Help needed ref sound checking

[crag42]

Hi all, I’ve recently joined a wedding/function band and our first gig is in August. Not having ever gigged with effect pedals before I wanted to ask. 
when sound checking do you sound check with the effects on or off? or both?

 

 Many thanks

 Craig

[Dad3353]

36 minutes ago, crag42 said:

Hi all...

When it comes to your turn for sound check, use, firstly, the tone you'll be using most of the evening. Tell the tech that you'll be using other tones, and ask him to check those levels too. When he's ready, give a brief run of the various Fx tones, as they'll be used in their respective numbers. A few seconds of each is all that's required, and if he's any good (and they usually are...) he'll know how to set the levels etc.
If you're using a DI for the PA straight from the bass, pre-Fx, with your amp only for monitoring and stage fill, the core tone will be enough. That's a common set-up; the Fx from the stage are often quite enough for moderately-sized venues without PA support, which only gives out the core tone.
It's very useful to be wireless, or have a very long lead for sound check, so that you may hear for yourself what's in the hall (albeit empty, naturally...). This will help, usually, and boosts confidence in knowing that what's out there is not simply what you hear on stage. It's especially useful when the whole band is checked at the end, so that one's place in the mix becomes evident. 
Others may have other views; hope this helps. 

Edit : It's a Good Idea to have a few 'bits and bobs' to play that match your repertoire, but will not be played as complete songs that evening, so as not to 'give away' the songs. There's usually plenty enough songs to choose from that resemble the main parts, and the evening remains unspoilt. Just a thought. 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Dad3353

[crag42]

Thanks for the reply.  I will be using a di for the pa but will be using in ear monitors and not using an amp (is this the right thing to do? I’m told it is?)

[Dad3353]

That sounds just fine, and simplifies things quite a lot. Give the sound tech a brief sample of what you'll be doing during the set, and ask for the mix that you want in your IEM (your own bass, your mic if you're singing, the lead mic, a bit of drums...), whatever you need to stay in sync with the band. You'll be fine.  Now for my usual words of encouragement  ...

It's the first forty years that are the hardest, after which things sometimes tend to get slightly better. 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Dad3353

[crag42]

Haha thanks mate. It’s not my first time gigging but it is my first time using effects. Cheers for all your help

[Downunderwonder]

It's not sound guy's job to level the outputs of your fx. Make good and sure the levels are appropriate at the DI.

[crag42]

4 minutes ago, Downunderwonder said:

It's not sound guy's job to level the outputs of your fx. Make good and sure the levels are appropriate at the DI.

Cheers mate

[Crawford13]

Great advice so far, I agree with Downunderwonder, invest some time in getting your levels right between effects so that there is no noticeable sound difference between effects (unless that's what you want eg boost etc). 

Yes IEM is a good route to go for a wedding band.

[Doddy]

I'll generally give the sound engineer my clean sound, followed by a quick pass through some pedals. Maybe not all my pedals, but at least some drive and sub. They don't like when you kick on a Meatbox unannounced. 

I use in ears on nearly all my gigs but I still like an amp behind me, even if it's only a 1x12. It also gives me a chance to fiddle around with levels and sounds before soundcheck.

[ubit]

I would say a sound check should be using everything you will use on the night. I cannot tell you how important sound checking is. Years ago we turned up at a wedding. We were playing with another band. They had set up before us and had left us no space whatsoever. We tried to set up as best we could but were forced to start without any kind of sound check. Our settings used to change wherever we played. Small pubs, large halls, strange shaped venues etc.The gig turned into a disaster and what made it worse was the guitarist wouldn't go out front to hear the sound. I was also the vocalist so couldn't . It was a real beam me up Scotty moment.

[crag42]

Thanks for all the replies. All guidance taken on board

[EBS_freak]

Umm, I don't want to be the A hole here... but this is somebody's wedding day. If you don't know what you are doing, it's only fair that you have a dry run and get all this stuff sorted before you even attempt to play a wedding.

It's not fair on yourself - as setting up and sound checking is a big enough stress as it is - and it's certainly not fair on the bridal party who I presume are picking up your bill.

If you are using fx, chances are, there will be variances in gain that will impact your levels. All this needs to be sorted out before the gig. There's no wedding gig that requires fx on bass... so if there's a chance you'll muck it up, don't run fx until you have had the opportunity to rehearse and do the necessary prep using the fx. Setting levels at home doesn't work - you need to do your setting at gig volumes.

Edited April 5, 2021 by EBS_freak

[JapanAxe]

Wedding gigs can be a nightmare. You are one of the many contractors responsible for making the day ‘perfect’ for the happy couple, their families, and their friends. Potentially conspiring against you are the inadequate space you’ve been allocated, the bell-end DJ who has already set up in the middle of said space, the traffic light volume monitor, the venue manager’s aversion to anything over 80dB, the access to the playing area via the swimming pool and a window, the tables full of guests that are still in your way 10 minutes before your scheduled start time, the manic wedding planner, no changing room... None of these are fictional btw.

You need to have your setup down to a slick routine, a bit like soldiers knowing how to strip down and re-assemble a firearm. If there is a sound guy/gal you don’t want to be surprising them with massive jumps in level. Make their life easy and your gig will go that much better.

While we’re on the subject of wedding and function gigs, when it comes to what you wear: If in doubt, go smarter. No-one will ever criticise you for being too well turned out, but there are few less pleasant feelings than being under-dressed.

Don’t ask me how I know all this!

[Geek99]

What fx do you need ? What songs really need them ?

[EBS_freak]

Just now, Geek99 said:

What fx do you need ? What songs really need them ?

For a wedding gig, Im wondering this too.

[Burns-bass]

2 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

For a wedding gig, Im wondering this too.

A lot of songs have synth bass now. Guess it could be that?

[Geek99]

It’s not like you’re playing bootsy Collins tracks right ?   Just stick with a single decent fat, warm tone and maybe some compression and you can do a fair -enough impression of most songs to please the average drunk attendee. 

[EBS_freak]

1 minute ago, Burns-bass said:

A lot of songs have synth bass now. Guess it could be that?

Yeah - but nobody has ever complained at a wedding because the bass player didn't play I Wanna Dance With Somebody or Uptown Funk on a Moog.

[Geek99]

5 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

Yeah - but nobody has ever complained at a wedding because the bass player didn't play I Wanna Dance With Somebody or Uptown Funk on a Moog.

@crag42 with all due respect I do think you’re over-thinking this and making your life way more complicated than you need. Keep It Simple is my motto. They won’t notice you played a given song on an actual bass not a synth, or clean rather than very slightly overdriven. They just won’t care. 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Geek99

[Burns-bass]

31 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

Yeah - but nobody has ever complained at a wedding because the bass player didn't play I Wanna Dance With Somebody or Uptown Funk on a Moog.

I was merely offering an explanation. I’d prefer to stick my precious parts on a vice than play in a wedding band so I can provide no insights into the world.
 

Personally, if you don’t know how to use effects, don’t use them.

[EBS_freak]

Just now, Burns-bass said:

I was merely offering an explanation. I’d prefer to stick my precious parts on a vice than play in a wedding band so I can provide no insights into the world.
 

Personally, if you don’t know how to use effects, don’t use them.

Wasn't a criticism.

[Doddy]

1 hour ago, EBS_freak said:

Yeah - but nobody has ever complained at a wedding because the bass player didn't play I Wanna Dance With Somebody or Uptown Funk on a Moog.

Maybe not, but there are a lot of bandleaders who will book you again because you can replicate the sounds.

I do agree that you should have your sounds and levels pretty much sorted before the gig, although you might still need a quick tweak before soundcheck.

[EBS_freak]

7 minutes ago, Doddy said:

Maybe not, but there are a lot of bandleaders who will book you again because you can replicate the sounds.

I do agree that you should have your sounds and levels pretty much sorted before the gig, although you might still need a quick tweak before soundcheck.

I know you’re a competent player so I’m not directing this at you - but as somebody who books players, the one that gets to the gig on time, learns the parts, doesn’t get whizzed etc would get the job over somebody with sounds.

I’d book a keys player for sounds though - defo.

[Doddy]

Just now, EBS_freak said:

I know you’re a competent player so I’m not directing this at you - but as somebody who books players, the one that gets to the gig on time, learns the parts, doesn’t get whizzed etc would get the job over somebody with sounds.

I’d book a keys player for sounds though - defo.

All that goes without saying though. No one is booking someone who is late and can't handle the gig.  But being able to replicate the sounds is the added extra that can take things up a notch. 

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

2 hours ago, Geek99 said:

@crag42 with all due respect I do think you’re over-thinking this and making your life way more complicated than you need. Keep It Simple is my motto. They won’t notice you played a given song on an actual bass not a synth, or clean rather than very slightly overdriven. They just won’t care. 

+1.

Not only would they not care, if you tried to explain it to the average punter, they wouldn’t understand the difference either.