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Unlikely, if plugging into it makes a noise .
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
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Sounds like the right idea but the wrong implementation. It's sad what they have to do to stop people wrecking the gear though… provided backline for festivals is similar, probably.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
The PA for instance - one of the IEC cables was split, bare wire on display. You'd get mains voltage going through your nutsack if you touched it. I reported it to them, and it was still like that months later - probably still is! Haven't been up there for a while.
It was Mill Hill Music Complex here in London and it's a fucking dive. Rattly shit bass cabs that never got fixed, drum kits that were falling apart, etc...
Generally getting a solo to cut through is more about frequency separation and dynamics with the other instruments than it is about outright level, so it shouldn't be too much of an issue if you've got your sounds right.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
I played another festival on saturday, 10K worth of HK bins and tops, 5K worth of stage .... no one mixing monitors again .....
Most soundmen, er… don't. Some of them don't even seem to be aware that the guitarist might be playing a solo, let alone do anything with it.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Also, if you can't hear a bandmate, say keys, you need to assume that they are playing they're parts as arranged; don't try to compensate because it doesn't sound right on your monitor mix or lack thereof.
Same goes for the opposite, it you can hear everyone else loud and busy, don't place less to make space and clear things out.
If you're hearing yourself too loud on the monitor, don't soften your pick attack or drop your rig's volume. This will affect the FOH. Ask (if you can) for less you in the mix or try to tolerate it..
These things may read as common sense but I've seen-heard people trying to compensate thinking they're improving a bad stage sound situation but ultimately make the FOH guy's job harder..
What I see pros do is deal with such problems in style. No panic, they don't stop playing looking lost, they don't start messing with their rig mid-song, their hand gestures to the sound techs are clear and minimal and assertive (they don't get into an argument with the tech about why bass is low waving their hands like idiots).
Pros usually (or hopefully) get to play with better/ more techs but there's not more you can do anyway..
We did a site survey, looked at environmental issues, access issues, put together a proposal and a reasonably priced package with a Prolite Arc Roof stage, a fair stack of subs and a few small line array boxes each side, standard four way monitor rig, digital desk, full backline. Ended up getting knocked back after a few weeks of back and forth because they got "a cheaper quote". Saw some photos from the event and they had a pair of 15" tops on a pair of single 18" subs, a couple of pieces of steeldeck staging with a gazebo on top, the two smallest wedges I've ever seen at outside corners of the stage, red and white roadworks fencing for barriers and a drum kit straight from the Argos catalogue. I take a bigger rig to every wedding gig I play. God knows what it sounded like halfway down the field.
I always soundcheck my boost volume (or offer to do so). In most cases the sound guy is fine with that.
They had also hired backline from someone I know who does that - a couple of big guitar amps and a bass amp, I can't remember what but probably in the 50-100W and 300-500W ranges - which they would probably have been better off using *as* the PA .
The final problem was that after they had got it more or less set up, the first band soundchecked and about halfway through the first chord when they were all playing, the hired generator cut out - because no-one understood that a 300W caravan generator is never going to be enough even for that minimal set-up.
The backline chap then managed to find a 1KW job from somewhere which was just about enough, although he had to faff around to sort it all out… and unsurprisingly, was not paid extra for it.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein