We hope you enjoyed this guide to setting up a PA for your band. There are more helpful tips and tricks on the way! Just like, comment, and subscribe so you don't miss a beat 🤘
Hi. i like the guide especially me having a metal band, and may i ask before shopping, how much is a pedalboard cost at philippine pesos? tnx, very helpful guide
Do you guys have a video for the rockville 18 channel mixer/amp/digital interface im trying to figure out how to set it up to record my drumset on it I tried using the USB thumb drive but it says no device connected and I'm just confused
How about a video where you set up a PA in a small pub/club? The "stage" is 1/2 the size you need, there's one outlet and it's on the ceiling, and you have to carry all your gear through 2 sets of door and up a dark staircase. Also don't forget to lock your car during every trip because otherwise your gear goes for a walk...
Yeah this is mostly useful for semi-pro or late, middle-aged Dad bands with disposable income who bring $20k worth of gear to play Tom Petty covers to a dozen people.
Don’t forget to include the no sound check time in there, the event is set to start at nine but the people at the venue don’t let you setup until ten minutes before the show start 🤣
@@vthings001 …why such hostility toward dad bands having fun? Kudos to those “dads” who, after raising families and working their asses off to support them for 20+ years, finally get the spare time to put toward their hobby/passion which they ignored for years due to family responsibilities. Your poor attitude is probably why you don’t have disposable income. Signed…a dad band bassist/sound man with a $40K “rig” for backyard BBQ/crawfish boils (Tom Petty never sounded so good!!).
as an event services AV technician for university of delaware, as well as resident sound tech for a couple house venues, i was ready for this video to be super cringy, full of stuff like all-in-one racks and things that only techs for huge, big-budget events would deal with. i've teched for a lot of bands, and while I personally have never had to run a bass or guitar amp through a PA, use more than one monitor, or deal with keyboard player wanting to use the PA instead of their own amp, this info was really useful and I can see it being valuable to someone just starting out teching in a new diy space where things like that are necessary. good job sweetwater with not including useless information or info that is only applicable to huge events.
It's a lil patronizing, even if you have only ever put a record on a turntable. started reading comments after i commented. worried i was being too much of a smartazz, lol.
The Powered Speaker is one of the most under rated advances in PA System ease and size of setup. Traveling with a local Band up and down the east coast mainly VA, NC, SC, TN, GA, FL, AL we traveled with our equipment in a Bus with limited storage the new class D power amps were a game changer and we use to setup in less than an hour and ready for the SHOW. That included lights. Planning is the key this was a great example of quick and well planned setup! If bands pay attention to this video they can have well thought out setups too!
I had no idea where to start my research since I know nothing about PA systems and micing drums. This sure helped a lot ! incredible video and I appriciate you showing visually every step of the process.
Intelligent, scientifically designed for the best performance, very well presented! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! For quality, professional content and a masterful presentation! Clearly, this guy is a subject matter expert.
Re signal routing: I was taught: Channels 1-12: kick, snare, HH, T1, T2, T3, OH1, OH2, bells/chimes/other, Pads (stereo), other or open, then 13-24: back line: Bass, G1, G2, G3, KeyL Key R, Synth L, Synth R, then Vocals 25-28: (house left to right for my benefit) 1, 2, 3, 4, other 28-32: (CD, pre show, video sound, othes). Then, routing to 4: subs to mains: (perc, inst, vocals, efx), then 8 monitor mixes or 16 out to P16 e.g.: 1-8: (wedge/earbuds per performer (in same order: perc 1/2, inst 3/4, voc 5/6, other 7/8) as requested), Out to main (L/R), lobby, other rooms, recording (direct out or other "every channel", plus main (LR) for management (band, house, and me). 32 and every other sound man can run my setup as we all learned the same way. If shrinking, keep the same groups (perc, inst, etc.) and outputs (L/R, lobby, etc.) If only 16: then shrink: drums (8), inst (4), and Voc (4) plus sends (monitors (2) and outs (2)(house and lobby) If keys, then combine toms (1-2), inst (only 3), and voc (1, 2, 3-4) use the two saved for "other".
Depends on the type of gig. Not sure why in a cover band gig in a typical bar/club the drummer would need more than three channels. Kick drum, snare/hi-hat, overhead. It's very frustrating working with drummers who think they need a separate mic for every single piece of their kit in a 20x30 room with maybe 75 people. It's a waste because in those cases the drums' stage volume is already as loud or louder than the bar wants, so you can't turn those individual channels up at all anyway. I usually just mute them.
Some channels waffle on & make what could be a 10 minute video into a 30 minute video (I'm looking in your direction, Mr. Beato) Finally, I have found a channel with good information from someone who knows what they are talking about but doesn't love the sound of their own voice. Instant subscription for a great video. I look forward to checking out more (The titles look intriguing)
I know it's handy to use the pole out of your subs for mains, but having subs separated very far causes some weird cancellation issues if the room is very deep. If you walk around and hear "dead spots", that is what's going on. Usually putting the subs in the center is the best because they will work together to evenly cover the space. If they can't go in the center, having them to one side is better than spaced apart. Don't worry about how it looks.
In my youth I was a roadie on a Frampton tour. The FOH guy I learned from said "Don't separate the subs". We always had them next to each other, stage center.
@@haverelmink It depends on the venue, the subs, the tops, and the distance. Sometimes you have such a reflective venue that separating the subs helps to even out the huge nulls and peaks that you can otherwise have. The less reflective the venue is, then centre stacking might be a good option. But, then you might have a huge separation between the tops and subs, which might not sound right. Also, if your subs are physically very big or cardiod, you can get away with separating them either way.
Turn on the mixer first. If you turn on the speakers first, nobody in the room will be happy with the loud pop when you turn on the mixer, and you might take a speaker out. And turn off the mixer last, for the same reason.
Excellent as always, Mitch! Many thanks. A good follow-up video could be your process for sound check? My band played out a bunch in 2019. Here's what we came up with. Btw ... we do not have a dedicated sound guy. Once our mains (QSC KS12.2s) are set up on tripods ... we spin them around toward the band (monitors are turned off) and dial in instruments in this order: drums, bass, keys, guitars, and vocals are always last. We typically play a verse and chorus from 2 or 3 of our go to songs--making sure to dial in all instruments and voices. Next we spin the mains back toward the dance floor & seating ... and dial in the monitors. Interesting choices for monitors-- Both the drummer and guitarist have the powered Simmons drum monitors. They sound great. I use the Bose system with sub which sounds really great with my keys, acoustic & electric guitars, and voice. (Overachiever?). All mics are routed to an Allen & Heath 30 channel mixer. Forgot to mention our two QSC 18" subs. At least one person per gig will come up to the stage when we go on break and tell us how amazing the sound quality is. Maybe we're on to something? Quick note about the Bose-- I originally purchased it for my duo (yes ... from Sweetwater!). About five years ago I saw an amazing CSNY tribute band using 2 or 3 of the Bose systems incorporated into their concert rig. This was at a 20,000-seat arena. I gave it a try with my band and have never looked back. Portable & sounds great blended in with the QSCs!
Nice vid! I ran the PA for an old band of mine, and used older power amps and passive PA cabs. It was fun (for me lol) figuring out all the power handling math. Maybe a follow-up video could be done using older gear like this, as that's probably what most people are dealing with.
wildealien I still use my PA from the 80’s. 6 Peavey CS 800’s, EV 18 subs, peavey 15 mains, jvc’s 12’s, peavey floor monitors, Peavey Board etc. I’m 58 yrs old and I think it’s time to update due to the weight not the sound.
great video!! thanks for helping musisian get more profesionals at stage. I have only one objetion: if you got your gtr and bassmann with big amps. I only take the vox and the kick on the PA. the rest i like to keep it as natural as posible.. resuming: Preserve the soundfont as much as you can.
Great video! It's an excellent starting point but the sub+main on each side of the stage is usually the worst possible placement for the subwoofers. I know that at most small to mid-sized gigs you don't really have enough space to put both subs together at the center of the stage but you can usually stack the two subs on one side of the stage which is much better than the traditional L/R split.
What Iv always wondered about smaller and mid sized gigs is why the front of house absolutely blast the PA system to deafening degrees. I haven’t don’t my own show yet but whenever I see a band, like the offspring, it was just uncomfortable. It makes me worry about myself since my ears aren’t super sensitive but Iv used issues before and feel like PA systems will wreck my ears . They’re always way louder than they have to be .
The more I think about what you wrote here, the more I realize what you're saying makes sense. In larger venues that have their own PA's, the subs are always under the stage in the center....If you have 2 like in this video, doesn't putting them closer to each other actually improve the low end even more? I'm going to experiment with this. Thanks for sharing.
Great simplistic video. Racking the mixer and a 1u power distributer into a small rolling rack would be a nice upgrade to this setup. That way you can run power and XLR from one spot to your mains and monitors using the ProCo Siamese cables. This has worked great for me for over a year.
@@drummer5015 they are expensive but the time they save is worth it, for me at least. I have several 25' and 35' (custom length) EC2 Dual XLR cables. I swap the ends on one of the XLR cables so I have an input and a return on one cable. This works fantastic for a monitor wedges. It supplies power, and XLR return for a wedge, and an XLR input for say a DI Box or FX pedal boards
nobody can mix with stage ears... its a myth... never heard it done better then a sound guy... no musician really wants to do that anyway...you end up being everybody's monitor boy and whipping post when something isn't exactly right. Can kill a mojo faster then a china virus
@@timdegaugh9512 you could have one that controls the front of house speakers and the other controls the monitors but you would have to have 2 separate mixers.
Yes, I don't agree with that comment whatsoever, where is the sound engineer normally, where they are not, out the front, you can't mix FOH from the back?
Thank you for this video, i just have a question.. could you guys make a video for beginners on how to set up cables for bands for practice.. Setting up guitars to speakers, how to use amps & what speakers to use! Thank you!
JBL party box 310’s. Portable with battery power, has lights on it and you can plug in a vocal mic and a guitar into it and if you have two 310’s you can connects them with an aux cable for stereo sound. And it even has some fx for the vocal mic and volume control knobs for the mic guitar and speaker volume and also had Bluetooth and wheels and a handle and is water resistant! And of course an app that connects to it for special sounds! Great option for busking and pop up gigs in public or in a small pub
Queation please. If you have a box with dual 15 or 12 dual power or passive speaker where do you put it when is a live event. Those boxes are some what larger that typical loud single power speaker and cannot be elevated as them on the stands
Hello greetings from California. My church would like to setup an IEM system but we don't know to setup. So I was wondering if you can make a video about the setup, the connections, signal chains, etc. Thanks!
Stay tuned... there is a "How to Set Up a PA System for a Mobile Church" video in the editing pipeline right now (it features 6 personal mixers for IEMs/headphones in that video).
Good morning, I know im late in this Video, but, why is the guitar not linked like the Bass guitar and using a mic rather? or does it not have a Di output?
This was very informative. Id love to see a more in depth series version for each step .. A video for floor monitors into mixer..instruments, mics etc. When going over the signal flow... The person talked very fast and sped through it all.
If you're on a really small stage, put your Bose L1 model II behind you (yes, it has a "scooped" midrange , but a really nice scoop, producind articulate and clear vocals that everyone will be able to hear), and use your guitar amps unmiked. You won't even need monitors!
There is one important rule for musicians, which are unexperienced with PA systems, especially with PA systems for larger audiences (more than 100): If you're at the PA rental store, don't believe the guy at the counter. At first, they will try to sell you a package that is too large for the job. These guys often try to rent out equipment that is at least capable of blowing everyone's ears out. This is perfectly fine for some occasions, and also can be a lot of fun, especially in the domain of popular music. Nobody owning at least one "Napalm Death" album would seriously doubt that. But in many cases, it's way too powerful, and you can get away with a cheaper option. This also means less effort for logistics, maybe less additional personnel and a less complex system to be set up and managed. Less complexity equals less potential problems for the actual concert.
If we are not in that room personaly then there is no benifit for us hearing it through a recorded mix, that is altered firstly by this video's audio propably being mixed already, secondly by audio quality UA-cam gives us, thirdly by the set of speakers you use and fourthly your room you are sitting in.
Florian Popp you are right, but for me the benefit of such thing wouldn’t be limited to the PA system, there are many mics in use, the mix itself is a good parameter of how it sounds in the room. At least when I worked as a light/sound tech the first thing was always listening to the mix with earphones and then make the fine adjustments to the PA considering room characteristics and PA frequency biases. Of course, it’s a thing of mine (and some ppl I worked with) so I would’ve liked to hear this equipment in use despite UA-cam compression and etc.
I REALLY ENJOYED THIS VERY MUCH. I AM A IV STUDENT IN MUSIC ENGINEERING AND I AM IN NEED OF HELP TO FINISH A PA SPEC FOR AN ASSESSMENT. I TOOK THIS CLASS BECAUSE I AM USUALLY A PERFORMER. BUT BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO RELAY ON OTHERS TO SET UP FOR A GIG. I WANTED TO TAKE THE COURSE. IS THERE AN EMAIL SO THAT CAN SENT THROUGH WHAT I GOT SO FAR BEFORE I SENT IT DOWN TO MY TEACHER? I'VE ALREADY HAVE MY INPUT AND STAGE LIST. I AM JUST IN THE MIDST OF MY PA SPEC.
I am constantly debating with guitar players and base players about where to put the amplifiers for a small gig. I say put the apps back against the wall so that there is at least 3 to 5 feet in front of each amplifier. Way too often the amplifiers are upfrontjust one 2 feet behind the guitarist and the sound becomes unbearable. What do you think?
Hey Mitch, how about the problems of the 2 subwoofer's in the stereo omni configuration in your set up regarding power alleys and power valleys? Is a cardioid central cluster better?
My 3 piece band was running late on a gig years ago. We set up in 20 min. flat from pulling up in the van to on stage with the opening song. 20 min. that’s my record
not a fan of JBL, or Mackie after 2008 but overall great presentation. definitely would recommend Yamaha or QSC over JBL, and Yamaha or Allen & heath for mixing. They have the best warranties, best customer service, and are priced appropriately and competitively. Mackie, Peavey, and JBL are all heavily cheeper Chinese parts. Their customer service is horrible, specifically Harman Group who owns JBL. Hope this information was beneficial have a great day.
Not bad not what I was looking for. I was looking for volume controls .EQ set up and sound check demo. Asking alot? I buy all I can from Sweetwater Appreciate Brendan Murphy at sales!!
for myself what i should used in a apartment for 3 micaphones for a 2 rythmnest guitariest 1 one bass so than what i should to input into what system a PA system or a different onee
Can you do this video but for a band that travels and plays in bars and small clubs and not on a "perfect stage" like this. Might have to outlets and no space. That would be great to see
Sir How to Manage 2 Type Sub. I mean 2 /3 types bass reflex sub , example - 1) Front Loaded 2) Hornload 2) Revers speaker sub In one venue. How to manage it
Hello i have 4.monitors in your case. Does it be better to put them on stands in drummer head level. Because sound go trough left to right trough drummer and fill stage?
Sweetwater, why did you choose IRX112BT over IRX108BT? I mean, if you have a PRX subwoofer on bottom, is there any difference if you install a IRX108 or IRX112?
Hello! That really depends on how big of a system you have, your budget, and what you're comfortable with setting up. Large/powerful high quality passive speakers with a great power amp will sound better than active PA speakers, but it's a lot to purchase and transport. Thanks for the interest! Spunde, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1732, Spunde@Sweetwater.com
This is a nice set-up but after all that work it would have been nice to heard a band play a little and sing with this system. Also, what about the rest of the drum kit? Shouldn't you have at least one mic over the cymbals closest to the keyboard and one over the other cymbals to pick them up as well as the floor tom-toms?
Excellent helpful video. Our band has a powered board. We've found it very difficult in some venues to find multiple clean power sources to run powered speakers and monitors. Plus the amps, guitar pedalboards etc. Any advice in this situation?
Hey, Chris! Great question! We definitely want to get you a power conditioner. If you could give me a shout at the contact info below, I can make some suggestions for your specific setup! Rock on! 🎶🤘 Cassie O'Hanlon, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 3020, cassie_ohanlon@sweetwater.com
We hope you enjoyed this guide to setting up a PA for your band. There are more helpful tips and tricks on the way! Just like, comment, and subscribe so you don't miss a beat 🤘
Thank you so much now I have a jazz band☺️😁
Hi. i like the guide especially me having a metal band, and may i ask before shopping, how much is a pedalboard cost at philippine pesos? tnx, very helpful guide
Really cool Mitch and Sweetwater
Thanks!!
Do you guys have a video for the rockville 18 channel mixer/amp/digital interface im trying to figure out how to set it up to record my drumset on it I tried using the USB thumb drive but it says no device connected and I'm just confused
How about a video where you set up a PA in a small pub/club? The "stage" is 1/2 the size you need, there's one outlet and it's on the ceiling, and you have to carry all your gear through 2 sets of door and up a dark staircase. Also don't forget to lock your car during every trip because otherwise your gear goes for a walk...
😂
Stu please make one for us
Yeah this is mostly useful for semi-pro or late, middle-aged Dad bands with disposable income who bring $20k worth of gear to play Tom Petty covers to a dozen people.
Don’t forget to include the no sound check time in there, the event is set to start at nine but the people at the venue don’t let you setup until ten minutes before the show start 🤣
@@vthings001 …why such hostility toward dad bands having fun? Kudos to those “dads” who, after raising families and working their asses off to support them for 20+ years, finally get the spare time to put toward their hobby/passion which they ignored for years due to family responsibilities. Your poor attitude is probably why you don’t have disposable income.
Signed…a dad band bassist/sound man with a $40K “rig” for backyard BBQ/crawfish boils (Tom Petty never sounded so good!!).
as an event services AV technician for university of delaware, as well as resident sound tech for a couple house venues, i was ready for this video to be super cringy, full of stuff like all-in-one racks and things that only techs for huge, big-budget events would deal with. i've teched for a lot of bands, and while I personally have never had to run a bass or guitar amp through a PA, use more than one monitor, or deal with keyboard player wanting to use the PA instead of their own amp, this info was really useful and I can see it being valuable to someone just starting out teching in a new diy space where things like that are necessary. good job sweetwater with not including useless information or info that is only applicable to huge events.
😊👍
@@sweetwater Except, after he watched the sub-woofer placement, Dave Rat just rolled over in his grave, and he is still alive. Carl
It's a lil patronizing, even if you have only ever put a record on a turntable. started reading comments after i commented. worried i was being too much of a smartazz, lol.
Sweetwater has the best videos known to man.
🙌🙌
Nice they are extremely helpful
Ben Gibson That's sweet(water) of you 🙂
Yup
I can listen to Mitch for days. Very calming and informative at the same time.
Plot Twist: this was all just one elaborate ad for the Sweetwater Duffle bag @ 1:23
😂 you are so right!
wait there’s a Sweetwater duffel bag?
it looks good. is it less than $79.98?
If so, I'm sold.
The Powered Speaker is one of the most under rated advances in PA System ease and size of setup. Traveling with a local Band up and down the east coast mainly VA, NC, SC, TN, GA, FL, AL we traveled with our equipment in a Bus with limited storage the new class D power amps were a game changer and we use to setup in less than an hour and ready for the SHOW. That included lights. Planning is the key this was a great example of quick and well planned setup! If bands pay attention to this video they can have well thought out setups too!
I had no idea where to start my research since I know nothing about PA systems and micing drums. This sure helped a lot ! incredible video and I appriciate you showing visually every step of the process.
Intelligent, scientifically designed for the best performance, very well presented! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! For quality, professional content and a masterful presentation! Clearly, this guy is a subject matter expert.
Re signal routing: I was taught: Channels 1-12: kick, snare, HH, T1, T2, T3, OH1, OH2, bells/chimes/other, Pads (stereo), other or open, then 13-24: back line: Bass, G1, G2, G3, KeyL Key R, Synth L, Synth R, then Vocals 25-28: (house left to right for my benefit) 1, 2, 3, 4, other 28-32: (CD, pre show, video sound, othes). Then, routing to 4: subs to mains: (perc, inst, vocals, efx), then 8 monitor mixes or 16 out to P16 e.g.: 1-8: (wedge/earbuds per performer (in same order: perc 1/2, inst 3/4, voc 5/6, other 7/8) as requested), Out to main (L/R), lobby, other rooms, recording (direct out or other "every channel", plus main (LR) for management (band, house, and me). 32 and every other sound man can run my setup as we all learned the same way. If shrinking, keep the same groups (perc, inst, etc.) and outputs (L/R, lobby, etc.)
If only 16: then shrink: drums (8), inst (4), and Voc (4) plus sends (monitors (2) and outs (2)(house and lobby) If keys, then combine toms (1-2), inst (only 3), and voc (1, 2, 3-4) use the two saved for "other".
Okay your cool
Agreed ..
Depends on the type of gig. Not sure why in a cover band gig in a typical bar/club the drummer would need more than three channels. Kick drum, snare/hi-hat, overhead. It's very frustrating working with drummers who think they need a separate mic for every single piece of their kit in a 20x30 room with maybe 75 people. It's a waste because in those cases the drums' stage volume is already as loud or louder than the bar wants, so you can't turn those individual channels up at all anyway. I usually just mute them.
Your videos are always so professional. You've got a lot of hardworking, talented people on your team.
Thank you, John! 😊👍
I'd love to set up a PA right now. Sure would be nice if we had some gigs or rehearsals going on in the world right now. :(
I wish I was with my band😢
Same here brother. I am a roadie for a band in my area, so I have my routine for setup down. Too bad it's all packed into my van....
Some channels waffle on & make what could be a 10 minute video into a 30 minute video (I'm looking in your direction, Mr. Beato)
Finally, I have found a channel with good information from someone who knows what they are talking about but doesn't love the sound of their own voice.
Instant subscription for a great video. I look forward to checking out more (The titles look intriguing)
I know it's handy to use the pole out of your subs for mains, but having subs separated very far causes some weird cancellation issues if the room is very deep. If you walk around and hear "dead spots", that is what's going on. Usually putting the subs in the center is the best because they will work together to evenly cover the space. If they can't go in the center, having them to one side is better than spaced apart. Don't worry about how it looks.
i just learnt something
In my youth I was a roadie on a Frampton tour. The FOH guy I learned from said "Don't separate the subs". We always had them next to each other, stage center.
@@haverelmink It depends on the venue, the subs, the tops, and the distance. Sometimes you have such a reflective venue that separating the subs helps to even out the huge nulls and peaks that you can otherwise have. The less reflective the venue is, then centre stacking might be a good option. But, then you might have a huge separation between the tops and subs, which might not sound right. Also, if your subs are physically very big or cardiod, you can get away with separating them either way.
80% of the time it's for convenience using the subs to hold up the tops. I do both ways depending on the venue
Putting the subs together in the middle. Is this applicable in an open venue?
Mitch Gallagher dose such a good job explaining.
We were very confused when we appreached our first music venue, luckily we were able to come across this tutorial. Thank you, Sweetwater.
Turn on the mixer first. If you turn on the speakers first, nobody in the room will be happy with the loud pop when you turn on the mixer, and you might take a speaker out. And turn off the mixer last, for the same reason.
Fantastic explanation of the basics with tips from experience thrown in. Love it!
Mitch Gallagher- your videos are so helpful and you deserve a raise!
Excellent as always, Mitch! Many thanks. A good follow-up video could be your process for sound check? My band played out a bunch in 2019. Here's what we came up with. Btw ... we do not have a dedicated sound guy.
Once our mains (QSC KS12.2s) are set up on tripods ... we spin them around toward the band (monitors are turned off) and dial in instruments in this order: drums, bass, keys, guitars, and vocals are always last. We typically play a verse and chorus from 2 or 3 of our go to songs--making sure to dial in all instruments and voices.
Next we spin the mains back toward the dance floor & seating ... and dial in the monitors.
Interesting choices for monitors-- Both the drummer and guitarist have the powered Simmons drum monitors. They sound great. I use the Bose system with sub which sounds really great with my keys, acoustic & electric guitars, and voice. (Overachiever?). All mics are routed to an Allen & Heath 30 channel mixer. Forgot to mention our two QSC 18" subs. At least one person per gig will come up to the stage when we go on break and tell us how amazing the sound quality is. Maybe we're on to something? Quick note about the Bose-- I originally purchased it for my duo (yes ... from Sweetwater!). About five years ago I saw an amazing CSNY tribute band using 2 or 3 of the Bose systems incorporated into their concert rig. This was at a 20,000-seat arena. I gave it a try with my band and have never looked back. Portable & sounds great blended in with the QSCs!
Nice vid! I ran the PA for an old band of mine, and used older power amps and passive PA cabs. It was fun (for me lol) figuring out all the power handling math. Maybe a follow-up video could be done using older gear like this, as that's probably what most people are dealing with.
wildealien I still use my PA from the 80’s. 6 Peavey CS 800’s, EV 18 subs, peavey 15 mains, jvc’s 12’s, peavey floor monitors, Peavey Board etc. I’m 58 yrs old and I think it’s time to update due to the weight not the sound.
@@SirBelvedere333 I hear ya. I'm 71, I have a lightweight rig, my big, heavy stuff stays home unless I have an outdoor gig.
Bill Miller I’m gonna find a new system once this virus is dealt with.
I also want to have the best quality sound system to play with my family. Can you advise me on the best sound system today to play at home?
This is the most satisfying video i ever watch in my life! Thank you! Very direct very simple
great video!! thanks for helping musisian get more profesionals at stage. I have only one objetion: if you got your gtr and bassmann with big amps. I only take the vox and the kick on the PA. the rest i like to keep it as natural as posible.. resuming: Preserve the soundfont as much as you can.
Great video! It's an excellent starting point but the sub+main on each side of the stage is usually the worst possible placement for the subwoofers. I know that at most small to mid-sized gigs you don't really have enough space to put both subs together at the center of the stage but you can usually stack the two subs on one side of the stage which is much better than the traditional L/R split.
What Iv always wondered about smaller and mid sized gigs is why the front of house absolutely blast the PA system to deafening degrees. I haven’t don’t my own show yet but whenever I see a band, like the offspring, it was just uncomfortable.
It makes me worry about myself since my ears aren’t super sensitive but Iv used issues before and feel like PA systems will wreck my ears .
They’re always way louder than they have to be .
The more I think about what you wrote here, the more I realize what you're saying makes sense. In larger venues that have their own PA's, the subs are always under the stage in the center....If you have 2 like in this video, doesn't putting them closer to each other actually improve the low end even more? I'm going to experiment with this. Thanks for sharing.
Great simplistic video. Racking the mixer and a 1u power distributer into a small rolling rack would be a nice upgrade to this setup. That way you can run power and XLR from one spot to your mains and monitors using the ProCo Siamese cables. This has worked great for me for over a year.
Those ProCo cables look very cool but man they are expensive!
@@drummer5015 they are expensive but the time they save is worth it, for me at least. I have several 25' and 35' (custom length) EC2 Dual XLR cables. I swap the ends on one of the XLR cables so I have an input and a return on one cable. This works fantastic for a monitor wedges. It supplies power, and XLR return for a wedge, and an XLR input for say a DI Box or FX pedal boards
"Don't have to have a seperate sound engineer". There goes my job then!
nobody can mix with stage ears... its a myth... never heard it done better then a sound guy... no musician really wants to do that anyway...you end up being everybody's monitor boy and whipping post when something isn't exactly right. Can kill a mojo faster then a china virus
I need a separate sound engineer!!
@@SteveEdinger true
@@timdegaugh9512 you could have one that controls the front of house speakers and the other controls the monitors but you would have to have 2 separate mixers.
Yes, I don't agree with that comment whatsoever, where is the sound engineer normally, where they are not, out the front, you can't mix FOH from the back?
This is excellent . I learnt a few things from this video...so thankyou Mr Gallagher and Sweetwater
Thank you for this video, i just have a question.. could you guys make a video for beginners on how to set up cables for bands for practice.. Setting up guitars to speakers, how to use amps & what speakers to use! Thank you!
Thank you so much for this video! Definitely buying all of this for my shows I'll be putting on!
First time watching this setting up of this great PA system looking great,this is how I would like to set up my bands,
These videos are great for us out of date guys :) Thank you. I learned a lot!
Thanks for watching, Clinton!
It looks so chill relaxed and clean, do one about the stage change between bands, like in a punk festival, I'm curiouous
JBL party box 310’s. Portable with battery power, has lights on it and you can plug in a vocal mic and a guitar into it and if you have two 310’s you can connects them with an aux cable for stereo sound. And it even has some fx for the vocal mic and volume control knobs for the mic guitar and speaker volume and also had Bluetooth and wheels and a handle and is water resistant! And of course an app that connects to it for special sounds! Great option for busking and pop up gigs in public or in a small pub
I wish every bar had a sound guy like this dude
Wish we had you in England. Amazing shop with everything under one roof.
You make complex things feel manageable!
Good info, the outtakes cracked me up too. :)
Very helpful. I’ve learned some techniques I’ll apply to our next gig.
Queation please. If you have a box with dual 15 or 12 dual power or passive speaker where do you put it when is a live event. Those boxes are some what larger that typical loud single power speaker and cannot be elevated as them on the stands
That was an extremely helpful video. Thank you for taking the time to teach this!!
Excellent demonstration & very clear instructions. Thanks again for helping us to set up and quickly position ideas of system.👍🌸🌟
Request: Video on portable PA for one man band (lead guitar, vox, backing track) maybe two options, budget and top shelf
Honestly a great video. Sweetwater Knows what they're doing. Thank god, The professionals thank you.
Hello greetings from California. My church would like to setup an IEM system but we don't know to setup. So I was wondering if you can make a video about the setup, the connections, signal chains, etc. Thanks!
Stay tuned... there is a "How to Set Up a PA System for a Mobile Church" video in the editing pipeline right now (it features 6 personal mixers for IEMs/headphones in that video).
@@DaveMcCall Nice 👍
Dave McCall Sweetwater has the best videos known to man. (I am a former broadcast editor.)
Good morning, I know im late in this Video, but, why is the guitar not linked like the Bass guitar and using a mic rather? or does it not have a Di output?
Either it doesn't have it or he prefers the miked sound
This was very informative. Id love to see a more in depth series version for each step .. A video for floor monitors into mixer..instruments, mics etc. When going over the signal flow... The person talked very fast and sped through it all.
This will be helpful once the pandemic has passed and everyone can resume some type of normal again. Thank you. 👍😃
Im telling you , i cant wait
If you're on a really small stage, put your Bose L1 model II behind you (yes, it has a "scooped" midrange , but a really nice scoop, producind articulate and clear vocals that everyone will be able to hear), and use your guitar amps unmiked. You won't even need monitors!
There is one important rule for musicians, which are unexperienced with PA systems, especially with PA systems for larger audiences (more than 100): If you're at the PA rental store, don't believe the guy at the counter. At first, they will try to sell you a package that is too large for the job. These guys often try to rent out equipment that is at least capable of blowing everyone's ears out. This is perfectly fine for some occasions, and also can be a lot of fun, especially in the domain of popular music. Nobody owning at least one "Napalm Death" album would seriously doubt that. But in many cases, it's way too powerful, and you can get away with a cheaper option. This also means less effort for logistics, maybe less additional personnel and a less complex system to be set up and managed. Less complexity equals less potential problems for the actual concert.
It would've been nice to listen to a band mixed with this gear
If we are not in that room personaly then there is no benifit for us hearing it through a recorded mix, that is altered firstly by this video's audio propably being mixed already, secondly by audio quality UA-cam gives us, thirdly by the set of speakers you use and fourthly your room you are sitting in.
Florian Popp you are right, but for me the benefit of such thing wouldn’t be limited to the PA system, there are many mics in use, the mix itself is a good parameter of how it sounds in the room. At least when I worked as a light/sound tech the first thing was always listening to the mix with earphones and then make the fine adjustments to the PA considering room characteristics and PA frequency biases. Of course, it’s a thing of mine (and some ppl I worked with) so I would’ve liked to hear this equipment in use despite UA-cam compression and etc.
Can you follow this up with a sound check video and explain anything else a noob like me would need to know for setting everything up?
Nice and simple. Add in two overheads for the drum kit. like!
I REALLY ENJOYED THIS VERY MUCH. I AM A IV STUDENT IN MUSIC ENGINEERING AND I AM IN NEED OF HELP TO FINISH A PA SPEC FOR AN ASSESSMENT. I TOOK THIS CLASS BECAUSE I AM USUALLY A PERFORMER. BUT BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO RELAY ON OTHERS TO SET UP FOR A GIG. I WANTED TO TAKE THE COURSE. IS THERE AN EMAIL SO THAT CAN SENT THROUGH WHAT I GOT SO FAR BEFORE I SENT IT DOWN TO MY TEACHER? I'VE ALREADY HAVE MY INPUT AND STAGE LIST. I AM JUST IN THE MIDST OF MY PA SPEC.
NOOOOOOOOO WHY DO YOU TYPE IN ALL CAPS? THEY ARE CALLED SWEET WATER NOT CHEGGWATER
I am constantly debating with guitar players and base players about where to put the amplifiers for a small gig. I say put the apps back against the wall so that there is at least 3 to 5 feet in front of each amplifier. Way too often the amplifiers are upfrontjust one 2 feet behind the guitarist and the sound becomes unbearable. What do you think?
Great tutorial on setting up a PA. Thank you for taking the time :)
Perfect. Thanks Mitch and Sweetwater!
Most concert/festival PA starts with kik, snare, toms, bass, keys, guitar, sax, vocals.
Thanks! I like that you're using 2 subwoofers.
I never thought Monitors would be needed for the Band Thanks for the video
You Have Simplified Everything! Thanks For The Upload!
We actually needed to see this. I like that mixer. Thanks 🙏🏼
Question?so when connecting the bass amp to the mixer does it sound only in the subwoofers or every speaker
Great tutorial. I use the JBL 615’s with a single JBL 618s. THUMP.
Hey Mitch, how about the problems of the 2 subwoofer's in the stereo omni configuration in your set up regarding power alleys and power valleys? Is a cardioid central cluster better?
My 3 piece band was running late on a gig years ago. We set up in 20 min. flat from pulling up in the van to on stage with the opening song.
20 min. that’s my record
Like the simple set up. It will suit up for our church. Thanks
How are you using an active mixer with active speakers? I read you can’t use both powered
Good day. Will you please demo for set up for church band using analog mixer.
Thanks
What is the ideal wattage for the bass amplifier and for the guitar amplifier for that setup?
How about mixing bass and kick please? It doesn’t affect the high speakers??
Connecting subs in to a mono auxiliary output channel it’s also a very good way to work
Glad I wasn't the only one who though/prefers this method.
I got a medium system around 6 years ago , I ask the seller a suggestion about the connections and he told me to try this way
I've been running my qsc's this way and it sounds perfect, especially if you need more low end without putting it through the tops
not a fan of JBL, or Mackie after 2008 but overall great presentation. definitely would recommend Yamaha or QSC over JBL, and Yamaha or Allen & heath for mixing. They have the best warranties, best customer service, and are priced appropriately and competitively.
Mackie, Peavey, and JBL are all heavily cheeper Chinese parts. Their customer service is horrible, specifically Harman Group who owns JBL.
Hope this information was beneficial have a great day.
Not bad not what I was looking for.
I was looking for volume controls .EQ set up and sound check demo. Asking alot?
I buy all I can from Sweetwater
Appreciate Brendan Murphy at sales!!
for myself what i should used in a apartment for 3 micaphones for a 2 rythmnest guitariest 1 one bass so than what i should to input into what system a PA system or a different onee
Can you do this video but for a band that travels and plays in bars and small clubs and not on a "perfect stage" like this. Might have to outlets and no space. That would be great to see
so adding subs to your setup would not take up an extra output?
Sir How to Manage 2 Type Sub. I mean 2 /3 types bass reflex sub , example - 1) Front Loaded
2) Hornload
2) Revers speaker sub
In one venue. How to manage it
Great info, which one cable should use for guitar for better boost sound XLR will be good ????
Ugh I miss this right now
Hello i have 4.monitors in your case. Does it be better to put them on stands in drummer head level. Because sound go trough left to right trough drummer and fill stage?
Is it okay to add 2 loud speakers at the back facing the stage?
Informative but curious why you said if you have one sub to place in the back? I feel like that would cause crazy feedback and issues
How does this setup compare to say
Setting up two Bose towers?
How would you prevent the stage monitors from giving a feedback
I set my stage up exactly the same but I run drums in the last channels so I can bus them together easier
How about a tutorial about how to set up and run effects in a PA for great ambiance?
Awesome video! Thanks for the tutorial.
Is there a video about this but with using an in ear monitor rig?
What a Great Explanation
Great
Greetings From Super Extremes- Sri Lanka
💚 💛 ❤ 💙 💜
Sweetwater, why did you choose IRX112BT over IRX108BT? I mean, if you have a PRX subwoofer on bottom, is there any difference if you install a IRX108 or IRX112?
Do you recommend using PA speakers or passive speakers and using a big heavy power mixer amp
Hello! That really depends on how big of a system you have, your budget, and what you're comfortable with setting up. Large/powerful high quality passive speakers with a great power amp will sound better than active PA speakers, but it's a lot to purchase and transport.
Thanks for the interest!
Spunde, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1732, Spunde@Sweetwater.com
How you can help me to understand the mic you use in front of the amplifier ?
Mitch is mighty indeed. 👍😎
That was great!! Love Sweetwater!!!!
This is a nice set-up but after all that work it would have been nice to heard a band play a little and sing with this system. Also, what about the rest of the drum kit? Shouldn't you have at least one mic over the cymbals closest to the keyboard and one over the other cymbals to pick them up as well as the floor tom-toms?
What a great time to learn about something none of us are allowed to do for 6 months lol.
Damien Lobb sadly😑 I miss playing music so much
@@bullittsandbullets1821 ditto
Great video! Good explanation
Excellent helpful video. Our band has a powered board. We've found it very difficult in some venues to find multiple clean power sources to run powered speakers and monitors. Plus the amps, guitar pedalboards etc. Any advice in this situation?
Hey, Chris! Great question! We definitely want to get you a power conditioner. If you could give me a shout at the contact info below, I can make some suggestions for your specific setup!
Rock on! 🎶🤘
Cassie O'Hanlon, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 3020, cassie_ohanlon@sweetwater.com
newest looking gear i've ever seen at a gig :P