Amplification for 30-100 people

[midwinter]

^ that.

High and behind if you can get away with it. Off to the side and angled in a smidge toward you if you can't.

[swburton]

Thank for the feedback guys.

Louis, how close is too close for the basic amp? Obviously we'll try out a few things, but a first guess will help us get started.

The speaker was in the corner in my diagram, I'll try a more central position. From memory of the venue the walls are uncovered and the corner would be empty of much else.

[lschwart]

Originally Posted by swburton

Thank for the feedback guys.

Louis, how close is too close for the basic amp? Obviously we'll try out a few things, but a first guess will help us get started.

The speaker was in the corner in my diagram, I'll try a more central position. From memory of the venue the walls are uncovered and the corner would be empty of much else.

If you have time to experiment in the space before the show, that's best. These things, beyond some basic rules of thumb, are all about trial and error. So don't rule out the corner, until you discover it doesn't work well or another spot works better. Every space is different and there are too many variable to predict accurately until you're there and see the whole situation and hear what things sound like. After a while you get used to figuring this stuff our more quickly, and it gets easier. If the room has a nice acoustic, you might not need a lot of reinforcement. Just enough from the speaker and the bass amp to fill the room with a nice blend with the unmic'd piano and whatever natural sound you produce with your voice and guitar (and the bass player produces if the bass is acoustic).

With the bass amp, you'll need to find a compromise: enough level for the room while not overwhelming the stage with too much volume. Low frequencies are more omnidirectional than high frequencies, so placement isn't as important as it is with the main speaker, but you probably don't want to have it right next to the body of your guitar and/or right where your vocal mic is bound to pick up a lot of sound from it. Think about the polar pattern of you mic and try and keep the null spot or the areas of side rejection facing the amp--this is even more important when you're using monitors. It also helps to set the mic gain so that your lips can be close to the grill when you sing. If your main PA speaker is up above your head you shouldn't have trouble with that signal getting into the mic at the kind of volume you'll be using at a small gig--also your head will block a bit, too.

Louis

[swburton]

Since buying my gear at the end of last month, I have went on to sell my ZED10FX mixer and get a bigger ZED 60-14FX mixer - same brand, as I loved it, but needed more channels. I have also added a two channel radio mic (handheld and lapel).

[Irish Pennant]

Originally Posted by swburton

Since buying my gear at the end of last month, I have went on to sell my ZED10FX mixer and get a bigger ZED 60-14FX mixer - same brand, as I loved it, but needed more channels. I have also added a two channel radio mic (handheld and lapel).

When I found I needed more channels than the 10 fx, I also bought the 60-14Fx. I kept the 10Fx. I have on a few occasions used one of the mixers as a sub mixer. They are both nice mixers and have their place. Congratulations on getting your new Zed 60-14Fx.