# LIVE sound question. I use a POD XT Live/Peavey Classic 50, etc.



## chrismgtis (Feb 20, 2009)

Setup:
POD XT Live
Peavey Classic 50 (2x12) Amp
2 x Ibanez GAX70/AX120
1 x Paul Reed Smith Tremonti SE

I will be getting the PRS SE in a few days and adding locking tuners and Tremonti Bass/Trebel pickups. In the past I've had a lot of different guitars, a $1400 G&L Legacy, $900 Ibanez, etc, but for some reason settled for these cheap Ibanez guitars about 9 years ago. Though I'm upgrading to PRS exclusive in the near future. 

That's off-topic from the question though. Right now I play for a church. We setup a stage in the local theater every Sunday morning and start at 9:30 and usually go through 4 songs. We have several big mains, some small monitors, large mixer (we mic the drums), etc.

Right now I'm using a small amp because my Peavey Classic 50 has tube isses that I'm getting fixed soon (volume cuts out every now and then and randomly comes back).

Question #1: I want to get a mic to amp my Peavey amplifier and not really sure what to go with and how to best mic the amp, because I've never done so in live situations before. 

Question #2: Do you have any recommendations for how to make the live setup sound better? Right now, I plug the POD straight into the PA and sometimes use a small amplifier so that I can hear myself. I've got the POD set for recording because it just seems to sound much better that way through the PA and sometimes the amp.

I would like to get a slightly better distortion out of it, but I'm thinking maybe when I mic the amp, it'll sound a little better. The main gripe I have with the POD sound is getting a good clean tone. Right now the clean tones I have setup sounds too clangy. 

We do some of these songs a little less "rocking", but we do use distortion and try to really give the audience something that the younger crowds can get into, so I want my gear to sound like a band's they would go see, maybe in the neighborhood of Alter Bridge, but nothing metal sounding.



Theres a video of us playing the other week. Probably the best sound I've got out of the equipment in the past 10+ times we've played. 

That intro chord in The Pretender is a PITA without a wider neck! Especially when you're nervous. 

Then there's this:



It doesn't sound all that bad with the first song but if you forward to about 4:20, I'm not happy with how things sound playing through a song that uses a lot of chords like G, Am, C, etc. It just sounds horrible to me for some reason. Things tend to sound decent when playing power chords but when you start using a chord like Am with distortion, to me it usually sounds horrible and I can't find a setting that makes it sound good.

FYI: The only permenant members of this "band" are me and the bass player. We've had 4 different drummers come in, two other guitarisists, etc. We are looking for a good singer and some more permanent members, so we haven't gotten the sound down that well yet and we basically practice at home by ourselves, then once or twice through before we play. So with a 30 minute practice of 4 songs, I'd say we're doing very well. And I know I make mistakes in these videos. As I said we don't get to practice and you can only do so much at home by yourself.  

Thanks for any advice.


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## chrismgtis (Feb 25, 2009)

It was recommended to me to buy a Shure SM-57 for an amplifier mic.

Opinions?


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## budda (Mar 1, 2009)

are you going to be running that mic to the PA and hearing the sound from the C50 back through the monitors?

the SM57 is a standard for mic'ing guitars and bass


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## robotsatemygma (Mar 2, 2009)

Question 1:

People usually mic it up close (like a few inches from the speaker) off center, or center. Play at normal volume and play around with the mic placement. Then adjust the EQ and volume on the P.A. to taste.

Question 2:

I've never used a POD in a live setting, but I have used it for recording and band practice through my old rig. I would plug it into the P.A. and adjust your settings from there. What you hear through the amp and the P.A. is going to be different. 

SM-57's are a classic mic for micing guitars, but I've played a lot of venues that won't use it. There's some Senheisser mic that I've been seeing a lot of in studios and on stage. It looks like one of those vintage mics. Wish I knew the name.


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