To achieve a killer live mix, you need an array of gear. Most of us think about the big stuff: speakers, amplifiers, and mixers. That said, there are lots of essentials — both large and small — that don’t get the attention they deserve. Sweetwater asked a handful of experienced live sound professionals, most of them our customers, what accessories they use — the ones they would have a difficult time working without. Here’s what they had to say.
Steve Wilson
The Kentucky Headhunters
I use a Real-time Analyzer (RTA) and an SPL meter to keep myself honest. The Spectrograph setting under the EQ display on the M32X32 mixers is the best! I never see anyone using it. All I see is the 3-band display.
Brad Divens
Enrique Iglesias, Kanye West, Mötley Crüe, Bob Seger, OneRepublic, Linkin Park
I spend a lot of time on my JBL 708P studio monitors to make sure that the mix is dialed in. I carry a pair with me on tour, and they are used every day before I ever do my line check through the PA. I find that getting the mix right in the 708Ps is going to translate to the VTX A12 or the VTX V25-II.
Peter Keppler
David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Bonnie Raitt, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj
When possible and practical, I like to use nearfield monitors instead of headphones.
Scott Cameron
Greta Van Fleet, Jason Bonham, The Black Angels, Taking Back Sunday
A good pair of quality headphones really helps for soloing and pinpointing problems in tone or noises that may be hard to hear in a full mix or in the PA system. Check out some of the AKG headphones. They make some great models that won’t empty your wallet.
Russ Long
Amy Grant, Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael McDonald
My Stealth chair is my favorite piece of gear. It makes me comfortable. When I’m comfortable I mix better.
Brian Pomp
Macklemore, Macy Gray, Avenged Sevenfold
A laptop with Smaart, a reference mic, and a 2-channel interface. A Smart C2 compressor over my main bus and my 500 rack vocal chain. Give me any board, any PA, and I’ll make it happen, but those things will make it all just a little better.
Rick Naqvi
PreSonus Electronics
I have an iPhone mic stand clip that is invaluable to me on gigs. I use it to adjust my IEM mix with my phone and also occasionally check the score of whatever game I’m missing during my gig.
Kent Morris
Peavey, First Baptist Church Atlanta
The Whirlwind Qbox is one of the handiest tools to use on a live sound setup, especially when working by yourself.
Doug Gould
WorshipMD.com
A cable tester. RTA. Tape measure. GaffGun.
Eddie Mapp
Paramore, Stone Temple Pilots, Papa Roach, Evanescence
My normal must-have list starts onstage with the microphones and DIs that I always carry with me. Then out front it would be a multi-channel Smaart 7 or 8 system integrated with the systems processor (preferably a Meyer Callisto or Galileo). With this setup I can have confidence that everything on the incoming and outgoing end of the transducers is being reproduced properly, then we can focus on consoles, etc.
These pros are chock-full of great ideas, and we’re grateful that they’re willing to share their trade secrets with us. Their expert advice opened us up to new ways of approaching our craft, and we hope it did the same for you. If you have any questions about live sound, give your Sweetwater Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700.
