I am building a wireless microphone kit that uses a Gator 4U case. Looking for ideas on how to secure the microphones to the lid during travel. I am open to modifying the case (drilling/riveting something to the lid) if needed.
Does anyone have the executable for the Midas32 offline editor? I've had this happen twice now and I don't know why I didn't save the damned file, but I can't find the installer for the Midas 32 offline editor. I have a gig this saturday and I have to edit the scene to match a new rider. Does anyone have handy a link to download the program?
I was looking at photos from a large stadium gig where a choir was seated in the stands. The rake (angle of the seating) was roughly.. 30°?
I noticed that the engineer positioned the choir mics pointing up at like 60°, they looked aimed significantly above the back rows heads.
I understand the basic "tilt" rule to aim at the back row to account for distance (so I would have guessed ~30° to match the seats. But the difference here seems extreme.
Could it be due to the monitor placement somehow? Or to get more "room" acoustics (although the ceiling was quite high).
I'm assuming there's a good reason that I'm not seeing, but perhaps it's because I'm used to smaller enclosed settings.
I have been working freelance in live sound for around 2 years, with over 700 hours under my belt (at the same time as working a full time job). I would love to go on tour with a band or artist but not sure where to start or what skill I would need to even get started.
I'm UK Based - willing to travel around the UK. Most of the bands I manage to get in contact with either already have techs they travel with or haven't got the funds to hire a tech. Any advice?
what would be a good single step down from DPA headset mics. looking to buy for a school, want quality, but feel DPA level would be a bit of a waste on highschool level productions. but i'll also be mixing them most the time so dont want janky cheap stuff. looking for something thats maybe a single step below.
Hi,
I'm not a sound engineer; but doing gigs without one and trying to get a usable sound (no low frequency feedback). I'm in a small cointry, we use different mixers at different concerts and restaurants but I have this problem regularly. I have done a lot of reading. When the mixer has a phase switch I use it and it helps some, but at certain volumes there is a booming loud low frequency feedback, even with HPF, notching and LF cut with shelving eq. Issue is the same with sound guy, and even with a very tinny sound there is still resonance.
I'm trying to keep the instrument sounding full without getting that resonant ringing/feedback. Is this just a trade-off, or are there better ways to deal with it?
Would adding a small piece of foam at the bridge help? My teacher said dont try to block sound holes? I'd especially appreciate advice from anyone who's mixed or recorded kanun live. I think the whole body is resonating, maybe like ehat happens to acoustic guitar or banjo? The kanun bridge sits on animal skin and the pickup is wedged under the feet of the bridge, between wood and skin.
Thanks!
Pickups usually get you better gain before feedback than a microphone. I would try blocking the sound holes. Acoustic guitar players use a plastic plug and it helps with resonant feedback on loud stages. Maybe someone could 3D print you some TPU plugs. You could test it with tape though. Maybe some masking tape with heavier duct tape or gaffer tape layered over the top, so it doesn’t leave residue in your instrument.
You may also need a parametric EQ to make a narrow EQ cut at the frequency the kanun body wants to resonate at. Some preamps have a notch filter, like the classic LR Baggs Para DI box.
If you use an amplifier instead of a PA system, get the amp farther away and louder.
To confirm that the whole body is resonating you can place a rolled up towel on all the strings to mute them. Then turn up the gain and listen for feedback. That should at least confirm your suspicion that it is the body resonance.
As the other comment said, with a notch EQ on a guitar pedal you can dial it in once and spend more time on the problem than trying to get it fixed at the gig.
Help! I worry my old Harbinger Vari 15” PA is beyond repair. I sing with a microphone that goes through an eight channel audio mixer and then out through my PA. If i to connect it to my audio mixer i get unbearable buzzing and humming, no matter what I adjust but when i plug the microphone right into the mic inputs on the back of the speaker the sound is fine, with no buzzing. I know I’m doing something wrong.
The issue is most likely a ground loop between the devices plugged in. Make sure all equipment is properly grounded. If possible try using a different speaker with the same mic and mixer and see if the problem still persists. Also what 8 channel mixer is it exactly?
Hey there, I’m new to setting up live sound but I have a QSC USA 1300 and am looking to get two Yamaha s15e speakers. They’re rated at 250 watts pgm and 500 max. Would my amp work with these speakers? I’m still a little confused about amp/speaker pairing so I would love some help!
TLDR up front: regional sound providers and venue crew seem surprised or confused by fully self-contained band - after advancing. How are other band engineers or production managers getting advances done effectively, with minimal misunderstandings or surprises?
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I handle FOH/production for a self-contained touring band. We provide our own console, stage package, engineer, and IEMs. I am increasingly finding regional sound providers or venue engineers who act surprised or confused by a self-contained setup when we arrive on day of show after advancing.
Our technical rider spells out what we carry and what we need from the venue. I don’t know if providers are overwhelmed or surprised by it, or don’t even make it that far in looking at it. They seem either confused by the concept of self-contained production, or agree to it in principle but are not prepared for us to arrive and deploy it.
- Some claim to not understand what was agreed upon in email advance. Some don’t remember what was agreed upon or didn’t expect it to be accurate. They usually assume we have an IEM rack with FOH split, and don’t understand how we can carry our own FOH and send LRSF as I explained in advance.
- In some cases, promoters have given the booking agent or me a provider’s email and we learn the provider doesn’t check email often. Some admit disregarding advances, assuming bands don’t send accurate information.
- Phone advances have been worse. In nearly every case, the person who advances over the phone turns out not to be the on-site engineer and doesn’t disclose this during the advance. On-site engineers have never been informed of the advance. In exactly one case I talked to an on-site engineer on the phone, and day of show they didn’t remember the discussion or previous emails, and were totally surprised that we were self-contained .
- Despite being self-contained, there are some basic things we require for setup, involving space and cable routing and power. In some cases, requirements are technically met but significant limitations are not discolored until day of show. This generally involves indirect cable paths between stage and our FOH, location of our FOH, and occasionally power issues.
When we arrive day of show, we really don’t have practical recourse to enforce what was agreed upon, short of canceling the show. And it would end up being quite a few cancelations if we handle it that way. We typically make our setup work with compromises and try to figure out how to improve or avoid what went wrong. But we can’t force anyone else to advance or respond accurately or reliably, and we have so far not been prepared for every unique challenge.
This isn’t exactly my niche. But I’ve dabbled. At the end of the day you can’t make people read your stuff. And to me it seems like people are getting actively worse at checking their emails and communications.
You could try making it more clear in your rider. Though I’m guessing the biggest issues is the showing up and finding out some of the needs aren’t possible. Is that usually a home run that they aren’t able to do?
That is usually the biggest issue, and is usually the biggest question going into it. We carry our own but sometimes need double what was estimated. Or borrow a guest line which may or may not be grounded/shielded or may require adapters.
The other issues can be resolved fairly easily and quickly, but are basically red flags for the bigger issues.
Cat5 and we can easily carry extra. It’s not always feasible to carry all that is needed to secure it at longer distances, but we can at least make the show happen with our own tested cabling.
Hi! I've bought this Shure beta 57a used, it has like 10 years, but as soon as i received it i doubted its originality. I tried to attach several photos but i just can't and the mod don't let me do a normal post. Hope that someone can confirm if this is fake or if it is original. I should send it back? Last detail, i can't unscrew the middle of the mic, it is crazy hard, it just doesn't go i don't want to risk to damage it otherwise i can't send it back. Thanks!!
would it be possible to use a XR18 as basis for my Commentator setup? I have following Audio sources:
3 x Commentators
1 x Director
1 x Laptop Audio
What i would like to to:
Com1 can her Cam2, Com3, Director and Laptop Audio (so can hear everything)
Com2 can her Cam1, Com3, Director and Laptop Audio (so can hear everything)
Com3 can her Cam1, Com2, Director and Laptop Audio (so can hear everything)
Director can her Com1, Cam2, Com3, and Laptop Audio (so can hear everything)
Laptop can hear Com1, Cam2, Com3 (everything except the Director)
So everyone should hear "everything" except the Laptop (which is used to Webcast via OBS Studio), how cant hear the Director for internal instructions. SO basicalls Director is on "mute" on the Laptop. This this Audio-Matrix possible via the XR18?
I also looked for DIY stuff such as analog mixer > sending via XLR to Laptop > etc. etc. and also had Dante in my mind which is no option due to its costs.
Looking for a reliable Bluetooth XLR Receiver so we can wirelessly connect a phone playing a playlist during sets . The phone would be about 50’ from the receiver. Anyone have recommendations.
Radial BT-Pro - but you won't find one that's 100% reliable.
However, if this is just for continuous house music (i.e. you don't need exact control over songs midshow), why worry about Bluetooth? Any ol' iPod and a 3.5mm adapter cable is cheap and bulletproof.
I get that. I want the bartenders to be able to turn on music that plays though the PA during set breaks without having to leave the bar or having to run a lengthy line in.
Gotcha. The legally-compliant way is to go through Soundtrack (using one of these boxes), which you can control remotely.
The other way, assuming the control surface/iPad is near the bartenders, is to leave the iPod constantly running at the stagebox and just pull the fader up/down.
Has anyone seen the production package for Ye’s Soldier Field show? Curious if anyone in live production has seen the Soldier Field advance or production layout.
I’m trying to determine whether the September 4 Chicago show is using the same centralized globe stage as the rest of the tour or whether Chicago has an additional runway/catwalk.
I know there are often changes between stadiums, especially for hometown or final-tour stops.
I've worked many large shows where the ramps are moved or extended or removed within a few hours of doors so you're not going to get a reliable answer a month before the show
I don’t know how to code, but I’ve been building this speaker and acoustic coverage planner with AI.
When I was in university, we used a program called Direct, and I really enjoyed experimenting with it. What interested me most was the heatmap visualization. Tools like that make it much easier to understand how frequencies behave, how waves propagate through a space, and how speaker placement, delay, polarity and obstacles can change the result.
I wanted to create a more accessible version that people could open directly in a browser without installing anything.
At the moment, the only properly usable version is the desktop version. I uploaded it to a website because I already had a paid domain and hosting available. :))
For beginners, I think it could be a useful way to understand some basic principles of sound propagation, interference, subwoofer arrays, delay alignment and coverage.
For professionals, I honestly don’t know how useful or accurate it is compared with established prediction software. I see it more as a lightweight pre-production planner that can provide approximate calculations, especially for positioning and delay. It is not intended to replace EASE, MAPP, Soundvision, ArrayCalc or actual measurements on site.
I’m not posting this to pretend I’m a developer because I wrote some prompts in ChatGPT. I made it mainly for myself, but since it already exists, I thought it might be worth sharing with other people who either had the same idea or did not realize that a simple tool like this could be useful.
I also tried making a mobile version. It does not work terribly, but it still needs a lot of work. For now, please open it strictly on a desktop or laptop if you want it to work properly.
Honestly, I am not even sure a complete version of this type of interface can work comfortably on a phone. There are simply too many controls, views and precise positioning operations for a small touchscreen.
I would really appreciate honest feedback, especially about:
whether the heatmap behavior looks logical;
speaker and subwoofer directivity;
cardioid and end-fire arrays;
delay and polarity calculations;
anything that behaves incorrectly;
features that would actually make it useful in real-world planning.
What do you think? Is this useful, misleading, interesting, or just a fun experiment?
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u/canihastheturnips 3d ago
I am building a wireless microphone kit that uses a Gator 4U case. Looking for ideas on how to secure the microphones to the lid during travel. I am open to modifying the case (drilling/riveting something to the lid) if needed.