Live Sound Reference Guide for Beginners
For The Musician
You or your band has been practicing in the garage for awhile and you or your band is ready for their first gig. What about the sound system? If the venue is small enough, then it shouldn't be too hard. The drums are loud enough, the electric guitar and bass amp have enough volume to compete with the drums but what about the acoustic guitar and vocals? While the acoustic guitar can also have it's own amplification much like the electric guitar amp, the vocals are still an issue. It maybe simple enough to setup a small PA, as shown in the other sections of this guide, for the vocals to be heard over the rest of the band. The one problem that you find out is that not only does the audience need to hear you, but you and/or your band needs to hear you too. This section will go through the many options you have for setting up sound for your solo act or your band, from small setups to complicated setups.
Small Band Setup #1
So for this setup you will need to have access to the equipment listed below.
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Mixer
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Powered speakers (best for portability) at least 4
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Microphones with stands (number will depend on how many vocals you have)
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Cables
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This setup amplifies the vocal and an acoustic/electric guitar. The vocal is going to channel 1 and the guitar is connected to a DI Box and then sent to channel 2 on the mixer. Using this model mixer, the monitor speaker level is controlled by the monitor knob that also controls the headphone level. The monitors should be placed where everyone in the band can hear. In this setup, the speakers have built-in amplification so be aware of what electrical plugs are nearby and carry some heavy-duty extension cords and poser strips.
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It's a good idea to checkout other sections of this guide to see other setups, situations, and what is needed.
