something new to try...

[jadoo]

Hi,

I haven't posted in a while, but I had a great experience on a gig over the weekend and I think it's worth sharing.

I play a keyboard that sounds like a Hammond B-3 with a band of old '70's Motown/Capitol/Decca musicians in the Boston area. I've been using a PAS for over a year, and up til now it's sometimes been less than satisfying playing with a mix of conventional amps and the PAS.

Last weekend we set up with my PAS in the middle in the back, facing forward. For reasons I won't go into, the guitarist and bassist ended up set up at separate ends of the stage, and their amps directly faced each other. Amazingly, this somehow helped both of them keep their volumes in check on stage. In addition, the guitarist, whose amp is mic'd, used a wireless system to go out front and check his volume through the house system.

The sound on stage was great all night for the first time since I started gigging with these guys, and I can't wait to play next week. By giving the two amp users an incentive to monitor one another, as a byproduct they monitored themselves automatically all evening without anyone saying a word. Everyone heard everything, and the guitar hot spot was finally aimed across the stage and not out into the audience (or me). Compared to the fairly dismal results I've had from every strategy I've thought to try, this worked like magic.

I know from my own experience it can be next to impossible to get musicians to try anything new onstage, but if you can, try this for yourself. May you be pleasantly surprised. Good luck to all.

[Ken-at-Bose]

Hi Jadoo,

Good to see you back on these boards.

Where will you folks be playing next?

Ken

[jadoo]

Thanks, Ken, and hi to you also.

The next gig is Saturday, July 9, and the Red Parrot in Hull, MA. The players change from week to week, and so does the performance level. But it's a great chance to see the PAS in use (keys and vocals) alongside a conventional small PA and mic/d amps in a small club. That big fat PAS sound field really stands out in this particular venue.

Something else worth mentioning; thanks to the PAS, I'm singing a few songs live for the first time in ten years. I always had problems using traditional P.A.'s. But now, since I hear what the audience hears, I can sing without second-guessing myself. I can't tell you what a treat that is.

Live music is a wonderful thing, and I'm glad to have friends that are making such a real and obvious contribution to it. Take care, Ken.