PA system EQ and compression adjustments live?

[Tremonti]

For direct out. Do you all run flat EQ and no compression? Just wondering if you all do little things and reasons why. Thanks!

 

[warlockII]

I run my eq flat and leave it to the FOH to make any adjustments that he feels are necessary.

 

[barhrecords]

I dial it in just like my real amp rig.

My tone controls, EQ and compression are very similar to my pedal board and amp. Except the Fractal is WAY more flexible in where in the signal chain the EQ and comp can be placed relative to the amp and cab.

 

[Moke]

My goal is to do everything inside the AxeFx. My first few times out I made some 'Global' EQ adjustments for my stage sound and asked the FOH after the show what was needed. After a few rounds of that, I don't touch it except in rare cases on a unusual stage.

When we use are own system I have a compressor on my channel. But It is 'side-chained' to the lead vocal channel to drop my level a couple db's while he is singing. (kinda like auto-mixing?)

 

[zecure]

I do all my adjustments in my Axe, compression and the addition of a GEQ with 5 band passive to boost mids and cut highs and lows. From there I send to FOH who does additional tweaks if needed

 

[Zwiebelchen]

I run my eq flat and leave it to the FOH to make any adjustments that he feels are necessary.

This. If the Soundman is too busy checking his phone instead of working, I put on a mild inverted smiley face global EQ (cut lows and 6k+ bands, slight midboost).

All this assumes that you dialed in your sounds at rehearsal volume levels, not living room levels.

 

[brokenvail]

I do nothing

 

[Dillonski]

I've never had to do anything extra when I run direct.
Every PA is different though, it might be an idea to put a bypassed GEQ block after your amp and cab block (but before modulation and time based effects) and if you find you need to EQ slightly to cater for the PA just enable it and make the desired change without having to change your preset all together

 

[chris]

I've never had to do anything extra when I run direct.
Every PA is different though, it might be an idea to put a bypassed GEQ block after your amp and cab block (but before modulation and time based effects) and if you find you need to EQ slightly to cater for the PA just enable it and make the desired change without having to change your preset all together

or you can use the Global EQ, but remember to reset it at each new space.

 

[chris]

Do you all run flat EQ and no compression?

where? on the mixer? or on the Axe-Fx?

 

[Tremonti]

where? on the mixer? or on the Axe-Fx?

Meant on the mixer for the PA system. Thanks!

 

[Pinkycramps]

Well, this has been a topic for me all week. I dial in tones at gig volume on a pair of CLR's. But, then we do a full rehearsal and we use our PA mains (QSC 3 way towers) and the sound is really dull. Both my monitors and the main output are the same: Both come from Out 1. I just have a line mixer that let's me adjust my volume on my CLR's without touching FOH.

The two sounds are just NOTHING alike. Our engineer ends up adding some bump around 1K-4K, where the QSC's seem to be lacking. I have since started dialing in sounds on the mains themselves, but the result of that is the tone in my CLRs will rip your face off. It's too harsh. Those things are bright.

I know they are supposed to be flat, but the problem with them is they are just not like any other output source we have. They don't match our mains or my IEMs very well. At this point though I am just using them for feedback and some "feel" around me over the top of my IEMs, so it works out.

 

[vinnieRice]

Actually the CLR's are really, really accurate. What you are hearing is how poor the other speakers are! Better to use the CLR's as the target reference.

 

[barhrecords]

Meant on the mixer for the PA system. Thanks!

High pass at 70hz/-4db octave
+1 at 100hz
-2 at 500hz
+2 at 3000hz
-15 at 12000hz

 

[toasterdude]

Actually the CLR's are really, really accurate. What you are hearing is how poor the other speakers are! Better to use the CLR's as the target reference.

True but sometimes I wonder if tweaking on a flat system only for FOH to not be flat is the way to go. Maybe using wedges similar to your FOH would make more sense assuming same FOH each night.

 

[xpenno]

Those things are bright.

I know they are supposed to be flat, but the problem with them is they are just not like any other output source we have. They don't match our mains or my IEMs very well. At this point though I am just using them for feedback and some "feel" around me over the top of my IEMs, so it works out.

I had a completely different experience with my CLRs. I dialled in a tone, ran out1 to FOH and out2 to the CLRs and it sounded great with little to no adjustment. Dialled out some lows and highs just to get it to sit in the band mix. It will obviously depend on your PA/Speakers etc..

I always try to calibrate the PA to the room using a ref mic (or iphone) and a tone generator, it's not exact but it gives you a good flattish starting point and then you can ring it out etc from there.

 

[warlockII]

Barhrecords, is your post referring to what you always do or to overcome the QSC speakers?

 

[Spawn2031]

No matter what you do, every set of speakers that you plug into are going to have different sonic properties. I would recommend you dialing in your patches on the QSCs because that's what you are going to be using when you are actually performing. I actually keep two versions of each of my patches. One for bedroom volume and one for playing out.