Speaker Placement 101

[JackB1]

Looking for some general guidelines on speaker placement.
I do a solo acoustic gig and just got a powered 10" speaker.
I don't use a monitor. So how high do I place it on the stand?
When do I go high? When to put on the floor? When to angle straight or slightly down? Also should I get it as far away from the mic as possible?
I am a newbie at this, so I just need some general rules of thumb...I know
every venue can be different. Thanks

[RustyAxe]

Ideally the speaker should be just slightly above the heads of your audience. Position relative to the mic is highly dependent on the type of mic, polar pattern, mic technique, room characteristics, and more. I’ll let others fill in the details.

[JackB1]

mic is Sennheiser 935 cardioid dynamic

most rooms are on the small size for a typical small bar/restaurant or an outside patio with about 7-10 tables.

Originally Posted by RustyAxe

Ideally the speaker should be just slightly above the heads of your audience. Position relative to the mic is highly dependent on the type of mic, polar pattern, mic technique, room characteristics, and more. I’ll let others fill in the details.

[lschwart]

Originally Posted by JackB1

mic is Sennheiser 935 cardioid dynamic

most rooms are on the small size for a typical small bar/restaurant or an outside patio with about 7-10 tables.

In the situations you describe, the "behind and high" approach usually works very well. Put the speaker on a tripod stand behind you, and raise it up so it's above your head height (whether you are sitting or standing). At the volume levels you will be working at, feedback in that position is usually not a big problem, and the speaker will project the sound you need across the room or patio.

That said, the acoustic characteristics of venues will differ, and you might find situations where this won't work--you might need more volume than will let you stay below the feedback threshold, you might get some weird resonance at certain frequencies and get feedback even at lower volumes, etc. In those cases, you will just have to experiment with placement, with EQ, feedback notches or feedback suppressors, sound-hole covers or a more feedback resistant pickup system (if it's the guitar), a mic with a tighter pattern (if it's the vocal mic), etc. When it's financially feasible, investing in a second speaker and/or a small near-field monitor or an acoustic combo amp that can be used as a monitor will help you be prepared for tricky situations and higher volume needs, letting you put your main speaker or speakers out in front of your mic and guitar and to the side or sides, while you use the amp or the monitor speaker to hear yourself.

After a while, you will get used to figuring out what's best or what's needed in a given room, and you'll place your speaker or speakers accordingly. The main thing to remember is that feedback happens when sound from your speaker gets into your mic or gets the guitar body and strings vibrating. So look for how that might happen in a particular space (low ceilings, reflective surfaces, etc.--remember that being in a corner or having your speaker against a wall or on the floor will increase the low frequencies, so be particularly careful about that). If it's feasible, bring a rug to put on the floor under you in places that have hard reflective floors in their stage area. Soft wall-hangings/curtains, uneven surfaces behind you (like bookshelves) are all pluses. Glass windows or other hard reflecting surfaces behind you are minuses (especially if you're in a little recessed area or a corner). If you can't put the speaker directly behind you and need to place it to the side, put it on the side of your guitar neck rather than the body if possible. If you have to have the speaker out in front of you, and you're using a monitor, and depending on what sort of pickup you have, try and avoid having the monitor facing directly at the guitar top. Learn where your mic's null spot is (with your cardioid mic, that will be directly behind). Try and point the null spot toward wherever you think a reflected sound mic come from. Etc. Etc.

Louis

[YamahaGuy]

I just about always set my OnStage speaker stand up so that I can see 3 of the pin holes and set the speaker to face straight out. That works most of the time.

In halls with all wood floors and low ceiling with people sitting, I will go up one more and aim the speaker slightly down. I've had good results with that. The Sennheiser e935 rejects feedback very well. Just don't get the mic right in front of the speaker. Also, if the mic is close to the speaker, and you'll be away from it for a little while, be sure to mute the mic's channel on your mixer so you don't get that dead mic syndrome feedback.

[red5411]

I play frequently at a small bar/lounge and have been using one speaker on a stand to the side I front of me and a monitor. Both 12” EVs. The problem is where I play it’s a small space, really tight. So I am tempted to try the one speaker above and behind me. The volume is never really loud, they don’t want you to be too loud there.

It would be nice to simplify the setup with just one speaker and not be jammed in the corner with all that stuff.

[Brent Hahn]

Try to make it so you can hear the treble component. No ears in your ankles.

[JackB1]

You could try using one of those tiny monitors that clip onto your mic stand or maybe even in ear monitors.

Originally Posted by red5411

I play frequently at a small bar/lounge and have been using one speaker on a stand to the side I front of me and a monitor. Both 12” EVs. The problem is where I play it’s a small space, really tight. So I am tempted to try the one speaker above and behind me. The volume is never really loud, they don’t want you to be too loud there.

It would be nice to simplify the setup with just one speaker and not be jammed in the corner with all that stuff.

[jseth]

While each venue has it's own "characteristics" as far as what will work or not, I always set my speaker (s) so that I am on the edge of the cone of dispersion from them... not directly in the throw from the speaker, but on the edge of it.

This way, I can hear myself without many, if any, issues with feedback - I play 6 and 12 string guitars (Anthem SL) and sing through a Shure Beta 58A. Although I've been using one of the Bose L1 Model II's for the past 8 years or so, prior to it I used conventional gear for 40 years or so... and I have always disliked monitors, and REALLY have to hear myself, voice and guitar, to perform at my best... not an issue with the Bose stuff, but with a more conventional, "point and shoot" PA/amp, it takes some work to be able to hear what your audience is hearing...

I do have an AER Compact 60, and when I use that amp, I just make sure that I'm within the cone of the speaker's dispersion...

It will help A LOT if you give yourself a bit of room between you and the speaker(s); let's the sound "bloom" a bit before you hear it, and minimizes any feedback potential greatly. Not always possible on a crowded stage or area, I know.

I know with my AER that the higher I have the amp, the less prominent the bass is; most times, I prefer to use the AER with the little "tilt" gizmo that allows me to have the amp on the ground with great bass response,yet it "kicks" the sound upwards a bit, as well.

[lkingston]

My general rule of thumb is that if an audience member can see the tweeter, he/she can also hear it.

If you are up on a bit of a stage and have your amp on a short speaker stand that lets you adjust the controls on top, you are going to be fine with a mostly seated audience. In fact, it is better at that height because that gives you the best dispersion with a conical tweeter style HF driver.

In a crowded bar with everyone standing, you need to get the high frequency driver up over peoples’ heads. If the high frequency driver is going to be up over peoples’ heads, it really needs to be a horn rather than a tweeter so that it blankets the area with high frequencies instead of sending them into the ceiling from the cone.

That is why an amp like an AER Domino 3 or Schertler Roy can be appropriate for a listening crowd even in a moderately big area with a good sized crowd indoors or outdoors, whereas you still need a PA system in a much smaller but crowded bar.

[JackB1]

Great tips guys! Thanks!!!