Praise early Prophet synths, Roland gear and sound people who knew WTF they were doing. That included a very savvy girl who all but had the Abbey Road studio in her head. Its good to learn from people who can humble you handily.

;)

 

 

 "I want to be an intellectual, but I don't have the brainpower.
  The absent-mindedness, I've got that licked."
        ~ John Cleese

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...