How to Build an All-in-One Rack for Your Band | GEAR GODS

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Below is listed everything I used in the rack, with affiliate links that support our site and channel, along with the price of each item and the total cost.
3x Line 6 HX Stomps - $599.99 each x3 = $1799.97 - imp.i114863.net/x4L71
1x CIOKS DC7 Power Supply - $229 - bit.ly/CIOKSDC7
1x Behringer X32 Mixer - $999.99 (we got ours used on Craigslist for $750) - imp.i114863.net/DXy22
1x Hosa PDR-369 Mic In Panel - $99.95 imp.i114863.net/95LX5
1x ART S8 8 Channel Mic Splitter - $239 - imp.i114863.net/joevP
1x Cymatic Audio LP16 Live Player - $399 - imp.i114863.net/595V2
1x UE Sound Tap - $249 - bit.ly/UESOUNDTAP
1x Furman Power Conditioner $80.55 - imp.i114863.net/eV16O
1x Gator Cases 2u Rack Drawer - $100 - imp.i114863.net/qbzJn
1x SKB Rack Shelf - $109.99 - imp.i114863.net/x4LWk
2x Shure GLXD4R Guitar Wireless - $549 each x2 = $1098 - imp.i114863.net/QmjoY
1x Shure PG4 Guitar Wireless - $299 (no longer made) - bit.ly/SHUREOLD
2x Shure PSM300 Wireless IEM Transmitters - $349 each x2 = $698 - imp.i114863.net/95LRe
4x Shure P3RA Bodypack Receivers for IEMs - $449 each x4 = $1796 (make sure you get the matching frequencies for the transmitters and receivers) - imp.i114863.net/r6aZG
1x OSP SC16U-12 16 Space ATA Shock Effects Rack w/Casters - $507.99
2x 2U Rackmount 2U Rack 2″ Extender - 2x $26 - $52 bit.ly/RACKEXTEND
1x Seymour Duncan PowerStage 700 - $699 - imp.i114863.net/joekn
Cables
18x Hosa HMIC-003 REAN XLR Cable 3′ - $10.95 each x 18 = $197.10 - imp.i114863.net/P3OX6
10x Hosa HSS-003 1/4” TRS Cable 3′ - $10.95 each x 10 = $109.50 - imp.i114863.net/5956n
2x Hosa MID-301BK 5-Pin DIN to 5-Pin DIN MIDI Cable, 1 Foot - $6.45 each x 2 = $12.90 imp.i114863.net/aaOqj
1x Hosa MID-305BK 5-Pin DIN to 5-Pin DIN MIDI Cable, 5 Feet - $7.45 - imp.i114863.net/GzKeE
3x Hosa CPE-112 Right Angle to Right Angle Guitar Patch Cable, 12 Inch - $8.95 each x 3 = $26.85 - imp.i114863.net/VqxER
2x 2 pack Audio 200s TRS to XLR Male Right Angle 3′ - $12.99 each x 2 = $26.97 - bit.ly/TRS2XLR
Total cost: $9697.25
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[@scubasteve29388]

Uh, your band is amazing. Liked. Followed. Purchased.

[@DeadSilent]

How much does it cost to purchase a band? Been thinking about getting one myself

[@Molt408]

@@DeadSilent lol..I doubt money was an obstacle

[@marcoabyss]

"the monitor guy has the power to ruin your life on stage, we give you the power to ruin your own life..." SOLD! I'm making my own all-in-one rack

[@lucasbottner8897]

Only annoying thing: Explaining FOH people how your splitter/snake works because they refuse to read tech riders. Constant struggle

[@Flyingdingii]

@@lucasbottner8897 send us your rider and then we can read it. Can't read what we don't have.

[@Starcrunch72]

@@Flyingdingii Or, "Oh no that was the rider from 3 years ago....Our plot is nothing like that"

[@calandraco2888]

😂😂😂 I was reading this at the same time he was saying it

[@Flyingdingii]

@@Starcrunch72 a personal favorite of mine, I run into this monthly. I have made it a habbit to call/email bands myself to double check things when they seem kindof screwy.

[@classicZEPP]

You should do an update on your “All in one” setup

[@classicZEPP]

5 people agree with me so far

[@roychan2160]

Its only right you feel proud of your work. Just putting the rig together is tough but charting the music and programming the midi program changes for 3 Hx Stomps must have taken some hard work. Kudos to you Trey

[@Bloodywood]

We've got an identical setup except for the HX stomp boxes. We're using the line 6 helix rack that processes both guitars and bass because of its capability of having individual signal chains at the same time. Sweet job with the stomp boxes! The LP 16 is a livesaver

[@partoftheproblem2767]

How do you program the Cymatic and incorporate it to change patches?

[@slickcross]

The x32 is the king! Its the OG! Can't go wrong with an x32!

[@DavidNwokoye]

First step: Have money

[@StuntcatTV]

mimimi I'm acting financially irresponsible

[@SomeJustice19k]

Or could credit. Lol

[@aisinfosystem6018]

🤣👍

[@kylejensen6022]

To be fair, a 5 piece band is splitting this cost. Where the rack might be $10,000 each member is paying $2000, most of which can be financed & even sold later at little to no loss. If you’re passionate about playing live music you can come up with $2000 some way or another

[@austinrivero1598]

I’m taking inspiration and finding cheaper versions of each unit so ig the video is still useful

[@skylermichael641]

Man this is the best all in one rack system video I’ve ever seen. I especially love how you run the HX Stomps with the Cymatic Audio LP 16. I would have never heard about it, and especially never known it could trigger midi changes. I’m looking to do this with my band for vocal effects as well as guitar effects and possibly midi keys and lights if I can make it all work. Great job! Now I’ve got a lot to learn!

[@b.scottfarthingsworth]

Brilliant. Fuckin absolute Brilliance. Dude, this should be made available to every band as a whole package with tips/instructions verbatim. ABSOLUTELY. Hats off to you my brother and a pint raised in your name for being a genius.

[@GerryTrevino]

Dudes, such a sick video! I was actually just looking into reworking my live rig too. Thank you for this! 🙏🏼

[@wormingnightfall6599]

Never been so amazed from seeing stage equipment! This setting really seems to translate into a perfect live experience

[@JosephFacer]

Great video. Having built a few racks like this before, your point about planning it out beforehand can't be stressed enough. I like to make big documents with every single piece of gear I need, every cable I need, and every different type of signal path (power, audio, MIDI, etc.) so that all I have to do is get the gear, make the cables, and wire it up when it comes time to actually build.

[@JulianDaniels]

Hey Trey, thank you so much for that video. We're thinking in our band switching to iem and working with a backing track and as I saw that Live Player in your rig my life was saved. That thing really makes your setup easier: you don't need an additional computer with an additional audio interface and a bunch more of cables. And it's midi capable!!! So great! Thank you very much for sharing this.

[@continuum288]

Very cool and interesting. I always appreciate your comprehensive explanations and the approach to your videos. Thank you and Cheers!

[@CatPickStudios]

Step 1: Be in a band. That's where I failed.

[@PooNinja]

ha hope your band mates don't see this :D

[@lorenzowoodmusic]

Same

[@stbone6274]

I wish I was in one lol

[@kahitaknows5366]

I feel you dude.

[@dannyboi9552]

@@stbone6274 start one, i did it

[@oanarhia]

I play with the band Tragacanth from Nederlands. We have something similar, simpler in a way, but more complicated in others. We have an Allen and Heath idr32 mixer, a Kemper, an Atomic 3 and a Line6 bas pod pro, all 3 midi controlable. Backingtracks come from a Macbook pro, together with midi change AND a videotrack for the whole show. We have lyrics videos for all the songs, 2 screens and shortthrow projectors. We do wired inear, in stereo, using 10meter cables taped together with the guitar cable. The mixer has 16 outs, so we don't need splitters, i can do stereo mixes for everybody and send separate guitars, bas, voc and backingtracks to FOH.

[@gingaduten4883]

As a sound engineer, if you were to roll in that rack into my venue, I would love you!!! ...Until you rolled in all those cabs 😂

[@MohitSharma1993]

I feel that :D

[@B3Band]

We have everything in a rack, and get told that all the time. No amps/cabs for us, though.

[@mattg1094]

LOL

[@josephkyle6271]

THIS!!!!!! I have people come in with Racks like this with their own mics. Makes my life SOOO much easier

[@Alchemy86510]

One of our favorite videos of an IEM system. We've built our own and will be breaking it in this summer playing local and regional shows. Excited!

[@madrigalrogelio93]

This video is amazing my band coast n bay now runs a similar setup. That cynamtic audio player is literally a dream for running backtracks. We've invested in a laptop and has always had problems with it. That live player literally takes out the guess work and makes it a plug and play.

[@jamesdean7574]

I Love these tech videos, you’ve done a killer job with this rack. I’m gonna do something like this but with presonus series 3 gear, their NSB stage boxes are gone be INCREDIBLE!!!!

[@WoolleyGG]

Thanks for going through this, that IEM setup is exactly what I need!

[@skyshyne]

Awesome setup!... it brings lot of ideas to implement something similar in our church!

[@ToxicxEternity]

this was super useful man. thank you!

[@chrisellis8389]

Excellent build . You should get lacing bars that install in the rack holes for the back. Then velcro your cables to it, it takes the weight off of the connectors.

[@nemasobhani9489]

Yamaha EAD10 will solve the drum monitoring hurdle!

[@dylandylan11731]

Absolutely 👌

[@MrMercho4416]

showing up to sound check with a stage plot and on time makes sound guys happy to see you.

[@axemurderforhire1]

Brilliant, thanks so much as my band are just about to build our own IEM rig

[@amdenis]

Niiiiice sound, great band- solid mix. Thanks for sharing the music and the info!

[@StuntcatTV]

This is such an amazing video. I'm really thankful for all this information, taught me a lot!

[@douglane3962]

Thanks for this video Trey! I'm getting ready to launch a project that's going to need something similar to this, but a bit more expanded. This setup looks like an incredible start to building my own rack!

[@rickfeith6372]

That little rack is GORGEOUS. I absolutely love the automation and MIDI control. Nicely done sir...this kind of setup was not even possible just a decade ago unless you were Metallica or a Rockefeller. 👍👍

[@JEAG]

It costs 10k though... It gave me some ideas for a rig of my own though...

[@davidkekstroll5836]

Little

[@JulesFox]

This is a wonderful video. Massive props for getting this solution racked so elegantly, comprehensively and cheaply. Great stuff.

[@gregg4164]

He said it was not cheap. He did it as economically as he could but it was not cheap.

[@JulesFox]

@@gregg4164 Well, for the functionality packed in there, I do consider it cheap and effective. If you're just looking at the $$$ spend, I imagine it's a little on the steep side. However, I see a LOT of guitarists getting around with Paul Reed Smith guitars and Mesa Boogies, so there are people spending cash routinely on their gig gear.

[@marcomoscoso7402]

This whole video is pure gold

[@MitchBakerMusic]

that LP-16 is a game-changer; I was about to drop way too much money on a laptop when that would do the job for easily half the price, plus not needing to bring an interface. Can't thank you enough, much love!

[@FrozenCharlottes]

Absolutely amazing job on that rack. I have been trying to build something similar, but this really gave me a ton of ideas!

[@peakAV]

Great job, and thanks for showcasing the sequencer, very interesting. My build has a 2U CBI 16 input splitter with plenty of trunk cable. Everything fit in the 12U version of your rack with the exception of the Mac mini (with keyboard, mouse, monitor) and guitar/instrument processing lives off-rack). Ableton provides backing tracks and adds drum and vocal effects with midi changes per song. The Allen & Heath Qu-Pac 32 is the rack mixer which has plenty of I/O and is an excellent interface.

[@xNARCx]

I have $7.

[@ballsrgrossnugly]

With only .45c more you can buy ONE of the MIDI cables!

[@kuyakoi3469]

Youre broke. I got $8

[@fh404]

I think a 2nd hand IKEA shelf will do

[@officialWWM]

😂😂

[@reisalieroglu2355]

cbix that ikea shelf will break the second you put the gear

[@rickbiessman6084]

Wow. Insane. Having three HX Stomps in the rack and simply having to plug your guitars and bass into the transmitters... that’s nothing short of brilliant. I know Periphery run their shows off of a laptop and have it do all the MIDI switching on their AXE FXs but this is even a level above that. I have to say though that mono IEM is something I can only shake my head it. I legitimately loathe it and my head always drops when I’m forced to use it. Thanks so much for taking the time and explaining everything in depth!!! Awesome awesome awesome!

[@johnheick3205]

100% with you on the mono iem thing

[@ERISofficial]

Our rig has a split snake and we run our own drum mics. Kick mic is mounted in a shock mount in the kick, and we have cymbal stands attached to the hihat and ride cymbals. All the other mics just clip onto the toms and snare. We use Line 6 G-90 wireless systems with our 2 Kempers for guitar, and a Darkglass for bass. Our 2 wireless mics are in the rack as well. Opted for the XR-18 instead. It's still a single case, but it has 2 racks in it. Reaper runs our midi for our Kempers through the midi port on the XR-18.

[@B3Band]

We made pretty much this same video two years ago. Not only that, but you released your version on my birthday haha main difference for us is that instead of having the sound guy use his own cables into our rack, we have a snake inside our rack and give the sound guy our tails. This way the rack doesn't even need to be on stage, and the sound guy doesn't need to suddenly produce 10 extra cables or unplug his mics and leave them in a corner just to deal with us. For particularly grumpy sound guys, we tag and label his existing cables while they're still in the stage box so he can quickly restore them when we're finished. Most sound guys worth their shit either have already dons this, or have enough spaces in their stage box that it isn't even necessary.

[@CarlosKTCosta]

Loved every second of this!!!

[@crocholiday]

That is a sweet set up. Well played sir, well played... And I agree with others, the band is the bomb. Good stuff!

[@PostmasterD1]

That's. Fucking. Dope. By far, the best execution I've seen of this concept. The realtime midi switching is something of witchcraft! Also you totally sold me on one of those HX stomps. Fantastic job!

[@Baileyriffs]

Glad to see I'm not the only one rack mounting HX Stomps with MIDI control. I got our all-in-one rig finished up this last week before our run of shows next month lol. I have our setlist on my laptop which is mounted in our rack (its got a removable top for an optional soundboard) with USB hooked up to the stomp but I dig your way of controlling it. We have a programmed light show off of the setlist session so that's our difference. Your excitement for the Stomp just about matches mine though...it's a swiss army knife of a unit for sure.

[@JBonez.51]

Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!

[@TimmyP1955]

Nice job. Put the X32 below the splitter and panel, so it's a lot easier to get to their back panels. Then make custom-length cables to make room so you can see in there.

[@danyavilaoficial]

I love this vid. It’s super helpful!! Thanks a lot !!!

[@daviddutton9723]

This is an incredible video. I wasn't aware of the X-32 and how great that can be for controling your own IEMs. I also know a lot of EBM and industrial bands that run their tracks from their laptop and I've seen in fail on them a lot. That LP-16 seems like the perfect solution for that

[@billparker4815]

The x air 18 is a slightly more cost efficient option, the only downside is a little less versatility and no lcd screen so no control without a laptop or tablet

[@JohnDemetre]

Great setup! I’d love to see a more in depth video about how the midi switching works - how you cue the songs to start, how to program the info on the thumb drive, etc. Thanks!!

[@t1aoDC]

about time! i've been waiting...

[@daniel_mixes]

This is amazing. The only thing I can think to improve would be to squeeze another one or two rack spaces somehow and add a custom redco patch panel for all inputs/outputs to be plugged into. That reduces the likelihood of interconnect cables of getting jacked up and makes it even more thoughtless during setup. :)

[@ZacsSoloProject]

This is absolutely brilliant.

[@ChrisGiecewicz]

Great video! Thanks for the tips

[@PNSerapicos]

Great video, awesome setup. Would love to hear you elaborate on how you set up the MIDI tracks that send signal along with the backing tracks; How does it work with the stomp? Is each one on a MIDI channel and how do you program which parameter does what with the stomp?

[@razzo3456]

I made something similar for my 4 piece symphonic metal band last year. Made everything fit in a 6RU SKB rolling rack, but using both front and back for the pieces. Not the greatest set up, but I also have a 23kg flying limit I have to keep in mind. Would like to make it 2 smaller, modular racks eventually. Guitar and bass both just running through one Helix Floor

[@FantasticF113]

Thanks for the great upload, this was both very informative and interesting

[@raphomet_]

Thank you for this videos! Great content!

[@JesseJorgensen]

Amazing. What a time to be alive!

[@guamskyy]

This is so fucking awesome! I have a kemper but that HX stomp intrigues me since making a rig as light and compact as possible but still sound great is the goal.

[@rickfeith6372]

Fractal has that new micro 3 switch pedal coming real soon too! It looks sexy, it sounds Fractal...and its got MIDI

[@bunnyadrian]

This is fantastic. Glad you’re digging the stomp. Not too long ‘til you get the Revv model.

[@treyxaviermusic]

I wants it soooooooo baddddd

[@spadz93]

Have a rig just like this, save for a few differences in hardware but the same in concept. Made our lives much easier

[@ballsrgrossnugly]

Clicked this video because we are building the ghetto version with just a PA amp and a gate/compressor and EQ to plug our FX boards into. Similar though with everything connected in the back of the case ready to just plug in. This would be the goal one day!

[@BassMeister17]

Great work! This is a great solution. Just a thought: being handy with a soldering iron, and making custom length cables for all of this would certainly reduce the cost (for those of us who don't have hookups with Hosa), and would basically eliminate the spaghetti-ness of the back - not to mention improve airflow through a rack that's as tightly packed as this one. Obviously, it would add to the time required to build the rack to make a bajillion cables, but your mileage may vary.

[@matz1011]

I would totally do that for a band :D Awesome job!

[@GrupoVozDeMando]

Awesome Rack!!! In the process of building one just like it. One quick question, What is the purpose of the UE Sound Tap? and why not going straight into the behringer?

[@treyxaviermusic]

The Sound Tap lets you pull a signal from a powered monitor line, you can't plug a speaker cable directly into the Behringer because it'll blow it up haha. If you can get a regular old mic or line level signal off the board then you don't need it.

[@nelguzman5109]

I was blown away went you talked about the hx stomp usage. x0 BTW the rack you created is awesome!

[@udmbfk]

Keen to hear a live recording using all the outs on this unit

[@PooNinja]

I built a 18 space Rack extra deep for cable storage in my mobile DJ Rig. huge time saver for set up and tear down .

[@treyxaviermusic]

You did the best possible thing first, which was to be a DJ instead of in a band, then you can afford whatever rack you want

[@PooNinja]

yea if it were not for streaming services taking over the party scene :( thank god for weddings even if people request the same Craptastic tunes every time :( only the special dance tunes change once and awhile. I think I'm immune to "the wind beneath my wings" at this point.

[@leethefixitman7530]

I am a live engineer and I put together a rack for my purposes that has similar features. You gave me some good ideas if I ever tour with one band. Thanx

[@staalejonko]

Thanks Trey! Will certainly help us

[@blessidunion]

Great video. Love everything in 1 rack. I would prefer to lose the drawer and add another 8 in and 8 out split and get those drums separated. But I have an old rack that came from the Four Tops that is all drawers! This video will help a lot of bands.

[@w1zl3]

Awesome tutor. Very helpful. thanks!

[@ryfuller5801]

Dude!! This is epic!!!

[@ramicksrameka3449]

Beauty! Thanks huge for sharing

[@mashzmash]

Great work. I'd definitely get antenna combiners for transmitters and receivers and get the antennas out of the rack though.

[@simpleObserver100]

You had me at HX stomp.😂

[@rockfighter800]

Thanks for the informative video. The live player and the power conditioner might be a good addition to my own IEM Rack. However I'd like to point out that it is quiet hard to get a good IEM sound with mono tracks. Fortunately Behringer has two awesome products which enable each band member to have their own stereo IEM mix. For around a 1000 bucks more you can buy the Behringer Powerplay PD16-D and a Behringer Powerplay P16-M for each band member. Feed the PD16-D from the X32 mixers ultranet output and go from there to each of the P16-M units. Now each band member has the same 16 channels (selectable by choice in X32) on their own P16-M unit and can mix them together individually to their own liking. Of course this means spending more money and managing more hardware but in my opinion an individual stereo IEM mix for each bandmember is definitely worth it. Furthermore Behringer has awesome extension modules for the X32 which enabled me to add another splitter and tap the drum mics into the x32 as well.

[@TheBoglodite]

Man, live playing is such an intense beast in its own

[@acaciaridgeband]

Thank you!! This was very helpful and we have ours all set up now thanks to this video with the same gear except axe Fx's instead of Line 6 \M/

[@StuntcatTV]

That is a very well organized rack.

[@mattsmith9024]

When I teched for John Goux, producers would refer to his rack as "Mt. Saint 80s". Accurate description, but he made great use of all 7 feet of it!

[@mpeskett]

I would love hear more of those laptop stories... xD Great setup by the way, gonna be real helpful info for a lot of bands.

[@BanditsHuckleberry]

Mind. Blown.

[@schwamf5]

That's a really awesome rack, i especially love the automatic preset switching, and the playback unit in general! One slight improvement you could make: wouldn't it be easier to have a labelled snake for the outputs to foh, so the soundguy doesn't need 8 individual cables and could just plug your snake straight into his stagebox? That would also safe you another unit height in the rack. Also noone except your guys would have to touch the rack at all! 😊

[@Starcrunch72]

Absolutely--labeled output tails to FOH--because green/blue labels can't be read well at all on a dark stage.

[@el-magicohectorlopez881]

Amazing idea becoming a practical reality! Kudos to you. =)

[@KelsterVonShredster]

Cool video! Gotta love midi...ancient technology and still relevant today!

[@thejocordero]

This is amazing!

[@joshkuhnmusic]

This is incredible. Extremely daunting and expensive, but so sick.

[@904C5ZOSIX]

Great info. Appreciate it 👍

[@DanCapeau]

Awesome setup! I would love to watch a demo of how you program the midi switching with the player you have there. Is it the same as loading up a midi track for each piece of gear in a session, sending cc messages, and then exporting the midi track to the flash drive?

[@mikiryann5882]

I play in a metal core band and this is very helpful thank u

[@laura-sophiemohr4178]

thanks veeery much for this!

[@raynerrenoband]

Such versatile rig

[@iamseanlavin24]

For micing my band's kit we use the Yamaha EAD-10 it's 1 microphone and it can hear all the drums around it! It uses our splitter to hear it and that's it!

[@itai.617]

Damn trey didnt know u can sing so well

[@saberreiter8569]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXvJo5SEeNuFbtU !

[@ltyofficial_]

Awesome video and super informative! I’m putting together a very similar rig and trying to figure out my routing as well as all of the cables I will need. One question regarding the patch bay... Do you typically carry a snake with you that you then supply to FOH or do most venues plug in directly using their cables? Guessing most places will supply a stage box of some sort?? Thanks in advance!!!

[@Bovorn.S]

Love it. I was working towards something like this. But have only an XR16

[@pauliusmscichauskas558]

There literally is a more advanced, 1U rackmount version of that backing track device, with the midi output at the back, by the same company. Cymatic Audio uTrack24 The non rack version that you have is pretty cool, if you have it on your pedalboard. We normally keep it by the drummer, he controls the playback. But once I get my hands on the Fractal FM3, i'll build myself an all-in-one pedalboard and I will probably place the Backtrack device there. Btw, in your case, I recomment buying a low profile angled MIDI cable. It will look way less awkward at the front of the unit.

[@ryangilpin9049]

Looks awesome! Just curious if you need a antenna combiner or at what point you would need one? Also how are you running the drum monitor via wired headphones?

[@Fraend]

Very interesting video man,thank you!