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Stupid sound reinforcement question


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Okay. Well, we've got a gig next Wednesday at KC's "American Bandstand" Restaurant and Pub. Swell. Apparently the band plays in the lounge, and they use a separate system to hook in to their house system which brings the band sound into the restaurant. So, basically, we hook an aux send or something from our system to theirs. Swell. But...and, hopefully you can all tell where this is going...what gets pumped through the board most? Vocals. So, if we take an "out" from our board into their system, the poor wretches in the restaurant will hear mostly our caterwauling, and not enough of the instruments. Creative solutions? I mean, we could stick a mic in front of us, and pump that into their system. Other than that, I'm not sure, without getting real complex. Even using sub 1 for vox and sub 2 for instruments into two channels of their system, you still have some instruments coming through the board more...more drums than guitars, etc. Ideas??
"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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At first , I was unsure if this was going to be a) a question about stupid sound reinforcement, or b) a stupid question about sound reinforcement. **** It would help if we knew what kinda board you guys use....
I've upped my standards; now, up yours.
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Well, most people would get a bill from me for this, but since you're a fellow Marxist and all... :D Set up 1 or 2 mics in a good spot, in front of where you're playing, where you can hear everything. Run the mic(s) into the board, then take them from an aux out to your PA feed. Easy, & it will work. [url=http://www.raabautographs.com/interest/sounds/groucho.ram]By the way...[/url] [img]http://www.raabautographs.com/images/interest/MarxBrothers.jpg[/img]
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I've been in similar situations. The best results came from using a pre-fade aux. buss to create a mix for the house system (no more trouble than running another monitor mix - same concept). Scott
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Maybe it's just me but why don't you just use aux 1 and 2 or any stereo aux and send a mix to their system... Just adjust the level of each instrument at the aux send stage of the board in a pre fader mode and your on your way.... Maybe it's me but... :idea:
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A prefade aux mix is good IF you have the aux to spare and IF you want to babysit it. You also gotta allow for the system in the restaurant - is it a real PA, or is it a 70v ceiling system? If it's the latter, you gotta be real careful about transients going thru the system once you guys get rockin'. The mic idea seems simpler to me, especially if you don't want to spend a lot of time messing around with it - and face it, at least half the folks in the restaurant are going to be eating & talking, & not listening anyway.
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[quote]Originally posted by franknputer: [b]A prefade aux mix is good IF you have the aux to spare and IF you want to babysit it. You also gotta allow for the system in the restaurant - is it a real PA, or is it a 70v ceiling system? If it's the latter, you gotta be real careful about transients going thru the system once you guys get rockin'. The mic idea seems simpler to me, especially if you don't want to spend a lot of time messing around with it - and face it, at least half the folks in the restaurant are going to be eating & talking, & not listening anyway.[/b][/quote]Excellent advice, Chris. :thu: If you have an experienced soundman who is willing to check and recheck the restaurant sound system, a direct aux send will be fine. Forget about stereo. Most "stereo" ceiling systems end up playing only half the source to the "audience." (In quotes because, Chris is right that more than half the audience in that room may be trying to tune you out while they talk and eat.) Even if I were behind the board, I'd set up a mic at mix position or closer, and add it back to the aux mix. direct mixes into 70v systems usually sound either like rough tracks from a recording, or they swim in reverb intended to keep them from sounding like rough tracks from a recording. ;) In the end, Chris already gave you the KISS method. (That's Keep It Simple, Stupid, not Gene, Ace, Peter, and what's his name.. ;) ) It's probably the best way to go.

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[quote]Originally posted by fantasticsound: [b]In the end, Chris already gave you the KISS method. (That's Keep It Simple, Stupid, not Gene, Ace, Peter, and what's his name.. ;) ) It's probably the best way to go.[/b][/quote]Never sure why I remember some stuff and not others, but Paul Stanley is your missing band person. Tedster - I can't spell SR, but you're in good hands from what I see. Good Luck Tom

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Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground. - Theodore Roosevelt

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[quote]Originally posted by Tom Capasso: [b] [quote]Originally posted by fantasticsound: [b]In the end, Chris already gave you the KISS method. (That's Keep It Simple, Stupid, not Gene, Ace, Peter, and what's his name.. ;) ) It's probably the best way to go.[/b][/quote]Never sure why I remember some stuff and not others, but Paul Stanley is your missing band person. Tedster - I can't spell SR, but you're in good hands from what I see. Good Luck Tom[/b][/quote]Thanks Tom! I coulda looked it up, but... it was late and I was lazy! ;)

It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman

 

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[quote]Originally posted by franknputer: [b]This will help you remember, not to mention keep you up late at night... :D [/b][/quote]Ack!!! What did you have to go and do that for, Chris?!? One of the weirdest things I ever saw was the 4 members of Kiss, in full costume and makeup, walking through the bland, concrete, back hallway of the Nashville Arena. I was working local crew for the 1st reunion tour, in 1997. Very strange, indeed.

It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman

 

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Okay. My Kiss anecdote. Working at a small music shop in Port Huron, Michigan, about 1976. Someone had brought in a '59 Les Paul Std. on consignment. The thing, needless to say, sold rather quickly, but word had spread that it was there (I didn't have the cash for it at the time). Kiss happened to be in town for a show. That afternoon, at the store, big black limo pulls up. Out gets a chauffeur, some blond roadie, and two guys with the huge black hair and platform shoes, carrying what we would call today "purses" (there was a trend to make a small pocketbook type device popular for men at the time). Paul Stanley and Ace Frehley...sans makeup. Ace was looking for the Les Paul. They stayed and chatted for a few minutes...but, not finding their quest, left.
"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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