Gain staging in tiny room, anything I can do?
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Posted on Feb 19, 2010 01:57 pm
CptTripps
Czar of Turd Polish
Member Since: Jun 20, 2006
Hey all,
What I'm using...
Audix OM2 running into my UX8 interface
Using podfarm for some comp/pre/eq
Running UX8 outputs to a pair of powered 12" behnringers
The problem...
Feedback when getting enough volume for the singer to be heard over the music (drums is the ultimate problem of course).
My room is tiny and has drums, a mesa tremoverb/4X12, an Ampeg 50W/4x12, a peavey bass amp 4x10.
We have tried to tame our volumes in regards to guitars but must keep some sort of volume to be heard with the drums, I'm running my 50W tube around 3 to 3.5.
What I would like help on...
Gain staging
Should the behringers be cranked 100% (right now they are around 1oclock). Should the pre-amp on the UX8 be driven hard or should I step it back a bit (also sitting around 1oclock).
I am applying a noise gate, preamp and an EQ in podfarm (no 31 band makes me sad). I do ok when recording and mixing but have no idea where to even start EQ'ing a live signal to reduce feedback (I have the low cut enabled on the UX8 pre).
Last but not least, should I just bypass podfarm and use the two high/low knobs on the speakers themselves? (i doubt it but figured I would ask)
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Feb 19, 2010 02:39 pm Well, in a live room like that. You really need to rely on the singer.
Your singer needs to be right on top of the mic. And really giving it all that she has.
If she is trying to soft and wispy, it's going to lead to the feedback.
With gain staging in a small room, it's number of mics divided by the distance to the speaker = gain.
And when your only talking about a distance of a few feet, your gain is really small at that point.
I know that it doesn't make much sense that you need to sing louder in a small room, and softer in a large. But that's the way that it is.
Now a 31 band EQ will help a lot as well. But, for now, just have her belt out the songs.
You still may have feedback form time to time. But, not as bad as you are now.
