storage unit jam room PA problem

[Codyeatruck]

so i know that moving blankets from the hardware store are insufficient for sound absorption in a legit jam room.

my friends and i just started jamming in a storage unit and the sound is despicable.
can anyone tell me if those blankets would help in our 10x15 tin can?

[chillerthanmost]

Old Mexican blankets help in our storage. I'm sure any blankets would be good. We got a corner unit, to only two walls are tin, the other two are drywall and such. The two tin walls have blankets over them, and we carpet the cement floor. It's still bright in there, but it sounds good. Just gotta adjust some EQ setting when playing outside of storage.

[PeteeBee]

Do you need to tell the people beforehand that you intend on getting loud in the unit? I'm thinking about finding one but don't want to go about it all wrong and get kicked out of a place or anything dumb like that.

[chillerthanmost]

Yeah, I spoke with the manager before hand and told them everything and set some ground rules and hours and such. We've been playing in storages for the last ten years. Usually find a new one every 3-4 years or so since management tends to change.

[Hyphen Nation]

get a shipping container:
http://johnlsayers.com/Pages/Spark_1.htm

[Codyeatruck]

ok so we got some thick moving blankets for real cheap and it's like night and day in there.

now for our problem with the PA

we use a harbinger M120 into two cheap speakers

FEEDBACK!

we have both speakers on the floor, tilted up toward the back of the mic.
with all EQ at 12 o clock, and the volume up to a competing level with the guits and drums, just speaking into the mic causes crazy feedback.

i cut the high and low knobs on my mic channel to 9 o clock and i did the same on the master. Like that, we were pretty close...
still couldn't get it loud enough without feedback, especially on low vocals.

my question is, would using a separate mixer and amp into the speakers solve this problem, since i'd have more control over the EQ?
could i just add a mixer to my current set up? (if so, could i use my tascam 424 mk II as a mixer?)
mic - new mixer - harbinger M120 - speakers
do i need to ditch the M120 and find an amp dedicated for the job at hand?
or is our 10 x 15 storage unit a dead end in this regard?

[K2000]

Get your PA speakers up in the air at head level. That should make vocals easier to hear.

[Codyeatruck]

We did have them like that but it made the feedback worse

[Chankgeez]

Try pointing the PA speakers away from the mic. 10x15 is a tough space to work in.

[jasonmitsch]

Aim all pa guitar and bass keys at the drummer. Tell them you'll turn down when they control their dynamics. Helps bring the whole mix under control. Unless you're into doom. Then just keep turning up and adding speakers I guess.

[Psyre]

My 3 piece just started practicing in a 10x20 unit. 24 hour access and we can be as loud as we want in the climate controlled building. Not a bad set up, I wish it had come 2 years ago, but now we are about to move so we went with a 6 month lease.


The key is good ear protection. The proper ear protection will attenuate the high frequencies first. So you guys may not sound good to anyone standing near, but you all will be able to hear yourselves much clearer. We have also tried blankets and foam bed pads, which did help a little, but not as drastic as I would have hoped.

[Codyeatruck]

yeah we rock those hearos plugs, they work really well.

ok so we got some thick moving blankets for real cheap and it's like night and day in there.

now for our problem with the PA

we use a harbinger M120 into two cheap speakers

FEEDBACK!

we have both speakers on the floor, tilted up toward the back of the mic.
with all EQ at 12 o clock, and the volume up to a competing level with the guits and drums, just speaking into the mic causes crazy feedback.

i cut the high and low knobs on my mic channel to 9 o clock and i did the same on the master. Like that, we were pretty close...
still couldn't get it loud enough without feedback, especially on low vocals.

my question is, would using a separate mixer and amp into the speakers solve this problem, since i'd have more control over the EQ?
could i just add a mixer to my current set up? (if so, could i use my tascam 424 mk II as a mixer?)
mic - new mixer - harbinger M120 - speakers
do i need to ditch the M120 and find an amp dedicated for the job at hand?
or is our 10 x 15 storage unit a dead end in this regard?

^^^ anyone able to help me out?

[K2000]

Is the M120 a guitar amp? You probably don't want to use any amps that have a preamp section (not sure though). Power amps are super cheap, especially used ones. Since you said the M120 has an EQ section, your amp is probably an issue.

Your speakers should probably be 1x12s with a tweeter. Probably not 1x15s (not sure though)

Also, certain mics are better than others for loud music. I think you want a cardioid mic with a tight pattern (not sure though). If you're using a cheap generic mic that might be an issue (not sure though).

Peavey makes a "vocal feedback buster" type of rack unit, and Behringer has probably ripped the design off, so look into those. There's also a way to gate your vocals so that you only pass a microphone signal when you're singing - not sure how to do that. That will keep your mics from howling when you're not singing.

If your room is small and you are super fucking loud, that can be challenging, as someone mentioned. You might even spend money on all the things I mentioned, and still have problems. All those things are probably worth trying though.