Gear vs Playing out question

[destroyerjazz]

This post is not to sound rude or condescending at all, merely just for curiosity's sake.
So a lot of people here have some AMAZING rigs, but I'm really curious as to how many of us here play shows/tour often? I'm not saying that just because you don't play shows you shouldn't ~be worthy~ of all this cool gear or you're not "using it properly" or anything like that, just wondering! Especially for people with GIANT pedalboards or have huge elaborate stereo rigs that would be deemed useless by sound dudes once they try to mic you up and run everything in mono through their system, etc.

[skullservant]

I played out live semi-regularly from 2009-2012 while I lived in Richmond. Now I play very ocassionally when I have the time now that I'm not in school and have a job

[Ancient Astronaught]

I play out on average 3-5 times a month at venues of differing size (in the last two weeks we played 3 shows, and we have 2 more in the next 2 weeks, with another 5 or 6 booked through May). We aren't currently touring but we have a bunch of stuff in the pipeline to do first, which will then lead to a reason to tour.

At the same time I don't take out my full huge rig, but I do play out everytime with two rigs; one for guitar and one for bass (pedalboard / head / cab for each rig). But I keep pedals to a minimum as with 7 people on stage, personal real estate can be at a premium. We also have our own sound guy who started with us a couple shows ago, who understands our rigs and knows what works best for each of us. For example most sound guys hate to mic my bass cab, but ours insists because he feels my rig as a whole sounds better then just taking a DI off my preamp.

[WeHuntKings]

When I play out I always try to consolidate my gear own to the bear essentials. I have a tendency to lose track of hit if I have too many pedals to keep track of.

[univalve]

I always took my divided by 13 to the Shows. It ruled. So Hard. You didn't understand making Music if you don't Rock your shit at the Gigs.

[destroyerjazz]

I play out on average 3-5 times a month at venues of differing size (in the last two weeks we played 3 shows, and we have 2 more in the next 2 weeks, with another 5 or 6 booked through May). We aren't currently touring but we have a bunch of stuff in the pipeline to do first, which will then lead to a reason to tour.

At the same time I don't take out my full huge rig, but I do play out everytime with two rigs; one for guitar and one for bass (pedalboard / head / cab for each rig). But I keep pedals to a minimum as with 7 people on stage, personal real estate can be at a premium. We also have our own sound guy who started with us a couple shows ago, who understands our rigs and knows what works best for each of us. For example most sound guys hate to mic my bass cab, but ours insists because he feels my rig as a whole sounds better then just taking a DI off my preamp.

Having your own sound person really sounds ideal. I agree on mic'ing the bass over DI, or would even prefer a mix. Us weirdos buy whatever certain bass cab for a reason, because we want to hear it! Also, thanks again for the Emperor trade. Mine's sounding perfect for what I need and my rig sounds even better now!

I guess I asked this question and didn't answer. We toured/did shows for about 6~ months last year, including full US/Canada tours. This year will be at least the same, with a couple more months of touring including a 40~ day European tour.
Another thing I love talking about: dealing with sound people. I play in a pretty loud, yet not that heavy of a band, two-piece band where I have a guitar rig and bass rig for suboctave pedal fake bass. I always talk to the sound people before the show and explain our wants and needs and be polite as possible, usually it's met with "Okay, I'll mic everything but take you out of the mix if need be", which is usually ideal. Just give us vocal mics and mic the kick drum, we're loud enough and know our dynamics to take care of the rest to make it sound "right."

[Ancient Astronaught]

Having your own sound person really sounds ideal. I agree on mic'ing the bass over DI, or would even prefer a mix. Us weirdos buy whatever certain bass cab for a reason, because we want to hear it! Also, thanks again for the Emperor trade. Mine's sounding perfect for what I need and my rig sounds even better now!

I guess I asked this question and didn't answer. We toured/did shows for about 6~ months last year, including full US/Canada tours. This year will be at least the same, with a couple more months of touring including a 40~ day European tour.
Another thing I love talking about: dealing with sound people. I play in a pretty loud, yet not that heavy of a band, two-piece band where I have a guitar rig and bass rig for suboctave pedal fake bass. I always talk to the sound people before the show and explain our wants and needs and be polite as possible, usually it's met with "Okay, I'll mic everything but take you out of the mix if need be", which is usually ideal. Just give us vocal mics and mic the kick drum, we're loud enough and know our dynamics to take care of the rest to make it sound "right."

We sometime's mix Di and Mic as well depending on the venue, the last time we did it the tone was mind blowing, best bass tone I've ever had!

No problem on the trade!!!! This 2x15 is perfect for what I needed, but unfortunately it wasn't a loose baffle causing that noise... It was a blown voice coil on the lower speaker. It's all good though cause I scored some Emi Delta 15LFC's on the cheaps and it sounds amazing now, HUGE low end and great projection.

[coldbrightsunlight]

I play maybe 5 times a year at the moment. I use both my amps and my guitar and bass, OR double bass + a preamp for it, so all the "big stuff" gets a decent amount of use, but I usually only take a couple of pedals because there's limited space on stage and we play simple rock and roll stuff anyway. Sometimes feel a little silly that I spend so much time and money on flipping pedals and those almost never see live use, whereas I've had all my guitars and amps for years and actually use those.

I'm aiming on starting a band where I'd use more pedals in the summer/autumn though, so then I'd be actually using this stuff live hopefully.

[ryan summit]

ive played live twice,ever
thats way too many times

[Chankgeez]

My stereo rig is so loud, there's no need for it to go through the house system.

[bigchiefbc]

I'm in a covers band that gigs out 2-4 times per month.

My originals band isn't gigging right now (we've only played live a few times, 1 real gig and a couple parties). But once we finish up our album, the plan is definitely to go play at least a handful of gigs.

[theavondon]

I'm in like, five bands right now? And I usually play at least three shows a week. It's fun. I used to use a really gigantic, elaborate pedalboard for one of my bands, but now I seem to either use nothing but a tuner, one distortion pedal, or at most like five pedals. And, my amp set up goes from just a 1x12, to only one 2x15, to 3 4x12s, to 2 2x15s and an 8x10.

Sound guys tell me I'm too loud regardless of what I'm using, so like, fuck it?

But yeah, I fucking love playing shows. Ideally, I will be touring with Joy Sores in May (along with those sweet boys in Two Knights), and New Science Projects in like, July. It'll be my first summer of touring. Stoked.

[destroyerjazz]

My stereo rig is so loud, there's no need for it to go through the house system.

Until the sound person/owner of the place comes on stage and turns your amps down for you, which has happened to me and then caused our crowd to yell at the guy while we sat there like

[whiskey_face]

My stereo rig is so loud, there's no need for it to go through the house system.

Until the sound person/owner of the place comes on stage and turns your amps down for you, which has happened to me and then caused our crowd to yell at the guy while we sat there like

that would get a sound dude knocked the fuck out.

fuck that.

[hbombgraphics]

I never play out, which honestly is why I have a giant board, because I just like to noodle and play with pedals,
when I was doing shows I had a pretty basic board it was still stereo but more of a slam everything with two amps stereo than a panning type thing.

I get out and play but it is usually acoustic with a flute or things of that nature, the giant pedalboard gets used a few times a year where I have to cover a crazy amount of tones but again it is accompaniment more than anything else. Not a band setting and honestly I am pretty Ok with that, I did the band thing it was awesome, but I am good to just own pedals and try to cover all the noises in my heads.


I think my playing out board was about 8 pedals and I pretty much leaned on the DOD death metal for everything