Original Music and Gigging with Modelers

[ian_dissonance]

I feel a little outside a lot of the conversations sometimes because it seems like 99% of the time people are talking about how these things are being integrated/used in situations where the gear is never leaving the house, or if it is it’s for a function type band where people are getting plenty of time to set the stage, hauling their own PA, etc. How many other people here are doing the “we got 15 minutes to load on, 30 minutes to rock, and 5 minutes to strike so the next band can get on” thing and how are you integrating modelers/what features would improve the gig? Like I always see people talking about loops and adding external gear and I’m just like “why would you complicate your life when everything is in the box?”

 

[DrewJD82]

Hahahahah cuz more is more and it’s VERY easy to fall in love with a single pedal or unit that suddenly complicates things more than they need to be. Anxious for @JiveTurkey’s response to this.

I definitely know the turn and burn gigs where the soundman just wants everyone off the stage ASAP and you’re lugging up gear before the drummer has even gotten off his seat to take the kit down. My usual thing is to get as much of my rig setup off stage so when it’s time to load on I’m just placing the gear in their spots and soundchecking. If I can’t plug stuff in, I’ll have everything plugged into my pedalboard and coiled up so I’m just unraveling a snake and plugging in speakers.

Having everything mounted to the board and not moving goes a long way cuz you’re not worry about things sliding off the board when moving around, bonus points if you can carry it sideways without something falling off! Cable snakes with labeled ends and as minimal floppy gear as possible is the fastest way I’ve been able to get the gear onstage and hooked up.

 

[Jarick]

Hey I lived through the hell of being a gigging drummer for years. Multiple trips to and from the car with big heavy gear, unpack all of it and set it up behind the stage, then rush to get it all up on the riser and close to but never truly in the right position, trying to keep the drums tuned when they've been sitting in a car in subzero temperatures, and then rush all of it off the stage when you're done to pack everything back up and multiple trips back to the car.

Not sure I'll ever gig again because I've got kids in sports and activities and always end up coaching. But if I did I'd probably bask in the glory of an all in one device like the FM9 or Helix Floor.

 

[2112]

Buying an Axe-Fx changed my life as a gigging muso.

No better example of the time saving aspect than a festival we played in the states. The band before us played over and took their sweet time getting off stage and we were ready to go in 10 minute. Line check to get make sure it worked then bite your lip and go. One of the best, if not the best, gigs I've ever played and I suspect of we'd been 10-20 minutes longer setting up a lot of the crowd would have dissipated.

The quick setup times mean I generally have more time to relax and drink a lemonade before gigs too.

 

[holoholo]

I've been running a HX Stomp XL fully ITB, well plus expression if that counts, since it got released and feel it's completely goldilocks for me and these type of situations. I can be set up/broken down in 5 minutes for any quick turn around situation. It's so compact I can throw it in my carry on for inter-island gigs. I've got presets for direct, or into a effects return if they supply a backline amp with one, or for straight into the front of amp, or even acoustic + IRs. I 100% don't want to add extra shit to carry (so nothing in loops or outboard for me) when I'm rehearsing/gigging with multiple bands, multiple times a week. I just want to set up and play. I never felt like the DSP or number of footswitches was not enough.

 

[sleewell]

been using my helix live for 3 years now. love it.

usually we get 15 mins and it only takes me 5.

 

[TubeStack]

been using my helix live for 3 years now. love it.

usually we get 15 mins and it only takes me 5.

What's your onstage guitar sound/monitor source? Do you bring a powered wedge?

 

[ian_dissonance]

What's your onstage guitar sound/monitor source? Do you bring a powered wedge?

I’ve also been Helix-only since 2016 and a 12” powered speaker (EV or Mackie) on a pole in situations with bad PAs or as a wedge behind me on pro stages has been more than enough even playing metal with less than dynamic drumming.

 

[sleewell]

What's your onstage guitar sound/monitor source? Do you bring a powered wedge?

helix lt into fx return of 5153 50w > orange 412

i mic the cab and send an XLR from the helix.

it fucks.

 

[TubeStack]

helix lt into fx return of 5153 50w > orange 412

i mic the cab and send an XLR from the helix.

it fucks.

Okay, but how is that any less time than setting up a traditional amp + cab, since you're also still doing that?

 

[sleewell]

Okay, but how is that any less time than setting up a traditional amp + cab, since you're also still doing that?

oh it def might not be. i was just saying we usually get 15 mins and generally i take 5. i think the speed of our setup and tear down is based on our vocalist actually helping lol. having less cables than most rigs helps too.

i think it sounds a lot better though, blending the sound from the cab and direct from helix is awesome. blending them together is better than either one by itself.

i could get by at the majority of the places we play going direct from the helix with no cab on stage. that would be a lot faster. i just bring the amp and cab bc i do this for fun and i am still more used to having a cab on stage.

 

[la szum]

I’ve also been Helix-only since 2016 and a 12” powered speaker (EV or Mackie) on a pole in situations with bad PAs or as a wedge behind me on pro stages has been more than enough even playing metal with less than dynamic drumming.

I sense a rift in the Force.

 

[Will Chen]

I've been gigging modelers for decades now in every situation possible and up until the last year sitting in with a cover band, all that time has been playing originals and my load in/out has typically been about 5 minutes.

 

[ian_dissonance]

I sense a rift in the Force.

What I’ve found playing heavy shit for a long time is that most of the volume and power amp players were putting out was a lost cause to drums and bass and if you can spend a few minutes with your bass player dialing things in together you can get the same oomph and and presence with a lot less speakers on stage from a guitar perspective.

 

[la szum]

Oh, I just thought you were implying some drummers suck and have little to no dynamics.

 

[ian_dissonance]

Oh, I just thought you were implying some drummers suck and have little to no dynamics.

There’s definitely that in metal, as well. It’s kinda just how it sounds, lol.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Idk anything about modellers but is your UN an Ion Dissonance reference? Haven't thought about that band in a while. I think Imma pop on a bunch of montreal scene stuff when I get home now

 

[ian_dissonance]

Idk anything about modellers but is your UN an Ion Dissonance reference? Haven't thought about that band in a while. I think Imma pop on a bunch of montreal scene stuff when I get home now

It is. One of my favorite bands.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Man, that used to be my life before my second marriage. Hardcore punk shows were happening in my home every weekend.

I got into modeling right when I got out of bands that did that kind of material. I did a few metal garage stints with modeling but that also coencided with having kids so the function gigs were more my thing at that point. I got into a cool RnB band and rode that for a while. Now that's over I'm about ready for a hardcore band again.

The conversation has always been the same as far as I'm concerned. The "gigging musician" is the change in mindset, not the "modeling user". No matter what the genre of band, we'll all geek out equally on the 'chewiness of this tone' or the 'sponginess of that tone' , the 'granularity of this reverb' or the 'decay of that delay' , rinse and repeat, etc.

 

[Jarick]

I would think for the average guitarist in a band that plays in rehearsal spaces, bars, and the occasional small club, the most important thing is cutting through the mix and not really tone. That wasn't ever really an issue with Marshall half stacks and bigger Fender combos.

FM9/Helix -> power amp -> 2x12 cab would be ideal in my mind. For larger places that have a decent PA and sound guy, running direct outs from the modeler to the board and use the 2x12 for stage fill. For bars and smaller spaces, you have the physical speakers making sound. For dinosaurs that insist on miking the cab, you have that option as well.