Live acoustic performance set up

R

rick woodall

New member
hi

just looking for some people to throw some ideas my way. i don't really perform much at the moment, and I'm just looking to organise some kind of standard equipment set up that I can use for live performances. basically what I'd like to be able to do is what i do when i record through my computer, whilst filming with the web cam. basically what i do is - have one mic on the guitar, one mic on the vocal, compress the vocal track quite a lot, compress the mix quite a lot and use a large reverb at about 25% on the mix. this gives the most balanced sound I've been able to get thus far.

When recording into the computer I use an SM86 on the guitar and a RODE NT1A on the vocal. what I expect I would use live though would be the SM86 on the vocal and an SM58 on the guitar.

If I was to be using entirely my own equipment, I have at my disposal a marshal AS 50D acoustic amp and a couple of active live monitors/speakers.

I expect I would probably need to buy some kind of small desk, a couple of compressors and a reverb unit (unless the desk has a reverb effect that could be used). most of the desks I've looked at don't seem to have much in the way of compression on them, so I expect I'd need to buy separate compression units.

so basically, what I'm looking for is the most efficient and cheapest solution to this problem. the most I could probably spend would be about £200 - £250 ($300 - $400)

this is what I do/what sound i get, when recording into the computer - Rick Woodall - Attracting Flies - YouTube

all suggestions welcome

Regards

Rick
 
What you would want is a small PA set up with powered console and speakers. Yamaha has what your looking for I believe. Something like THIS
Or from Fender look HERE.
These are sold used all of the time.
This is for performing live gigs right?
 
Assuming this IS for live performance, do you already have a power amp as well or are you looking for a powered mixer as well?

The Yamaha EMX is a great lineup of lightweight powered mixers.I recently purchased an EMX212S for my band and love it.
 
I have one of the little Yammy mixers.... they have an aux bus with a variety of effects, a few verbs, echo etc... you can only use one at a time, obviously. They also have "one knob compression" which is useful.. great for small acoustic acts... and well in your price range, depending upon how many channels you buy..

Just a mixer too, not powered - I use it with powered Mackie speakers
 
rick woodall said:
is the one knob compressor one knob per channel? and does it have a compressor on the mater?
Click to expand...

I have this fella

The yellow knobs up the top are the one knob compressors, so you have one on each of the first four channels, which correspond to the mono XLR inputs. The next two channels also have mono XLRs but stereo line ins, then you have four more auxilary inputs.

No master compression.
 
looks nice, non on UK ebat at the moment though but I'll keep an eye out. what are the pre amps like? i might trade my preamp (DMP3) in.
 
I've made performance videos using a 2-in interface, before. Set up your DAW with effects - Then again, I've never done it as a live broadcast, only as a video.
 
rick woodall said:
looks nice, non on UK ebat at the moment though but I'll keep an eye out. what are the pre amps like? i might trade my preamp (DMP3) in.
Click to expand...

I only use it as a rehearsal mixer as normally at gigs I'm using the house PA.. they're good enough for what I use it for.
 
Too lazy to google it, but if that Marshall amp (which I am familar with, a bit) is like every other "acoustic amp" (isn't that an oxymoron?) there is a 100% probability it has reverb, and a 80% chance it has compression. Those amps get no respect whatsover (who thinks of Marshall as an acoustic amp company?) and can be bought cheap. I don't know why you would need compression for a live, acoustic show. I also don't know why you would need more than that amp, either, unless you are playing bigger places. KISS.

And now that I am thinking about acoustic amps, my pet peeve about them is they ALL (at least, all I have seen) do NOT have speaker outs. That would be sweet- the amp, plus one or two external speakers, maybe a small mixer, and you'd be set.

JMHO.
 
stevieb said:
Too lazy to google it, but if that Marshall amp (which I am familar with, a bit) is like every other "acoustic amp" (isn't that an oxymoron?) there is a 100% probability it has reverb, and a 80% chance it has compression. Those amps get no respect whatsover (who thinks of Marshall as an acoustic amp company?) and can be bought cheap. I don't know why you would need compression for a live, acoustic show. I also don't know why you would need more than that amp, either, unless you are playing bigger places. KISS.

And now that I am thinking about acoustic amps, my pet peeve about them is they ALL (at least, all I have seen) do NOT have speaker outs. That would be sweet- the amp, plus one or two external speakers, maybe a small mixer, and you'd be set.

JMHO.
Click to expand...

I always get better amplified acoustic sounds out of electric guitar amps, specifically valve ones at the clean end of the spectrum, than any of the acoustic amps I've tried... I find the acoustic amps, like going direct to PA, a bit toppy and britlle, but maybe it's just me...
 
Well, from Thomann, the MG124 is in the budget you talked about: PRODUCT PAGE.

I've not used that model but about 12 years ago I recommended another model of Yamaha MG series mixer to my son's high school (he's 29 now....) and it's still going strong despite the abuse students give it.

For you budget, you're not going to get Studer pre amps and EQ but for the money, the Yamahas are great value.

One comment though...approach compression on live mixing with a great deal of caution, particularly if you're a one man band not driving the mixer all the time. A compressor kicking in can be a recipe for instant feedback unless you've set everything up very carefully.
 
ended up buying the 8 channel version of the yamaha mixer, haven't got it yet though, should arrive in a day or 2. cheers for the advice guys.
 
Well done....

To Bobbsy's point about compression, you'll find the one knob thing to be fairly subtle - I don't have it on on my own vocal channel, but put it on "the other guy's" channel has he's got both a more dynamic delivery and lesser ears to know when he's too loud. Helps keep him in his box a little..
 
Armistice said:
Well done....

To Bobbsy's point about compression, you'll find the one knob thing to be fairly subtle - I don't have it on on my own vocal channel, but put it on "the other guy's" channel has he's got both a more dynamic delivery and lesser ears to know when he's too loud. Helps keep him in his box a little..
Click to expand...

Why not just buy a big box instead....

Seriously, I certainly use compression in live work, often more as a limiter than adding makeup gain--I was just advising caution in the set up.
 
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