Nord User Forum

[Gambold]

Get high-quality powered speakers or a decent amplifier. For powered speakers that means QSC or better, pretty much. The other powered speaker models won't cut through enough, no matter what their wattage rating.

A good amplifier like a Roland Jazz chorus or a Fender Twin will also do the trick, although you won't get the best quality acoustic piano sound out of those. The Peavey KB300 will also end all conversation but it's really big.

[cphollis]

I'll look into the freq. of where I'm playing in relation to the others.

I find that if I play louder on stage than normal, usually lose focus of the beat, (drums and bass). I do have other equipment that would definitely intimate the louder guitarist though.

I'll try to get someone to listen to our sound in the audience. I always found it easier playing with just one guitarist. Guitarist that love just hearing themselves banging away are a big problem.

Yep, when you're playing louder, you can lose synch with other musos. Easiest fix is to run a monitor signal into your personal PA, so you can dial up what others are playing. Works for me Warning: if you do that AND provide a signal to FOH, you'll get howling feedback unless other steps are taken ...

[Quai34]

+1 on the monitor signal in my Personal PA, I did it, but yes, I got too much feedback....That's why, I will end with a third monitor to ear the Vocals at least....

[Mr. Marko]

the best way to compete with 2 loud guitars is to buy loud powered speakers or similar guitar amps as their - put them behind you..aim them at the back of your pants at the same angle as the guitar amps and compete apples to apples.

it is most important that you ignore how loud and obnoxious this might be as you are preparing to start the night, but as the night goes on they will realize you are not going to put up with the one way street.

I used to roll in with (2) 100 watt dual 12" Yamaha guitar amps from the 80s that were crystal clear and louder than the dickens...it only took a few gigs and the guitar players started using smaller amps and the contest had been disbanded.

I am not in this band anymore by choice...but it worked.

[damasp]

Thanks for the advice. This Saturday is an outdoor small festival for us. I think there will be a sound company for PA etc. I plan on bringing my bigger EV ELX12Ps. They are go loud and pretty clear. As much as I dislike carrying them up and down all our stairs, I'd rather have sound good and project my sound out there.

[Gambold]

Let us know how it goes. I have one EV 12 inch. It's ok. My QSC 10 inch is a lot louder despite identical wattage ratings (perhaps the most worthless spec in audio equipment).

I know that powered speakers became the rage awhile back for keyboards and they are still a go-to for a lot of players. That said, they have their drawbacks. You are basically trundling your own PA system around, and when you add in your boards, rack, mixer, equipment etc - you are a one-man roadshow who needs his own truck. Five trips from the car to the stage was supposed to be the drummer's problem - and now with his electronic kit he's at the bar having his first one while you are still setting up your gear. Don't forget your pole bag.

I got tired of that pretty fast, so now I've swallowed my gorge and go into the band's PA, unless there's a house PA with a sound guy (shudder). I use my QSC as a personal monitor since I've found that I really don't need to augment anyone but myself and the vocalist...does anyone really ask for more drums or bass in their monitor mix?

Once upon a time I blew off the mixing board and used a Peavey KB300 as a stage amp for my keys, and that thing was louder than any powered speaker ever will be. It weighed a ton so I put it on casters, and rolled it in with my gear bag on top. That big flat top was great to put my beer bottles, towel, and anything else during performance. Try stacking anything onto a powered speaker and watch it fall to the floor...now if I want that pleasure I need to bring a folding table to the stage.

Ah, the good old days. If we had guts we'd just run our boards through a Fender Twin and stop fretting over how the acoustic samples sound.

[harmonizer]

Yes, the good old days when I still thought my Roland KC-150 sounded ok. I heard the hatred of Roland keyboard amps on Keyboard Corner, then realized there were certain songs where it was painful to listen to the acoustic piano sound coming out of my KC-150. Identified the "G of death" about 1.5 octaves above middle C, and then there was no heading back. I love my EV zxa1, both for its low weight and its nice job with acoustic piano sounds.

[cgrafx]

Thanks for the advice. This Saturday is an outdoor small festival for us. I think there will be a sound company for PA etc. I plan on bringing my bigger EV ELX12Ps. They are go loud and pretty clear. As much as I dislike carrying them up and down all our stairs, I'd rather have sound good and project my sound out there.

Assuming the sound system is appropriately sized for the venue, you really don't need to bring anything special. In fact the more sound produced on stage the worse it is for the sound guy mixing out front.

[dhbp-nord]

Exactly this - if there is a good system and a tech who knows what they're doing out front. Any good soundman will tell you to keep it down onstage. If the band can't do that then there is a lack of professionalism happening.

DH

[cphollis]

If you are fortunate enough to have a great sound guy and a decent sound system, your onstage needs will be quite modest indeed. For example, plenty of folks in that situation use IEMs and are quite happy.

But many of us live in a world of either no sound guy, band member acting as sound guy, or lame sound guy.

Early in my gigging career, I got incredibly frustrated by the state of affairs, and decided to take matters into my own hands. The rest is history. While I am very willing to take the services of a decent sound guy and system, I am no longer hostage to this scenario.

Negotiation through strength. Bring several thousand watts of self-powered PA stuff, and you can have a balanced discussion with sound guy. E.g. I have all this weaponry, but would prefer not to use it. What say you?

It's working for me.

A few weeks ago, I showed up to a gig with a sound guy, and it was Lame-O-Rama all around. The first set sucked. The second set, we ran some of the vocals and sub through my keyboard rig in self-defense. The dude was pissed. Sort of his problem, not ours.