Summer Fairs

[Cj_The_Dj]

Hi guys, I have a summer fair this year for my old school. (same road as me) I'm only charge £100 from 12.30 pm - 3.00 pm (beacuse its a fund raising event for the local community / school)

I was wondering what sort of kit you recon i need for a big open space.

sound will me a mix of music and lots of compare.

I have 2 600w rms bass bins and 2 300w rms tops (crossovers) and a pair of twin 12" speakers around 300w (full range)


so will this be enough?
should i hire more kit?
what would you use?

[BeerFunk]

I would be happy with that setup, it sounds more than adequate to me. Are you prepared for an outdoor gig?

[Cj_The_Dj]

I would be happy with that setup, it sounds more than adequate to me. Are you prepared for an outdoor gig?

how you mean??

As for pat test i have ect, and for outdoor PlI the school said there's covers me also they have a ppl licnes they tell me.

and they are providing me with a gazebo with power.

[rob1963]

Hi guys, I have a summer fair this year for my old school. (same road as me) I'm only charge £100 from 12.30 pm - 3.00 pm (beacuse its a fund raising event for the local community / school)

I was wondering what sort of kit you recon i need for a big open space.

sound will me a mix of music and lots of compare.

I have 2 600w rms bass bins and 2 300w rms tops (crossovers) and a pair of twin 12" speakers around 300w (full range)


so will this be enough?
should i hire more kit?
what would you use?

Hi CJ,

Your existing gear might do the job (depending on the size of the area you have to cover), but there are three things to be aware of when working outside.

Firstly, there are no walls for the sound to bounce off, so it will seem a lot quieter than an indoors gig.

Secondly, think about your power requirements. Will you be working off a generator? or will you be able to take power from a building? in which case do you have mains leads of the required length?

Finally, will you be under some kind of cover? If not, what will happen if it rains?

Hope this helps.

[Tom]

I did something like this last year in a large school field. If there will only be talking then you will need more mid range that bass but if you are playing music then you will be ok with what you have.

The only think I would say do is put the subs together on the floor next to eachother and put the speaker tops on stands up nice and high, but safe. I had the bottom of my Mackies at the top of my head but that was safe for me as my speaker stands can go 3m high and can carry a load of 100kg with a wide leg spread. If you have small speakers stands then you may want to keep them low. You need to think of things like wind, which can also throw the sound elsewhere. Need to keep that in mind.

If it's outside you wont need lights at all. I took par cans with my but left them in the car.

Here are a few pics of my setup I did. :). Hope this helps.

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb129/tommyboy6996/IMG00214.jpg

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb129/tommyboy6996/IMG00213.jpg


My brother in the picture below as my helper for the day. lol.
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb129/tommyboy6996/IMG00212.jpg

[Cj_The_Dj]

Hi CJ,

Your existing gear might do the job (depending on the size of the area you have to cover), but there are three things to be aware of when working outside.

Firstly, there are no walls for the sound to bounce off, so it will seem a lot quieter than an indoors gig.

Secondly, think about your power requirements. Will you be working off a generator? or will you be able to take power from a building? in which case do you have mains leads of the required length?

Finally, will you be under some kind of cover? If not, what will happen if it rains?

Hope this helps.

power will come from the building and i have a 50 meter lead that will be more than enough. there giving me a tent or something like that.

and i need to fill a fairly big field and yard with sound.

[rob1963]

power will come from the building and i have a 50 meter lead that will be more than enough. there giving me a tent or something like that.

Sounds fine to me! :thumbsup:

[Cj_The_Dj]

I did something like this last year in a large school field. If there will only be talking then you will need more mid range that bass but if you are playing music then you will be ok with what you have.

The only think I would say do is put the subs together on the floor next to eachother and put the speaker tops on stands up nice and high, but safe. I had the bottom of my Mackies at the top of my head but that was safe for me as my speaker stands can go 3m high and can carry a load of 100kg with a wide leg spread. If you have small speakers stands then you may want to keep them low. You need to think of things like wind, which can also throw the sound elsewhere. Need to keep that in mind.

If it's outside you wont need lights at all. I took par cans with my but left them in the car.

Here are a few pics of my setup I did. :). Hope this helps.




look good, but the problem is I don't have any speaker stands (my pole are long from the bins though.


one of my friends says i can borrow his system to use with mine. witch is

pair of 15" 300w abs soundlab tops with 15" 300w skytec bass bins with a mcgregor amp.

but if i use this it will look like a mix match.

[Tom]

If you are playing in a school field, t could be a good idea to get another pair of tops to project the sound wider, but to be honest, I think your setup will be fine. :)

As for the subs, thats no problem, if you couple the subs together you gain about 3db which means twice as loud to the human ear. But as you said you dont have speaker stands.

You dont really need the bass, but it helps build a more full sound, shall we say. :)

[Cj_The_Dj]

If you are playing in a school field, t could be a good idea to get another pair of tops to project the sound wider, but to be honest, I think your setup will be fine. :)

As for the subs, thats no problem, if you couple the subs together you gain about 3db which means twice as loud to the human ear. But as you said you dont have speaker stands.

You dont really need the bass, but it helps build a more full sound, shall we say. :)

that good to here :)

but how do i make it not look like a jumble sale with so many different cabs?

[nigelwright7557]

power will come from the building and i have a 50 meter lead that will be more than enough. there giving me a tent or something like that.

and i need to fill a fairly big field and yard with sound.

If you use lights as well then beware of the 13 amp limit on one mains lead.
This is probably not a problem with LED lights but if you have a few 250W lights it soons adds up. 250W == 1 amp. I have one light thats uses 900W or 3+ amps on its own. Add on a couple of beefy amps and 13 amps isnt a lot.

The trouble with playing outside is the sound just gets lost.
I went to an outside gig in Carlisle and the disco there had massive speakers, looked more like a concert setup than a mobile setup. I suspect he had hired the big gear for that gig.

[Tom]

Just make sure everything is neat and tidy. Use the 2 louder cabs of the 4 speaker tops as the mains and the other two just to the side but facing outwards to cover a wider area.

There is no way of getting around it really. If everything is kept tidy as possible as in cables tied back for example then it should look ok. :)

But having said all this, it really depends on how large the are you are working in! I got away with 1.6k (about 130db i reakon) for where I was working but it was a lot of speach and the Mackies worked best. I only really needed the sub for the music for the dances which were taking place in the middle of the field.

[sleah]

that good to here :)

but how do i make it not look like a jumble sale with so many different cabs?


I *really* don't think that matters! Just as long as it all looks neat and safe without cables stretched everywhere.:)
It's a summer fair, not an art exhibition, so what if the cabs look different??

Bass bins don't look like tops......:D

[rob1963]

but how do i make it not look like a jumble sale with so many different cabs?


I *really* don't think that matters! Just as long as it all looks neat and safe without cables stretched everywhere.

:agree:

[ppentertainments]

Whenever i have done outdoor gigs (firework displays, carnivals etc) I have prefered to go with tops only and no subs. The sound outdoors is never going to be as clear as inside and if you have the wind blowing the wrong direction you will have a bit of a battle.

[addoaddo]

Having done quite a few outside events if it only for background music and anouncments I would lose the subs and put more mid/ tops out.

The speakers are likely not be under cover, if it looks like rain black bin-liners with black table look OK and will save your speakers.

Watch out for cables in the grass that may become a trip hazard to the public and make sure all electrical connections that are not under cover are IP44 (min)

As the supply cable is 50m long and only likely to be 1.5mm you will only be able to draw 1400w without the voltage drop and earth loop impedence getting to high. (if the cables are 2.5mm you can draw 2900W)

[Vectis]

I have prefered to go with tops only and no subs. The sound outdoors is never going to be as clear as inside and if you have the wind blowing the wrong direction you will have a bit of a battle.

:agree:


Having done quite a few outside events if it only for background music and anouncments I would lose the subs and put more mid/ tops out.

:agree:

I do lots of outdoor bits & pieces for the local carnival and tops are all you need. Lighting's a bit pointless, but I find a couple of movers work well enough to entertain folks a bit (especially the kids) plus a bubble machine is sure to attract a crowd especially if you can get it 'in flow' with the wind. I tend to use LCDs for advertising as these are bright enough to read in daylight, plus the trust old scrolling LED panel!

Starcloth backdrops work well if you're in a tent or gazebo.

As others have said, put speakers as high as you can get away with.

Finally, it probably goes without saying, but NAIL EVERYTHING DOWN!

Enjoy!

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

If you use lights as well then beware of the 13 amp limit on one mains lead.


Why would someone use lights outside and during the day? :confused:

[501damian501]

also cj, think about voltage drops over that 50 meter distance!

[Jiggles]

also cj, think about voltage drops over that 50 meter distance!

Shouldn't cause too much problem. Would start worrying when its over 100m. As told by my PAT tester :D

[Excalibur]

If you use lights as well then beware of the 13 amp limit on one mains lead.
This is probably not a problem with LED lights but if you have a few 250W lights it soons adds up. 250W == 1 amp. I have one light thats uses 900W or 3+ amps on its own. Add on a couple of beefy amps and 13 amps isnt a lot.

The trouble with playing outside is the sound just gets lost.
I went to an outside gig in Carlisle and the disco there had massive speakers, looked more like a concert setup than a mobile setup. I suspect he had hired the big gear for that gig.
S'funny? I don't remember playing Carlisle recently? :confused: The Alzheimers is obviously getting worse. :o


also cj, think about voltage drops over that 50 meter distance!
If it's a good cable it shouldn't be too much of a problem. I'd always run more than one cable in any case.


Why would someone use lights outside and during the day? :confused:
Because they have them? :confused: OK, silliness over, I can see no reason for taking them, either.

[nigelwright7557]

Why would someone use lights outside and during the day? :confused:

I have seen it done numerous times.
It takes away the plainness of just having a blank disco there.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I have seen it done numerous times.
It takes away the plainness of just having a blank disco there.

But you wouldn't see anything, so how would it take away the plainness? (Is that a word? :confused: )

[Vectis]

I can see no reason for taking them, either.

I take moving heads to keep the kids entertained.

Inquisitive kids are usually quickly followed by apologetic parents who are ripe for having leaflets thrust at them :p :D

[nigelwright7557]

But you wouldn't see anything, so how would it take away the plainness? (Is that a word? :confused: )

Unless it was a very bright sunny day you wouldnt see much.
But at least it looks like the DJ has put some effort in.

[DazzyD]

Having done outdoor events at dusk, I've tended to use par cans pointed up in to the gazebo. I find this creates a good amount of colour especially as it gets darker.

Never used lights in sunlight, though. Why waste bulb hours when no-one can see them?

[Tom]

Having done outdoor events at dusk, I've tended to use par cans pointed up in to the gazebo. I find this creates a good amount of colour especially as it gets darker.

Never used lights in sunlight, though. Why waste bulb hours when no-one can see them?

That's why you buy led lights instead. :lol:.


I agree with what you are saying though. :)

[ppentertainments]

Having done outdoor events at dusk, I've tended to use par cans pointed up in to the gazebo. I find this creates a good amount of colour especially as it gets darker.

Never used lights in sunlight, though. Why waste bulb hours when no-one can see them?

Although never done it myself, using LED parcans in sunlight can give a nice tint to a gazebo especially if the gazebo is white.

I have also seen parcans used in conservatories during the day, again giving a nice tint and as Dazzy says gives a good amount of colour as it gets darker.

[Vectis]

A Nebula pointing into the roof of a white gazebo makes an interesting effect in any light conditions.

[sleah]

I have seen it done numerous times.
It takes away the plainness of just having a blank disco there.


But you wouldn't see anything, so how would it take away the plainness? (Is that a word? :confused: )


Unless it was a very bright sunny day you wouldnt see much.
But at least it looks like the DJ has put some effort in.


That's where good old lightscreens come in;) and/or spot boxes:)
Anything where the source of the light is the effect... although in direct sun light they would still be a bit wasted.