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Would you rather hear your amp tone or the house tone?
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 3:48 pm
by hbombgraphics
Practiced with a group last night
Playing sunday
they don't mic amps they use DI's for FOH jank
I used my behringer DI set to a fender clean setting which I think in general sounds good
but I split my signal and ran my RC2 into the DI and into my amp (Custom First act V-stack with a celestion- Set to a good AC30 sound)
I thought my tone was good
pianist did
singers did
no idea what it sounds like front of house
or how my pedals are hitting the DI
So my question is
Would you rather have that good AC30 tone on stage or a true representation of FOH
I think singers and most of the audience can hear my First Act (and don't knock it it is a beast of an amp and I have gotten rid of six or seven much "better" amps and always kept this one)
But I have no idea what my actual tone sounds like
I have two acoustic amps a carvin and an RMS and I could split the signal from the DI to FOH and one of those and get a truer reference.
how would you do this?
I also have a line out on the first act but really needed the ground loop on the DI to get a good sound
would you consider running the line out on one amp into a DI like that?
help me! haven't played life with an actual band in 10 years
Re: Would you rather hear your amp tone or the house tone?
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 4:20 pm
by coldbrightsunlight
I generally mic my amp, no di, and I like having my amp tone as my monitor because it sounds better and so it's more inspiring or whatever. But during soundcheck i always walk way out into the room with a long lead or get someone else to play while i stand where the audience is.
That way I know what I will sound like to the audience and tweak my gear so it sounds good but also when I'm playing I'm hearing the tone i want to.
Re: Would you rather hear your amp tone or the house tone?
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 4:35 pm
by Ancient Astronaught
Which DI are you using?
Typically I would have a di on the line out of my amp and then have the FOH guy put high / low pass filters on it, but its putting a lot of trust into them to make you sound good but this way atleast he starts with the EQ on your amp you have found to work best with your pedals.
Re: Would you rather hear your amp tone or the house tone?
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 4:39 pm
by AxAxSxS
It really depends on what kind of band you are and what kind of venues you play. If you are a low volume band and play venues with halfway decent pa's, you should be fine. I think PA quality really starts to show when it's stressed with higher volumes.
That said it would never ever ever be ok for what I do. Would not work at all.
Re: Would you rather hear your amp tone or the house tone?
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 4:49 pm
by hbombgraphics
yeah, I use a behringer the pedal version
kindof a sansamp knockoff
I really love it honestly and thought about just using my carvin acoustic amp so I would get a good handle on it
It's churchy stuff (not cool I know)
so about 200 peeps spread way out in a big room
Re: Would you rather hear your amp tone or the house tone?
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 5:42 pm
by AxAxSxS
I'd think it'd be fine for that. Not like you are trying to damage people with volume. Or, are you?

Re: Would you rather hear your amp tone or the house tone?
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 8:53 pm
by hbombgraphics
AxAxSxS wrote:I'd think it'd be fine for that. Not like you are trying to damage people with volume. Or, are you?

I would like to
honestly it is kindof a surreal experience for me
not music I would generally listen too
but really nice people
and I am playing the guitar
Re: Would you rather hear your amp tone or the house tone?
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 9:58 pm
by AxAxSxS
nothing wrong with that

Re: Would you rather hear your amp tone or the house tone?
Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2014 12:06 pm
by MEC
Congrats on playing out again. I'd set it like you have it and go out and have fun!
I've been in bands for years and don't think I've ever played for 200
so at least your off to a good start in that regard.
If people start leaving in droves, just smash your amp with your guitar while
yelling "YOU PEOPLE DON'T DESERVE MY TOANS".
Re: Would you rather hear your amp tone or the house tone?
Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2014 7:28 pm
by hbombgraphics
MEC wrote:Congrats on playing out again. I'd set it like you have it and go out and have fun!
I've been in bands for years and don't think I've ever played for 200
so at least your off to a good start in that regard.
If people start leaving in droves, just smash your amp with your guitar while
yelling "YOU PEOPLE DON'T DESERVE MY TOANS".
we have a plan!!!!
yeah it's exciting,
I am thinking of leaving my amp flat and running the second line of the behringer DI right in the front end
it might give me an idea of the house sound
I am hoping to get a better picture of it at rehearsal tomorrow AM
and then we play at 11
pretty pumped, throwing new strings on the dot tonight
semi hollow tones !!!!
Re: Would you rather hear your amp tone or the house tone?
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 2:17 am
by antennafarm
well, honestly, do whatever makes you play better -- probably your sound. let the tech handle how it sounds to everyone else. that's their job (whether they're good at it is another story!)
Re: Would you rather hear your amp tone or the house tone?
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 1:03 pm
by bigchiefbc
I mic my amp at every gig, but if I were forced to DI, I'd want whatever the house is getting as my monitor. I like knowing what the crowd is hearing, but maybe that's just me.
Re: Would you rather hear your amp tone or the house tone?
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 3:23 pm
by hbombgraphics
went with my amp sound
let the house deal with whatever was out front
I think they were pretty close plus I had enough volume from my amp that most people probably heard a mix of the sounds anyway
went with an extreme angle on my amp so it was pointed right at my head
Re: Would you rather hear your amp tone or the house tone?
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 3:39 pm
by DarkAxel
bigchiefbc wrote:I mic my amp at every gig, but if I were forced to DI, I'd want whatever the house is getting as my monitor. I like knowing what the crowd is hearing, but maybe that's just me.
nope, that sounds about right. And I've always thought that's common sense and wasn't aware it's not the "standard" course of things

Re: Would you rather hear your amp tone or the house tone?
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 8:27 pm
by hbombgraphics
There's a ton of trust put on sound men
especially when you have no idea who they are or how they mix things
Someone sitting in a balcony 200 feet away has way to much say over guitar tone I think
I would have liked to hear the house mix a bit I think but at the same time mid performance if he was janking it up, there is nothing you can do anyway
just decided to play and hope for the best
Totally new situation for me as I am used to having way more control