Pimping the P.A.
Well here we are, six weeks into holding the club at our new venue and we are “getting there” with the sound.
It is the first time we’ve been able to have a P.A. system set out every week. In the past it has only seen the light of day when requested by a visiting guest artist but now all our regulars can have the benefit of performing with properly mixed sound on regular Singer’s Nights!
Because the room is long and narrow we have configured the P.A. to act as a ‘sound reinforcement system. Having the speakers one-third and two thirds into the room means everyone can enjoy the music at a comfortable level without those at the front being deafened!
This week we see the addition of a vocal compressor unit, a clever piece of kit that automatically compensates for loud singers and those who sing too close to the mic, whilst still taking care of the quieter voices. An absolute boon for the sound man! 🙂
Another welcome item of equipment has come in the shape of a Bass Amplifier. Long time club member John Rowell has very kindly donated his Roland Cube Bass to the club on ‘long-term loan’. This is a wonderfully kind gesture for which were are extremely grateful. There are three bass guitarists who turn up on a fairly regular basis, so this will remove the need for each of them to haul in a heavy amp – and at the same time free up a lot of space in the stage area too!
Also on the shopping list are a couple of new instrument mics. We have been testing out a B5 Condenser microphone kindly loaded to us by Isaac. This picks out acoustic guitars, mandolins, dobros etc. with superb clarity and gives the lovely rounded resonant acoustic tone that is practically always lost when plugging in. We’ll soon have one of these for each of the mic stands on flexi arms underneath the SM58s.
The aim is to give everyone great sound whether they play acoustically or plugged in, without the need to bring anything except themselves and their instrument.
Our mixing desk has a full range of effects, so if anybody wants to come in early one Thursday, we can sort them out with customised settings that we can dial-in for their spots each week. Just give me a shout if you want to do so.
Chris
