Gigging is hard if you are uninformed about the basics of a gig band setup.
What should you do when you arrive at the scene? Where should you go? When are you allowed to start setting up?
These plague the minds of thousands of beginner musicians in the gig scene, and you may be one of them.
If you are, then this article will hold your hand and give you a glimpse of what you can expect when setting up for a gig.
Pre-Gig
Before taking the first steps for D-Day, it is imperative that you know what to prepare for the gig.
There are prerequisites to a successful show, and you don’t want to arrive at the location looking lost and confused.
To find out more, we have humbly composed this blog post to be your first baby step in understanding what must happen before locking the performance in with the organizer.
It covers topics such as forming your band, band practice, documents, and much more.
We will be here waiting for your return!
Arrival
It is D-Day. You and your band are making your way to the show. Typically, everyone either convenes in one location and moves off as a unit, or arrives at the location separately.
No matter the transportation method, there is one unspoken rule that should be adhered to.
Punctuality
Be punctual. You don’t want to turn up later than the agreed time.
When you arrive at the scene, you have tasks to complete. These include contacting the bar owner, orienting yourself to the stage and rest area, setting up, and sound-checking.
As far as conventional wisdom goes, being late for any reason can lead to delays and failure to attend key events.
For example, if you are not present to set up your instrument and soundcheck, the overall sound of the band will not be accurate and optimal since the sound engineer did not hear the full set.
Showing up on time is also a professional courtesy to the band and the organizer, signaling that you can deliver what was promised and strive to be of quality.
On the other end of the spectrum, showing up later will give the impression that you are tardy and unreliable as a musician.
Organizers don’t want to risk hiring someone who allows themselves to be late – you can jeopardize their show and lead to poor customer experience.
When you do happen to find yourselves late to the slot, inform the venue immediately. Don’t leave them guessing where you could be. It may save whatever reputation you have left.
If you are lucky to retain your relationship with the location, try not to let it happen again, lest you lose your chance to serenade their patrons.
Stage
When you arrive at the venue, you need to find your way to the stage where you will be performing.
It is very unlikely that you will miss the stage for a big performance, as the stage is often elevated high above the ground
For smaller performances, such as gigs in bars and malls, look out for PA speakers, microphone and music stands, and an audio mixer. They may have a stage as well, depending on the layout of the venue.
Here are some images of typical stages:
Stage Layout
How does each band member determine where they are on stage?
There are a few principles to follow when mapping the stage layout of the band, which affects where equipment are placed, cables are directed to, and musicians are stationed.
Maximize space: Stages come in different shapes and sizes. Smaller stages require you to play a little bit of Tetris to fit all the pieces on stage. Larger stages feel too much if too little space is used.
Hightlight the main attraction: This is usually the Vocals or the Lead Instrument. Audiences will want to see them in action, so they are usually situated at the front of the band.
Viewing comfortability: Do audiences need to swing their heads constantly to see what is happening on stage? Or are they positioned uncomfortably below the stage?
Volume: Let’s place the drums right in front of the band and let everyone hear it at ear-shattering volumes. Or not. We need to make sound decisions to ensure the band is properly balanced.
Solo
As a solo act, the stage is your ultimate playground. You can prance around the space and no one will fault you for taking up theirs, but the most common position is front and center:
Duo
Depending on your instrument and dynamics, either one or both of you will take the spotlight:
Band
Drums are often plonked at the back of the band to minimize sound bleed and excessive volume. They are also an immobile instrument, so space in front is given to others who can move.
Such as is with the Keyboard, so they are also placed at the back with the drums and fixed in one spot (unless they have a spotlight, in which case they are pushed forward more).
Guitars, Bass, and Vocals have the honor of taking up the front, being portable instruments and are typically highlighted.
Full Band Setup On Stage
Preface
No two venues are the same; Some venues may provide certain instruments and equipment, while others don’t.
Therefore, communicating with the venue beforehand is essential to coordinate what each party can bring.
For example, if the venue does not provide cables for your instruments, or a microphone, then you will need to bring your own. Otherwise, you can’t perform.
If you have read the blog post mentioned above, you would know that submitting a Tech Rider to the venue is a good way to synchronize the setup.
We don’t want any equipment or instruments to be missing on the day of your performance which can determine the fate of you being able to sing the songs.
With that out of the way, here is a brief description of a full band setup. Take note that the items you should bring are dependent on the Tech Rider.
Drums
What You Should Bring: Drumsticks, Drum Key
Bars that provide live music to their customers usually own a drumset, so bands do not need to lug their own to the site.
However, some drummers may bring their personal drums and cymbals with them.
If you do bring them, start by replacing the drum parts with your personal drums and cymbals.
Then adjust the drumset until you are comfortable, angling and positioning each part so that you feel confident playing them.
Depending on the venue, the drumset may be mic-ed up. If you do require the mics to be moved, do not fiddle them with your bare hands! Ask for help from the crew and they will assist.
Once that is done, whip out your drumsticks (including spares) and wait for the rest.
Bass and Guitar
What You Should Bring: Guitar, Picks, 1/4-Inch Cable, Tuner, Guitar Stand
Both Bassists and Guitarists will need their respective guitars and a 1/4-inch cable. Effect pedals are also often brought, requiring a second 1/4-inch cable.
Both guitars can either be connected to an amplifier or directly to the audio mixer.
Place your effects pedals/board somewhere comfortable and easy to access, and nearby a power source. Connect your guitar to the pedals if you have one and the pedals to a power source.
Next, connect your second 1/4-inch cable to either the amplifier or a Direct Input box (DI box) located nearby.
As with the Drums, it is always good to wait for the crew to assist you before carrying out the setup so that you don’t accidentally damage any equipment.
Keyboard
What You Should Bring: Keyboard, Sustain Pedal, Keyboard Stand, 1/4-Inch cable
Because most Keyboard players require a much larger and heavier keyboard that is 88-key, most venues also provide a Keyboard.
However, plenty of Keyboardists own a personal instrument with pre-made settings and patches.
Due to this, Keyboardists will also bring their instrument for the performance.
Find the Keyboard stand on stage and place the Keyboard on top of it, ensuring that it is secure, with zero risk of injuring your feet.
Plug in the power adapter to a power source.
Connect one end of the 1/4-Inch cable to the ‘Output’ on the Keyboard (usually ‘L/Mono’ if you are using 1 cable) and the other end to a DI box.
Connect the sustain pedal to ‘Damper’ or ‘Sustain’ depending on the Keyboard’s model.
Vocals
What You Should Bring: Yourself
Vocals are the easiest to set up in a gig.
Most conventional singers do not require a complicated setup, although some still opt for extra support such as auto-harmonizers and effects.
Nevertheless, many locations already provide the one instrument that all singers need – the microphone.
Ensure you are placed in a spot where the audience can see you, usually in front.
If not already connected, look for the XLR cable and connect its respective ends to the microphone and audio mixer.
Lastly, adjust the height of the microphone to your lips so that you can sing in a comfortable posture.
Other Instruments
If you are playing a non-conventional instrument such as a Violin or Flute, most of the time the venue will be informed and the crew will be ready to set that equipment up for you.
For example, most Violins’ sound are captured using a microphone.
Therefore, you will take up position on stage and allow the crew member to set up the necessary equipment.
It is not every day that you see a non-conventional instrument being used at typical bars and performances, but due to globalization, many different cultures are intertwining and creating new fusion genres.
Other considerations
There are countless variations for gig band setups and it pays to know a few of them.
These should be taken into account when you are planning for your next gig, to ensure that both the band and the venue is well-informed of the decisions made.
Wired vs Wireless
As the heading goes, there are two kinds of sound systems – wired and wireless.
Wired
Wired refers to using physical cables to transmit sound from the instrument to the PA speakers
Wired systems require an extra step of cable management to ensure good organization and easy identification of cables.
Cable management requires the use of items such as cable sleeves and binders, tapes, color coding, etc.
Pros
Reliability: Sound is delivered exactly, where each end of the cable is directly connected to where it is supposed to go.
Affordability: Decent cables are also relatively inexpensive to purchase, often only a small part of a musician’s budget.
Cons
Bulk: Carrying large amounts of cables can be taxing on the musician and they can be quite heavy if many. A lot of time is needed to perform effective cable management.
Restricted: Their presence makes it hard for musicians to move around on stage, so it hinders bands who are very active and energectic.
Wireless
Wireless systems refers to not using any cables for sound delivery.
They rely on transmitting signals using microwaves from the transmitter (connected to the instrument) and the receiver (connected to the audio mixer).
Pros
Portability: On the contrary to wired systems, they often offer a cleaner band setup and lightweight transport, removing the need for bulky cables.
Movement: They allow musicians to move around the stage without worrying about tripping over their or another band member’s cable.
Cons
Expensive: Wireless systems can get quite costly on the higher-end. Cheaper alternatives are often unreliable and cause issues for many performers.
Signal-Reliant: Microwaves drive the transmission of sound, but can be easily affected by things such intefering frequencies, physical blocks, and lack of power. These are show-breaking issues that you do not want.
Backing Tracks
Many bands have picked up on the trend of using backing tracks in recent times. They will pre-record tracks on a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and play them as supporting music.
If you have seen a band setup with a laptop on stage, that laptop controls the backing tracks and gives the band access to sounds that they cannot create themselves (not enough limbs apparently).
If you do intend to go with this route, you will need an Audio Interface on hand, which can act as your laptop’s audio device and, at the same time, redirect sound to where you want it to go using audio cables.
Because of the extra need for cables, you will need to inform the venue of this and bring an extra set of 1/4-Inch cables.
Lastly, if you are the one operating the laptop, set it up next to you on a music stand, and do a quick check to ensure that the tracks are working.
Mentally-prepared
When you get on site, a million things can be happening at once.
The previous band can still be playing, the owner is nowhere to be found, the stage is completely different from wha you imagined, etc.
It is in these moments when being equipped with the right game plan can help to get things on track and execute a good performance.
Remember that in addition to knowing how to set up, prior planning plays a huge role in making sure that you know what to expect on the day of the performance.
To the experienced musicians, what are your band setup stories?