First of all, I'm sorry you lost your gig. Here is how to prevent it from happening again.

I never-ever depend on only one piece of essential gear to get me through a gig. Back up gear is mandatory.

I make my tracks sometimes with BiaB, sometimes from scratch in a DAW/Sequencer. I save them as a 192kb mp3 file.

I bring two computers to the gig with duplicate apps and data on them. They are both up and running all gig long.

I can get along with one computer. I also have the song data on a flash drive. If both computers fail, I can go to a store, get another computer, and it will recognize the USB->Audio interface and play the mp3 files from the flash drive on Windows Media Player.

I've been doing this since the late 1990s and I've had to go to the other computer three times. Not bad for 20 years of making a living doing one-nighters.

(1) the hard drive started to make noise and an mp3 file stuttered. I switched the USB->Audio interface to the other computer as soon as the song was done, and finished the show. Replaced the HD the next day.

(2) the screen went dark on boot up, switched to the other computer and went on. The screen was fixed under warranty.

(3) I didn't really have to go to the other computer, but the CMOS battery failed and the computer wouldn't boot. I could have entered the date and time in the DOS type screen that appeared, but it was easier and quicker to go to the spare computer.

Non computers need spares too.

I have 2 active speakers - if one goes out the show goes on.

I can play sax, guitar, and flute parts on the wind synth, so I bring a spare wind controller and sound module to the gig.

I bring an extra mic.

Never-ever depend on an essential piece of gear for your gig. A spare is cheap insurance considering how much you will lose if you lose the gig.

Insights and incites by Notes

Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com

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