Latest Equipment purchase that has made the MOST difference

[FrankJohnson]

I have been working with a golf course clubhouse where I am located - near Dover Air Force Base. the Venue = Jonathans Landing and they have been doing so much to try to get good blues shows going there, in a room that is acoustically Hostile.

there aren't lights, there are lots of big flat walls, hard floors, and no acustic materials in there - sort of like playing in a Racquet ball court. Only not as nice

Here you go



These were on sale at Harbor Freight - $5.99 ea so we bought about $100 worth to start.
Suddenly - you can hear bass - cymbols, etc......
I think this was on par with any equipment I could have bought to add to the PA

[Don]

We need those where we rehearse!

[FrankJohnson]

Don - it absolutely changed the dynamics of the room. Two story room with open U shaped Mezzanine and flat walls - hard wood flooring and no material in there except some thin curtains.

Bob Margolin coming next month, Albert Castiglia coming back - JP Soars, and a few others coming through. I use the weekly blues Jam to tune things - and its been great. Tonight - I am adding another 6-8 of tehm - a couple behind the band/along wall beside the band -to help tame things - some are in the corners - and draped on the upstairs railings. Next - we put grommets in, install hooks and then work to make them pretty. My Idea was to sell Sponsorship panels to have them made like flags to go over the blankets - and the money can go to some "real" upgrades.

[Bill Moore]

I have used cheap military surplus wool blankets to the same effect. Bet those you bought will dampen a lot better. We once had a large concrete basement for a practice space, and found that you could "tune" the sound by varying the distance to the wall.

[chuckocaster]

Acoustical treatment is something that is horrendously overlooked! The worst thing to do is put carpet on everything, or on the flip side, have nothing but hard surfaces. But, some judicious use and you can "tune" a room so it "breathes". Bass traps and the like help too with standing waves and such.

Like I told you yesterday when we talked, those blankets are a cheap and easy way to do it. Some shows we'd throw a blanket over a 4X12 & spun it 180° so that we could get "that sound" without blowing peoples' ears out. An ISO box is better, but in the heat of battle the blanket works almost as good.

[chuckocaster]

Oh, and be sure you ONLY cover the cabinet, not the head!!! Last thing you wanna do is block airflow to the tubes.

[FrankJohnson]

These things worked GREAT! 3rd show with them - we added some each show - and the Jam last night was great.

It was also a GREAT learning/training session for me, 2 horns, 3 harps (one in an amp/mic'd - the others into vocal mics I had to ride the sliders on) an acoustic/eclectic reso guitar, drums, bass, and guitars/vocals.

I found that most of the time - everyone was happy, and most of the time - the mix was pretty good.I had one guy tell me all the equipment I SHOULD be using, and explained that this was what I have, and its a simple setup - not intended *(By me) to be a big rack system. I think he got it when I explained it that way.

That all said - owner was happy and so were all of the players. Funny - a bunch of peoples came out to listen too.........go figure. it IS getting better !

[chuckocaster]

You gotta work with what you got. It'd be nice to have a huge line array and stuff, but who really has the $ for that?

[Wilko]

As much bashing as Bose takes... I gotta hand it to them on their tiny line array technology.

Once you get past the name, they sound great. Line array as a technology does not need to be big.

Compare the size of the line arrays at big shows with the huge walls of speakers that were in use all through the '70s and '80s. Now use that same scale from a regular big PA in a club and you get something about the size of a pair of L-1s.

That and some moving blankets, and you're in business!

[FrankJohnson]

Ok - this is my most recent BEST purchase - got it before Christmas, and have been playing with it. I am pretty comfortable with it now, and run shows, my band etc....



http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-a...ackmount-mixer

[chuckocaster]

Wilko: I just always liked mixing on VDOSC rigs! We would run 2-3 per side at the club I worked at for our "big" shows. Line arrays are amazing, LOVE the dispersion and efficiency of them. Heck, one outdoor festival I did, which was pretty big, had 15 boxes per side and NO subs! It sounded so good!!!

[dirtdog]

Nice Frank! Last band I was in used the X32 rack...high convenience and portability factor. I didn't care much for the tablet app. Myself, I went for the Presonus 16.4.2 in my current band which I will be deploying live for the first time next Saturday night. I prefer the control surface form factor and I like the tablet app better than the Behringer...my preference, nothing wrong at all with the Behringer stuff these days.

But damn, this new(ish) digital mixer stuff is pretty amazing, eh? Add to that lighter and more powerful cabs, it's a new world!

[redisburning]

pedal tuner.

no lie, having a mute while you tune, and you can tune without even being able to hear, is an unbelievably useful function.

[FenderBoy]

I have been working with a golf course clubhouse where I am located - near Dover Air Force Base. the Venue = Jonathans Landing and they have been doing so much to try to get good blues shows going there, in a room that is acoustically Hostile.

there aren't lights, there are lots of big flat walls, hard floors, and no acustic materials in there - sort of like playing in a Racquet ball court. Only not as nice

Here you go



These were on sale at Harbor Freight - $5.99 ea so we bought about $100 worth to start.
Suddenly - you can hear bass - cymbols, etc......
I think this was on par with any equipment I could have bought to add to the PA

Shipping blankets? Right?

[FenderBoy]

For years I bought middle of the road cables and now just invested in some good ones from Reverb.com. Man - I switched out in the middle of a rehearsal and the difference in sound between cables was just astounding. I'll never buy cheap cables again!

[FrankJohnson]

Shipping blankets? Right?

yup - zactly

[FrankJohnson]

For years I bought middle of the road cables and now just invested in some good ones from Reverb.com. Man - I switched out in the middle of a rehearsal and the difference in sound between cables was just astounding. I'll never buy cheap cables again!

I switched from cheap XLR cables to better ones, still can't afford the ones I would like - but found what a difference not having to worry AS MUCH about cables.

[gibsonjunkie]

Shure Beta 58A - this microphone really makes me sound better...

[FrankJohnson]

Shure Beta 58A - this microphone really makes me sound better...

VERY cool - many mics are voiced differently so finding one that fits your voice and allows you to sound your best is HUGE!
I see on some other forums - discussions about which mic should I Buy - and so many chime in with THE ONE they should get, and have no idea about the persons voice, ability, technique, equipment being used, how, where etc.....
I shake my head - like I do when someone asks what guitar, or what amp.

I have a few AKG D5s, Beta 58s and sm 58s. For now that covers a lot of ground, but if I sang, I would find my.... THAT MIC - like you did Nick

[gibsonjunkie]

I must have a dozen different mics but this one just sounds better (for me).

[chuckocaster]

I mixed with a bunch of different vocal mics, regular 58 ALWAYS works. I'd prefer to use a BETA 58A or BETA 87. But, I ain't gonna complain about "the same as it's always been".

[dirtdog]

...so I have some pretty nice stuff in my collection but these two purchases that make the MOST difference for me (loading in and loading out at gigs)


One for each grouping of stuff: #1: bass amp head, mics, cables, computer and iPad, mounts and various accessories. #2 for instrument andPA cables, clips etc, #3 for power extension cords and distro boxes.

Can carry it all in one trip with the dolly....