First time gigging live

[Raff]

I’ve never performed live on stage before and don’t really know how to approach my first gig. It’s a small pub gig maybe 100 people and I’ll be stationed in the middle of the pub opposite the bar. I’m wondering if this set up will work.
- takamine g series thinks its an eg440sc about 5 years old with stock pick up ect
- JBL Eon 615 speaker
- sure sm58 mic

I just want my guitar and vocals and plan to run the guitar and mic directly into the speaker? Should this work ok or am I completely wrong here?

 

[klinic]

You generally want a mixer in between the instruments (voice included) and the PA, otherwise everything is just going to be at 100% volume without anyway to balance things. You can possibly balance things a bit by using the gain controls on the speaker, and also the guitar. Usually pubs have their own mixer and (admittedly not very good) PA. Try speaking to the venue about their equipment. Otherwise, test out if you can get a decent balance yourself using just the gain (going to be very hard to gauge unless you're listening from the audience) Or try to pick up a cheap mixer to run through. If you can find something that will let you throw a little bit of reverb on your voice, that would be ideal!

 

[Raff]

You generally want a mixer in between the instruments (voice included) and the PA, otherwise everything is just going to be at 100% volume without anyway to balance things. You can possibly balance things a bit by using the gain controls on the speaker, and also the guitar. Usually pubs have their own mixer and (admittedly not very good) PA. Try speaking to the venue about their equipment. Otherwise, test out if you can get a decent balance yourself using just the gain (going to be very hard to gauge unless you're listening from the audience) Or try to pick up a cheap mixer to run through. If you can find something that will let you throw a little bit of reverb on your voice, that would be ideal!

Thanks for the reply!
So say the mixer is included and i have control over the balance, do you think the speaker is good enough and more so will the stock electronics in my guitar be up to the task? I’m not looking for studio quality sound or anything but still want it to sound decent. And is it difficult to position a single speaker so that everyone can hear it considering I’m in the middle of the venue

 

[klinic]

Thanks for the reply!
So say the mixer is included and i have control over the balance, do you think the speaker is good enough and more so will the stock electronics in my guitar be up to the task? I’m not looking for studio quality sound or anything but still want it to sound decent. And is it difficult to position a single speaker so that everyone can hear it considering I’m in the middle of the venue

Guitar will definitely be fine. No one is going to notice the difference between a $200 guitar and a $4000 in a pub, underneath singing with everyone drinking and talking at the same time. I play a Chinese made Yamaha that I think sells for about $350AUD at the moment and get compliments on the sound all the time.

I also play through whatever PA is available and it’s usually awful, that speaker seems pretty good from a cursory google.

Now, about getting the sound to project when you’re in the middle of the room? I have never played a gig like that I have to admit, I’ve always had all of the audience in front of me. I don’t honestly think there’s a way to do that with just one speaker. The people behind might get some audio from it bouncing off of the walls, but it’s going to be muffled and echoey.

One thing that’s always held me back is worrying too much about equipment and trying to make things perfect. It’s always more important to put yourself out there and do your best, people will notice if your performance is honest. Just do your best with the situation and always try and improve a little bit for next time.

 

[fps]

Thanks for the reply!
So say the mixer is included and i have control over the balance, do you think the speaker is good enough and more so will the stock electronics in my guitar be up to the task? I’m not looking for studio quality sound or anything but still want it to sound decent. And is it difficult to position a single speaker so that everyone can hear it considering I’m in the middle of the venue

You'll be absolutely fine, it'll sound decent. Just enjoy it and play and sing your heart out!

 

[fps]

One thing that’s always held me back is worrying too much about equipment and trying to make things perfect. It’s always more important to put yourself out there and do your best, people will notice if your performance is honest. Just do your best with the situation and always try and improve a little bit for next time.

Great advice, people will notice your performance, the rest of this stuff isn't that important.

 

[Fred the Shred]

Gear is relevant, of course, but only to the extent where it doesn't compromise the quality of the performance. It is ultimately silly to think about that and genuinely believe the general audience will ever tell the difference between your super boutique amp with a pedalboard that looks like the control panel of the Enterprise and costs more than the care you drove to the venue and a POD straight into the PA. Our job, once on stage, is to put on a show, and it is far more important to ensure you have proper flow to the gig, a good interaction with the audience, and focus on the entertainment bit as an integral part of your performance.

I can't tell you the number of musicians I see falling flat on their asses because the focus on making sure everything was perfect all the time made them lose focus on a gig not being a recording session, but rather something FROM the band / artist TO the audience, and it's tremendously easy to feel overwhelmed by all the factors affecting even the simplest of gigs until one learns to filter out the fluff and things outside their control.

Also, have fun. Play your heart out, and you'll be rewarded - an audience may not know a lick of music from a technical viewpoint, but they are quick to be infected by one's genuine enthusiasm and honesty when it comes to a performance. Worry about logistics beforehand when it comes to a mixer / PA, then only the gig itself matters.

 

[Raff]

You'll be absolutely fine, it'll sound decent. Just enjoy it and play and sing your heart out!

Thanks, it’s very exciting alright!

 

[Raff]

Tha

Guitar will definitely be fine. No one is going to notice the difference between a $200 guitar and a $4000 in a pub, underneath singing with everyone drinking and talking at the same time. I play a Chinese made Yamaha that I think sells for about $350AUD at the moment and get compliments on the sound all the time.

I also play through whatever PA is available and it’s usually awful, that speaker seems pretty good from a cursory google.

Now, about getting the sound to project when you’re in the middle of the room? I have never played a gig like that I have to admit, I’ve always had all of the audience in front of me. I don’t honestly think there’s a way to do that with just one speaker. The people behind might get some audio from it bouncing off of the walls, but it’s going to be muffled and echoey.

One thing that’s always held me back is worrying too much about equipment and trying to make things perfect. It’s always more important to put yourself out there and do your best, people will notice if your performance is honest. Just do your best with the situation and always try and improve a little bit for next time.

thanks so much, you’ve definitely put me at ease! When i say middle it’s a narrow rectangle shaped pub with the bar one long side and a small stage on the other side...so really I’ll be playing towards the bar with people either side, nobody behind me, thanks again!!

 

[TedEH]

i have control over the balance

I'm usually of the opinion that the person performing shouldn't be in control of the mix in a room. If you can get away with it, get someone whose ears you trust to do this for you.

 

[Raff]

Gear is relevant, of course, but only to the extent where it doesn't compromise the quality of the performance. It is ultimately silly to think about that and genuinely believe the general audience will ever tell the difference between your super boutique amp with a pedalboard that looks like the control panel of the Enterprise and costs more than the care you drove to the venue and a POD straight into the PA. Our job, once on stage, is to put on a show, and it is far more important to ensure you have proper flow to the gig, a good interaction with the audience, and focus on the entertainment bit as an integral part of your performance.

I can't tell you the number of musicians I see falling flat on their asses because the focus on making sure everything was perfect all the time made them lose focus on a gig not being a recording session, but rather something FROM the band / artist TO the audience, and it's tremendously easy to feel overwhelmed by all the factors affecting even the simplest of gigs until one learns to filter out the fluff and things outside their control.

Also, have fun. Play your heart out, and you'll be rewarded - an audience may not know a lick of music from a technical viewpoint, but they are quick to be infected by one's genuine enthusiasm and honesty when it comes to a performance. Worry about logistics beforehand when it comes to a mixer / PA, then only the gig itself matters.

thanks for the reply man! You’re so right, it’s incredibly easy to get wrapped up in everything other than the performance itself

 

[brector]

So how did it go?

 

[Raff]

So how did it go?

It’s not until September! Wish i was this organised with everything haha