No advice from me, just HUGE congratulations on scoring the gig. Knock 'em dead, and don't forget those pics. 
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Please help!!! I have no clue what to do!
- Thread starter aftermidnitebas
- Start date
Wait, your students are coming to your show and you're worried about an amp? I'd be losing sleep about my students seeing me play. Jus' saying.
Only kidding, of course. You have nothing to worry about. It's been said earlier in the thread here, but you need to know your material and hydrate. And act like you're having fun even if you're not. Looking forward to hearing about how it goes!
Having read the entire thread and having been in a similar situation, I'll reiterate and add to the advice by those who bothered to read it as well.
- The provided back line and monitors should be more than adequate. Bring a back up bass and have it tuned and on a stand at the ready. This is the situation glossed over in the back up bass threads where you don't get to stop the show to change a string or replace a potentiometer.
- I also keep a 25' instrument cable in one of my cases, just in case, so I know where one is if I need it.
- Bring a tuner so you can silently tune between songs. Bring a short cable. There is a tuner out on the back and mute button on the front of that amp. I used to bring my son-in-law along as a guitar tech to run out fresh guitars and keep them tuned. Wish I could do that everywhere.
- Next, know your songs inside and out. Know them well enough that you can play them without hearing your bass. If things go awry, for whatever reason, if you have your parts nailed and your in tune, it will be hard for you to sound bad.
- I would also suggest warming up. Stretching fingers, body and voice, if you're singing. This is one set and you have to hit the ground running. If you've been playing multi-set nights, you're not going to get the early sets to work up to this.
- Next, and this is very subjective, get to know the guys in monitor world. I've met some total sweethearts who took enormous pride in their work and I've met some utter creeps. A touring friend of mine, whose opinion I trust, once told me, "Get the monitor guys whatever they need. As long as you can hear yourself on stage, the rest will come together. If you fall apart on stage, no amount of knob tweaking out front will fix it." At times, this has meant generous tipping and others a smile, a hand shake and a genuine interest. Take that how you will.
- Lastly, go on stage clear headed, stay hydrated and have fun! Or at least know how to fake it! Celebrate this victory the day after, not the day before or the day of.
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When I play festivals I always take my Countryman DI because it's often better than the provided DI. On the basis that you're on the same bill as Keith Urban I'm going to suggest that your festival is way better prepared then anything I've ever dreamed of playing and you won't require your own DI.
Take a bass, another bass, and a tuner.
Take a bass, another bass, and a tuner.
Don't worry too much.
Yes, that one should be plenty for onstage sound, and there will be monitoring too. The nicer the festival, the better the monitoring will be and on a larger stage it's easier to get 'your' spot... You'll be fine.
I've played all kinds, sometimes it's really bad onstage, but as long as you know your material well, you'll manage: so focus on that, which you can control, and stop worrying so much about stuff you can't control.
If you *really* want your amp, ask, and you're likely to be able to bring it. But as far as I understand, it's only a 100W combo: it won't be any better -volume-wise- than the Veyron. The Veyron is not a bad amp at all.
It didn't take long for the B-bashing to start
Have you gigged much with Behringer equipment?
I have.
It works.
The Veyron is not a bad amplifier at all.
Been let down by TC Electronic and Ampeg, 'though.
It's not a 2000W amp, by the looks of it it's more likely around 500W, considering their power unit etc. Either way, it's not lacking in tone or volume. It's not my favourite amp, but it works well.
Wait until you hear from the festival people. Anything else is hearsay and a lot of people talk without knowing what they're talking about (however well meaning they may be).
My experience with festivals is, if they provide backline, it includes amplifier. But ask and find out exactly what the deal is. If they do not provide amplifer, then tell them you're bring them your Ibanez. If you want to buy an amplifier, go for it... but if money is tight and you don't *need* one, then don't.
The Bugera Veyron would be one of the top choices for me, if I needed to get a decent amp fast for little money. Ignore those who turn their noses up at gear simply from reading the name of a company or the country of manufacture: check out what real users have to say, and your personal impression.
Alternatively, the MarkBass LMIII is pretty cheap used (at least here),costing about the same as the Veyron new... Very different sounding, and not everyone loves the MarkBass, but I do like them: It's easy to get a good sound out of them and they're built well.
Big deal gigs are the easiest from the performer's point of view: they'll have enough people ensuring things go smoothly and that you have what you need. You'll have a good time
+1
Indeed. If it's a decent festival, which sounds like it is, their monitors will be good too. I once played at a reasonable festivale where they provided a nice rig for me... they said. When I showed up they said they had some trouble and had to retire it, and their back up didn't arrive, so they'll just send me the monitor mix from the DI. I shrugged, like, what else can I do?
I had a really good stage sound that day: the monitor speakers were good, solid, made to reproduce low frequencies well, and I got through them exactly what I asked. The stage was large enough that my monitor mix was not being drowned by others', and there is a sound engineer onstage with us who can rely information to the main desk if anybody needed anything changed in their monitors once we started playing, despite having had a good sound check before.
You'll be ok!
Don't go spending money if you don't need to.
My goodness you're on the same bill as Keith Urban and Earth, Wind, and Fire! Like everyone is saying, you'll be in a fully supported plug and play situation.
I've only been in situations like this a few times, but my $0.02 is 1) Enjoy the experience, and 2) Assuming you get a brief line/sound check before you start, don't be afraid to speak up and let the sound people know what you need in the monitors. They want to help you - you're onstage for a reason
+1
It didn't take long for the B-bashing to start
Have you gigged much with Behringer equipment?
I have.
It works.
The Veyron is not a bad amplifier at all.
Been let down by TC Electronic and Ampeg, 'though.
The voice of reason
Big deal gigs are the easiest from the performer's point of view: they'll have enough people ensuring things go smoothly and that you have what you need. You'll have a good time
+1
Indeed. If it's a decent festival, which sounds like it is, their monitors will be good too. I once played at a reasonable festivale where they provided a nice rig for me... they said. When I showed up they said they had some trouble and had to retire it, and their back up didn't arrive, so they'll just send me the monitor mix from the DI. I shrugged, like, what else can I do?
I had a really good stage sound that day: the monitor speakers were good, solid, made to reproduce low frequencies well, and I got through them exactly what I asked. The stage was large enough that my monitor mix was not being drowned by others', and there is a sound engineer onstage with us who can rely information to the main desk if anybody needed anything changed in their monitors once we started playing, despite having had a good sound check before.
You'll be ok!
Don't go spending money if you don't need to.
You know you can quote more than one post at a time, right?
You should read it.
He is playing on the main stage that will also be host to Earth Wind and Fire, Keith Urban and The B-52's among others. Click>2019 Lineup | SunFest | May 2 - May 5, 2019
He does not need to bring an amp.
(Just taking the p* out of Two Fingers, all is good.)
- Feb 12, 2006
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Don't forget a cable tooYou should read it.
He is playing on the main stage that will also be host to Earth Wind and Fire, Keith Urban and The B-52's among others. Click>2019 Lineup | SunFest | May 2 - May 5, 2019
He does not need to bring an amp.
(Just taking the p* out of Two Fingers, all is good.)
Another vote for a Quilter Bass Block. I’ve gone through a ton of amps (Genz Benz and Gallien Krueger be my favorites) and have finally settled on the Quilter. I like it because of the power and versatility. Set flat, it is flat and I can use whatever preamp I choose. The built in pre is different and flexible. Small and light as well.
Thanks for all of the advice guys it was a truly surreal experience! Being back stage with B-52s Papa roach was just crazy!
They had 1 Hartke hydrive 4x10 and a GK 1000 RB. I was fulllllllll crank on everything and could barely hear myself I later found out the sound guy gave me nothing out of my monitors other than the kick drummmmm Hahahah but I did what you guys suggested and knew the music front and back plus I went wireless so I would walk over to the guitar player during our intros..... thank you all and I did attach a picture for proof thanks again
They had 1 Hartke hydrive 4x10 and a GK 1000 RB. I was fulllllllll crank on everything and could barely hear myself I later found out the sound guy gave me nothing out of my monitors other than the kick drummmmm Hahahah but I did what you guys suggested and knew the music front and back plus I went wireless so I would walk over to the guitar player during our intros..... thank you all and I did attach a picture for proof thanks again
