Results 1 to 18 of 18

Thread: House PA systems

  1. #1
    Forum Member Kap'n's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Where phony hippies meet
    Posts
    19,769

    House PA systems

    How do most places that have house PA systems run them.

    While dropping off a bunch of promo packs at bars yesterday, I saw a couple of the places had their own PA systems.

    Do they assume you have a soundguy, and he knows the exact signal chain for their setup, or does one of their folks do the sound?
    Several guitars in different colors
    Things to make them fuzzy
    Things to make them louder
    orange picks

  2. #2
    Forum Member Alpine86's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    167

    Re: House PA systems

    Every place that I have ever played with a house PA had a guy that ran it, Sometimes thats good, sometimes thats bad. Even if they had thier own guy, we usually had someone we used along to help. I have never liked being at the mercy of the house sound guy. Sometimes they were good though. What tends to be the case though, is the house guys tend to set you up like the house wants you to sound, which may not neccesarily be how you think you should sound.

  3. #3
    Forum Member sabby's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    The CT Western Reserve
    Posts
    2,821

    Re: House PA systems

    My local bar's sound guy=WAAYYY TOOOO LOOOUUDDD!!!!!!!!

    What's that ringing sound? :rolleyes:

  4. #4
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    spanish for lard.
    Posts
    8,605

    Re: House PA systems

    most places that have a system have a house guy. i did that schtick for 2 years.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  5. #5
    Forum Member Kap'n's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Where phony hippies meet
    Posts
    19,769

    Re: House PA systems

    Thanks Folks!
    Several guitars in different colors
    Things to make them fuzzy
    Things to make them louder
    orange picks

  6. #6
    Forum Member Annie D.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Chico, CA (lotsa nuts)
    Posts
    3,708

    Re: House PA systems

    Make friends with the soundmen. There are three very good ones in this neck of the woods. I'll even run my keys through the PA with any of them- usually the kiss of death.

    They are the same gize at the same places and I felt totally comfortable with them. Specially Joe Hammond. *smooch*
    Shine your light.

  7. #7
    Forum Member Uncle Pat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Kentucky
    Posts
    150

    Re: House PA systems

    Around here, so few venues have house sound. It's a luxury to go to a club and see a nicely flown PA, and a soundguy that really knows his shit.
    Quick way to make friends with any soundguy....play a low-wattage amp. Man, they love those.
    They call me Mr Smooth

  8. #8
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    spanish for lard.
    Posts
    8,605

    Re: House PA systems

    that, and turn down if they ask you to.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  9. #9
    Forum Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Sparta, WI
    Posts
    2

    Re: House PA systems

    I've worked with some good house sound guys..and some not so good. If at all possible...use your own system if possible, saves you some headaches. But if you have to use the house system and the house guy...UnclePat and Chuckocaster hit the nail on the head...the less stage volume to work with..the better job he will do for you. If any of you have ever run a front system...you know what i'ma talkin' about.

  10. #10
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    New York Finger Lakes Area
    Posts
    8,462

    Re: House PA systems

    Hellebender is spot-on. Let them set the stage level.

    Usually house sound works really well. It generally means the drums will be well miked and balanced, and monitors will be up in the air instead of taking up valuable real estate on the stage. It means a lot less loading in and out too. When charging for the gig, you should separate the costs of the band and sound. If they supply it, you can charge a little less - it's worth it!

    If you are a singer you may want to bring your own mike. Sometimes the house mikes are beat.

    And finally - ask if the sound guy is adding reverb to the guitars. If so, don't run your rig too wet or it will be out of phase and sound like poo out front.

    Good house sound is the sland. I can play at the Dinosaur and start with my guitar sounding like ass onstage, but I know that Mimi, the Sound Goddess, will have it thick and chewy out of the mains until I sort it out. A great sound person is the guitar player's best friend.
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

  11. #11
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    spanish for lard.
    Posts
    8,605

    Re: House PA systems

    and being a guitar player that mixes more often than not makes me the guitars player's best friend.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  12. #12
    Forum Member Wilko's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    5,105

    Re: House PA systems

    Most of the small-ish clubs I've been playing lately have house mixers and speakers.

    We bring mikes/stands/chords.

    I run the board. Set it up and go. A few tweaks here and there.

    Only vocals go through the board. Sometimes a bit of very dark kick drum.

  13. #13
    Forum Member GuitarG's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Foley, AL
    Posts
    504

    Re: House PA systems

    Quote Originally Posted by Wilko
    Most of the small-ish clubs I've been playing lately have house mixers and speakers.
    We bring mikes/stands/chords.
    I run the board. Set it up and go. A few tweaks here and there.
    Same here. We're a trio and occasionally in the bigger places I'll put some guitar and bass in the mains. I like putting some kick and snare in there as well when we can. But for most of the indoor places we play our stage sound covers the room pretty well. I just make sure I keep the vocals up on top of the mix.
    A couple of months ago we played a place that had the new Bose system for the house PA. You know, the tall column looking things. They had two at the rear corners of the stage with subs. They sounded really good. I had them cranked up pretty good and had no feedback issues even though one of them was almost directly behind my vocal mic. The tone, especially on the vocals was really nice. Surprising.
    Annie D is right on with her comments. If the club has a house tech, or if you're doing a multi-act gig with a sound system, be friendly, helpful and polite. He probably has more than enough egoed out dumbasses to handle in a lot of the other bands he deals with. Be refreshingly polite ;) and he'll be working with you to get the best sound for your gig.

  14. #14
    Forum Member Wilko's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    5,105

    Re: House PA systems

    All good points about being polite, and quiet.

    I'd like to add something else that we like to do. When we set up our Speakers, we don't worry about being "behind" the speakers. We sometimes put them behind us. That way, we need to play quieter to avoid feedback. Works great as monitor and house in a small club. Many places we aim one back at us and one out to the house.
    BTW, I play 1x12 18watter and the other guitar uses a Deluxe Reverb. Fairly quiet drummer.

  15. #15
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    spanish for lard.
    Posts
    8,605

    Re: House PA systems

    i will tell you for me the best thing a band can do is have their gear and everything together, period. no lost cords or anything. you don't have to be a pro, but at least be able to set up in a timely manner and get a decent sound without having to really tweak on the amp, in other words know your gear. i cannot tell you how many shows i've mixed where the band wasted a whole bunch of time setting up and complaining about things as opposed to settin up and rockin out. i know i always come off as a dick to those people, but honestly i usually have 9 bands total to mix or work with that day, do you think i really care about your particular band? not really.

    you don't have to kiss anybody's ass, but use the golden rule. it's all about respect folks, show it and it will be given back. but don't be afraid to mention that something sounds off, just don't be an ass about it.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  16. #16
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    spanish for lard.
    Posts
    8,605

    Re: House PA systems

    stop it, there is no caring for other people...
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  17. #17
    Forum Member refin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Posts
    4,753

    Re: House PA systems

    The size of my band is always the musicians + one.....a soundguy.To do it right,you need a guy who knows your songs,your arrangements.I've seen good performances butchered because the house guy didn't know when a solo was coming up,or when to open the sound up with a reverb or delay---he was just basically babysitting the volume knob.I know it's expensive to add another guy,but a GOOD soundman is worth a cut---after all, a bad one can take all your hard work and turn it into a wall of loud mush.
    "My flesh and my heart fail...but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
    PS. 73:26

    MY JAMS--
    http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...&content=music

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •