Could really use some help from you guys regarding gig setup :S

[lschwart]

Well, just to be exact, the Venue is a preamp with a DI output, among it's other features. In this particular case, it will give you the ability to connect your guitar directly to one of the mic (XLR) inputs on the Stagepas mixer. It will also give you extra EQ options, a tuner, a mute switch, a boost switch, a feedback notch filter, an effects loop, and a phase switch. And you can also use it to split your signal to send one to a combo amp if you're using one on stage as your guitar monitor.

Louis

[Captain Jim]

I may be going out on a limb here, but it sounds to me like you could benefit from those with live gigging experience... and that is tough to do on a forum. We all have different tastes and budgets, not to mention different needs for the venue.

With the questions you're asking, my guess is you've played at school or church? (re: "using their equipment") You need to get out and see for yourself what others are using. Observe. See what YOU think sounds good and what you don't like.

Some performers are OK with answering questions about equipment (after the gig), others just want to pack up and get out. I have been asked the questions you're asking, and it usually comes from someone who hasn't done live performing for pay. My first question is: "How much music do you have worked up?" I suggest that you have 3 to 4 hours of good solid music. It is a very different situation to entertain people for several hours vs playing two or three songs at school or an open mic. You need to have variety to be able to tailor the music for the crowd.

Then, how do you intend to line up jobs? Do you have a booking agent or are you going to "knock on doors" to see if a particular venue is looking for new talent? How much time can you devote to lining up jobs? What do you have to live on while you're in that process?

What do you expect to earn? Do you know what the local "going rate" is in your area? Can you line up enough jobs to upgrade equipment (everyone is always looking to upgrade when they first start out) and still have money for rent, food, and some savings?

I've gone through a lot of different equipment over the 50 years I've been playing, and now find convenience (easy to carry, fast to set-up) is right up there with how it sounds. A few years ago, I made the change from "big enough to handle almost any situation" to "just enough to handle most situations and I'll rent if I need bigger."

Just mentioning the above to keep some perspective on "what you want to buy" vs "what is the return on your investment".

I am using a Fishman Loudbox Mini run into a Bose L1 Compact. A Shure SM58 works fine for the mic for vocals, the guitars are run to the FLB and through a TC Helicon Gtx. I can comfortably handle a crowd of 150 with that set up, depending on the room. Just giving you that for some reference, not as a suggestion of what you should buy.

Good luck with this journey... and, it really is a journey, not the "destination" of what-to-buy to do live performances.

Captain Jim

[theflink]

Originally Posted by Psalad

I wouldn't do it any other way, but you are relying on a lot of opinions here that may not actually get you where YOU want to be. That's all I'm saying.

It's like that guitar purchase... if you're inexperienced with acoustic guitars, you might not succeed at getting exactly you want with your first purchase, so spending a ton of money on it might be unwise. Maybe you find you prefer a different body (dred vs. OM vs jumbo vs. ?). Maybe when it comes to the gear you are buying you might find portability is the most important thing because you want to travel lightly. Maybe you will find that a quick setup is more important.

Anyway, I hope you get what I'm saying. You WILL need to make compromises unless you have someone funding your purchases and can afford your own PA guy to travel with you everywhere. The key is to understand enough about what you are going to do.. to make the right compromises.

And again... nothing is a problem until it's a problem. Plug in what you have (once the guitar is in) and play through it a LOT. THEN decide what to change, in which order. You are assuming you have a problem before you actually do, it seems to me.

But I was just asking what I needed for playing live on my own... Not what specific gear I had to buy.

[krisls]

It sounds as though you have pretty much everything you need to get going. The Venue is a good preamp/di so will work fine.

My suggestion would be to find a rehearsal room for a few hours and do some practice with setups and positioning of the gear. You can try things and see how they sound and it is a good idea to record if you can, you will be amazed what you pick up that was not obvious in the moment.

The stagepas is a decent small pa setup, as long as you have all the stands and cords, a mic or two you're good to go, just fine tuning.

You will after a while want to change/upgrade bits n pieces, just how it goes, but for now... play on.

Kris

[theflink]

Originally Posted by Captain Jim

I may be going out on a limb here, but it sounds to me like you could benefit from those with live gigging experience... and that is tough to do on a forum. We all have different tastes and budgets, not to mention different needs for the venue.

With the questions you're asking, my guess is you've played at school or church? (re: "using their equipment") You need to get out and see for yourself what others are using. Observe. See what YOU think sounds good and what you don't like.

Some performers are OK with answering questions about equipment (after the gig), others just want to pack up and get out. I have been asked the questions you're asking, and it usually comes from someone who hasn't done live performing for pay. My first question is: "How much music do you have worked up?" I suggest that you have 3 to 4 hours of good solid music. It is a very different situation to entertain people for several hours vs playing two or three songs at school or an open mic. You need to have variety to be able to tailor the music for the crowd.

Then, how do you intend to line up jobs? Do you have a booking agent or are you going to "knock on doors" to see if a particular venue is looking for new talent? How much time can you devote to lining up jobs? What do you have to live on while you're in that process?

What do you expect to earn? Do you know what the local "going rate" is in your area? Can you line up enough jobs to upgrade equipment (everyone is always looking to upgrade when they first start out) and still have money for rent, food, and some savings?

I've gone through a lot of different equipment over the 50 years I've been playing, and now find convenience (easy to carry, fast to set-up) is right up there with how it sounds. A few years ago, I made the change from "big enough to handle almost any situation" to "just enough to handle most situations and I'll rent if I need bigger."

Just mentioning the above to keep some perspective on "what you want to buy" vs "what is the return on your investment".

I am using a Fishman Loudbox Mini run into a Bose L1 Compact. A Shure SM58 works fine for the mic for vocals, the guitars are run to the FLB and through a TC Helicon Gtx. I can comfortably handle a crowd of 150 with that set up, depending on the room. Just giving you that for some reference, not as a suggestion of what you should buy.

Good luck with this journey... and, it really is a journey, not the "destination" of what-to-buy to do live performances.

Captain Jim

Thanks for the long answer

I'd really like to get some questions answered by people that do gigs, which is actually why I came here to ask this...

I've played for about 100-120 people a couple of times at this local concert where there were multiple performers. The organizers had all the necessary equipment ready for us. That's what I meant

The people playing gigs around these parts are amateurs. We don't have a sprawling music culture like many places in the US has (I live in Denmark) so the people playing aren't very good in my humble opinion and their setup doesn't seem to be either, again, in my humble opinion. I don't know what I'd need, but I have a decent idea of how the end product needs to sound.

I know some bar owners for starters, and they've said they'd happily take me in. Other than that I'd "knock on doors" :-) My living arrangements are certainly not a problem at the moment, and I'd be able to do this full time.

I know the rates around here and I'll be starting off easy to make good impressions and create healthy relationships with the different venues and after a gig or two (at the specific venue) the rate will rise to the "standard" rate. This will of course be in the opening conversations between me and the employer. My hope was that I wouldn't need to upgrade my equipment, as I plan on leaving everything but my guitar and the pre-amp in Denmark when I leave the country in two years or so (It's all planned out in meticulous detail and I already have most of it saved up so that's not anything to worry about).

With the rates around here I'd easily make back all these expenses in a month or two and after that I should be earning around 2 grand a month with regular gigging in the variety of towns around my location :-)

Thanks again for the message ;-) I just can't wait to get started. I loved playing those gigs I mentioned earlier and I really feel like I belong up there. So I'm very eager to get started, that's all

[theflink]

Originally Posted by krisls

It sounds as though you have pretty much everything you need to get going. The Venue is a good preamp/di so will work fine.

My suggestion would be to find a rehearsal room for a few hours and do some practice with setups and positioning of the gear. You can try things and see how they sound and it is a good idea to record if you can, you will be amazed what you pick up that was not obvious in the moment.

The stagepas is a decent small pa setup, as long as you have all the stands and cords, a mic or two you're good to go, just fine tuning.

You will after a while want to change/upgrade bits n pieces, just how it goes, but for now... play on.

Kris

Thanks Kris

[Psalad]

Originally Posted by theflink

But I was just asking what I needed for playing live on my own... Not what specific gear I had to buy.

Got it, I think you're probably good to go.

[punkybub]

I do solo gigs semi-regularly, and have for 20+ years. Top quality sound is always #1 in my book too, and from what I read about your equipment you've got pretty much all you need for small/medium gigs. As far as a new mic, I just got a Shure Beta 58 that's not too expensive and sounds wonderful - might be worth a look.

The Stagepas should be fine for most gigs power-wise. I'd suggest you set the speakers on their stands right at ear-depth and a tad above (as in on both sides of where you're playing, at the same distance from the wall behind you as your ears are, with the center of the speaker cabs just above ear level for projection) and turn them slightly into you to be able to hear clearly. It will take some experimenting to hear well enough without feedback, but it's the best monitor you can have - hearing exactly what's coming out the mains - and that's one less box (separate monitor) that you have to lug around.

Just my .02, YMMV, etc. but it's worked for me for years solo-gigging, duo and trio/quartet even as long as the volume isn't crazy-loud.

I love acoustic guitars !

[theflink]

Originally Posted by punkybub

I do solo gigs semi-regularly, and have for 20+ years. Top quality sound is always #1 in my book too, and from what I read about your equipment you've got pretty much all you need for small/medium gigs. As far as a new mic, I just got a Shure Beta 58 that's not too expensive and sounds wonderful - might be worth a look.

The Stagepas should be fine for most gigs power-wise. I'd suggest you set the speakers on their stands right at ear-depth and a tad above (as in on both sides of where you're playing, at the same distance from the wall behind you as your ears are, with the center of the speaker cabs just above ear level for projection) and turn them slightly into you to be able to hear clearly. It will take some experimenting to hear well enough without feedback, but it's the best monitor you can have - hearing exactly what's coming out the mains - and that's one less box (separate monitor) that you have to lug around.

Just my .02, YMMV, etc. but it's worked for me for years solo-gigging, duo and trio/quartet even as long as the volume isn't crazy-loud.

I love acoustic guitars !

Thanks a lot mate. Guess I'm set then. Can't wait ;DDD And thanks for the speaker advice Really appreciated!

[pieterh]

Originally Posted by franchelB

Okay, in that case, I'd suggest getting yourself a powered monitor speaker. And, yes, the LR Baggs Venue is a D.I.

Technically the Venue is a preamp with a balanced output, sometimes it can be important to distinguish between the two. Many preamps have a balanced (DI) out, a plain DI is not a preamp.