How do you set up?

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Sun May 03, 2009 3:43 pm

Do you set up with your back to the crowd?

Do you set up facing the crowd?

Do set up in the audience (like a band sound man) facing the speakers and the singers?

Post by **wiseguy** » Sun May 03, 2009 4:56 pm

Actually I like to set up at a right angle to the crowd. I don't like having my back to the room and facing the room means you constantly have to walk out from behind your setup table unless you have someone else running the system. I don't know of any KJ that sets up in the audience like a band sound man.

DanG2006 · Post by **DanG2006** » Sun May 03, 2009 5:22 pm

Karyoker does set up like a band sound man. He's the only one that does that. For me it depends on the venue.

Sabrina59 · Post by **Sabrina59** » Sun May 03, 2009 5:25 pm

We set up facing the crowd. I don't thing I would EVER set up with my back to the crowd; I almost never have my back to a crowd, no matter where I am. Just one of my "hang-up's". Since there are two of us, I usually run the show and hubby "works" the crowd so having to come out from behind our cabinet is no big deal, and even if it was just one of us, I don't think walking out from behind the equipment is an issue.

spotlightjr · Post by **spotlightjr** » Sun May 03, 2009 7:19 pm

I usually set up facing the crowd. I actaully prefer it to the other ways mentioned. Behind the crowd is tough for me (though Ive done it) because I thrive on faces and facial responses etc. I feel I'm missing something from behind (no jokes please..lol)

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Mon May 04, 2009 3:41 am

I set up facing the crowd and I am always behind the speakers. I don't want to be blasted by the music all night.

I have seen several KJs that set up with their equipment in the front of the room with their table against the wall and that puts their back to the crowd. They do everything with their back facing out. So after they start the song they must turn around to look at the audience.

I never understood this. I don't even know what their reason would be. They never have a curtain on their table to hide all the wiring. Maybe they think if they put the table against the wall it will all disappear.

The equipment faces the crowd and they don't.

I think it's stupid and can't figure it out. The master of ceremonies works backwards all night. It may border on being ingnorant. Like you really don't care about the crowd.

What are you hiding from? What does it say about the host?

The only possible reason I can think of might be that they are actually in front of the speakers.

mwadeson · Post by **mwadeson** » Tue May 05, 2009 11:53 am

alot of it depends on the venue. i like to be facing the crowd and yet be able to hear so i prefer to set up on one side. but most of my venues are way to small and their is only one way to set up. and as far as hiding wires i have switched all my extension cord so they are black they hide better. in all the bars around here we have to run extension cord to the other end of the building to get enough power to run everything right. and by right i mean seperate circuits for sound, lights, computer.

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Tue May 05, 2009 4:16 pm

I don't use lights. So one circuit usually works. I have very rarely tripped a breaker. Maybe 3-4 in 16 years. Usually it was ready to trip anyway. After the breakers were flipped, I used the same recepticle again without trouble. All my equipment goes down to one power cord wire to plug in.

Sabrina59 · Post by **Sabrina59** » Tue May 05, 2009 10:04 pm

My hubby is so convenient to have around! He builds custom cabinets for a living so it was nothing for him to build something for our setup. Everything is kept in the cabinet, which locks up when not in use. There is one button to turn everything on and off; so we only have one cord leaving the unit. Actually, the extension cord plugs into the cabinet.

He also built a cabinet for the speakers. It has one compartment for each speaker. The speaker in the top stays where it is as the cabinet also works as a speaker stand. We can slip the front panel out and the speaker is ready to go. This cabinet locks up as well.

Since we only have the one show, the equipment stays there. But if we had to move it, both cabinets are on wheels so it wouldn't be hard.

mwadeson · Post by **mwadeson** » Wed May 06, 2009 1:39 am

i hate running on one circuit i can do it but i have chosen not to. it is alot easier to set up with 2 or 3 circuits compare to having to run get cords in a pinch and try to get another circuit when you are busy.

letitrip · Post by **letitrip** » Thu May 07, 2009 10:59 am

As much as I would love to setup in a Front-Of-House (FOH) position like Karyoker does, it's just not feasible in either of the clubs I play on a regular basis. If you look at where he plays, he's got a great location to do that. There's no better way to mix live vocals than to actually be able to hear them coming out of the PA.

That said, I always setup such that I can face the crowd and so that I'm not "on-stage". At my Tuesday gig, there is no real stage so I setup facing the rest of the bar off to the side of the area where people are signing, it's a small club so kind of a tight fit but it works well. My Thursday night gig has an actual stage that they use for bands. I set myself up to the side of it with my equipment facing the stage (a 90 degree angle to the rest of the bar). From here I can face the stage or the bar and always have a good view of both.

I try to get out in front of the PA as much as possible, but on busy nights or when other situations warrant, it isn't always possible. I've gotten pretty good at being able to tell what the mix sounds like by what I can hear from behind it. However there is no substitute for true FOH positioning. It's just not possible though.

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Thu May 07, 2009 5:54 pm

What do you think about going to a show where the KJ has his back toward the audience?

Sabrina59 · Post by **Sabrina59** » Thu May 07, 2009 6:06 pm

I would feel as though the KJ was ignoring the crowd. How can he interact if his back is to the audience? To me, the KJ (his personality and showmanship) is just as important as the equipment and song selection.

djBe · Post by **djBe** » Fri May 08, 2009 3:38 pm

I like the angle thing when I can - and that's two out of five shows a week.
The other three, no room. Equipment faces up against the back wall at a small restaurant where I do two shows, and against the side wall at a small rock club I do. So I caddy corner the rigs in those situations so that helps a little. I don't think it's unprofessional if there's clearly no room to set up any other way. It's more about how the KJ adapts to the situation than the situation itself.

DanG2006 · Post by **DanG2006** » Fri May 08, 2009 7:09 pm

I would feel as though the KJ was ignoring the crowd. How can he interact if his back is to the audience? To me, the KJ (his personality and showmanship) is just as important as the equipment and song selection.

I feel the same way as Sabrina and intend to change my setup at a private gig I do to reflect that