Setting Up Tips...

[womble]

I had a play with some of the gear I've purchased over the weekend, this involved putting up a goalpost in my garden, with 4 dynamo scanners and mounting two heavy Class D speakers on stands.

I figured that putting all this gear up on my own at a gig would be nigh on impossible - does anyone have any tips or tricks for setting up speakers, lighting, etc. alone or do you all have a trusty sidekick at every gig?

[SC Events]

At our gigs, there are ALWAYS at least 2 people (DJ's) to set-up beforehand and pack away at the end.

At a big venue or if we only have a short time to set-up, then we will rope in the roadie. :D

[ppentertainments]

Practise is the key factor here. I now rarely take a roadie with me. I don't use goalposts but a ultimax stand. I have nothing prewired as change my light show all the time.

When I first went out on my own it took over a hour whereas now I can do it in about 20 minutes.

I know a lot of people prewire their lighting bar or even take the bar already setup which will no doubt save time. For myself I have found packing the van in the right order and setting up methodically makes the task a lot easier. Always make sure your T&C state how long it will take you to setup and even if pushed for time do not rush - it will just take longer.

[Tom]

Most of the time I have a roadie with me. I have worked out that having a roadie with me can save about 10 minutes, if not more when setting and packing down. This also includes packing and unpacking the car.

I don't have a pre-wired lighting bar. I used to and it did save a few minutes but I will be making some new ones as I have a new pricing structure coming in to force soon, so will have pre-set shows, but can be altered if need be.

I'm sure there was a thread like this recently.


Packing your cables in the correct order will save a little time. I make sure that all audio cables are at the top first. Audio it set up first, lights come second.

[JAMdisco]

Yes, I agree, systematically and thoroughly are the key to a successful rig and de-rig. I never use a roadie and never have, it takes me about 45 mins from load in to set-up but I always specify 1 hour minimum as you never know what to expect, especially if it's a venue you've never played at.

Just one important tip - If you haven't played at a venue before, go and check it out beforehand to see if there will be any access/parking problems or any restrictions inside. :)

[501damian501]

I had a play with some of the gear I've purchased over the weekend, this involved putting up a goalpost in my garden, with 4 dynamo scanners and mounting two heavy Class D speakers on stands.

I figured that putting all this gear up on my own at a gig would be nigh on impossible - does anyone have any tips or tricks for setting up speakers, lighting, etc. alone or do you all have a trusty sidekick at every gig?

get rid of the goalpost ;) , and buy in a stand with overhead bar, plenty good enough for small to medium places, if you get any overly sized or massive places, like big sports hall or sumthing, then the goal post might come in handy, when i go out with tony it probley takes up say an 1hr 30mins to set up but were not pushing it, just going steady, but tone has the wires to a tee :D, would you agree tone ???, then when its home time, we work like the chain gangs, i think the quickist is about 25/35minutes, rig down and in the motor... :eek:

[nigelwright7557]

I had a play with some of the gear I've purchased over the weekend, this involved putting up a goalpost in my garden, with 4 dynamo scanners and mounting two heavy Class D speakers on stands.

I figured that putting all this gear up on my own at a gig would be nigh on impossible - does anyone have any tips or tricks for setting up speakers, lighting, etc. alone or do you all have a trusty sidekick at every gig?

With T bars rather than goal post it is a one man job.

I dont put my speakers on stands as they are far too heavy.

[501damian501]

With T bars rather than goal post it is a one man job.

I dont put my speakers on stands as they are far too heavy.

get them up on stands, stop being a lightweight :D

[womble]

My speakers are heavy too, I would like to put them on stands, but feel this is two man job, is there a technique I'm missing?

I have tbars I can use instead of the goalpost, I tried that out too, I figured it's best to load the bar with lights from the centre outwards to avoid toppling, or do you load your T bar before putting it onto the trunk? If so how do you find raising it to the required height...?

[501damian501]

My speakers are heavy too, I would like to put them on stands, but feel this is two man job, is there a technique I'm missing?

I have tbars I can use instead of the goalpost, I tried that out too, I figured it's best to load the bar with lights from the centre outwards to avoid toppling, or do you load your T bar before putting it onto the trunk? If so how do you find raising it to the required height...?

pure science tells you, to load it so its balanced, personaly, i would just go for a stand with over head par, much better and less hassle.

how much do your speakers weigh ?

[womble]

20-25kg each I reckon.

I've got the equipment already, I'll buy new stuff and improve my rig once I've got some gigs and experience under my belt, until then spending money on a stand will have to wait.

[Tom]

I saw a video on youtube about heavy speakers.

You lay the speaker on its side, setup up the speaker stand and lay that down too. Connect the two together, as if you were putting the speaker on a stand in the upright position, you then lift the speaker up, still attached to the speaker stand, and just lift the whole lot upright till all the legs from the stand are on the floor.

[womble]

I saw a video on youtube about heavy speakers.

You lay the speaker on its side, setup up the speaker stand and lay that down too. Connect the two together, as if you were putting the speaker on a stand in the upright position, you then lift the speaker up, still attached to the speaker stand, and just lift the whole lot upright till all the legs from the stand are on the floor.

That's exactly what I was thinking of, but didn't know if it was a stupid idea.

[501damian501]

20-25kg each I reckon.

ahh pure lifting power, and yes tom you can do that, but make sure the stand dont slip or u,ll know about it...

i take it you won the stand and dynamos off ebay for £205 ?

[womble]

i take it you won the stand and dynamos off ebay for £205 ?

Yes I did!

[Tom]

ahh pure lifting power, and yes tom you can do that, but make sure the stand dont slip or u,ll know about it...



That's no problem for me as my speakers are only 18kg each so I'm ok.

Also, most spekear stands have rubber feet so this should help grip thr floor on anu surface I would of thought.

[Excalibur]

My speakers are heavy too, I would like to put them on stands, but feel this is two man job, is there a technique I'm missing?

...?
Yeah. Three Shredded Wheat at Breakfast. :D


pure science tells you, to load it so its balanced, personaly, i would just go for a stand with over head par, much better and less hassle.

how much do your speakers weigh ?
Womble you're not flying these are you?
http://www.classd.ltd.uk/product.php?productid=16139&cat=23&page=1
: If so: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:


I saw a video on youtube about heavy speakers.

You lay the speaker on its side, setup up the speaker stand and lay that down too. Connect the two together, as if you were putting the speaker on a stand in the upright position, you then lift the speaker up, still attached to the speaker stand, and just lift the whole lot upright till all the legs from the stand are on the floor.
Tom, I'm waiting for the video of someone trying to chase a stand with speaker attached as it skates across the parquet floor. :D :D :D

Womble, if you've got the CD15SP's, as I suspect, Don't use the handles to put them on the stand. You've got to adopt a "Clean and jerk " technique. Lift them from the floor by the handles, and then hug them by the base. That way you've got a bit more control.

[womble]

Excal,

Actually they're the CD12sp's which according to their site are only 20kg. They just feel heavier after you've just lugged two of these about...

http://www.classd.ltd.uk/product.php?productid=16145&cat=3&page=1

Think I'm gonna sell the bass bins, they're far too impractical for a "mobile" disco.

[501damian501]

Excal,

Think I'm gonna sell the bass bins, they're far too impractical for a "mobile" disco.

whys that ?

[womble]

They're nearly 50kg each... and very large, I need to fold down both the back seat and the passenger seat in my Jeep to fit both speakers in.

[501damian501]

They're nearly 50kg each... and very large, I need to fold down both the back seat and the passenger seat in my Jeep to fit both speakers in.

still might be needed for a large gig you could get a booking for!

[womble]

I'm thinking of selling them to replace with something more lightweight.

http://www.classd.ltd.uk/product.php?productid=16148&cat=24&page=1

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I'm thinking of selling them to replace with something more lightweight.

http://www.classd.ltd.uk/product.php?productid=16148&cat=24&page=1

I'd check the weight of those. It says 18Kg and then in the detail at the bottom it says 56Kg!! :eek:

[womble]

How bizarre! I imagine the detail is the weight of a pair, rather than one, but that still leaves 20kg which I doubt makes up the cardboard packaging!

[Mark Wild]

I have these bins, they're probably a bit more than 18kg but not much. Certainly not 56kgs for both.

[rob1963]

Setting up tips?

1) Don't have too much gear.

2) Don't have any really heavy gear.

I think that covers it!

:D

[Mark Wild]

Setting up tips?

1) Don't have too much gear.

2) Don't have any really heavy gear.

I think that covers it!

:D

Genius Rob !

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Genius Rob !

Not two words I would expect to see in the same sentance...:sj: :D

[rob1963]

Genius Rob !

:agree:


Not two words I would expect to see in the same sentance...:sj: :D

:jawdrop:

Edit: Just thought of another setting up tip: Refuse all gigs in venues where you need to take more than a dozen paces from the car/van to the set up area!

:D :D :D :D :D

[Shaun]

Genius Rob !


Not two words I would expect to see in the same sentance...:sj: :D

I agree. A true oxymoron!


oxymoron
well, at least the 2nd syllable directly relates to Rob. :d :d

[SilverlineDiscos]

I can understand what Womble is saying here. I have a t-bar that holds 2 x scanners which wiegh in about 12kg each!! Bolting these onto the T-bar and hoisting it up is not as easy as it sounds. I thought about getting a winch one but they cost about £150!! :O

Does anyone have any serious answers to my problem??

[womble]

I can understand what Womble is saying here.

finally...

:D

[Mark Wild]

I have a t-bar that holds 2 x scanners which weigh in about 12kg each!

:eek: That's some heavy scanners.

[SilverlineDiscos]

:eek: That's some heavy scanners.

Tell me about it. I burst a blood vessel putting each one up everytime :sad:

They look like this:

[Tom]

The main body of the light looks like a moving head. lol.

[SilverlineDiscos]

The main body of the light looks like a moving head. lol.

Yeah it does, shame it's not :(

I'd love some moving heads, they do look good especially in 18th birthday parties ect.

These scanners do the job though, I'm not complaining as I got them for £40 each brand new! :D It was about £109 for the two delivered. However, in the future I'd be looking for something with a few more features such as a dimmer and better control.

Ohh well, saving the pennies...

[Excalibur]

12's? 12's? :confused: :confused: :eek: :eek: Why that's one in each hand for those lightweights. :p :D


I'm thinking of selling them to replace with something more lightweight.

http://www.classd.ltd.uk/product.php?productid=16148&cat=24&page=1


I'd check the weight of those. It says 18Kg and then in the detail at the bottom it says 56Kg!! :eek:
If the offer is a pair, the bottom figure is the package weight, ie double that. ;) I'm guessing that they weigh 28Kg each, but I'm not going outside with a spring balance. :D


Setting up tips?

1) Don't have too much gear.

2) Don't have any really heavy gear.

I think that covers it!

:D

Sometimes Rob, you have a talent for cutting through the extraneous facys, and going straight to the heart of the matter. :bowdown:
Sadly, in this instance, you're talking absolute :daft:

[rob1963]

Sometimes Rob, you have a talent for cutting through the extraneous facys, and going straight to the heart of the matter. :bowdown:
Sadly, in this instance, you're talking absolute :daft:

Not at all.

As far as I know, The OP was asking for setting up tips to make things as easy & hassle-free as possible.

My tips on having less gear & less heavy gear are a simple & effective way of achieving this.

:D

[Excalibur]

Not at all.

As far as I know, The OP was asking for setting up tips to make things as easy & hassle-free as possible.

My tips on having less gear & less heavy gear are a simple & effective way of achieving this.

:D

But sadly, if taken too far, leaves you walking into the room with only an Ipod and a fuzzlight. :p :D :D

[rob1963]

But sadly, if taken too far, leaves you walking into the room with only an Ipod and a fuzzlight. :p :D :D

Well I can assure you I'd NEVER use an ipod at a disco!

:sofa:

[wensleydale]

Well I can assure you I'd NEVER use an ipod at a disco!

:sofa:

ipods have their place- they are essentially hard drives, which is what a fair few people use for every gig.

[rob1963]

ipods have their place- they are essentially hard drives, which is what a fair few people use for every gig.

Good point Rich.

I don't tell clients I use an ipod for discos, as I think it gives the wrong impression because people may jump to the wrong conclusions.

I just tell them I use MP3s stored on a hard drive and a media controller.

After all, I'm not using the ipod's controls, I'm merely using it as a hard drive to store my music...and the actual music is controlled with my D2.