Absolute beginner with live sound

[mgcain]

I'll be playing smaller venues - 80-150 people - one man band with backing tracks on audio files, guitar, SM58, and planning on TC Helicon voicelive processor - what do I need?

I'll be running a laptop computer to manage the audio files -

Do I need a powered mixer? or an amp for the laptop into a powered mixer?

Completely confused...

[cmchamp]

MGCain
I'd recommend the Yorkville Excursion for your PA. For a mixer I'd look at the Allen & Heath MixWiz 12:2.
The Excursion provides all the power you'd need, and the MixWiz provides all the I/O you'd need for your guitar(s), trax (computer) and processing. Racking options for the MixWiz depend on what other gear you'll need that's rack mountable.
Even though you're playing small coffee shop type venues, you still need a good system with some dynamic punch to cover the frequency range of your trax.
Don't forget interconnect cables, etc.
C.

[jluv]

We run a voicelive in a five piece cover band. It is complicated!!!! "not very user friendly" is an understaement. You need a major in Music Theory and a minor in Computer programing. I would seriously check out the new digitech harmonizers that you run your guitar through. I have geard great things and they are about half the price. Just some thoughts....