Mini Concert
Well, I gave a mini concert of sorts for a couple of friends the other day. I played some of my songs that me and my band will be playing at the party next month.
This is the party around which I am focusing the attention and efforts of the guys in order to forge a band. The work continues. Practices, special mix CD's etc. I have some of the lighting already in place now. The PA is in place, and the fine-tunings of the sound mix are on-going.
I have discovered, for instance, that rather than having the individual players use amps, and the drummer to use a loud acoustic drum kit that everyone else has to compete with - which means that the volume escalates louder and louder until it becomes painful, it makes far more sense to have an entirely PA-driven sound. In other words, electronic drum kit, Bass POD, and Guitar POD, and my Vetta amp - all plugged into the mixer, and then out through the speakers in a controlled mix.
This actually sounds MUCH better. It's cleaner, tighter, more adjustable, and the volume can literally be anything it needs to be and still stay completely balanced.
This is by far the most sensible way to do it. 
Plus, frankly, despite what the self-described 'purists' might think, the tone is actually better. For example, it takes a lot of finicky mike placements to get the perfect sound for the drums when using an a-kit. But when you use the e-kit, the sound is perfect and predictable every time. AND easier! MUCH easier to get.
My visitors seemed to like the little private concert with me playing the guitar live and the rest consisting of the backing tracks recorded in a special mix. One had a camera, and some of the pictures from that camera are included here. I am using my chrome Strat, my white Les Paul, and my Flying V in these pictures. I'll be using 7 guitars that night, however because of different tunings, acoustic tunes, etc.
This gives some idea of the lighting and fog machine effects and how they will look at the show. These pictures also give me a pretty good idea of just how much weight I need to lose in the next few weeks... I think I'll be wearing black that night...
posted by Val Serrie @ 1:43 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Val;
>>In other words, electronic drum kit, Bass POD, and Guitar POD, and my Vetta amp - all plugged into the mixer, and then out through the speakers in a controlled mix.
>>
So, you get a Vetta, and others use the "Mains" amp?
I'll continue reading now.
DannyK in the MotorCity
(NO not Tokyo,Detroit!)
We are all using the main board and mains amp. They will also be in the monitors, but I won't be. I have the Vetta just barely loud enough to use it as a monitor.
Strangely, for a guitar player, I don't like my guitar sound to be too loud in the mix when I'm playing.
I don't use the Vetta as an amp that people hear out front because I want the final mix out front to be clean and balanced.
I use that instead of the guitar POD because all my patches are set up in the Vetta. And it does some things the POD does not.
I've loaned my Marshall half stack to Joe, the other guitar player, but it causes problems with stage volume/mix volume, etc. to use that, so he can either use my guitar Pod, or else he'll use his V-amp, which is a similar device. He'll probably use that because all his patches are set up there. He will hear himself in the monitors.
Ryan, the bass player, has a really nice Mesa Boogie amp. He can have the option of using that or my bass POD. Either way though, the main sound for bass will be through the board and mains, and his amp would just be a monitor and tuned low - like my Vetta.
This approach really does sound good. Very balanced. Very controllable. Clean.
v
eh, on the other issue, here:
http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2006/07/18/Navigation/408/207933/Bell+Helicopter+joins+Urban+Aero+to+launch+X-Hawk+flying+car+using+fancraft+technology+for.html
Wow - pretty cool. And not completely different from my design. The lifter fans are very much like the wing lifter fans I had in my design.
v
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