I've got a beauty pageant Saturday , the promoter tells me there is going to be "a surprise celebrity performance" it'll be a guitar . The promoter knows nothing about sound and I can't get ahold of the surprise celebrity . I was told the guitar player will just walk out on stage and plug his guitar into the sound system . I have XLR jacks onstage , I operate from a booth , back of house , in the ceiling . I'm assuming he'll use a DI . I've never used one before I always use a wireless transmitter for line level sources . I've heard there are both passive and active DI boxes . If I just leave the phantom power on for the input he'll plug into , will a passive box ignore it like a dynamic mic will ? Thanks
DI question
- Thread starterwhaleboat
- Start date
Yup, a passive DI will work just fine with phantom power on. Hopefully you can get a sound check with the musician, depending on what kind of guitar you might want to mic an amp that they hopefully bring along. If its acoustic, running just a DI only will work just fine.
bishopthomas
Well-Known Member
It will pop unless he plugs the guitar in first, then the DI. You can't see from where you are so that you can mute the channel when appropriate? I've done these "surprise celebrity appearances" before and they usually go about as well as expected. Artist walks out, has no clue where to plug in, takes a while to get levels (especially monitors) set, etc. Good luck with it...
I'd be interested in the type of guitar this person has. If it's electric, s/he might also be bringing an amp in which case you'd just mic that.
My suggestion would be to push the promoter to at least pass some questions on from you to the celebrity, and get you the answers ASAP. That way you could figure out what kind of DI they have/if they'd use one you supply, etc. If you have to go into it blind, try ambushing the celebrity and discussing the details (or posting someone to do the same) right as they're about to go on/as soon as they arrive at the building, and in the worst-case scenario just use the first few strums the person will do (which they generally do before starting the song) to frantically mash buttons until an acceptable amount of sound comes out of the speakers.
My suggestion would be to push the promoter to at least pass some questions on from you to the celebrity, and get you the answers ASAP. That way you could figure out what kind of DI they have/if they'd use one you supply, etc. If you have to go into it blind, try ambushing the celebrity and discussing the details (or posting someone to do the same) right as they're about to go on/as soon as they arrive at the building, and in the worst-case scenario just use the first few strums the person will do (which they generally do before starting the song) to frantically mash buttons until an acceptable amount of sound comes out of the speakers.
banjokeith
Member
Unless the organizer says that the guitarist will bring a DI, it may be quite a stretch to assume that he/she will have their own. Many performers expect the venue or sound people to provide this. Part of me would go so far as to worry that the performer won't have their own cable or, worse yet, may be expecting an amp to be there for them.
This seems to be a common issue when you are going through one person to find out what another person may need, especially when your middleman has limited knowledge about it. I have this problem quite often at my venue - party A will rent the theater, and then hire party B to perform. In theory, unless it has been otherwise arranged, my duty is solely to the renter. I can choose to just go on what they tell me, and if that ends up hurting the act, it really isn't my fault or problem. Like I said, that's just in theory. In reality, it will become my problem because there won't be anyone else to handle it, and chances are the renter - who was so confused to begin with - will believe that it is somehow my fault.
I would suggest that maybe you try to get the performer's contact information from the organizer and ask them directly. A surprise performer should never be a surprise to the sound engineer, or nobody is going to be happy with the results
This seems to be a common issue when you are going through one person to find out what another person may need, especially when your middleman has limited knowledge about it. I have this problem quite often at my venue - party A will rent the theater, and then hire party B to perform. In theory, unless it has been otherwise arranged, my duty is solely to the renter. I can choose to just go on what they tell me, and if that ends up hurting the act, it really isn't my fault or problem. Like I said, that's just in theory. In reality, it will become my problem because there won't be anyone else to handle it, and chances are the renter - who was so confused to begin with - will believe that it is somehow my fault.
I would suggest that maybe you try to get the performer's contact information from the organizer and ask them directly. A surprise performer should never be a surprise to the sound engineer, or nobody is going to be happy with the results
I have rarely ever seen a celebrity performer show up with a DI, This is considered to be part of the sound system provided, so you need to line one up, also make sure you have mike on standby just incase the guitar does NOT have a pickup installed.
So I would get a DI, and have some mics on boom stands ready to go, chances are you will not be able to talk with anyone until this person arrives.
Sharyn
So I would get a DI, and have some mics on boom stands ready to go, chances are you will not be able to talk with anyone until this person arrives.
Sharyn
banjokeith
Member
bishopthomas
Well-Known Member
My experience has been the if it is an official gig then the artists "team" is involved, but these typical please do us a favor and drop by are under the radar, and you will have difficulty getting answers. I have seen situations where the celebrity shows up, borrows someone's guitar locally and goes from there
Anyway I suggest prepare for the worst and hope for the best
Sharyn
