EuroAussie Posted October 20, 2010 Share Posted October 20, 2010 We (mysef on guitar and vocalist) will be playing our first gig next month (nervous already ) at a reasonably large venue, that holds around 150 people. I plan to use TWO guitars, my Furch OM and the SWD. I will use a Marshall AS100D through the house PA. Both have fishman pup and will run them through my Aura Spctrum DI - Marshall - PA. Now, my question is given that I will use two guitars, how do i ensure that there is a consistent guitar volume through the PA when i switch guitars ? The Furch and Gibby have very different tone and natural volume and I imagine i would ideally like to check the volume when switching guitars, however we will not have access to a sound man. I guess i will just have to do a sound check and fix the volume on each guitar and leave it as it is .... or is there another option for those that have many gigs under your belt and are used to using multiple guitars per gig ?? Any advice will be highly appreciated. Its only now that these 'details' are starting to hit me to make sure things run smoothly. cheers! Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted October 20, 2010 Share Posted October 20, 2010 I'd not trust the house to adjust volume when you switch guitars. Plug in both instruments at home and note what you have to do with the amp controls to equalize volume between the two. Make the same adjustment when switching guitars on-stage. The short of it is to know your rig. Knowing your gear will allow you to make adjustments with confidence "on-the-fly" when playing live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR GIBS Posted October 20, 2010 Share Posted October 20, 2010 I'd not trust the house to adjust volume when you switch guitars. Plug in both instruments at home and note what you have to do with the amp controls to equalize volume between the two. Make the same adjustment when switching guitars on-stage. The short of it is to know your rig. Knowing your gear will allow you to make adjustments with confidence "on-the-fly" when playing live. |+1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuneitfred Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 I use a Hermida Audio Dual Boost. Adjust each channel according to what volume you want and your off and running. Transparent boost for solos's also if your not using it to equalize the guitars. I love it. Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertjohn Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Great to hear you'll be gigging those fine songs EuroAssie. Your Marshall has 4 inputs. So I'd suggest each guitar has it's own input. At your sound check you can set the respective volumes and tones for each input and thus each guitar. I assume you will patch the Marshall direct into the PA and therefore you will have control over the volumes on stage. Remember to turn down the vol on the one you are not using so you might want to mark the vol with a piece of tape to remember the settings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryp58 Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 I'd not trust the house to adjust volume when you switch guitars. Plug in both instruments at home and note what you have to do with the amp controls to equalize volume between the two. Make the same adjustment when switching guitars on-stage. The short of it is to know your rig. Knowing your gear will allow you to make adjustments with confidence "on-the-fly" when playing live. Very good responce, Buc! Well said. Another little trick I've used in the past in a situation like that was this: I have a little decibel meter that I set up which allows me to glance at and see exactly where the volume is. The trick is to get it at a place where it can measure volume in the house, but close enough for you to see. Some venues this works well, others not so good. I would go with Bucs advice! Probably your best bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 All good posts so far..... If I may add...'How will you be hearing your performance'?....will you have monitors or just pick up from your surroundings? It's nice to have a bit of flexibility so you can confidently tweak the balance guitar/vocal if necessary Most important is to Get up There and Enjoy Hope that last line isn't Too Technical....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted October 21, 2010 Author Share Posted October 21, 2010 All good posts so far..... If I may add...'How will you be hearing your performance'?....will you have monitors or just pick up from your surroundings? It's nice to have a bit of flexibility so you can confidently tweak the balance guitar/vocal if necessary Most important is to Get up There and Enjoy Hope that last line isn't Too Technical....... Firstly, thank you to everybody for many great suggestions, you guys are awesome ! To answer the specific question, i will be using the Marshall as a monitor which will be plugged into the PA. I will have the Aura DI right next to me where i will quickly have access to a volume control ... althugh that means i will need to take hands of the guitar. My main thinking from all the feedback is that im going to firstly a) have fun othere B) make sure my vocalist will 'entertain' the crowd between guitar chagnes and ill quickly run a couple chords and notes between tracks to check the vvolume level. As Buc said I need to get to know my rig and now that were in gig mode im starting to look at these details carefully .. Not very sophisticated but it will probably do the job ! cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted October 21, 2010 Author Share Posted October 21, 2010 Great to hear you'll be gigging those fine songs EuroAssie. Your Marshall has 4 inputs. So I'd suggest each guitar has it's own input. At your sound check you can set the respective volumes and tones for each input and thus each guitar. I assume you will patch the Marshall direct into the PA and therefore you will have control over the volumes on stage. Remember to turn down the vol on the one you are not using so you might want to mark the vol with a piece of tape to remember the settings. This is a good point AJ and would be a good fix. The only problem is that i will be using the Fisham Aura DI between the guitar and the marshall. The Aura has only one input for the guitar, so i will be forced to use the same end cable for both guitars.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 ...i will be using the Fisham Aura DI between the guitar and the marshall. Doing a little homework, I found that the Fishman Aura has two outputs: a -4Db XLR and a -10Db line out (1/4" phono plug). This makes things quite simple. Connect the 1/4" out to the Marshall and use the higher level XLR output of the Aura to the house PA. Then you can use the Aura's input level control to balance volume between the two guitars. This input level control does affect the output levels at the 1/4" line out and the XLR D.I. output and will thereby balance the volume at the Marshall's speaker and the house PA. Learn the two Aura input level settings that equalize guitar volume from the Marshall and you'll be controlling PA volume as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted October 21, 2010 Author Share Posted October 21, 2010 Doing a little homework, I found that the Fishman Aura has two outputs: a -4Db XLR and a -10Db line out (1/4" phono plug). This makes things quite simple. Connect the 1/4" out to the Marshall and use the higher level XLR output of the Aura to the house PA. Then you can use the Aura's input level control to balance volume between the two guitars. This input level control does affect the output levels at the 1/4" line out and the XLR D.I. output and will thereby balance the volume at the Marshall's speaker and the house PA. Learn the two Aura input level settings that equalize guitar volume from the Marshall and you'll be controlling PA volume as well. I think I get it Buc ...but shouldn't the final link to the PA come from the Marshall rather than the Aura as thats where the processed signal ends i.e Gibby - Aura - Marshall - PA ? I was also thinking of this product which was suggested on the AGF, seems to be designed specifically for this purpose and is reasonably priced ? http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BigShotIO/ Then the chaing link i imagine would be like this: BOTH acoustics – Bigshot – Aura – Marshall – PA and I would just toggle the bigshot between the two guitars that would then continue into the Aura dependign on the guitar used at that time ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 That Radial box is simply an A/B switcher.......two inputs, one output. Yes, it would allow you to footswitch between the two guitars without having to unplug one to plug in the other, but you will still have the volume imbalance (assuming you are correct that one is louder than the other at the pickup output, not at the soundhole). The Aura you have is designed to do what you want to do: connect the guitar(s) to an on-stage amp and an off-stage house PA system. Use the line out, 1/4" output for the Marshall and the XLR D.I. for the PA, balancing volume with the Aura's input level knob. If I read the info on the Aura correctly, both of these outputs carry the EQ'd, processed signal of the Aura, so both the MArshall and the PA will be getting the same signal at different levels. A D.I. signal is much stronger (-4Db) than a 1/4" line level signal (-10Db) and this is how it should be: the Marshall input wants a lower level signal strength than the input of a PA system. The Aura's input level knob does control the strength of both of these outputs, so in adjusting this to accommodate the unequal output of the two guitars you control the signal strength to both the Marshall and the house PA. So, at home, play the first guitar with the Marshall set to the stage volume you want. Get happy with it and remember the setting of the Aura input level knob. Then switch guitars and using only the input level control of the Aura, adjust for volume again. Make note of that setting. There you go......single knob adjustment to balance volume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted October 21, 2010 Author Share Posted October 21, 2010 That Radial box is simply an A/B switcher.......two inputs, one output. Yes, it would allow you to footswitch between the two guitars without having to unplug one to plug in the other, but you will still have the volume imbalance (assuming you are correct that one is louder than the other at the pickup output, not at the soundhole). The Aura you have is designed to do what you want to do: connect the guitar(s) to an on-stage amp and an off-stage house PA system. Use the line out, 1/4" output for the Marshall and the XLR D.I. for the PA, balancing volume with the Aura's input level knob. If I read the info on the Aura correctly, both of these outputs carry the EQ'd, processed signal of the Aura, so both the MArshall and the PA will be getting the same signal at different levels. A D.I. signal is much stronger (-4Db) than a 1/4" line level signal (-10Db) and this is how it should be: the Marshall input wants a lower level signal strength than the input of a PA system. The Aura's input level knob does control the strength of both of these outputs, so in adjusting this to accommodate the unequal output of the two guitars you control the signal strength to both the Marshall and the house PA. So, at home, play the first guitar with the Marshall set to the stage volume you want. Get happy with it and remember the setting of the Aura input level knob. Then switch guitars and using only the input level control of the Aura, adjust for volume again. Make note of that setting. There you go......single knob adjustment to balance volume. Right, good thinkin' 99 ! Time to go home for a fiddle .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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