PA

[Axl_Rose]

I thought a PA was a speaker for the vocal, but i hear other things can be played through it. Why would a guitarist play through a Pa instead of maybe his usual marshall stack? Is it some thing to do with being able to control the sound better, making it more constant and balanced?

[Lordathestrings]

Originally posted by Axl_Rose
...Is it some thing to do with being able to control the sound better, making it more constant and balanced? Ohh, yeah. A big row of Marshall stacks may please the eyes, but the best way to sound good is to mic everything and run it through the mixing console to the PA.

[pstring]

You don't kill as many people in the first few rows! It saves on those hearing aid bills too.....

[Axl_Rose]

So if you have your marshall stack up loud for the whole stadium to hear the people at the front hear it louder obviously, what so do you mean a PA is spread out, speaks at the back of the gig too?

[Lordathestrings]

If you stand in front of a bunch of Marshall stacks loud enough to fill a stadium with sound, your hearing would be gone in about an hour. PERMANENTLY!

The PA system is set up like a very large version of a home stereo, with all of the instruments, drums, and vocals, mixed together in balance. The speakers are usually off to the sides of the stage, and elevated above the crowd, so people near the front don't get totally deafened. This also allows the sound to be projected in a controlled manner, so that people near the back can hear it too.