Equalizor, signal processor


MadGuitarest
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Joined: 01/24/04
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MadGuitarest
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Joined: 01/24/04
Posts: 202
06/12/2004 9:45 pm
for the pa what is the difference of these 2, and do you need an equalizor for a pa system or does the soundboard have it
Mike ;)
# 1
Dr_simon
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Dr_simon
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Posts: 5,021
06/13/2004 2:59 pm
Id have PMed you this back however the reply was too long.

There are two ways of getting your guitar signal into a mixing desk. The first way is to put a microphone (like a Shure SM57) in front of the speaker in your cab. The mic is attached to the desk and will allow your sound man to mix the guitar into the front house sound combing out of the PA. It will also allow you to control how much guitar comes out of the monitors on stage. The best thing about this is that you dont have to have your amp set to 11 on stage to get the guitar heard by the audience as this has a tendency to deafen the rest of the band. The other way is a direct feed from the amp into the desk. This is a little more tricky and requires that your amp has either a headphones socket or a line out socket. If you dont have either of these you will need to mic the amp. Running a direct line out of the amp is easy if you have the correct outputs however, it may to sound as good as using a microphone as you will not hear things like room ambiance and the frequency attenuation that makes your cab sound the way it does. Micking also requires a little experimentation as the position of the mic relative to the speaker in your amp / cab. will make a difference to the over all sound that is transmitted.

As far as signal processors go, well this is a blanket term that describes multi-effects processors, preamps, EQ the lot.

If I were you I'd not worry about an EQ so much and think about an effects rack like the midi verb. You don't really want this to make the guitar sound funky, all you really want this for is to add a little reverb or echo to your vocals.

A good idea may be to get talking to the sound guy at the next bar type gig you go to and see how they do it. Once you get your head round what all the knobs and buttons are for it is not that difficult !

Hope this helps
S
My instructors page and www.studiotrax.net for all things recording.
my toons Brought to you by Dr BadGAS
# 2
Dr_simon
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Dr_simon
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06/13/2004 3:08 pm
Most mixing desks will have some form of EQ on each channel strip, however this does a different job to a big 32 band outboard rack EQ. The EQ on the desk is for tightening up some ones vocal or stopping a guitar mudding up a vocal track, cutting plosives (hard P sounds) and sibilance (shhhhhhhey S sounds) etc.

A big outboard EQ will process all of the signal coming out of a desk and can be used to flatten out things like room acoustics and cut feedback.

I'd start small and learn to use the kit you have rather than going for a Porch and getting overwhelmed by all the buttons etc.

It is one thing being able to afford a PA, another to know how to put it all together and another thing entirely to learn how to use it. Start small and grow. If you don't know what something does, you probably don't need it.
My instructors page and www.studiotrax.net for all things recording.
my toons Brought to you by Dr BadGAS
# 3
MadGuitarest
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Joined: 01/24/04
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MadGuitarest
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06/13/2004 5:04 pm
alright,i have a preamp out on my amp and was wondering if that could go straight to the board? Also if you mic an amp do you have to turn the amp to a certain level or will the mic pick up the sound and you can adjust sound on board.
I was talking to someone and they said that an EQ for the PA will help because it effects the overall sound from the Mains so the sound is better. idk u tell me. also does the Multi effect board also change your guitar sound like a preamp?or is it mainly used for funky sounds and for vocals?
Mike ;)
# 4
Dr_simon
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Dr_simon
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06/13/2004 9:01 pm
The preamp out can be used but will sound a little flat for all the reasons I mentioned above.

The rest of your questions have also been answered in my last two posts.
My instructors page and www.studiotrax.net for all things recording.
my toons Brought to you by Dr BadGAS
# 5
MadGuitarest
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MadGuitarest
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06/14/2004 1:54 am
Sorry for asking so many questions but i appreciate you spending you time to answer these questions! :)
Mike ;)
# 6
Dr_simon
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Dr_simon
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06/14/2004 1:58 am
It is no problem dude, we all got to start somewhere !
My instructors page and www.studiotrax.net for all things recording.
my toons Brought to you by Dr BadGAS
# 7

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