Playing behind plexiglass

[Pnewsom]

Hi everyone,
For the last couple of months here in Ontario, Canada, I've been back to gigging outdoors on a patio. It's a duo format with me on guitar/vocals and my partner on keys/vocals. We play a mix of 50's, 60's, and 70's, pop, r&b, and Americana.

With the weather cooling off as we get into fall, the pub will be moving us indoors. In line with local regulations we must play behind a plexiglass enclosed area. This consists of sheets of plexiglass hung lengthwise to enclose an area approximately 8x10 feet against a wall. There is open space above and below the plastic, and we will play seated.

While not an ideal stage situation, it also creates some sound reinforcement challenges. If the PA speakers are outside of the enclosure, we won't hear the high frequensies as well as I'd like. If we move the speakers inside the enclosure then it may sound muddy for the audience. The place is not very large and patrons will be socially distanced 6' apart and spread throughout two connected rooms. Since we will be playing for diners, we also need to keep the volume down.

As far as gear is concerned, I have a four channel Bose T1 mixer, Bose Compact, and a pair of JBL EON 612's available. We will run vocals and instruments through the mixer.

How would you configure it?

[necrome]

Seems like (wireless) in-ear monitoring is the best solution in this case?

[Mr. Jelly]

It seems to me there is only one option no matter how you go about it. You have to have the PA outside the box, plexiglass, and monitors inside the box, plexiglass. Since you may not have to fight much outside sound you may not need to monitor. It's almost like a recording or broadcasting situation.

[Pnewsom]

I'm thinking of using one of the 612's on the floor as a monitor for the two of us and possibly the Bose Compact outside for the house. With its wide dispersion it should likely work ok.

I've played that room pre-Covid with just the Compact and it worked well, but I didn't run the keys through it.

[Petty1818]

Yeah, I would do main speakers outside of the glass and a monitor inside. It probably won't be as bad as you think.

You are in Ottawa? It just doesn't seem like an enjoyable time playing for an empty looking bar.

[Pnewsom]

Originally Posted by necrome

Seems like (wireless) in-ear monitoring is the best solution in this case?

In ear monitors would likely work, but I don't have any and I can't see buying some at this point. Something to think about though. Thanks!

I should mention that the plexiglass does not reach the floor or the ceiling so a fair bit of sound will be shared through the the top and bottom of the enclosure. The plexiglass just serves as a barrier from vocal spray.

[varmonter]

Cant help think of this..

[Bob Womack]

I was going to say that there are a lot of bars where the performers could benefit from Plexiglas. In this case, who is being shielded from whom? I remember some stories of patrons throwing up nearly 100% alcohol into people's sound holes.

Bob

[Pnewsom]

Ha, I thought of the Blues Bro’s too! Definitely glad to be behind the plexi from a personal point of view..
Here are my buddies giving it a test run. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...3127172&type=3

[Marty C]

I was in Nashville a few weeks ago. They had what looked like a very large, clear shower curtain in front of the performers. There was a column type PA out front (EV I think) and a floor monitor on the inside of the shower curtain. The curtain was far enough away, the top and bottom were open so the sound was open and quit good. Didn’t sound muffled or muddy.

I also saw a performer with a loudbox artist on a stool, beside a performer. He was behind a sheet of plexiglass but the amp was, as normal, beside and behind the performer, but not behind the plexiglass. Worked well.

Neither the greatest options, but it was great to hear live music again!

Good luck.

[Pnewsom]

Originally Posted by Petty1818

Yeah, I would do main speakers outside of the glass and a monitor inside. It probably won't be as bad as you think.

You are in Ottawa? It just doesn't seem like an enjoyable time playing for an empty looking bar.

We're playing in Carleton Place, a small town just outside of Ottawa. As well, we mostly play for older folks who take the situation seriously, with masks required to get in. However, moving inside will increase the risk to some extent.

The owner is very on top of the situation, and we will only be playing from 5-8pm. As well it is more a food oriented pub than alcohol. There are no drunks or idiots wandering around. The room won't be empty when we play, and there will only be twenty or thirty people in the area.

[varmonter]

I struggle with this.. twenty or 30
People in a room ?? It only takes one.
I love performing. It's hard. We've been
Doing a few outdoor gigs but that's
Ending soon up here in the northcountry.
Moving indoors may not happen.
I dont beleive any venue will be doing the
Plexiglas route.

[Petty1818]

Originally Posted by Pnewsom

We're playing in Carleton Place, a small town just outside of Ottawa. It's not had any recent Covid cases. As well, we mostly play for older folks who take the situation seriously, with masks required to get in. However, moving inside will increase the risk to some extent.

The owner is very on top of the situation, and we will only be playing from 5-8pm. As well it is more a food oriented pub than alcohol. There are no drunks or idiots wandering around. The room won't be empty when we play, and there will only be twenty or thirty people in the area.

It's such a weird time. With my band, we typically play about ten shows a year. We could play every weekend but our schedules are just busy or don't match up. I actually was having an okay time with not playing but the past two weeks I have definitely missed it. I don't know when we will get back. I am also a Highschool teacher so the risk for me is now much higher so it makes me want to go back to playing even less.

Your set up will work well though. At least the plexiglass is not from the floor to the ceiling. I once played a university bar where the downstairs could hold about 700 people and there was a dj. Upstairs there was an additional bar that could be closed off with a plexiglass style garage door set up. The band would play in a narrow room facing that plexiglass so the sound would bounce back. We are talking insanely loud levels and it still sounded fine on stage because the monitor mix was just right.

[gfirob]

I live in a small town in a rural state with the lowest numbers in the country. But there was a party in a nearby ski resort, 40 people eating from a buffet, and sure enough, a cluster of cases came out of that event and one of these cases visited his mother who lives in our town. She develops symptoms and tests positive, but only after she had gone to church...

So it only takes one person willing to take a chance with safety precautions to carry the virus into a new location. I would neither play nor attend an indoor musical event, plexiglass or no, unless I was wearing a diving suit...

[Kerbie]

Come on, guys. We can discuss playing behind plexiglass, but not the coronavirus. Please help us draw that line.

PS... My apologies. I assume everybody looks around the forum, but many of you may not and that's fine. We had a months-long discussion of the coronavirus that finally went sour in the Open Mic. So, on July 31st, the staff decided to call a halt. We just couldn't keep the thread in line with the rules, so we had to choose to stop the conversation. Mentioning it as it relates to playing behind plexiglass is fine, but we no longer allow detailed discussions about rates and numbers of infections, methods of transmission, etc. Thank you for your understanding and please be safe while you perform!