sound reflector

Martin · Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2002 7:29 am Post subject:

Has anyone tried these things?

http://www.morganmusicproducts.com/

Looks like a good idea. I often have a hard time hearing myself on gigs. Do these gizmos really give you independence from ignorant/deaf/drunk/absent-minded sound men?

Thanks for your input,

Martin

tom turner · Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2002 8:08 pm Post subject:

Yes, reflectors are absolutely a blessing when the SPLs get brutal on stage. It beats the heck out of blasting in order to bounce your sound off the BACK wall so that enough comes back to you to know if you have the correct valve down!!! (For those who haven't experienced this terrible problem you are lucky--for your chops had better be made of iron in order to last)

I've finally found an even better way to hear myself than the reflector. I run my mic into my personal "rig" that's mounted on a stand next to me and then "feed" a mic-level signal to the house's sound man as if I didn't have the personal rig at all. This means the sound man STILL gets my mics signal yet I get to control the effects I wish to use on the mic--he can't screw up the effects mix!!!

Rack mounted in the rig is a Mackie mixer, two digital effects units, my wireless mic receiver and a CD player/burner. Using the "Control Room" outputs of the mixer, I ALSO send a signal (that is totally separate from the "house's" signal) to a Bryston power amp that powers two small monitor speakers on mic stands positioned close to my head. Using the separate volume control on the mixer for the "Control Room" output volume, I can turn my monitors up or down without messing with the "house" mix AND without worrying about being left out of the monitor mix (as happens to many a poor trumpeter)!

I now have my stereo effects and my main trumpet sound wrapped around me yet my monitors don't intrude on others. A side benefit--the trumpet is not in the vocal monitor mix and singers like this a lot!

ONE EXTRA ADVANTAGE OVER USING A REFLECTOR . . .
Reflectors are nice if the sound man is an idiot (like so many are). However, the reflector also blocks your trumpet's sound projection from reaching the crowd. IF the sound man IS a deaf idiot, this means there may be times when he also "forgets" to turn you up in the main mix and if you are using a reflector, no one in the crowd will hear you.

Just food for thought. Have a great weekend!

Tom Turner

Martin · Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2002 8:23 am Post subject:

Tom,

thanks for the input! That sounds like a great set-up! But it is too much gear for me to carry around and set up. You know why I actually started playing trumpet many years ago? I had been a drummer for years and had gotten tired of all that stands and screws. So I wanted a more portable instrument.
Now I just "plug and play"

.
Never had troubles hearing myself playing the drums, though...
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All the best

Martin
_____________________________________________________________________
"I have found that it is enough when a single note is beautifully played." - Arvo Pärt

tom turner · Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2002 11:58 am Post subject:

Hi Martin,

Actually, this "rig" I use was hand-built by me to also allow me to "plug and play!" I got tired of toting around bags of wires, loose equipment, etc.

ALL THE EQUIPMENT MOUNTED IN THE CASE IS PRE-WIRED!
All equipment is rack-mounted and wired together. The only wire I have to drop out of the unit is ONE AC wire. All the AC wires are plugged into an internally mounted strip!

I simply open the tripod, drop the unit on top, drop the AC cord and plug it in somewhere, plug the house's mic cable they've provided for me into my mixer's output, clip my wireless mic on the bell and let 'er rip!

If I need to use my monitor rig it is simply a matter of hanging either one, or both, of my mini-monitor speakers onto speaker stands, plug the speaker wires into my amp (which I do tote in separately), plug the amp's AC in somewhere and run one (or two) output cables from the mixer to the amp's input.

Gosh . . . it takes longer to write about it than do it! The cool thing is that I have all my knobs "pre-set" before the gig and don't have to adjust them. This is a real time saver.

Sincerely,

Tom Turner

DCBASS · Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2002 8:50 am Post subject:

Try the Sound Back...I have one and it works great. I use it outside where the sound just kind of goes away right after you play.
http://www.calicchio.com/califrame2.html
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...Play on!
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Martin · Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2002 6:18 am Post subject:

Thanks, DCB!

That actually was the link I was looking for (not the Morgan product), but I couldn´t find it. Do you have the adjustable or the regular one?

Thanks again,

Martin

DCBASS · Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2002 12:37 pm Post subject:

I have the adjustable one. They are very nice and come with a protective bag.

Later
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DCB <><
...Play on!
John 14:6

YankeeMan · Posted: Wed May 29, 2002 7:45 pm Post subject:

Why play into an object that will block your sound AND make it more difficult for you to blow?!?! Why not stick your bell into a wall? Spend the money and buy either the wired or wireless (more expensive) SHURE PSM-600. The HEADPHONE MONITOR SYSTEM. You will hear yourself clearly, will not be bothered with ear fatigue, AND you can mix the REST OF THE BAND in your headphones. This was, without a doubt, the BEST MONEY I HAVE EVER SPENT!!!!!!!! no, I don't work for Shure, they just make great audio stuff!
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"...and if you can't do it, then get off my f-ing band TO-night!... I think that's fairly much English!... There's not a MAN AMONG YOU, not ONE MAN, who can go out & play the job like a MAN!"
Buddy Rich

jgadvert · Posted: Fri May 31, 2002 8:43 am Post subject:

I've been using a sound reflector with my loud dance band and it definetely (along with my monitor) helps me to hear myself better.
Its an inexpensive aid.

Can't blame a "stupid sound man" because its me! I own the expensive PA system and cant afford the gizmos that some of these fellas (who just show up to gigs provided for them by the band leader) seem to be able to fit into their budgets. Some day if I play in someone elses band (and they pay for everything and do all the important work that really keeps a band going) maybe I'll be able to afford some custom gizmo.

OzTrumpeteer · Posted: Fri May 31, 2002 9:41 am Post subject:

I used to play in a salsa band that could, at times, get very loud. Also, the quality of sound engineering often left a lot to be desired. The trombone player and I had talked about using sound reflectors, so we made our own from some perspex I had at home. We just cut some foot-square pieces and drilled some holes through - it only took 30 min, including adjustments to the holes which we measured with a Shure SM-57.

They don't make up for a good sound guy (if you're not going through the front house, then not having the reflectors in front of you won't help you project into a large room over a very loud band). But the difference they made on stage was amazing. We were able to hear ourselves and each other a lot clearer, particularly our articulation, which helped us to play tighter as a section.

Obviously, if money is no option, there's some great sound gear that you can buy to help with live gigs. But who am I kidding with the "money is no option" bit, we are musicians afterall.....

Anyway, my opinion is that the reflectors are a good idea. Why not make some yourself? Then if you don't like them at least you've saved some money.

trickg · Posted: Fri May 31, 2002 10:16 am Post subject:

I won't play a loud, miked gig without one. The ones that I use I make myself. It about makes me choke when I see a price tag of $50 for one of the Note Bandits. The ones that I make I put together for about $3 to $4 worth of materials that you can get at any Home Depot.

Mine is a 9" square of plexiglas with the corners cut off at 45 degrees giving it a very square/octagon look. I cut a 1 1/2" hole in the middle with a hole saw and after smoothing off the rough and sharp edges with a fairly fine toothed file, I insert a rubber grommet with a 1 & 3/8" opening. Most mics are about 1 1/4 right behind the ball so this is plenty tight and keeps it in place. It takes me about 25 minutes to make one if I'm in a rush (I end up giving them away to friends or selling them pretty cheap, $10 - $15 depending on what they offer. This is why I always seem to be making new ones) or about 40 minutes if I'm taking my time. Cutting the plexiglass is pretty easy. Just score it with a utility knife, line up the score with the edge of a kitchen counter or work bench and it will snap right on the score. The toughest part of all of this is finding the right grommets. They aren't always available at Home Depot or Lowes, but they are pretty easy to find on the internet.

I highly recommend using a sound shield if you do loud, miked stage work.

one last thing that I thought that I would mention is the fact that they do break, but only if you aren't taking care of them. I'm pretty rough with mine. I usually put them in the side pocket of my Reunion Blues tripple bag. I broke one when I totalled my car and my gig bag was in the back (fortunately the horn was unscathed) and I recently broke anther one because it was my spare and it had a small crack that expanded. I gave away my other one to a friend

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Patrick Gleason

[ This Message was edited by: trickg on 2002-05-31 13:20 ]