Is Live Bluegrass a Challenge to Mix? (Start to Finish)

[@SilverCreekAudio]

I forgot to mention that none of their instruments (with the exception of the bass) had direct outs, which is why my backup plan was to use dynamic mics for the instruments. Thanks for watching and I hope ya’ll enjoy the video!

[@janassink9118]

@@SilverCreekAudio that,s fanatastic about condensor mic,s the pick up realy quick sound , i,ve recorded once a singer/songwriter with Ovation acoustic guitar on one mic vocal and guitar.

[@FOHFILMS]

This is EXACTLY how these sorts of bluegrass/folk gigs have always turned out for me. Condensers only, super worried beforehand, ends up being great and way easier than anticipated. It helps when the goal is not to melt people's faces off, which, for these acts, is basically always

[@SilverCreekAudio]

The worry beforehand is real! It's definitely strange mixing something quiet for a change.

[@pileofstuff]

That really is the great thing about mixing a good bluegrass band - they pretty much mix themselves. Some of the best sounding bluegrass recordings were done with a single omni mic in the middle of the room.

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Couldn't agree more. Essentially what was going on here! Thanks for watching!

[@JamesEatonMedia]

I’ve mixed for Carson yeeeeeears ago. When he was just a little kid. Was impressive back even then

[@SilverCreekAudio]

He's a good egg and still tears it up! Thanks for watching James!

[@terrymiller111]

Great bluegrass sound. Traditional instrumentation lineup. Young kid has a future.

[@daniellamere3881]

Carson and his band are some of the best musicians I've ever met. And they're top notch people as well. I'm so glad you got to work with them!

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Top notch guys! Thanks for watching Daniel!

[@janassink9118]

Hi here Jan from the Netherlands, here in my home town Purmerend we had a Country&Bluegrasshow on local radiostation , once a month we recorded a live Bluegrass band in the studio on Sundayafternoon ( then studio was free) only 4,5,6 mic,s (Condensors) no monitors these man and women where so goodwith each other vocaly ! There was no bad words about monitors and hearing them selves , its just a joy to work with these people . They had a fantastic controle on there voices, lot of singers can,t sing without (now i,m swearing) autotune. 😅😅. It,s relax job .by the way nice condensor mic,s the have.

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Hey Jan! That sounds like such a chill vibe! Love that everyone was just having a good time and jamming together. Thanks for watching the video!

[@RegularTennesseeJoe]

He’s a local guy here in the Tri. They definitely are pros. You did a wonderful job!👍

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Thanks man!

[@SteveSmithStuff]

I did the sound for a British folk singer a few years ago. I had set up a vocal mic, DI and monitor for him. When he turned up he pulled out an SE large diaphragm mic from his bag, saying he would like to try it out, but most engineers were a bit wary of it. I said I would give it a go. So one mic with the mix between voice and guitar being the mic stand height adjustment. That worked well. Then he said he didn’t want the monitor. That made for an easy evening, sitting at the back just listening. Not much point actively mixing one channel. Oh yes, it was in a church, so no need to add any extra reverb!

[@SilverCreekAudio]

I love British Folk. Sometimes as engineers we get thrown off when an artist wants to do something way different than what we're used to. But it usually works out ok! Thanks for watching man!

[@MurrayWilliams]

Mixing Station is amazing! I love that app! Your and their mix sounded great! 👍🏼

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Mixing station is a game changer! Thanks for watching Murray!

[@homerotamez4573]

I love the Little Bro! It hasn't let us down...

[@terrymiller111]

That sound is amazing! You live mix is first-rate.

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Appreciate that man! Thanks for watching!

[@markengel33]

Howdy! Live sound engineer, and bluegrass player here! I usually run sound for my bluegrass band when we play. If you find yourself running out of headroom with condenser mics, I definitely recommend running a feedback eliminator on your mains. I don't like the "live" settings on the eliminator where the eliminator tries to automatically detect feedback in a show and silence it, because it could mistake a falsetto note or high note on the fiddle for feedback. However, using the eliminator to set some fixed cuts before the show can help a lot. To set that up, first set up all the mics, then increase the volume of the PA until feedback occurs, and the eliminator will automatically apply very narrow cuts to those frequencies. The eliminators are nice because the Q on the cuts is much narrower than what you can achieve with your digital mixer, and it saves your 32-band or GEQ for tone or for bigger bands of feedback (feedback eliminator is especially good at high frequency, but you may need your mixers EQ to get rid of some of the low end feedback). I found this setup definitely helps get more headroom out of the system before feedback while still preserving good sound quality! I used a Soundcraft UI24r which has the eliminator built into to the software, but just switched to an X32 and a rackmount DBX AFS2 (which can apply more cuts than the Soundcraft software!). Let me know if this helps anyone or if you would do it a different way!

[@PKCubed]

Bluegrass is awesome. These guys are awesome.

[@nickmorgan19457]

Bluegrass gigs are a blast

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Had a lot of fun on this one but was a bit nervous before we got rolling...

[@johnmarshalward]

I love running sound for bluegrass music. The first time, I had one mic and the upright. I only rang the mic a bit. They told me, "You control the volume. We'll mix ourselves." They stepped up to and back from the mic in a choreographed routine to mix themselves.

[@SilverCreekAudio]

When the band knows exactly what they're doing, talk about a sigh of relief man!

[@Nahum17good]

Sounds great! Looks like a great band to work with.

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Thanks man, they were a pleasure to work with! Thanks for watching!

[@joselegend1]

This is exactly how I felt when I was working FOH at a club and the band or group had 3 marimbas. 😮..... I was so glad they had an engineer. I took the opportunity to ask him so many questions hehe.

[@SilverCreekAudio]

It's definitely nerve racking getting handed something you're not familiar with at all! Thanks for watching!

[@francoisashton7156]

Thanks for the video. We normally do rock type bands, so would have also been worried beforehand. But wow, no monitors, etc makes sound check sooo quick. Wish all bands were as easy to setup and sound check (no monitor mixes for each band member). Great work.

[@Felix-lm7nw]

Im an avid follower of your channel sir. I also have a small PA system w/ lights. You been an inspiration and big help for me.. More power from Philippines.

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Thanks for the love man! Keep rockin' in the Philippines!

[@gfagan]

Great Job as usual!!!

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Thanks man!

[@jeffgorrie]

Excellent video my friend!! Please keep doing what you do!

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Thanks for watching Jeff!

[@lokmanjl9797]

So nice setup🔥

[@dustinthiessen]

I've mixed a fair bit of bluegrass in my time, sometimes like this, sometimes with mics and DI's on all the instruments. IEM's are an absolute lifesaver when you're trying to make a bunch of condensers work on stage though. I've found Ear Trumpet Labs mics to be some of the best for doing just a couple mics on stage. they sound really great, and have excellent feedback rejection. One band I toured with for years, always did this thing where they'd walk out into the audience and play a few tunes, and wanted mics not pickups. I found this company in Denmark called Remic, and they were an absolute life saver, with really good upright bass, and fiddle mics. I liked them so much, that I did the whole show with them, and just supplemented with pickups

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Whoa, those Remic mics are highly specific and really cool! I'm going to be on their website for a while now... Thanks for sharing man!

[@dustinthiessen]

@@SilverCreekAudio absolutely! I would love to try their piano mics yet as well.

[@soundman1402]

Dang, this is a great band!

[@SilverCreekAudio]

They ripped dude! Thanks for watching!

[@MichaelNatrin]

Great band & great video!

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Thanks Michael!

[@thisisgeoman]

After watching a few of your workshadow-video's, I've finally bought the wheels so I don't have to carry all my speakers or put them on flightcases to move around. And your tour of your van with the motivation why you choose certain ways to pack stuff also paid off for me. I'm having a lot less backpain and shorter setup-times. So please keep sharing these video's as it helps me a lot as a starting/small soundguy. And somhow in Europe / The Netherlands I'm not able to find video's that go into the stuff your video's do. #happycamper

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Wow! It's so cool to hear that the videos helped you out! I'm happy to hear you're having an easier time with your load in and setup time. Wheels on your gear can help soo much... Thanks for watching the channel man!

[@clicks59]

Great band and engineering! Oddly, I should get this video in my feed. Our acoustic band is doing out first live show and we'll be using reinforcement. We are using all dynamic mics, 57's and Beta 58's. I wrapped a 57 in foam and put it into the tailpiece of my bass for the FOH. I used a bass amp on stage fed from the pickup on my bass. The tone from where I was playing sounded pretty cool. I got the attack of the pickup blended with the 57 coming through the monitors. I always wondered how LD condensers would work on stage. It looks like no monitors and space between the mics and mains is the key to success for using a setup like this. There wasn't any slap due to the venue being open. Thanks for sharing this very cool experience!!

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Stage monitors would have made this gig overwhelming for me hahaha! Have fun at your first gig and thanks for watching man!

[@robertdavila9723]

Great way to end the video!

[@Jeremy_Kinsey]

It sounded great, even off of your lav!

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Thanks! I was pleasantly surprised myself!

[@Jeremy_Kinsey]

@@SilverCreekAudio did the Blue mics have polar pattern switches? I was wondering about that when you seemed nervous. They can be tricky live, especially mid highs and highs, that's for sure! As soon as you said there weren't going to be any monitors, I knew you were all good, lol

[@chemdrum]

yea the only reason to be worried would be if there were drums involved lol. But everything was pretty much acoustic so I knew you'd be fine lol. This is dope! 🔥🔥

[@tylerchatham6442]

Bluegrass is the only thing I know how to mix

[@mashzmash]

Sounds great, and a nice focused sound. Finally a bluegrass band that didn't show up with a bunch of Ear Trumpet Labs mics! Whenever I find out I'm mixing a bluegrass/folk band with condensers, I start to sweat as well and 9/10 times they show up with ETL. They look cool (and I own some myself) but they might as well be omnis and I find it a real challenge to mix anything at volume with them and I'll pull out a C414 or something as soon as I see one coming! The choice of condenser makes all the difference.

[@SilverCreekAudio]

That's what I was worried I would get... but the condensers made all the difference. Always helps when the band knows what they're doing too! Thanks for watching man!

[@raygunsforronnie847]

I've mixed a BG festival for about 25 years - main stage, fairgrounds grandstand, capacity is around 4000. The ETL mic that has been the most successful for me (band supplied, I don't own any ETL mics) has been the Josephine. I find the Shure KSM32 or 44 to be a big improvement over most boutique LDCs.

[@billparker4815]

As long as they say no need for monitors with that plan your golden, as soon as they want monitors holy EQ 😂

[@scopefactor]

I do event audio for a corporate training company and I'm thinking of switching from the Yamaha mixer they have to the x32 so I can get EQ and other features that I'm missing, free myself from being tied to the back of the room for control, and get a little more headroom without feedback for some of the quieter speakers/presenters. We're using BLX24R mics and running 2 EV speakers at the front of the room (hotel ballrooms). besides the switch and access point is there anything else I should add to transition to the X32 or does this even sound like a good idea?

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Having something like an x32 with access to multiple layers of EQs for corporate gigs would help a lot in terms of ringing out a system. Also, the auto mix feature is a powerful tool if you have multiple mic channels open at speaking events like that.

[@imark7777777]

I haven't use those mics before but I've used various type condensers things I forget what they're called they look like the old style microphones hanging in the center of a shock mount ring. (Edit: Myrtle) The local music group in my town has one particular guy who really likes these old-fashioned looking modern reproduction microphones. Usually it's a bunch of ukulele players, a singer or 2 and occasional acoustic guitar. I got to do some testing with a full system ( Mains+Subs+XR32+Wattsss ), as i figured everything was set up and the gig got canceled might as well try things. I was able to put some in the monitors but you do have to be careful about placement and amount. But they do differently well pick up everything but the instrument has to be close to it. I did another gig with them and on my system this time and what I ended up doing was sticking 2x vocal mics for the lead singers with an instrument Mic, and then sticking those fancy microphones one in between and one on the end to catch the other two kids who don't sing but did play instruments. This let me bring up the leads and then add the other ones to blend. But yeah if that's what the band is used to working with that's what you start with. I did do one Bluegrass group who requested using their own one large diaphragm condenser microphone (AT2050) and I don't know if it was working right or what as I fought hard with that thing just to get any noise out of it without feedback without any monitors. The three members were on top of the mic and you could really tell when somebody went off axis as they disappeared.

[@SilverCreekAudio]

These types of events can be tricky for sure! It could have been an Ear Trumpet mic that you were using. Thanks for watching dude!

[@imark7777777]

@@SilverCreekAudio yep that was it, I only know it by the name "Myrtle" not the brand name. and it is always is elusive to my tongue when I try to remember. What's funny is I found out that just about everybody else doesn't like using them and the kids don't really know how to use them either. So I was tiptoeing around the subject until other members mentioned they're grape with them as well. haha. Since then I've been trying to teach the kids more professional stage stuff when they play. Otherwise it's just a small group of ukulele players and "musician Sound Tech" two of those and a stick speaker systems.

[@mdchappell]

Ive been mixing bluegrass for a couple years. Having band that knows how to work the mics can make the techs job much easier. Carson Peters is a pro and so is his band, hey James. Ive been at bluegrass gigs and the "Pro" techs were way over their heads. Bluegrass isn't rock n roll. You can't just set it and forget it.

[@raygunsforronnie847]

Rock and roll is far, far from "set and forget", just as some mixerpersons think bluegrass is. "Mixing" is an active verb and too many folks forget that.

[@djcalvin681]

😊

[@eventsunlimitedsfba]

thanks for all your videos. i have a van like yours. where can i get the ramp from? how much?

[@codedreamfullstuckdevelope8096]

Hi bro how are you feeling today ❤️❤️ view from Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 and I learn PA system 😊

[@sesburada]

Everything is balanced, congratulations. Which Microphones did you use? I couldn't see it in the equipment list for some reason.

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Thanks for kind words! The band bought their own mics. They were a Blue LDCs, which I think are discontinued now, but any large diaphragm condenser will do!

[@thomas_ger4098]

this is music I am not familiar with as a German. But this sounds great!

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Awesome! Thanks for watching!

[@VladicD]

Hey mate, good job! By the way, where can I buy the clip you are using for Unify AP?

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Any store really. I got my from guitar center. It's a butterfly mic clip.

[@dmooreag]

What microphone are you using ? And would you keep the same configuration for a guitar lead singer front man ?

[@gregmcveigh9966]

Those guys are great! Did the acoustic guitar player play in front of the mic like the mandolin, etc?

[@SilverCreekAudio]

They ruled! Ya, they would all shuffle around from mic to mic throughout the set.

[@gregmcveigh9966]

@@SilverCreekAudio Very interesting. The vocals were fantastic too.

[@bscheirman]

what do you typically charge for running sound for a band like this?

[@ayotokunojoao9725]

how much do you typically charge? and how do you go about contract payments especially if you are just starting off as a sound engineer and you dont have all the equipment yet?

[@eyayenterainment]

Hey were do you get your speaker wires from it a 2 in 1

[@SilverCreekAudio]

They're called twin cables. Link in the description.

[@deewizzard808]

whats the white wifi box with the rabbit ears and what is its function ? does it extend your range on the wifi?

[@SilverCreekAudio]

It's an access point (WIFI for my mixer/iPad) it gets the antenna above the audience's head to cut down on interference.

[@Ntloroductios]

will you upgrade to a behringer wing rack?

[@SilverCreekAudio]

I don't know but they look promising! Need to get my hands on one.

[@loltv9338]

Hi, are you really alone whenever you have a setup?

[@SilverCreekAudio]

Yes. My wife is with me but she's filming.

[@BrandonLotriet]

"Its okay to be nervous" Love that. Sometimes when im not sure about a certain setup, I do multiple test runs and plan ahead, but i never shake the nerves.