First Big Gig Axe II: Tips From FOH Guy

D

DarrenD

Member
I've been an avid user of the Axe Ultra for around three years and just recently purchased the II and upgraded to 7.0 FW. I've never had an issue with the Ultra and used it direct live for hundreds of gigs and monitored FRFR for myself. I never had any issues with FOH guys and most loved the technology as much as I do and would often comment how easy it was to dial into the mix.

Well last week was my first time using the Axe II at a big outdoor gig and the comments from the FOH Guy after the gig were a first for me so I'd thought I'd share. I have a little bit of knowledge running small PA rigs, but am not an expert in any way so maybe some of you with a little more know-how can fill me in? There's no real horror story or anything. My stage sound was incredible, and what I can tell from the crappy videotape I made, the guitar sounded pretty decent out front too?

Well, after the gig the when we're tearing down, I'm chatting with the FOH Guy and telling him how much I love the Fractal Products and said that I don't know that I'd ever gig with my tube rigs again. He told me that the Axe II sounded o.k., but that it was real bass heavy and hard to mix. I told him that I like a little bottom end in my signal for my stage monitors and couldn't he have just EQ'd the strip or used the Lowcut for his mix? He said, "No, you can't do that with digital units. You can do that with real speakers because they have a different mojo. Now keep in mind, at the beginning of the gig when I said that I needed one mono direct line for the guitar, he placed a '57 on my FRFR? That was also a first. Anyway, I guess I'm wondering if what he said is complete B.S. like I think it is, or is there any truth to these statements?

Thanks,
-D
 
Mojo?????

I think he don't like digital stuff. No matter how it sounds. High or lowcut only cuts. No magic there. We do it all the time.
 
It'd be neat to have a FW update where there's a simple set of global EQ presets, in case you need a quick low-mid-bass cut or boost settings depending on a venues' PA.
 
It's all b.s.

The "mojo" quote might have earned him just the "traditionalist" badge, but the "57 on the monitor" gave him away as fool.
 
MrSparkle said:
It'd be neat to have a FW update where there's a simple set of global EQ presets, in case you need a quick low-mid-bass cut or boost settings depending on a venues' PA.
Click to expand...

No need for presets. Just turn down the global EQ sliders as needed.
Besides the fact, that it's more the job of the soundguy to work on the signal as needed for the venue - if he's any good at his job, he'll ask you which frequencies to turn down.

Ok, rule o' thumb :) just cut anything below 100-120 Hz. Should remedy most issues in this regard.
 
Did he leave the 57 on your FRFR? I had a guy try to do that to me once . he said "I only mic paper". You can't catch the tweeter and the woofer with one mic and even if you could you wouldn't want to.

If you were using a guitar cab that might have been ok but for what you were doing direct was the answer. The guy was/is FOS.
 
That FOH guy is a total amateur and full of xxxx.

MrSparkle said:
It'd be neat to have a FW update where there's a simple set of global EQ presets, in case you need a quick low-mid-bass cut or boost settings depending on a venues' PA.
Click to expand...

Don't need a FW update for that - learn how to use a eq and use your global eq - or much better, leave it to the FOH tech - a competent one that is
 
Next time, just fake 'em out. Carry your OWN clearly marked SM57 and a claw/Z-bracket so that it is fully on display, mic'ing your "speaker" cabinet. Plug a dummy cable into the mic and have the house sound guy plug into it so he thinks he's mic'ing your cabinet. Then, discretely, take his cable and plug it into an XLR line running off of your AxeFx and say nothing. If you've tweaked things properly for FRFR, the soundguy will never know. The key is to make sure that VISUALLY, there is a mic cable plugged into a microphone so it is not obvious you've made the switch. Just be sure that your stuff DOES work properly. If FOH is getting a fouled up signal, the sound guy will start poking around looking for problems. So, if you do it, make sure you do it right. JMHO.
 
So are you saying that he said the direct signal was bass heavy? Maybe that is the way you like your stage tone, but you could create a dual path. One for your stage monitor that is bass heavy and the other that is more midrange oriented for the FOH.
 
Hey I followed your discussions and wondered which FRFR cabinets / rigs you are using?
I bought a couple of ATOMIC REACTOR FRFR and they sound completely like crap !!!

Which ones would you recommend?
I'm wondering if it would sound better with a "real" poweramp (e.g. Matrix) and "real" guitar cabs?
 
javajunkie said:
I just say pretend I am a keyboard player.
Click to expand...

Good idea. I guess most sound guys see a guitar player and pictures wall-to-wall with Marshall cabinets in their head. FOH guys here in China have NEVER seen anything like the AXE, but they are quite interested and willing to listen and learn. Biggest fight with them is to make them turn off the karaoke singing style echo they use on EVERY channel...
 
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