PA system?

[tbdana]

Hypothetically, if a fool were to start a 7-piece jazz fusion band, would said fool need to purchase a PA system?

And if so, what should the fool buy, if that fool wanted a good deal on a good sounding system, but didn't want to underbuy (not enough) or overbuy (too much)?

[elmsandr]

Depends on what the fool wants to do with the PA. If you really want to have amplification and monitors…. Well, that’s a lot longer discussion. If you just want to have something that you can use to speak to the audience, get one of those $100 jobs from guitar center and an sm58. One mike stand and one speaker stand and it will still fit in your car with your horn.

If you’re trying to fill a room, I’d work more closely with somebody local who can do what you like and see if you can talk them into selling you their lightly used equipment. Never met a sound person who didn’t like to have an excuse to upgrade. Besides, then you know the equipment can do what you want and have a resource for help when you get it out of whack.

Cheers,
Andy

[tbdana]

To clarify, the fool in question wants the whole band through the system, and said system needs to sound good for soloists...particularly trombone soloists, should one happen by during the gig.

[Posaunus]

To clarify, the fool in question wants the whole band through the system, and said system needs to sound good for soloists...particularly trombone soloists, should one happen by during the gig.

How big is your (imagined) performing space?
What are its acoustic properties?
Do you need mics / separate channels for each performer? Or just highlight mics for solos?
Will you have a dedicated "sound person" who's not part of the band?
How big is your van to carry all the mics / mixer / amps / speakers / stands / cables?

Where can I hear your foolish band play?

[tbdana]

How big is your (imagined) performing space?

I'm sure it would vary, but basically club sized.

What are its acoustic properties?

The venues? Probably runs the gamut.

Do you need mics / separate channels for each performer? Or just highlight mics for solos?

I'd like channels for everyone. Definitely need mics for three horn solists.

Will you have a dedicated "sound person" who's not part of the band?

Likely on most gigs. Possibly not on smaller ones. I want to pay the musicians as much as possible, but not at the expense of sucky sound.

How big is your van to carry all the mics / mixer / amps / speakers / stands / cables?

Dodge Grand Caravan.

Where can I hear your foolish band play?

Nowhere, if we can't get a damn PA system! But I'm guessing the first gig will be at Twin Lotus Thai (the local jazz club) in late spring.

[JohnL]

Based on your answers to Posaunus' questions, I think you will need a dedicated sound person. If the gig is so small that you don't want to pay an eighth body, it's probably small enough that you can do without sound reinforcement (or, as you will phrase it to your sound tech, "too small for a sound system").

Selecting the right equipment is probably the easiest part. Knowing how to set it up is hard.

Is there any chance of you taking a sound engineering course at a community college? I know you're not exactly close a significant population center.

A general question to the room: Does anyone know of a good online course in live sound?

[bitbckt]

Is there any chance of you taking a sound engineering course at a community college? I know you're not exactly close a significant population center.

Based on the evidence in this thread, Dana is plenty close to places of higher lurnin' like Sierra College or FLC.

Also, Sac isn't a significant population center?

[tbdana]

Is there any chance of you taking a sound engineering course at a community college? I know you're not exactly close a significant population center.

Based on the evidence in this thread, Dana is plenty close to places of higher lurnin' like Sierra College or FLC.

Also, Sac isn't a significant population center?

Sierra College in Rocklin is about 50 minutes away. Sacramento -- a medium sized city at best and not a "major population center," the closest of which would be the San Francisco Bay Area -- is a little over an hour away. Whether that constitutes "close" is in the eye of the person who has to drive there, I guess.

But it's close enough that I make the drive to Sacramento almost every day, because that's where the music is.

And hey, when did we decide that I was the hypothetical "fool" here, huh???

[bitbckt]

Having lived in the area the vast majority of my life, I can only assume that these are LA-based opinions. In any event, yes, I based my presumption on your access to Sac and the surrounding area based on where I know Twin Lotus to be.

That all aside, I agree with the rest of what John said.

[tbdana]

Having lived in the area the vast majority of my life, I can only assume that these are LA-based opinions. In any event, yes, I based my presumption on your access to Sac and the surrounding area based on where I know Twin Lotus to be.

That all aside, I agree with the rest of what John said.

I'm the only one who lives in the sticks. The rest of my ... erm, that "fool's" ... band members are from Sacramento and the Bay Area.

[Doug Elliott]

Hire a sound person who has their own equipment.
Have the fool just play trombone and lead the band.

[Posaunus]

Hire a sound person who has their own equipment.
Have the fool just play trombone and lead the band.

[JohnL]

Also, Sac isn't a significant population center?

It's significant, but "close" is an elastic yardstick. I remember when my folks lived in the same general region, just getting them to make the drive down the hill to San Andreas was a tough sell.

If Sierra College is within Dana's definition of "close", I think they offer a course in live sound.

Even if you're going to hire someone to run your sound, it's good to have a basic knowledge of how things work so you can communicate your needs and desires more clearly and have some idea of what is and (more importantly, IMHO) is not possible. Just remember - tell them what you want, but don't try to tell them how to do their job.