Seting your tone.........

[Riffmeister]

<font color="yellow"> As mentined in some previous thread, I have this big show coming up and it is the first time I am playing outside on a huge stage.

Do I want to set my tone based on what it sounds like right at the amp, where the mike is, or do I want to set it so that it sounds good to me say about 20 feet in front of it.

The thing sounds totally differnt out in front of it, whle standing there is more bass to it, but when you get down at speaker level, ther are actually more highs.

And also while there seems to be more bass while standing, the farther out I go awy from it, it loses bass. f it sounds great at say 15 feet, by the time I go about 50 or 60 it sounds terrible.

Usually I'm in this club where I'm stuck 2 feet in front of it, so I hve no clue about being on a real stage [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/what.gif[/img] </font>

[etaeniura]

Re: Seting your tone.........

ideally you would be able to have a soundcheck. have a guiter-knowledgable person stand out in the audience and tell you how it sounds so you can adjust. Will you have soundman? They shoulkd be able to help you out as well.

[Riffmeister]

Re: Seting your tone.........

Yea there will be a sound guy, I hope he will know what he is doing [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Ace]

Re: Seting your tone.........

See if you can find a closed-back cabinet. They project bass better. Playing outside, your right, your amp will have a hard time "filling the room", because there is no "room" to fill. Try and find a tone that sounds good to you onstage, because the audience is going to hear your guitar through the PA, which is mic'ed to the front of your cabinet. They won't be hearing you straight from your amp. And yes, try and get a friend in the audence who knows what he's talking about and has seen you play live several times before to tell you how you sound in the house. If you can, try and walk off the front of the stage and play your guitar while standing where the audience will be. Then make sure that the sound guy cranks you up "too loud", because when there are people there they will act as baffles and affect your sound as well. Playing outdoors is definitely different, soundwise. The last band I worked for did Coachella in front of 40,000 people, and my rig went down. It was a nightmare!! Anyways, just have fun, do your best, and try and slip the soundguy a CD of your band early in the day so he can hear what your SUPPOSED to sound like.

[jgcable]

Re: Seting your tone.........

Keep your stage volume to a minimum. Your amp should be loud enough for you to hear it. Soundmen HATE cranked stage amps, especially when there is a kick ass PA system. If you are playing outside on a large stage I would assume you have PA cabs, wedge monitors and cross stage monitors. The PA and the stage monitors are for the crowd to hear. Mix your EQ on your amp the way YOU like it and the sound man will adjust it and adjust your EQ on the main mixing board and the monitor sub mixer. I keep my stage volume as low as possible but not where I can't hear it. Bottom line.. the tone comes from your amp but the power and volume should come from the PA system and the monitors should have a nice mix of your guitar in them. The sound man will love you and you will come off as a seasoned pro. Rookie players always think they need a cranked full stack at a large gig. It drives sound engineers CRAZY.

[Riffmeister]

Re: Seting your tone.........

Thanks guys!

Ace i have a red voodoo cab, which is closed back and it is loaded with Vintage 30's. It is loud as ****.

My amp needs to be at a certain volume before it sounds good, but that is only on 4 and I don't think that would be too loud.

One good thing is the sound guy did sound for us before in this little club. He brought in enough gear to play Madison Square Garden!

It was 3:30 in the Morning after our gig and he was STILL loading his truck [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] HAHAHA!

[Ace]

Re: Seting your tone.........

Cool, sounds like you should be set, let us know how it goes!!