JBFLA Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 I'm playing a Cruise/Casino Ship gig this New Years Eve. The Band will be on one deck, but we will be supplying the music a deck below, as well. This is a first for the ship, as well as me. Drums and vocals and guitar will be piped thru the PA, but I'm on my own for support (not enough channels, they say). It's about a 20 foot drop (50 foot of speaker cord, minimum) from one deck level to the other. Question? - Should I run a line level out of my Demeter Pre to another amp below, or can I run an extension cab on its own? (That's a long way to run a speaker cord...?) We have a sound check on the 30th, but I'd rather be more prepared than not. Thanks, Jim Jim Confirmed RoscoeHead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davio Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 If it's cost efficient, I would think that running the line down to another amp would be more power effient and probably sound better. If you've got the 2nd amp and a cable long enough, I'd deffinately say go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBFLA Posted December 13, 2004 Author Share Posted December 13, 2004 Yep, I've got a GK 800RB that I could slave. It's still a long way to hard wire. We're always the last to know Jim Jim Confirmed RoscoeHead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davio Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 Let me know how it turns out incase I ever find myself in a similar situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Robert Rennix Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 I would think you'd need the second amp downstairs rather than the extension cab, because the amp would allow you to adjust the volume to match the downstairs PA. With an extension cab, you might need to make some weird compromise so you could hear yourself upstairs without drowning out the PA downstairs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helge Lund Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 Why not an extension mixer like a 3-4 ch. Behringer or whatever? That I should think would be a much better solution to the problem! Helge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edendude Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 Yeah... If they really are just short one lousy channel, bring along a small mixer and let them group a few inputs through it. Problem solved, and no need for you to lug an extra cab and/or amp along. If it were me I'd drag along my 14 channel Mackie, and be done with it. My Last Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBFLA Posted December 13, 2004 Author Share Posted December 13, 2004 Gotta love these last minute changes by the Cruise Director A mixer would be nice, but I don't know if one's available. Worse comes to worse - I'll run the QSC in stereo and at least have some control over volume. Thanks Jim Jim Confirmed RoscoeHead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 You can get a little Behringer mixer for $50. I think that would be better than running another amp or cabinet. Who's going to tell you if the mix downstairs is working? Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoy Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 The angry officers, I'd imagine. They'll probably dispense wonderfully descriptive advice like "It's too loud" or "It sounds like s**t." I'd just get a little two or four channel mixer to plug into their board...mix your bass plus whatever else is going into that channel, and then send a mic-level feed into the main board. You might have to watch the levels to make sure you're not clipping the channel on the main mixer, but it should work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davio Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 That is an even better idea. I didn't think about getting an extra mixer. You should be able to pick up one that'll be sufficient pretty cheap. EDIT Oh yea...what they said^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBFLA Posted December 13, 2004 Author Share Posted December 13, 2004 A mixer sounds like a good idea, but - I'm just a hired hand on this gig, the band is based out of NYC. I work for them when they come down to S.FLA. We'll be using what the ship has on hand (PA wise), and I'd rather not spend the $$$ for one night. Maybe I can borrow one? The sound will be run by the same person that runs the shows in the Main Ballroom, so there will be someone watching levels. Jim Confirmed RoscoeHead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getz out Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 If you're going to run a long line down to your GK rig, it better be balance or else you'll end up with a bunch of noise. Use the DI out of the Demeter to the GK. 50' is too long for an unbalanced line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 Now we are getting more info. OK, forget the mixer. If it were me, I wouldn't do anything at all. If the drums, guitar and vocals are miked, your bass amp will be picked up by those mikes. The bass will be in the PA whether you want it there or not. And if there is not enough bass, move your bass speaker closer to the drum set or the guitar amp. I wouldn't worry about it. Maybe I'm getting crusty in my old age, but: 1) if there aren't enough channels in the pa to include the bass, that is their problem, not yours. How many channels is the drummer getting? You didn't mention a keyboard. Is there one and is the keyboard going stereo and using two channels? 2) are you doing heavy dance material? or is it standards/swing music? If it is the latter, not much bass is really required. If you had an amp downstairs they'd probably turn it way down anyway. 3) if you want a speaker downstairs, you probably could borrow a 50 foot speaker cable from someone, a lot of people who have PA's have long cables. Or you could borrow my wireless and send your signal to an amp on the other deck. But I'm not sure if the wireless would transmit through the metal walls that ships have. Otherwise I would mail it to you. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcbn Posted December 14, 2004 Share Posted December 14, 2004 I agree. Not your problem. The band that is getting hired to do the gig should work that part out with the venue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBFLA Posted December 14, 2004 Author Share Posted December 14, 2004 Originally posted by jeremy c: The bass will be in the PA whether you want it there or not. And if there is not enough bass, move your bass speaker closer to the drum set or the guitar amp. If there aren't enough channels in the pa to include the bass, that is their problem, not yours. That was exactly my point to the Leader when he called me last night. Furthermore, we will be on an open deck, as is the deck below - the bass should travel well, I would think. At most, I think I will bring a long speaker cord and a cab. I doubt I will need it, but it should pacify the Cruise Director. We aren't the main act that night. They have a lavish review/show in the Main Ballroom ("Canned Music" ) - we are an 'alternative' to the Show. I guess I really need to check out what's what beforehand. No News (surprises) is Good News. Jim Jim Confirmed RoscoeHead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred TBP Posted December 14, 2004 Share Posted December 14, 2004 Just a thought. How about using a DI or other preamp out to a wireless transmitter and plugging the receiver into the PA on the deck below? I wouldn't trust a wire that long to hold up. But I'd also make sure the batteries were fresh and replaced every 3-4 hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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