Quote:
Originally Posted by Jax  Ben - how exactly do you ring out a PA with a 30 band eq? I know it's common practice, but I don't know how. I'll take a guess: Do you crank the PA right before it feeds back, then boost each frequency one by one, turn down the frequencies that feedback, and then turn up the PA level to compensate? |
Sort of.
Position the mics & monitors where they're gonna live for the performance, and then with the EQ flat... bring up the gain slowly until it starts to ring/feedback. Cut whichever frequency is feeding back... raise the volume again. Cut the next... rinse & repeat. Never boost. Always cut. This also works a little better with someone speaking into the mic & eeking it on...
Typically 1kHz to 3.5kHz is the first to bark followed by 5-6kHz... maybe 8 & 12kHz... you can sometimes get a muddy rumble around 150, 250 & 400-800Hz which might require some shaping... I'll also cut everything below 80Hz and roll off gently above 16kHz if it's a vocals only rig.
FWIW though... one of the bands I do a lot of FOH for, the B3 player uses the $500 Neumann KMS or a Beta 58 and a JBL eon that he carries as a personal monitor. At smaller gigs where there are only two monitor mixes we run the KMS right into the Eon and it can get frighteningly loud with NO eq on it... His vocal goes from the JBL split to FOH which we try to avoid because that split is a tone sucker. Much hipper to run a send back to it from the desk...
Having a 30band EQ for a rehearsal rig is not a requirement IMO... it's nice... but not mandatory like it is on a full-blown gig. Even a 15-band EQ or parametric will work... you're just notching whatever rings, and hopefully making the sound of the wedges more "true" to life.
Getting the null of the mic aimed at the drivers is at least 70% of the battle.