Just wondering . . . I am talkin small venues here 50 - 150, do any of you live guitarist performers mic your guitar amps through your PA or do you just wing it straight from the guitar amp? Also pros and cons of both if you have the time to respond?
Thanks,
50 people, probably leave it just the amp.
Get up around 150, I usually start considering micing stuff..
When everyone starts pushing their amps on their own, it can get messy. We usually get someone at the board around that point.
I do both in the same room setting. It's largely depending on who was I playing with. If there was going to be a drummer or a B3 organist, I would go with the PA system. It would also serve to bring out the stereo effects from my processors. Whereas, if it were in a trio setting with Jazz covers I would use just the amp. And there were times when I was in the mood to hear my amp because the warmth of the room really did a far better job of creating ambiance than my amp simulators could. In those times I would mic the amp.
The best answer I can supply is it would be contigent on the environment, other instruments, and musical genre I am walking into. In any event, I would bring everything to cover my bases and use the best option. I particular like that size room you are speaking of. Because it can be intimate. Yet, if you are asked to drive your sound, a PA will keep the overhead under control while you drill into your axe.
hope that helps!
RickeG
Can't really answer that question from here, Danny, as I have no idea of the size, power and speakers of your guitar amp.
Really, YOU have to answer that question by listening at the venue(s) in question, consulting others whose ears you trust (not just everybody or audience in general) and then govern your choices accordingly.
--Mac
Quote:
Can't really answer that question from here, Danny, as I have no idea of the size, power and speakers of your guitar amp.
Really, YOU have to answer that question by listening at the venue(s) in question, consulting others whose ears you trust (not just everybody or audience in general) and then govern your choices accordingly.
--Mac
Hey Mac,
Plenty of power, the dial goes up to TEN man! As in the famous line from the Spinal Tap movie, I loved it. 
Kidding aside I switch between a Peavey Classic Twin 12" and a Single 12" Vox, both tube amps pushing 75 watts or so. I have never mic'd either but sometimes I get the feel with larger crowds that while I am hearing the guitar (as the amp is just to the left of me a ft or two away) the sound may not be carrying throughout the entire room, but then if I crank it up a bit, it may be too loud for my taste with it being so near. No big deal, you know how we are, just looking for something to change around I guess.
Thanks for the input,
rharv,
Thanks for the response. Next 150 or so gig I play I will mic the amp as a test, you see it is only me so I don;t have to worry about other amps driving too hard, just getting mine on the perfect setting.
Later,
RickeG,
You make some good points I appreciate your input.
Later,
Quote:
... sometimes I get the feel with larger crowds that while I am hearing the guitar (as the amp is just to the left of me a ft or two away) the sound may not be carrying throughout the entire room, but then if I crank it up a bit, it may be too loud for my taste with it being so near. ...
See?
You have already answered your own question...
Try a mic, be prepared to adjust its fader to suit. If all else fails you can simply just turn it all the way off, so no big deal here.
Don't get all carried away with GAS here, a simple dynamic instrument mic, like the SM57 or a clone, should do just fine.
--Mac
Well, that litle tidbit of information makes a difference.
If it's just you and your guitar, you may just need to find somebody whose opinion you trust or (possibly) teach them.
I pictured a five piece band all trying to adjust for the bigger room. That would warrant a soundguy IMO if the room held 150 people (and hopefully actually did that night).
It removed one of the obstacles being a one guy show. Would you be using the guitar amp on its own, and the vocals thru the PA? I could see that becoming an issue. Guitar amp a couple feet away and behind you, and PA being out to the sides (possibly) where you are not hearing what the crowd is hearing correctly.
Are there any kind of monitors involved with the PA?
Lots of variables.
*just noticed, Mac gave great advice while I was posting..
I recall years ago before bar bands habitually miked amps and drums.
When the guitarist used an open back super reverb with four 10" speakers, he was smokin too loud on stage but inaudible past the dance floor.
When he used a closed-back amp with 12's (can't recall the brand), he was barely audible on stage but he'd be killing people way in the back of the room.
Small speakers and open backs seem to get louder on stage. Bigger speakers or closed backs seem to project better.
If you can stand to run the amp pretty quiet, just for tone, and get most of the room coverage from a mic in the PA, maybe you would get more predictable coverage. There might be hot spots or dead spots in the room where your PA speakers don't cover evenly, but at least the guitar balance would be about the same as the rest of your mix, if most of the volume comes from the PA.
When I did the bar thing there were two of us - bassist with amp on vocal, me and an acoustic both on mic. Used an Ampeg column system, no monitors, no problems. Carried 150 no problem.
Can you not take an out from the guitar amp and direct into pa system line in? Get the best of both worlds?
Ian