I really have no idea. There's a gazillion guitar mags out there but I don't even know what one needs for a live performance. I have the SM-58 and I pretty much just plug it directly into my 8-track and muck around. But what if I want to jam or play a show? So what's a basic set-up? Advise, advise, advise me.
Usually when I play a gig I use whatever the house has. In other cases, block parites...etc I have used my own equipment but I am the lead singer and drummer as well. I have some crappy headset mic I use.....need to fork over some serious cash and get an upgrade. If anyone knows of a reliable, loud, clear headset mic, please advise!!!
i've recently acquired (thanks, barney!!) a tc helicon voicelive gxt.
it's a wicked little pedal that provides compression/eq/reverb/delay and intelligent harmonies generated via whatever chord you play on your guitar.
either a 58 or a peavey mic, straight into the pa. brilliant.
I think an SM 58 would be absolutely fine for any live work and basic recording.
Good to hear Barney has recovered enough to get back to shoplifting again...Originally Posted by ashstralia
mwahaha!!!
good one sesh... actually it was a gift for all the help i've been, he was so impressed with it he bought himself one.
ended up costing about $330 aud each. as i say, fabulous bit of gear; yount you should try one.
if it can make me sound ok...
An SM58 is the industry standard for vocal mics pretty much. Few vocalists I've encountered handle their own effects, they usually depend on the front-of-house guy. I did work for one singer that assembled his own pedal board using guitar FX and XLR/1/4" stepdown adaptors...sounded OK-ish....
I'm full noob to this but I looked it up & you are definitely on the right track....
*just posting this here for any other noobs perusing this thread like I am.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shure_SM58
The Shure SM58 is a professional cardioid dynamic microphone, commonly used in live vocal applications. Produced since 1966 by Shure Incorporated, it has built an enviable reputation among musicians for its robust construction and technical performance, and more than four decades later it is still considered the industry standard for live vocal performance microphones.[1] The SM58 is one of the best-selling microphones in the world. The SM stands for Studio Microphone.[2]
“Great losses often bring only a numb shock. To truly plunge a victim into misery, you must overwhelm him with many small sufferings.”
Did I not say "industry standard"?
The Sure 58 is one of the few products that hasn't become obsolete or has turned into a modern shitty copy of the original. A Sure 58 is kind of like buying a Hi-Lift Jack. You buy it once and your great grand kids end up using it. It hasn't become obsolete and it still works.
As is the SM57 for mic'ing guitar cabs...
I'm very surprised at the affordable price. I honestly figured microphones used by singers would cost $500+.Did I not say "industry standard"?
Absolutely but that Helicon thing looks like a really cool box for buskers or 2 piece wedding band people.
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our duo sounds like the beach boys after a pavarotti castrato choir arranged it.
i shall thirdly declare it a magnificent bit of kit.
and my 58 looks and smells like it belted nails in the '80's. because it did. industry standard, i'm hearing ya loud and clear, jay!!!
Then you're more talkin' more like one of these guys, them they can start to run up to a couple grand:
There are way more expensive tube mics you can get for high-end studio recording, but for live work, recording or general use SM58s are the shiz.
57's do ok for vocals and work great for drums as well. Our band has a few of them on hand to run into the PA mixing console.As is the SM57 for mic'ing guitar cabs...
Awesome feedback, thanks.
I can't stress how little I know about this stuff so please... all snickering aside as I ask these supposedly dumb q's...
So what do I plug the SM58 in to? From the handful of gigs I did some years ago I can remember two speakers on both sides of the stage on stands facing the audience (I assume this is the PA), and one (or two) foldback front and centre on the floor/stage facing the band. And is there supposed to be a mixer in there somewhere or is that just optional?
I'm actually going to see a blues band later today so I will actually try to pay attention to the setup for once instead of murdering pots of beer talking shit about the footy like I normally do. Go tiges!!!
I guess I'm just keen to jam and sing vocs but last time I did this I just plugged into a shitty old guitar amp and could hardly hear myself over the instruments, forcing my voice to shout, therefore sounding shite and leaving me in frustrated mood.
I guess I'm looking to buy everything I need to just set up and plug in and play myself without having to worry about the house equipment. And ya know, I'm a beginner, so I'm not looking to go way out on the expenses. Look at it as though I'm a high schooler starting up for the first time. What is a basic set up that I can use to go from house to house, garage to garage, gig to gig etc.
Much appreciated.
mate, you can get a good little 6 or 8 channel 400 watt peavey head or similar off ebay for not a lot of money...
team it with a pair of 12 or 15 inch speaker cabs, and you're in business!
Yeah that's the shit!
The microphones plug into the mixer. You can use separate cables or you can do what our band does and run what's called a cable snake to the stage. This is basically a box full of microphone plugs with one big bundle of cables running out of it to the mixing console. In the mixing console you have the preamps and EQ for each microphone and this is called a channel. Some mixers have the power amp built in and the bigger ones need separate power amps.
In the 1960's bands like The Jimi Hendrix Experience and The Who used a PA system for the vocals only. The instruments had separate amplification and the drums had none. This is why Pete Townsend hit up Jim Marshall to make a 12x8 cabinet. He wanted to be loud and needed a lot of guitar speakers. The 12x8 cabinet was such a bitch to haul around they made two 4x12 cabinets and the Marshall stack was born.
Today if Pete wanted to be louder, they would boost his sound through the PA. In fact, some players like Geddy Lee don't even use amps and cabinets anymore. They use what's called a direct box and run directly into the PA system. So you really don't even need the traditional amp and speakers anymore.
Today bands use huge PA systems and all the instruments and vocals are either being mic'ed or ran into the mixer via a direct box. Then you have monitors. Those need EQ and are part of the PA.
The next thing you know you have a huge mixing console and if you are really big you have one console just for the monitors and one for the PA. Then the consoles send line level signal to various power amps and speakers. It can get pretty involved.
You basic small bar band probably will have an 8 channel mixer with the power amp built in. It will run the various vocal microphones and two sets of side speakers.
Last edited by Nitro Express; 05-27-2012 at 03:27 AM.
Three or four Sure 57's and a 8 channel powered mixer and two 15 inch side speakers is a good place to start. I've had good luck with the Peavey, Carvin, and Yamaha stuff. Also get good cables and mark them with your name. You will be amazed at how many times someone at the venue or another band will claim your cables are theirs. Having your tag on your cable ends the dispute. Also watch your cables, people steal them.
You can use the 57's to mic instruments including drums and they work for vocals as well. Just all around good versatile mics to have. You usually can order a bunch of them at once and get a discount.
No shit?
And what exactly is a "Sure" mic, by the way?
I've heard of SHURE brand.......
Your expertise is grabbing my attention, though.....please continue.
O.M.G.
Your mom labelled your underwear......don't lie.
Gawd this is priceless.....
First, IGNORE EVERYTHING Nitro has posted........
His Google is obviously out of date.........
c'mon lounge, give him a break. just because you and i have been megastars for decades; ever heard of humility?
If anything it's good to have a thread with decent microphone/setup advice.
It's not like there's the Dave version of Guitar Monthly that Eddie's got.
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