What do YOU use to perform live?

[edwardcav]

Hi there everyone.

I am very interested as to how you all perform live, and with what equipment. Do you install Fishman blenders in, then plug into an acoustic guitar amplifier, or do you mic up? How many mics? Equaliser? P.A?

I am very curious, and I do understand that many of you would play acoustically and unplugged - your guitars would have enough balls to get away with it (excuse my crudeness). But ultimately, my main question is, how do you go about making your guitar louder than it is, in a performance environment.

Thanks! 8)

[edwardcav]

Come on, there has to be SOME performers out there... :shock:

[Theresa]

Hi Edward,
I personally do not use any amplification or acoustic assisted means other than ambience and a good concert guitar.

Nuance and character is lost if I use the aforementioned means. I'm just a purist I guess. :)

[keith]

edwardcav: what size of hall are you playing? if you are asking this question i doubt if it is albert hall or carneige. so i guess it is a small hall. as i see it you have the following options:

1. use the sound system at the hall/tavern. of course, you may sound like the rock band that used it the night before. :twisted:

2. use nothing and make sure you are using a guitar with good projection (gotta go with theresa on this one). :)

3. hey you live in australia and there are a lot of luthiers there making cannons (smallman, redgate, etc.) that will more than suffice. of course you gotta have the bucks, but hey, that is what they are there for: to buy more guitars. :D

and finally for a real novel approach--attach a strap (duct tape probably would be your best bet) and walk around--may not help the playing end, but everyone will get a real intimate view and sound. just kidding on this one. :wink:

[thedrizzle]

segovia played carnegie, royal albert, and many other 2,000+ seat halls with nothing but a great guitar

[MegaBrawn]

I've played for audiences ranging from 30 to 2000. If I'm in a smaller, more intimate setting, I don't find amplification neccessary. But when I do need amplification, I use a mic, not a pick up.I use only 1 mic. But the situation changes depending on where I'm performing.

[J]

I use a condenser mic. The AKG C 451 B. Goes for about $500. I carry around a Presonus tube pre ($100), Presonus parametric EQ ($100), and a Lexicon reverb/effects processor ($300) as well. If I can, I run it through an Electrovoice speaker set up using QSC amps and a dbx drive rack. The soundsystem runs around $3000. All together it sounds pretty awesome. It's good to control your whole set up. Otherwise pubs, bars, and, halls often have sub par systems that will detract from the sound of your guitar and playing. Playing outdoors to any sizeable audience is difficult without amplification. If I just need to punch the volume up a bit and don't have the means to set up the whole system, I'll use a JBL 10" powered monitor using the same mic, processor, eq, and preamp.

If possible, go all acoustic w/o assistance from amplification. Unfortunately not all halls and venues are sonically capable of supporting the small sound of a student level or lower end concert instrument and a little assistance is needed. If playing on the street amplification is a must. Dem busses, cars, trains, and people are loud.

[JimT]

Taylor NS-42CE, connected to a Marshall 50W acoustic amp.
Sounds good in a small venue.

Jim T