PA System Basics

If your thinking about playing in a band your going to need to know some PA System Basics.  This will get you started in the right direction.

So...if you and your friends have decided to get together and make music. First of all, let me say…congratulations!  There is a lot of enjoyment in playing music for others whether you are a cover band or out to make your own music playing originals. First we need to get are feet wet and learn a little about PA System Basics.

So you have all your instruments including your individual amps or speakers, but have you given much thought into your PA system?  Well, hopefully you haven’t just decided to jump right in and buy the cheapest you find and hope it’ll work ok.  You need to research the equipment you buy as much as research the location in response to the style of music you play and your audience.

Now, lets start getting into a little PA System Basics. First of all, cheapest isn’t necessarily the way to go and usually neither is purchasing a pre packaged PA System.  Most of those systems are too small and haven’t got the push to get your sound out.  These systems may be good if you’re playing to a small crowd of 50 in a quiet café, but not for a big rowdy crowd.  So definitely choose based on your audience. And remember, just because they are on a pole doesn’t mean your sound will carry above crowd noise.  As a matter of fact, the crowd may not even feel the low-end punch.

PA System Basics Illustration

Now you can go to a dealer to ask about what is best for your band and audience, but beware.  Here is where you need to do your research first because despite what you may have been led to believe, not all dealers are the same.  Some may be honest in helping you out; in getting the best sound for you buck.  On the other hand, you may get a dealer who is more interested in selling you the more expensive units or one who is trying to sell you something that they are trying to get rid of.

One thing to keep in mind when it comes to PA System Basics is the wording you use to describe what you’re interested in. A PA system to one dealer may not mean the same to another dealer. To some, a PA system is only used to reproduce live voice hence the name public address (PA) system.  On the other hand, some use sound reinforcement systems, more known for live music.

There are some sites where you can go online to get items that also have buyer reviews.  The reviews can come in handy and may be used as a guideline before purchasing giving you a little more insight about PA System Basics. This can help you a bit in making comparisons between products before you go searching for the equipment yourself.  I personally recommend going to buy it at a local store so you can hear it first.  Plus…you’re building a relationship with the dealer, they are local to answer questions and deal with any warranty or service issues you may have, and you won’t have to wait on shipping.

So now you know you need a good quality PA system to play live, but what all do you need?  Well, to get started…when discussing PA System Basics, will typically consist of a head unit or amp, a minimal 2 speakers, and a mixing board.  Some units you can buy contain a powered mixer but this falls into the category of what was said before about pre-packaged pa systems.  Most powered mixers don’t have enough inputs for all the microphones you may use, especially when you take into account the mic’s for the drums.  You should invest in at least a 12 channel mixer, which may give you enough inputs. Just make sure you know how many you need before you buy.

As with loudspeakers, also known as drivers, there are different styles as well. Some are combos that contain a horn with a subwoofer in a cabinet. Then there are those that are separate. Some loudspeakers that are split have separate cabinets that are for lows, mids and high frequencies. And then there are monitors to hear yourself while you’re onstage.

The Graphic EQ Frequency Guide; list the most common frequencies used for various instruments and the most common frequencies to avoid. ("B" is used for Boosting a Frequency, "C" is for cutting frequency or letting it remain flat at "0", designated with "x". The frequencies are shown at the top of the chart and common rock instruments shown to the left of the chart.)  The area from 250 to 800 is generally left "flat" or even slightly cut in the overall mix. This is the area that can create that "muddy" sound. Start flat and increase frequencies gradually to get a feel for their sound.  Many times your EQ will end up looking like a valley where it is flat or slighty cut through the middle/mid section with a boost at each end within the lows and highs. There are exceptions to this general rule. If you would like a larger copy of this chart, easier to read, just go to our contact us page and request for me to email you one.

Don’t forget all the accessories either when your talking about PA System Basics. You need your microphones, speaker cables, microphone cables, and cases to transport your gear.  The microphones you choose are just as important as each one is different.  Some are for voice and then there are special ones to mic all the drums including unique mics designed exclusively for the bass drum(s).  Those for voice are very different as well, varying from a normal hand held to a wireless headset.  And then there are ones that are made just for sitting in front of your instrument speaker or stack, or if you prefer, some amps have an output you can use to plug directly into the mixer.

When it comes to connecting the microphones to the mixer, you can use what is called a snake. This is basically a pre fabricated collection of cables with a connection box on one end and connections to the mixer on the other. This makes connections a lot easier and is safer for the band as well when you don’t have to worry about a bunch of loose cables.  You also have to make sure to get all those loose cables taped down. Using a snake also aids in set up time for quicker connect. As for instruments, you can either wire your connection directly to your amp or go wireless.  

In choosing an amp, you need to have enough to power all your drivers.  You may even use a separate one for left and right sides or use separate amps for the lows, mids, and high frequencies and then other amp(s) dedicated just for monitors.

To step PA System Basics up a notch, there is the outboard equipment you can add to your PA system such as noise gates, equalizers, compressors, signal processors and so forth. Many of the new mixing boards on the market have sound effects built into the board which makes it handy. But, what we have been discussing here is PA System Basics for performing. So for now, let’s look at how to put it together for your intended usage?

When buying your gear, think about where you may be using it; outside or inside venues.  If you can find a collection of units that is versatile enough to be used for both then consider yourself lucky.

Most systems for outside venues need to be loud enough to carry throughout the area as there are no walls for the sound to bounce off of. This is where an application to use separate lows, mids, and highs especially come into play.  By having these units separate, you can set them up with the subwoofers down in front of the crowd and the mids and highs on the stage.  This generally produces a nice mix but direction of the speakers come into play as well.  You may need multiples stacks to split the sound to the front and sides depending on the location of the audience.

For the touring band, easy setup and teardown is a must.  You need a good enough system that is easy to set up, load, and haul from venue to venue.  Combo units consisting of the highs and mids in one unit and the lows in a separate unit may work well. This type of set-up has increased in popularity at a local level and makes PA System Basics just a little easier.

For either application, you need to ensure you have enough power to be heard, but just as important, is learning how to mix your sound so it doesn’t drive the audience away. For your first couple of gigs at least, hiring a sound professional who already has a system put together and a good ear may help.  He may be willing to show you how to mix your sound and give you suggestions, as well as recommendations for what equipment to buy.

Some other things to keep in mind with PA System Basics when touring or playing live gigs…When playing along with other bands, one PA system is optimally used to cut down on set up time.  So when playing some gigs, you may want to find out ahead of time or get some insight from other bands.  Some clubs and venues may have their own PA (in-house) system set up and may offer or insist that you use it. If this is the case, inquire about what the system consist of.  It may be a blessing, meaning less for you to haul to a gig making setup and teardown easy, or it may be a nightmare.  A small DJ system or worse yet, old outdated broken down un-maintained gear, or simply…the in-house PA system may not have the qualities you need for your own live reinforced “balls to the wall” sound! So there you have it, PA System Basics in a nutshell.