Gig Setup

Equipment I have or had to learn and perform on. I started playing publicly in 2001 for compensation. I found early on that you can't just play saxophone, you need backing tracks or other musicians. Here is part of that story.

---

Ipod for Backing Tracks

I'm not sure of the date or timeline but, I remember looking at iPod Gen 1's after purchasing my SDS clip on mic (which I loved). Itunes allowed me to edit when each track would start so for those with count offs and clicks could be removed to give a more professional sound. The playlists were great as well. It was a nice little system for the time.

---

First Sax Microphone

Know I was interested in a Sax Microphone because my handheld mic had fallen so much and I kept getting feedback. I also didn't like having to stay stationary to perform, I like to move around a bit.

I started looking around the internet and found SDS Systems. I bought an LDM94 clip on mic.

Here are the specs;

Mic-type :dynamic capsule

Polar pattern cardioid-unidirectional

Frequency response:70-15.000 Hz

Sensitivity :-83 dB Output impedance200 Ohm

Max Sound pressure level:155 dB

Can handle very HIGH SPL

Frequency response 60-15.000Hz.

Smoothens your sound

Very stable positioning in centre of bell with tripod clamp elimination of key noise

Compare with LCM85 / LCM89 CONDENSER mic

I plugged it directly into my Mackie speaker and it didn't work! I was very impatient and mad. That day I learned what phantom power was and fortunately my little PreSonus TubePre had that feature. It was the button on the front with the +48V on it also popularly know as phantom power.

Phantom power, in the context of professional audio equipment, is DC electric power transmitted through microphone cables to operate microphones that contain active electronic circuitry. It is best known as a convenient power source for condenser microphones, though many active direct boxes also use it. The technique is also used in other applications where power supply and signal communication take place over the same wires.

Phantom power supplies are often built into mixing consoles, microphone preamplifiers and similar equipment. In addition to powering the circuitry of a microphone, traditional condenser microphones also use phantom power for polarizing the microphone's transducer element.

---

My First PreAmp

I played an outdoor concert/gathering of Church bands in a park and a trombone player was using a PreSonus TubePre v2. I asked him what it was and how his sound was so good through the P.A. System. He explained that it just made his sound cleaner. I was sold and bought one even though that wasn't a good explanation.

I didn't understand this device at all but, I new it was a cleaner sound than if I didn't use it. I also had no idea what the buttons on the front were for. I did like the VU tube indicator on the right hand side. I had no idea what Balanced or unbalanced meant either. No I know balanced is stereo and unbalanced is mono basically.

---

My First Speaker

My first piece of equipment was a Mackie 450 speaker and an XLR to 3.5 stereo plug for my iPod. It was a very cool setup and I loved that I could control when tracks would play and adjust the gain in iTunes that would transfer over.

I loved the low end on this powered speaker/monitor. Here are the specs;

Mackie SRM450V3 Specs

ConfigurationActive 2-WayEnclosure

TypeBass-Reflex Loudspeaker

Total Power Capacity500 W RMS 1000 W PeakAmplifier Power Rating

LF: 400 W RMS 800 W Peak HF: 100 W RMS 200 W Peak

---