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Gigging without a PA


molan
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Ok here's a pic to help out.
[url="http://s997.photobucket.com/user/stingraypete/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-07/20160723_123911_zpswq0nub9z.jpg.html"][/url]

This is pair of RCF 735 active tops, in the bag is a digital mixer, all the XLR leads, all the power cables, bits and bobs. The long bag has two stands, a lighting rig with two LED par can lights, two LED pin spots, and even a music stand! The guitarist brings 2 DB opera 1x10 powered monitors.

This replaced in one stroke;
A Peavey powered PA mixer for FOH
A Peavey power amp for subs
A second powered mixer for passive mointors
A crossover unit
2 old Peavey wedges
2 Peavey 1x12" passive tops
2 Peavey 1x2" passive subs
Poles for tops when used with subs and regular stands for gigs without subs.
A myriad of leads of various types, speakon leads, xlrs, phono to xlr, xlr to phono etc etc etc

The fact the new smaller system sounds better and is louder when required, takes less time to set up and can be used in the same format for little pubs up to function rooms and wedding tents is a massive bonus.

The drummers garage was full to the roof, he is now going to sell all that and buy a single 1x15 DB Opera monitor, thats it as you can imagine he is very happy.

Inside the bag, all PAT tested and a laminated setup guide for each band I use it with including labelled and colour coded xlr leads, geek? me? :D
[url="http://s997.photobucket.com/user/stingraypete/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-02/20160220_150135_zpsozgrbrov.jpg.html"][/url]

Edited by stingrayPete1977
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[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1477157266' post='3160257']
You dont say..........so thats what a PA system looks like. Who would have thought.
[/quote]

Some people were struggling with the description and kept saying they hadn't got room for a bigger pa even when told it was smaller, I had to resort to pictures to help out just like nursery school children have pictures in their books ;)

Edited by stingrayPete1977
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[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1477161998' post='3160309']
Sorry I think I mislead everyone earlier.

The guitarist has just bought the speakers in. One in each hand.

They're Yamaha DXR8s.
[/quote]

:lol:

PS - not intended as condescending... more that when you said you had a pretty small top - a 10... and it turns out that it's 8s! :P You can't really get more diddy on the PA front!

Edited by EBS_freak
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[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1477167837' post='3160358']
Every band I've been in has had a drummer that sings either backing or lead vocals thinking about it so we've always had a Mic somewhere near the kit.
[/quote]
That brings its own challenges in itself!

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I know this thread has been done to death now but I can't ever recall hearing a band in a pub full of bodies with vocals only in the PA where the sound travels well to the back of the room. In my experience they can sound great at the front of the crowd but by the time you get to the back usually all you can hear is the vocals firing over peoples heads and the rest is just a muddy noise. For this reason we take the full PA everywhere and everything goes through it.

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Yep, but do you want to do that all for £60 or whatever...some will, some wont.
How far do you want to go down the route of doing things that way...

I can imagine some will pipe up and say the word 'professional' and then they take out a 3 piece band :lol: :lol:

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We are a three piece! I don't think I have ever associated us with the word "professional" though. But I do remember the early/pre full PA days when we'd have people at the back shouting "can't hear the guitar! Turn it up". Guitarist would oblige and then everyone at the front could hear nothing but guitar. £60 each or full band? We usually come out with about £60 each and are quite happy to do it for that but we have occasionally done gigs for nowt if we suport the cause and the full PA still comes. If it was just a job and we didn't do it for the love as much as the money then we might think differently but we do and we don't..............err should that be the other way around :blink: MInd you, if we were doing it more for the money then I would imagine that we could charge more if everyone in the room went away saying "That band had a great sound".

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Ok, you have a mix you thinks work....(maybe)... but you can't hear it at the back so you are guessing....
You know where this is heading.
You have limited instrumentation and you pick tracks that have a good few parts missing..or the lead singer isn't actually very good and can't sing the song.
For example, I could recall 10 bands I've seen recently, how many have a good, let along great vocal?? so it is also a factor about how good the band sounds.
Where do you draw the line here?

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[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1477249062' post='3160867']
You have limited instrumentation and you pick tracks that have a good few parts missing..or the lead singer isn't actually very good and can't sing the song.
[/quote]

sh*t! I didn't realise you had actually seen us :blush:

So, I guess we are a bit crap anyway so why worry about the sound...............is that what you mean?

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[quote name='AndrewJordan' timestamp='1477250609' post='3160891']


sh*t! I didn't realise you had actually seen us :blush:

So, I guess we are a bit crap anyway so why worry about the sound...............is that what you mean?
[/quote]

I'm yet to hear of a pub band JTUK rates around his parts, other than his own of course :D

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Many (maybe most..?) orchestral works are played with more or less 'parts' (4 instead of 12 violins, with or without harpist, one, two or more pianos...), depending on what is available in the orchestra, or budget, or space at the venue... The list is long. Many folks assist at these events; very few will fumigate or chastise for lack of 'parts'. One plays with what one has.
We do (or rather, did...) 'Beds Are Burning' (Midnight Oil...); our (excellent...) singer fills in the trombone solo with a vocal approximation. On one occasion, we had the pleasure of being able to call on the Kiemsa horn section, who did it 'properly' (at very short notice...). Much better, of course, but we couldn't call upon 'em every time..! No-one throws cabbages at us.

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[quote name='AndrewJordan' timestamp='1477250609' post='3160891']
sh*t! I didn't realise you had actually seen us :blush:

So, I guess we are a bit crap anyway so why worry about the sound...............is that what you mean?
[/quote]


No, not really, I'd not like any band that sounded bad, but the nature of these gigs are that they are a compromise...and if you are talking pubs then most are the opposite of suitable for music anyway.
Personally, I can live with a vox only P.A if most other basses are covered, I'm just not going to stress over a lot of the other stuff for diminishing returns.
Depends on how far below a certain threshold tho.

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[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1477254057' post='3160936']
Parts missing?

What does this even mean?

I thought we were playing modern pop and rock songs, not orchestral movements! Some people are way too precious. :D
[/quote]

But a lot of 3 piece bands will have to accept some sounds or parts they can't cover... and that is before you get into the limitation on top of limitations..
The best 3 piece bands round here have limited sets... but because of the guys in it, aren't that limited as bands. They will be very capable RnB/blues outfits and know exactly what they can carry off... they wont play the track otherwise

But you need very capable/imaginative musicians to make certain tracks work if you are missing keys for example...

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