T48s, OT 12x2s, DR 280s and an Earth Day festival

[Tom O'Shea]

So I'd only ever done sound for my acoustic string band + tuba, but I got a call out of the blue to take over the main stage sound for the Auburn University Arboretum Earth Day Extravaganza, as their usual main stage sound supplier had to drop out at the last minute.

My area had a stage outdoors on a 6-foot (2 meter in Kiwi) knoll, with about 600 feet of area ahead and 100 to the right, 700 or so to the left. Anticipated crowd of 300 at any given time.

No one would be paid. Not even the highly popular regional touring bands. Band members each got a t-shirt. Me too. Each whole band got a 25 dollar gift certificate at a local coffee shop. (Only the three-piece import reggae band got more than a cup of coffee and a plain donut out of it. And me. I got a $25 card all to myself!)

I had nearly a week's notice, and thought I really needed more than the 2 17" T48s I had, and my two OT12x2s. So I started a hurry-up building program, and nearly finished two more OTs and two more T48s. But that whole job and family thing got in the way, and none of the new boxes were ready in time.

So I used what I had: the existng T48s, my two OT12x2s on one side, and my 2 Dr280s on the other. Newish Alto Mac 2.4 amps with an SHS 2500 for backup, and a Behringer DCX 2496 thingie for processing. My band's 20-channel Behringer powered mixer for a board--mains through the aux outs, subs from a sub out, and on-stage monitors (supplied by the bands) through the powered main outputs.

Mixing the 280s and the OTs would be a problem, I think, indoors, but here, with the audience no nearer than 40 feet or so, things were clear and LOUD. At least two miles away. In the event, I only ran ONE of the OTs, and got a nicely balanced sound throughout the audience area.

I mixed for four out of five bands on my stage. The one I didn't work with was a local death-metal band, who don't do vocals, and only use stage amps and cabs. Two guitars, bass, and drums, and they play facing one another, with the drummer facing IN toward the band at a 45-degree angle. They've been doing things this way for 15 years, and their fans adore them.

Bands supplied their own mics, and would have, even if I had on hand a bunch of rocker mics, instead of the big condensers my band uses, so I had a chance to work with lots of SM 57s and 58s, and found I vastly prefer those Audixes. Wow!

Got lots of great compliments on the sound, as bands awaiting their turn got to hear the mix for the previous band. Got lots of good contacts with the bands and with community members, so it was well worth doing.

My system--if it merits being called one--sounded great with tons-o-bass and sparkling highs and clear-as-a-bell vocals and acoustic guitars.

Tom

[Mark Coward]

Great stuff, thanks for the report.

In the event, I only ran ONE of the OTs, and got a nicely balanced sound throughout the audience area.

Did you try both, I'd think that you'd need them to balance with the DR280's? Did you do separate EQ on each type? That's one of the benefits of the DCX2496, with 6 outputs you can run separate EQ on each.

[Tim A]

Glad it went well. One thing I've learned, rushing through any new aspect of a system for a short-notice job, whether it's a cabinet build, patch cables, RTA, or whatever, always ends up in a mess.

[Tom O'Shea]

Thanks, guys. No separate eq. The thing is, since listeners were so far back, the systems didn't seem to have different sounds at all. With a bigger crowd in the same space I think it wouldn't have worked as well; or with a closer-in crowd, or of course indoors. And because of the leisurely nature of the occasion I was able to stroll around during a set to get a sense from all over the field.

Rushing ALWAYS sucks, but I can't ever not do it, like I think THIS time it'll all work out great. It's having a permanent brain fart--just because it's never worked in the past doesn't mean THIS time won't be perfect. Like the Iron Lotus coach in "Blades of Glory."

Tom

[brodave2]

I've been in this business for 20 years and I'm still finishing projects right up to the last minute for a particular gig. It's like I have all these projects on the back burner, then a job comes up where one of the projects would be just great. So I kick it in and work up till the last minute getting done. Sometimes I don't finish, but it doesn't keep me from trying it again.

[AntonZ]

I had nearly a week's notice, and thought I really needed more than the 2 17" T48s I had, and my two OT12x2s. So I started a hurry-up building program, and nearly finished two more OTs and two more T48s. But that whole job and family thing got in the way, and none of the new boxes were ready in time.

Amazing , even though you didn't finish the boxes. A single AT still takes me more than a week (not full time - couple of hours in the evenings). I have a lot off respect for you and the other guys that appear to throw together these boxes in a matter of hours.

Glad to hear the system worked so well even without the new boxes.

[Bob G]

WTF?? No Pics?

[AntonZ]

O yeah, it didn't happen if there ain't no pics