
BrettB
Well-known member
Hi all,
I have been asked to do a live mix Thursday. I've done some live mixing before, but mostly on a small gig or with some extra help. Now the concert is going to be a bit more bigger than I am used to, and I'm all on my own, so I would like some advice from anyone, so I can compensate my lack of experience.
The fact is I have to go to the 'concert hall' tommorow to check out there material, and I have to say what I have to rent the extra stuff that is necesarry. So I need some help for you guys on that one.
I have been said they have a mixer, but I have no idea which one (All I know is 16 input channels but I have no clue of brand type, auxes, subgroups?). The band consist of drums, keyboards, electric guitar, bass guitar, lead vocals, and two backing vocals. the keyboard player plays the acoustic on a few songs. Counting the inputs I need (7 on drums, 1 on bass, 1 on el guitar, 1 on acoustic, 3 vocal mikes, stereo output from keyboard) I might have enough with 16, but because I don't have any idea about the rest of the mixing board: If it doesn't have enough auxes for monitoring or effects or doesn't have any subgroups, I'm going to ask for another one.
Aynone, here's my questions:
1) Which Rack material is essential when live mixing? A compressor? I have the advantage they are all good musicians (except the backing vocals aren't that good, so I kinda a fear I might do more wrong than well with a compressor. The Drummer has a great sound and playing, so has the singer, and the bassist and the vocalist: I worked with them before live and they are the kind of musicians that are able to USE dynamic differences in their music so I don't want to squeesh the live out of them. So maybe compression on the backing vocals? And is it best to connect it through the insert point? Or some multiband compression on the main mix? This maybe seem weird questions, but I don't have any idea what the standards with live mixing are?
I suppose I need a good rack reverb unit too? The guitarist has his own Alesis on his amplifier, but a general reverb unit for the vocals or a little bit on the drums would come in handy. Any suggestions?
I often see bigger PA's with extra graphic equalisers. Are they necesarry or do they just come in handy, keeping in mind I allready have the EQ of the board? Or are they just made to make adjustements to the room?
And how about those feedback destroyer thingies I heared about (I guess they are a spectral analyser and a EQ in one?)? When you have your mikes on the right place and the volumes right, is there reason to worry about feedback?
Keep in mind I don't know what my budget for renting will be, so I would just be glad if I only have the essentials, assuming they won't let me rent too much expensive gear.
2) Concerning mikes, I can use the collection of a friend, who has a wide collection of AKG condensors and Shure dynamics. I often see live mixers with those clip on mikes on drums, but I am tending to use the Shures (a couple of betas and sm57) on snare and toms, 3 condensors as overhead and as a hihat mike and the special bassdrum mike he has. Does, besides the fact you have lots more difficulty setting them up with extra stuff that maybe in the way, any other disadvantages using those standard mikes instead of those clip ons? Of are there any performance differences in them?
3) EQing the live gig: Any tips? I'm not that bad in EQing studio stuff, but are their other standards in live mixing (especially keeping in mind that those EQ's have less possibilities)? Like I said before, they are a professional band and they have a great instrument sound so again I'm kinda scared I'll ruin their sound more with EQing than contributing. I guess I'll low cut the cardiod mics due to the proximity effect, and maybe I'll try to give the bassdrum some extra punch or give some extra high end to the snare and cymbals. But again: the drummer has an awesome sound, so I really want him to go as neutral as possible through the speakers.
I would like to thank you all for your help and time!
greets
Brett
I have been asked to do a live mix Thursday. I've done some live mixing before, but mostly on a small gig or with some extra help. Now the concert is going to be a bit more bigger than I am used to, and I'm all on my own, so I would like some advice from anyone, so I can compensate my lack of experience.
The fact is I have to go to the 'concert hall' tommorow to check out there material, and I have to say what I have to rent the extra stuff that is necesarry. So I need some help for you guys on that one.
I have been said they have a mixer, but I have no idea which one (All I know is 16 input channels but I have no clue of brand type, auxes, subgroups?). The band consist of drums, keyboards, electric guitar, bass guitar, lead vocals, and two backing vocals. the keyboard player plays the acoustic on a few songs. Counting the inputs I need (7 on drums, 1 on bass, 1 on el guitar, 1 on acoustic, 3 vocal mikes, stereo output from keyboard) I might have enough with 16, but because I don't have any idea about the rest of the mixing board: If it doesn't have enough auxes for monitoring or effects or doesn't have any subgroups, I'm going to ask for another one.
Aynone, here's my questions:
1) Which Rack material is essential when live mixing? A compressor? I have the advantage they are all good musicians (except the backing vocals aren't that good, so I kinda a fear I might do more wrong than well with a compressor. The Drummer has a great sound and playing, so has the singer, and the bassist and the vocalist: I worked with them before live and they are the kind of musicians that are able to USE dynamic differences in their music so I don't want to squeesh the live out of them. So maybe compression on the backing vocals? And is it best to connect it through the insert point? Or some multiband compression on the main mix? This maybe seem weird questions, but I don't have any idea what the standards with live mixing are?
I suppose I need a good rack reverb unit too? The guitarist has his own Alesis on his amplifier, but a general reverb unit for the vocals or a little bit on the drums would come in handy. Any suggestions?
I often see bigger PA's with extra graphic equalisers. Are they necesarry or do they just come in handy, keeping in mind I allready have the EQ of the board? Or are they just made to make adjustements to the room?
And how about those feedback destroyer thingies I heared about (I guess they are a spectral analyser and a EQ in one?)? When you have your mikes on the right place and the volumes right, is there reason to worry about feedback?
Keep in mind I don't know what my budget for renting will be, so I would just be glad if I only have the essentials, assuming they won't let me rent too much expensive gear.
2) Concerning mikes, I can use the collection of a friend, who has a wide collection of AKG condensors and Shure dynamics. I often see live mixers with those clip on mikes on drums, but I am tending to use the Shures (a couple of betas and sm57) on snare and toms, 3 condensors as overhead and as a hihat mike and the special bassdrum mike he has. Does, besides the fact you have lots more difficulty setting them up with extra stuff that maybe in the way, any other disadvantages using those standard mikes instead of those clip ons? Of are there any performance differences in them?
3) EQing the live gig: Any tips? I'm not that bad in EQing studio stuff, but are their other standards in live mixing (especially keeping in mind that those EQ's have less possibilities)? Like I said before, they are a professional band and they have a great instrument sound so again I'm kinda scared I'll ruin their sound more with EQing than contributing. I guess I'll low cut the cardiod mics due to the proximity effect, and maybe I'll try to give the bassdrum some extra punch or give some extra high end to the snare and cymbals. But again: the drummer has an awesome sound, so I really want him to go as neutral as possible through the speakers.
I would like to thank you all for your help and time!
greets
Brett