Sound Systems (PA systems)
Holy cow there’s a lot of PA gear on sale out there. Countless brands, speaker sizes, amplifiers, cable materials, microphone patterns…and so on, and so on. Not only that, but venues vary in size, and every gig seems to need something different. How is a person just starting out supposed to distill all of this into a usable sound system?
What kind of system do you need?
If you’re not the Grateful Dead (or a band like them) you will likely not be playing an enormous venue where you need to bring your own PA system. The Dead continually developed and refined stadium setups for the best possible stage sound, but these days, most venues like that hire outside companies to do that work. It’s possible that you might play a venue like that, but very unlikely that you will ever need to purchase the PA gear to do so. That rules out a lot of enormous and expensive equipment. But it raises the question “What kind of venues are you playing where you need to bring your own sound system?”
Depending on where you are in your career will influence what you might need for sound reinforcement. For instance, solo artists playing coffee shops and galleries might need a small powered speaker or amplifier. An artist or band playing weddings, or other large gatherings might need a large PA and light system. Before we start talking about gear, think about what size venue you usually play, what the needs of your group are, and what you need to transport the system.
There are four main components of a sound system. First, There’s the microphone (or input), where the sound enters the system and is converted to electrical signal. Second, the mixing board where the electrical signal is manipulated to change or improve sound quality, texture, volume, etc. Third, the amplifier that boosts the electrical signal to create louder sound and power the speakers. Finally the speakers where the electrical signal is converted back into sound energy, but at a higher volume. All of these components are linked together with cables of varying types. There are also reasons to add other components or run the signal to other equipment, but these four things are the basic components of every system.
Often, each of these components are separate from one another, but sometimes systems can be partially combined, or compacted to a single console (except the microphone, which is usually separate.) Thinking about your needs for your ensemble will help you choose the right system.
Microphones (and other inputs)
The sky's the limit on the price of microphones. Vintage, and studio recording microphone prices can soar well into the 5-digits, and there are performers who use those on stage. But expensive microphones aren’t necessary for playing a gig. In fact, it might be better to get less expensive equipment that can take some beatings as you get to know how to use the equipment.
If you want a fast recommendation of what to buy here it is…Buy a Shure SM-58 for vocals, and a Shure SM-57 for your instrument.
One of the most common industry standards is the Shure SM-58 dynamic microphone. These microphones are everywhere. In fact, for many people, when they hear the word “microphone” they picture an SM-58. As of January 2023, you can get one for $100. They are great microphones, easy to use, durable, and familiar to almost any musician (so you can ask for help if you need it). If you aren’t sure what to get, just start with an SM-58 for your vocals.
The Shure SM-57 is a companion microphone used commonly for instruments. The SM-58 and SM-57 are mostly the same with the major difference being the grille. The globe grill on the SM-58 helps suppress percussive sounds made by singers (like “P” or “B”). The SM-57 has a smaller grille that provides less of that suppression. Though the SM-57 was designed specifically for instrumental purposes it can be used as a vocal mic. Likewise, the SM-58 can be used as an instrumental mic. So, if you want a good pair of microphones, a Shure SM-58 and a Shure SM-57 are a great place to start.
There are many other companies that make great dynamic microphones, and many that make microphones almost identical to the Shure mics. Too many to list here, but if you’re into gear it’s worth reading about the options.
Both the Shure SM-58 and SM-57 are dynamic microphones. That means they pick up a small area of sound around the grille. So, a singer or player has to stand relatively close to the microphone to be heard, but it also makes it easier to use monitors on stage. Furthermore, dynamic mics like the SM-58 and SM-57 do not need external power (phantom power or batteries) to make them work. You can plug them into a sound system or directly into a guitar amp (if you have the right adapter)
Bluegrass and folk bands often use cardioid condenser microphones, which are the same kinds of microphones often used in recording studios. These microphones are much more sensitive than the Shure mics listed above. They pickup a much larger area of the stage, and they are much more sensitive to nuanced sounds. These microphones usually need external power, which is called “Phantom Power”.
Most modern mixing boards have a phantom power switch or button that sends power to the microphones through the microphone cable (XLR cable). However, some vintage sound boards do not have the ability to provide phantom power. So, if you are using one of these microphones, it’s a good idea to ask the sound-person if they have phantom power. These days, it’s most likely they will say yes, but every once in a while someone says they don’t have it on their soundboard. You can purchase separate phantom power supplies that will allow you to use the microphone with any system. Many preamps and amplifiers even have phantom power as an option.
Though dynamic microphones don’t use phantom power, it won’t hurt them or effect their performance if they are hooked to a board that is providing phantom power to other microphones. However, there are certain types of specialty and vintage microphones that can be ruined if they are plugged into phantom power. Dynamic ribbon microphones and T-powered microphones are not designed to accept phantom power. It’s unlikely that you will accidentally plug one of these into your system without knowing since they are usually specialty items owned by people who know the rules about them. If someone wants to plug a microphone into your sound system and you don’t recognize it, it’s a good idea to ask them if it needs phantom power or not.
If you want a fast recommendation on what cardioid condenser microphone to buy here are three at varying price ranges: (This will be provided for each element of the PA that is suggested.)
Condenser Microphones:
Audio Technica AT2035 - around $150
Audio Technica AT4040 - around $300
Ear Trumpet Labs Edwina - around $600
Pickups and clip on instrument mics are frequently used these days. There are many different kinds of pickups for each instrument. To make matters more complicated, there are also microphones that clip onto instruments and can be used in tandem with pickups by using a preamp to blend them. The pickup / microphone / preamp setup is fairly complicated and not the place to start if you are new to sound systems. I’m not going to dive too deeply into it, but it’s important to know it exists (and is widely used amongst professional players these days). I’ll discuss each of the elements individually, but there’s a lot of knowledge and practice that go into understanding how to use a mic, pickup, and preamp all together. We can’t cover all of that here.
First, the pickups. K&K pickups are generally great. They sound good, the most common models are simple to install, and they don’t change the sound of your instrument. K&Ks are piezos that glue to the instrument. Piezos are little discs attached to wires that pickup the sound. They often get a sound that is very “true” to the instrument. They don’t pick up the overtones that happen in front of the instrument, so they don’t sound the same as microphones. Many players prefer the microphone sound over the pickup sound, but K&K pickups get about as close to a microphone sound as is possible with a pickup.
You can get pickups with onboard preamps that require power and have a more complex installation, but the basic models are great and if you use an external preamp (which is generally of better quality anyhow) you can get a fantastic sound from them. Other pickups are good if you want to use lots of effects, or play at a high volume. Fishman and LR Baggs make pickups that fit in the soundhole of an acoustic guitar, or under the bridge of a guitar. These pickups don’t have as “true” of an acoustic sound, but they can still sound good. They also require a more “invasive” installation and can affect the acoustic sound of the instrument.
Of course, there are pickups for other instruments as well. K&K make pickups that work for every instrument, and they are all very similar. I have seen the piezos glued to the top of the instruments, but mostly they are installed inside the instrument and the jack replaces the strap button. For higher volumes or using effects, there are pickups that replace the bridges of mandolins and fiddles, and various systems for banjos. There are also several builders making electric banjos, electric mandolins, etc. These instruments use similar pickups to electric guitars. They are cool, and can get a myriad of different sounds, but must be plugged in. They do not work acoustically.
Bass pickups have become a staple of bluegrass bands. K&K makes one that fits snuggly in the little gap of the bridge. It’s easy to put on and remove, and works fairly well. There are other piezo pickups that can be glued inside or sandwiched between the feet of the bridge and the top of the bass. Many bassists in bands that play around a single microphone use bass pickups just to get a little boost from the class. It’s not always necessary, but nice to have when it is. Also, because the bass is so big it can stay behind the group gathered around the microphone and still be heard.
Second, Clip on instrument mics are available at a range of prices and qualities. Some can be as inexpensive as $50, and some can range up past $1000+. The nice thing about them is that, like pickups, you can move freely around the stage and still be heard. You don’t have to stay anchored in one spot like you do when you use a dynamic microphone. Also, clip on microphones can be moved from instrument to instrument. So if you want to use a different guitar or banjo at your next gig you can just clip the microphone to that instrument, whereas you would have to install a pickup in each instrument to plug it it. The disadvantages clip on mics have to pickups is that they are much more likely to feedback, fall off, get bumped and move out of place, and it’s another piece of gear you have to move around and keep track of since you usually can’t leave it attached to your instrument when it’s in the case. In other words, pickups can “work harder” than clip on microphones. But with the microphone you get a much truer sound than the pickup.
It is becoming more common to see bands that perform with a single mic to also use clip on mics to get a better balance of sound. Since most single mic bands don’t use monitors, the chance for feedback from an instrument mic diminishes significantly. It’s not impossible to use monitors with a condenser mic or with instrument mics, it just requires a lot of knowledge about how PA systems work. Like I said, don’t start there.
Like I said before, many players use a combination of clip on mics and pickups blended by a preamp. This allows those players to adjust how much pickup or microphone is coming through to change the sound. These can be used in tandem with pedals for effects to get all sorts of amazing sounds. The sky is the limit on this kind of setup, but you need a big knowledge of gear, lots of practice using it, and lots of practice with your band to incorporate it into your performance.
Some good quality clip on mics include the Audio-Technica Pro 35 Cardioid Condenser Clip on Instrument Microphone which retails around $150. The Sennheiser e 608 Dynamic Supercardioid Gooseneck Instrument Microphone which retails around $200. And DPA Microphones which retail between $400 and $1500 depending on the model.
Third, Preamps give you control over your sound on stage. Some pickups come with “on-board” preamps which are installed in your instrument and you can just turn the knobs or dials on the instrument to adjust tone, volume, etc. Usually, onboard preamps require a battery, which is something you have to keep an eye on because if it runs out of power during a show the pickup will stop working. That’s one of the reasons many players prefer an external preamp.
An instrument is plugged into the preamp, and then the preamp (which usually is also a direct input) is plugged into the PA system. It basically becomes your own personal mixing board for your instrument while you are on stage. There are many types of preamps, all with different controls, options, and functionality. Some preamps have limited controls that basically allow player to adjust the volume and tone (much the same as an onboard preamp, but it can be used with any instrument. Again, anything installed on the instrument can only be used on that instrument so you have to buy the same gear for each one that you play.)
Some preamps have tuners installed to make it easier to tune your instrument. Clicking the tuner also mutes the channel, so you can unplug your instrument at will rather than waiting for the sound person to mute you (very handy if the sound person isn’t paying attention, or if you are the sound person and the performer. It gives you more immediate control.) Preamps often come with boost buttons that nudge the volume up for solos with one click and then bring it back down to backup volume with another click. These are handy if you’re mixing yourself and want to be heard.
More complex preamps have multiple channels that can be used with microphones to blend two sounds together (remember we talked about how many clip-on mics are used in tandem with a pickup). These multi-channel preamps can be quite expensive, and aren’t really the place to start if you’re just beginning. They are, however, very useful for more advanced applications, and can be used as mixing boards all by themselves if you are using a pickup for your guitar and a vocal mic. Some of them even allow you to power one or two cardioid condenser mics because they supply phantom power.
There are aesthetic reasons to use a preamp as well. Some preamps lend a “color” to a sound. Anytime the sound is coming through a signal chain each element between the instrument and the speaker influences the signal and changes the sound coming out of the speaker. A preamp not only gives the player control over tonality with controls and dials, but the preamp itself has a specific sound and color. Vintage preamps, tube preamps, etc. all color the signal in their own ways that some people find desirable.
All of this can get complicated quickly. If you want to use a pickup here are a few preamps to check out at varying price points.
Preamps:
L.R. Baggs Para DI Acoustic - Around $230
Fishman Platinum Pro EQ - Around $330
Grace Design Alix Acoustic Instrument - Around $770
If you want a preamp to blend a microphone and pickup the Grace Design Felix has been recommended to me, but they are around $1300.
Mixers
Mixers (also called soundboards or mixing boards) and amplifiers can be separate pieces of equipment, but they are often combined into single consoles these days. I’m going to discuss them separately, but they are often a single piece of equipment.
The mixer is where the inputs connect to the system. Inputs are all the things you want the crowd to hear, microphones, pickups, etc. They are usually connected to the soundboard via XLR or ¼” cables. Each input is plugged into a channel on the mixer, where the volume, tone, balance, and gain are all controlled. Depending on the mixer, channels can be muted individually or assigned to monitors as well.
Like everything else, mixers very in quality. They also vary in size and functionality. If you’re a small ensemble or soloist you might not need a big soundboard, but if you are a large band with lots of inputs you might need a larger system with lots of inputs. Additionally, there are a lot of digital options these days, where, rather than a physical mixing board, there is a console that connects to an iPad so the sound person can mix from anywhere in the audience.
If you’re just starting out, my recommendation is to not go too crazy. Figure out how many microphones you need for your ensemble and buy a soundboard that has enough inputs for that group. If you are a soloist, a two channel board with an input for a vocal mic and another input for your instrument will be enough. Two channel boards often don’t have the EQ controls that larger boards have, but it will be enough usually.
If you’re a bluegrass band using a single mic, a two channel board will probably work for that ensemble as well. A Mackie Mix8 or similar size from other brands is good to use for these kinds of setups. It is really portable, and fairly inexpensive compared to other options.
Small Mixers:
Mackie Mix8 - $99.99
Peavey - PV6BT - $199
Allen & Heath ZED-6 - $179.99
If you have a band, you will likely need something larger. Generally, you will need two microphones per person, with a few additional mics if you have a drummer. So, if you have a four piece band you can generally count on eight microphones. Drummers will probably need a minimum of three mics (one for the kick drum, one for the snare, and one overhead mic.) This can make getting an adequate mixing board fairly expensive, since you will need at least nine inputs. If you have a good drummer, you might be able to get away with having the band play with mics while the drummer plays acoustically. That takes a lot of listening and skill.
If you want to go for a larger board here are some suggestions (there are many others):
Larger Mixing Boards:
Mackie ProFX16v3 - $549 (smaller models available for less)
Behringer QX2222USB - $299
Yamaha MG16XU - $499
All of these mixers require you to send outputs to a separate amplifier which boosts the signal and sends it to the mains. So, if you buy these boards you will also need to buy either an amplifier, or some sort of powered speaker. We will talk about those further down. It is possible to buy a mixer that has a built-in amplifier as well. We will talk about those a little further down.
The mixers mentioned above are all analogue, meaning they come with knobs to twist and buttons to press, but there are lots of digital options as well. With these digital systems you can control the sound from the stage, or a sound person can move around the audience and mix from different places. They also usually feature a lot of control over the quality of the sound because they come with pre-programmed EQ options, filters, effects, etc. Analogue boards often have digital effects built in, but they likely don’t have the same EQ capabilities as a digital board.
Digital mixers are expensive (but not a lot more expensive than the bigger analogue soundboards), except you will also need an iPad to run them. If you already have an iPad, then it’s not much of a difference, if you have to buy that too, that can be quite pricey. There’s a lot to know about this, and you will have to do that research yourself. It might be worth the initial investment, especially if someone in your band is tech savvy.
If you are just starting out, if you only need a few inputs, get a small analogue soundboard. One with just the right number of inputs that you will use. If you are new to playing gigs or running your own sound, choose something small that’s easy to understand. You don’t need that much to get going and once you’re more familiar with the setup or needs of your group you can upgrade equipment. It’s a never ending task.
Combination mixers/amplifiers are available as well, they are usually called “Powered Mixers”. These are usually consoles that are kind of cube shaped. They usually have a vertical mixer board on the front, though some of them look like regular mixing boards. They have a built-in amplifier so you can run lines directly to the speakers and the console will power the speakers. Often, small venues will have a system with one of these kinds of mixers.
Powered Mixers
Yamaha EMX5 12-channel Powered Mixer - $699.99
Behringer PMP2000D 14-channel Mixer - $329.00
Peavey XRS 8-channel - $799.99
Amplifiers
The mixer does not provide any power to the speakers so you need something to boost the signal from the mixer and make the speaker vibrate with the sound you want. In the signal chain, the amplifier comes after the mixing board. Sometimes the amplifier is built into a console with the mixer (as was said before), sometimes it is a standalone component, and sometimes it is built into the speakers (often referred to as “powered speakers”) It doesn’t much matter which arrangement you choose, it just depends on what your needs are.
Powered mixers are larger than separate mixers. In fact some of them can be as large as a speaker. So if space in the car/van/bus is an issue, it might be better to choose something different.
Powered speakers are similarly sized to unpowered speakers, so, if space is an issue, it might be worth spending the money on the powered speakers and a regular mixing board. The speakers will be slightly heavier, but honestly, not really that much different. QSC makes some wonderful powered speakers of varying sizes. You can get cheaper ones from Behringer, Yamaha, and other manufacturers.
Stand alone power amplifiers are separate from the mixer and the speakers. They are not big and cubed like the powered mixer (usually), but they do take up space, and they are usually quite heavy. The advantage to them is that they are usually a lot more powerful than powered speakers so they can make the whole system louder. That might be unnecessary for folks just starting out, and it might not be worth the extra piece of gear you would have to haul. Another advantage is that you can replace the amplifier if it burns out, or if you want a louder one and you don’t have to buy a whole new console or speakers. They also have very good sound quality (depending on the model) in comparison with built in amplifiers.
Power amplifiers:
Crown XLi 2500 750 Watt - $569.00
Behringer NX3000 3000W 2-channel - $229.00
QSC GX5 700W 2 channel - $599.99
Most performers these days are traveling with powered speakers or powered consoles. That’s probably the place to start if you are new to all of this.
VERY IMPORTANT! Do not use a powered mixer and powered speakers at the same time. You only need one element to be powered. If you buy powered speakers buy a regular mixing board to go with it. If you buy a powered mixer, buy passive speakers to go with that. If you buy a standalone amplifier, buy a passive board AND passive speakers to go with it. Only one element needs to have an amplifier. (note, some powered speakers come with an option to use them as passive speakers, but you must make sure you know what you are doing when you rig them up.)
Speakers
This is the last part of your signal chain. From the amplifier, speaker cables carry the sound to the speakers and push it out to the crowd.
Most PA speakers have a “tweeter” for the high frequencies, and larger speakers for the lower sounds. The larger the lower speaker is, the bigger the bass sound you can get. Often, bands think that a larger speaker is better because they think it gives a fuller bass tone, but it’s probably more important to concentrate on getting a good tone for the other instruments and vocalists. You can buy separate speakers for basses (called subwoofers) that will give a big bass sound. If you are a bluegrass band, or small ensemble, you DO NOT need a subwoofer. Furthermore, you probably don’t need a big speaker. An 8-inch, 10-inch, or 12-inch speaker would probably be enough in most cases.
As mentioned before, you can buy speakers that also have an amplifier built in. They come in a variety of sizes. If you are a soloist, or an acoustic duet or trio group, a set of 8-inch or 10-inch speakers might be enough. For a little fuller sound a 12-inch or 15-inch might be preferred. Often, larger bands would prefer the larger speakers. Again, it sort of depends on how much space you have in your car/van/bus.
Powered Speakers:
QSC K12.2 2000w 12-inch - $1799.98 for two
Electro-Voice ZLX-12p-G2 1000W 12-inch - $1098 for two
Mackie Thump212XT Enhanced 1400 Watt 12-inch (bundle with stands &Cables) - $1084
If you have a powered mixer, or a standalone amplifier, buy passive speakers. If you want to save space in the car, buy powered speakers and a small mixer.
Accessories and Cords
All of these elements will be hooked together with cords. You will need an XLR cord for each microphone/DI. You will need either quarter inch cables or XLRs to go from the board to the amplifier (unless you are using a powered mixer) you will need speaker cables (which can be XLR, quarter-inch, or various other types of plugs). You will also need power strips, extension cords, and auxilery cords if you want to be able to play music from a device or if you want to be able to record the set.
Remember that if you are using powered speakers, each speaker will need to be plugged into an outlet. So you will likely need an extension cord for each speaker. If you use a pedalboard, di, guitar amp, keyboard, etc. each of those things will need to be plugged in as well. All of that to say, you almost can never have enough extension cords, or power strips.
Likewise, you can almost never have enough XLR cables or quarter-inch cables. It’s a good idea to have extras for each because often, when a microphone isn’t working, it’s because the cable has gone bad or broken. Make sure to have extras. It’s worth the investment.
When you are buying cords, make sure you pay attention to lengths. 3-foot XLRs are not very useful on stage, but they can be useful if you are using them to send signal from the board to the amplifier. Get 10-foot XLRs or longer. Buy 25-foot speaker cables or longer. Get 20-foot extension cords. There probably are not very many situations where you would need a hundred-foot extension cord, but they can come in handy.
Cords are heavy and you will need a big bag to put them in. Get something that is durable, with a strong zipper and wide opening. No need to get a hard case, it’s convenient to be able to fit the cord bag in between other stuff.
You also need a little flat-head screwdriver, a little Phillips-head screwdriver, and probably a multitool of somesort. It’s always helpful to have those around to tighten screws, or do quick fixes. Black duct tape is a good thing to keep on hand. Toss those things in the bag with your cords. Masking tape is helpful to mark stuff on your soundboard, and you can never have enough Sharpies at your gigs.
Microphone Stands & Speaker Stands
It’s important to have good quality microphone stands that are solid and secure. Big condenser microphones can be heavy and cause stands to tip over if they have a small base or are too lightweight. If the base of the stand is too small it’s easy to tip them over on stage, which can disrupt the show, break the equipment, or even cause injury (chipped teeth, fat lips, etc.) Get stands with good solid tripod bases.
Most stands come with telescoping boom attachments. These are the standard attachments that allow you to move and place microphones where you want them. There are several types of booms, but they are all fairly similar. Loosening different knobs allows the stands to move up-and down, forward and backwards, or rotate parts of the stand to place the mic. A boom allows a singer to get close to the microphone without their instrument or hands bumping the microphone stand.
Buy two microphone stands, even if you only need one. Eventually you will need two, or one will wear out.
There are various types of speaker stands as well, but mostly they function the same. The stand inserts into a hole in the speaker and then you can raise the speaker up to an appropriate height. Make sure the speaker stand has the legs splayed wide enough to support the speaker, and make sure you don’t set the height too high so that the speaker will tip over. It’s important to make sure that band members or audience members won’t trip over your stands, so be conscious of where you are setting up.
Microphone Stand - Gator Frameworks GFW-MIC-2020 Stand with boom (2-pack) - $125
Shortcuts
All that being said, you can buy complete PA system kits that include all the necessary components. These probably wouldn’t be good enough for a rock band, but a bluegrass band using condenser mics, or a soloist or duo could use one of these easily.
There are several systems like this that are very inexpensive, but you really have to be concerned with the quality of the sound from these systems. If you’re using a condenser mic, some of these systems don’t have phantom power, which is required to power those microphones. So, cutting too many corners will cost you in frustration or upgrades. Look for something above $1000. You will likely still have to buy microphone stands, microphones, and cords to go along with it.
There are also several “Tower systems that have similar benefits and drawbacks. Many of these systems sound great, and are portable. They often have limited controls on their built in mixers, and don’t always have phantom-power for condenser microphones. Also, they don’t cover the stage as well because the sound is only coming from one place rather than two speakers, one on each side of the stage.
These can work, but it’s probably worth it to try to put together a nice system from the beginning. It’s not that much more expensive to do so, and you will likely want to upgrade soon if you start playing lots of gigs.
Full PA System Bundles:
Fender Audio Passport Venue S2 Portable PA 2 Person Bundle - $1399 (No Phantom Power)JBL EON208P Portable PA System - $1065.00 (Has phantom power).
Setting up & Tearing Down
When you set up your sound system, take a minute (before loading in) to scope out the stage and see how much space you have, and what you will need for the gig. It’s a good idea to roughly know the size of the stage you require, and often venues or sound people will ask for a stage plot so they can plan for what you need. You don’t need to print a stage plot for yourself if you are setting up your own system, but you need to have a stage plot in mind before you star carrying stuff in.
Sometimes small venues like galleries or coffee shops don’t need a full system and you can get away with one speaker rather than two. Sometimes you might be able to play acoustic and not have to set up a system at all. Get an idea of your needs before you start carrying heavy stuff.
PA systems are useful to outline a stage and set some boundaries if you are playing at an outdoor event or in a place with foot traffic. You can use the speakers to stake the corners of the stage, and the cables from the speakers or microphone can serve as a kind of boundary to keep people back from your performance space.
Set up the speakers on either side of the stage sort of focused at a central point way beyond the back of the room. Raise the speakers to your eye level, or maybe a little bit above. Make sure to position the speakers far enough apart that there is space for all of your microphones to fit between them. Make sure to put your speakers in front of where your microphones are. This is especially important for folks using condenser mics.
Set up you board and amplifier (if you are using both) somewhere that is accessible to you or to your sound person. If you’re playing solo, a lot of times all you have to do is get it set and then you don’t have to touch anything, but it’s nice to have it within reach if you need to fix something.
Set up your microphone stands where you want them to be, and put the microphones on them. Get everything positioned how you want it, then start plugging things in.
Run your extension cords and powerstrips to where they need to be and plug in all the parts of your sound system that need electricity (board, amp, powered speakers, etc.) Make sure your power strips are receiving power. Don’t turn anything on yet.
Plug the mixingboard into the amp (if you are using a standalone amp). Then run the speaker cables to the speakers. At this point, you could plug in an mp3 player (or some boards have bluetooth) and play music through your sound system.
Turn on the mixing board first, then turn on the amplifier and turn it up. If you’re playing music through the speakers, turn up the main volume on the mixing board, then unmute and turn up the music player. You should hear music playing from the mains. This is a good way to check and make sure your system is working, and what a good volume level might be. Plus it makes for a nice atmosphere as you set up the rest.
Leave all your mic channels muted and don’t turn on the phantom power. Run the XLR cables from each microphone to your board. It’s important to connect them in an order that is easy for you to recall. Some people arrange them from left to right, others make the vocal mic number one and then arrange all the rest. It doesn’t matter, all the channels work the same way, you just need to be able to remember the order quickly so you can solve any sound problems easily. Once all your mics are plugged in, mute the system and turn on your phantom power (if you’re using equipment that needs it).
Unmute the system, turn the mains back up and start testing microphones and inputs. Unmute each channel individually, set the gain knob to a lower-middle position, then gradually turn up the volume on that channel while you (or a helper) talks into the microphone. Set it at a reasonable volume. If you can hear your voice echoing softly around the room, that’s probably loud enough for the system (though it might change once people are in the room) It doesn’t need to be loud, just loud enough to hear. Do that for each channel until you know everything is working.
Next, see if you can have someone listen while you play a song (or set up your phone to record a bit from the audience) to see if the levels are good, meaning your guitar isn’t louder than your voice, or the bass isn’t too quiet, etc. This is where you test the mix to make sure everything can be heard the correct amount. Make your adjustments and you’re close to ready.
Every board has some kind of EQ control, so you can adjust the bass, mids, and treble, to change the sound of each channel. It’s a good idea to turn up the treble a bit on the vocals so the words are clear, it’s also a good idea to turn down the bass a little on vocal channels so the words aren’t too muddy. If you have a preamp on your guitar that has controls, maybe just set the mix for that guitar at the center and adjust it from your preamp. If you have any feedback, try to figure out which microphone or DI is causing it, adjust the gain or volume, or you can use these EQ knobs to try to isolate the frequency that is feeding back and turn it down.
Feedback is caused when sound from the main speakers gets into the microphone and causes a “feedback loop” where the same sound is traveling through the signal chain. Adjusting volumes, speaker position, microphone position, or EQ can help. Rooms that are really echoey or live are harder to adjust for feedback.
Once you have it sounding good, you are ready to play the gig.
This stuff is very complex and there is a lot to learn. This article just scratches the surface. There are books about how to run live sound, there are college courses and even full degree paths that concentrate on these skills. It’s a steep learning curve, and bad sound can be very frustrating. If you put a system together it might be worth asking a musician friend, music teacher, or professional sound person (if you know someone) to come check out your system and give you some pointers. There are also great videos on YouTube that are helpful. Learn as much as you can about sound systems and practice setting yours up before you get to the gig. It will make your (and everyone else's) life easier.
It will also give you a new appreciation for soundpeople. There’s a lot to keep track of when you are running sound and it’s often hard for people who don’t know about the gear and their components to communicate with a soundperson. Learning to use your system will help you communicate with other folks running sound for you. It will also give you a new appreciation for folks who are really good at running sound. They are invaluable, and you should always, always, always thank them from the stage. Remember their name and give them a shout out. They deserve it, and you will understand why once you start working with your own gear.
Other Things
Monitors are another layer of complexity. They are simply speakers that face the performers to help the performers hear what’s going on around them on stage. Monitors require the same things as the “mains” (the speakers facing the audience). Meaning, they require an amplifier, and a mixing board. Some mixing boards have a built in set of controls for the monitors, others do not. If you need monitors, that’s another set of speakers you have to haul, and all the additional supporting equipment. If you use a condenser mic, it’s just easier not to use monitors. Professional sound people can make it work, but it’s complicated and you will have to practice a lot.
In ear monitors are popular these days as well. They are just a monitor system that a band can plug into the board and then each member of the band can control their mix which comes into their ears through ear pieces. These systems are another layer of expense and complexity, but they are small and easy to transport.
Lights are not an element of sound, but it’s helpful to have some kind of light for the stage if you can figure it out. There are a lot of options for cool lights these days, and even lights that one might use for social media videos could work on stage in a pinch. It’s probably impractical to travel with a full light rig, but having something in a pinch could be helpful.
Figuring out how to safely haul everything is a challenge as well. Keep the cases and boxes that your gear comes in. See if you can consolidate things like cords and microphones into appropriate containers (like the cord bag mentioned above). Some microphones are fragile, and others are not. You can purchase cases for microphones, or put together a makeshift one with a plastic bin and some foam. It might take some time to figure out how to best pack your system in your vehicle, how to move it most efficiently, and how to keep it in good repair.
Conclusion
That’s all for now, but there’s a lot more to learn about sound systems. If you have any questions, thoughts, or additions please leave them in the comments. Best of luck with your sound reinforcement efforts and making your group sound great!
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