Mastering or not mastering tracks for live usage.

[Nightkarnation]

Hey Guys!
I am going on tour on April (Argentina, Chile and Uruguay) and for the first time I will perform only by myself, Just like the band Putrid Pile.
I have always played live with a complete formation so this is very new to me.
Here's the "line up" for this tour:
Myself (Vocals & Guitar)
Mp3 Player connected to mixer console (Bass & Drums)

My doubt is the following...should the tracks (bass & drums) be mastered (db boost) or the with the mixing volume will be fine?
I know, this is sounds like a stupid question...but, from what I can see, Mastering is all about boosting the music to current radio standards and [ ****** ],
Should I sacrifice audio ranges from the mix to master/compress the tracks that will be played through Cabinets ??
Thanks a lot in advance!
Cheers \m/

[Mr. Lau]

I gig with my laptop and a usb keyboard and sequence drums and bass. I trigger the sequences live and sometimes team with guitarist.

Mastering is getting the correct tone and levels to be consistent among the different songs in an album, not just getting the songs loud.

Since you are playing your backup tracks, you are in control of the levels, just mix them to be level consistent, not LOUD, and with no clashes between bass and kick drum, and beforehand check in PA at moderate and high volume to see if they work with your live playing and singing, eq as needed, and that should do! I've never compressed or maximised my backup tracks and so far they sound ok.

It's better to get separated outputs for each instrument, but you use a mp3 player so you can't do it, in live sound they have the speaker bass apart from the other speakers.

Buena suerte amigo!

[Tomás Mulcahy]

Good advice from Mr. Lau. Check it on a PA before you go out.

Mastering is getting the correct tone and levels to be consistent among the different songs in an album, not just getting the songs loud.

Seconded. If you use a limiter to make the backing tracks loud then you will be fighting all the time to be heard over the top of it. Just mix it so the dynamics are musical and will "fit" well with your live parts.

Also, don't use MP3 compression. Most MP3 players support WAV so use that instead. The reduced quality of MP3 compression becomes audible to many people over a PA system. I would also recommend buying the right cables for you player so that you have a balanced line output. On an iPod this means you use the dock connector, not the headphones output. Connect the phono plugs to an ART DTI not a DI box, for the cleanest sound.

[Nightkarnation]

Awesome tips!!
Thanks a lot Mr. Lau and Tomás Mulcahy !!

[Nightkarnation]

Tomas, should I use the following:
What's the difference between the boxes?
Thanks a lot!

[Mr. Lau]

Seconded. If you use a limiter to make the backing tracks loud then you will be fighting all the time to be heard over the top of it. Just mix it so the dynamics are musical and will "fit" well with your live parts.

Yes! Assuming of course you crank up the input gain of the limiter and beat the heck out of your poor tracks Anyway as we already stated, this is not neccesary and not reccomended.

Also, don't use MP3 compression. Most MP3 players support WAV so use that instead. The reduced quality of MP3 compression becomes audible to many people over a PA system. I would also recommend buying the right cables for you player so that you have a balanced line output. On an iPod this means you use the dock connector, not the headphones output. Connect the phono plugs to an ART DTI not a DI box, for the cleanest sound.

Again, you are right Tomás, it's better to use uncompressed WAV. The most unpleasant effect of the MP3 is your high end getting rough and harsh, hats and cymbals get some ear piercing tone. Not good for your audience!

And about the balanced outs, Nightkarnation, I have 4 outs from my computer and use a small mixer which has 4 XLR outputs (2 main out, 2 control room). So it's one for the bass (sometimes sub kick too), another for drums, and the other two for the rest of my sounds. And I also have inputs for my old Yamaha SU700 sampler and Korg N364.
So I connect to the DI boxes and get my levels under my control. Night K, you should consider something like this in the future to improve your live performances, muting/unmuting the different parts, etc gives you a flexible performance and ...

... You'll also look cooler!

Another issue, every track I use is MONO. Depending on the setup at different venues, and since you play all the backing tracks from a single STEREO output, you could end up with only your left channel sounding. Usually (at least here in South America) you get better results if you are nice to the sound guys (sometimes giving them something to eat, or a little $$ do wonders)

One last tip: if you gig alone, the sound check is very difficult. You'd better have your own sound guy to help, in my case, the guitarist does it. He'll then play his guitar along with my tracks and I do the second check.

Entonces amigo, vaya y toque su música con toda el alma!!!!

[Nightkarnation]

Mr. Lau, Gracias por toda la información super importante que me pasaste!

I wanted to ask you what kind of laptop you use?
You said that you have 4 outputs from your computer, which ones are these?
Because all I can see on a laptop is the classic stereo headphone output...which from what I can understand, if the tracks are going to get out from there, the quality will be the same as an mp3 player, right?

Thanks a lot in advance!!
Gracias!!!
Diego.

[Mr. Lau]

My laptop is a i5 4GB RAM

I use one Saffire 6 USB
Chequea las posibilidades de conexión





Since it has MIDI connections, I can sync my Yamaha SU700 sampler, and Korg N364 synth, and I have 4 outputs from my laptop daw

Also I have M-Audio Oxygen 61 USB Keyboard to control daw

And, a behringer mixer!

[Frank Rideau]

I recently did a show like this, me on guitar with all band on backing track. You can see a video of it here.
LIVE
The camera sounf is complete sh*t but you can see how good my guitar sound is blended with the rest. In fact, the sound at this gig was totally awesome (I swear, it was very top!), primarly for one reason : I had the chance to have a very good and meticulous sound engineer. I don't want to stress you too much with this, but it can do a hell lot of difference, so make it your friend from the beginning.
Otherewise, here what was my setup and some thoughts.

1. I used a Macbook Pro and the playback song were played in Virtual DJ (not the free version, but the basic one that allow you to route output to seomthing else than the Mac soundcard).
2. I use this AD/DA converter for output, from Mac USB, it goes out 2 stereo XLR output for the PA and manage all digital to analog conversion very smootly.
Linx Hilo
3. I used mastered version of my songs (24 bits WAV), but it was mastered for vinyl so I would say kind of smooth mastering with some dynamics and headroom left. Not that stupid brickwall mix, avoid this please.

4. Enter the soundman : he really worked things hard to blend everything together. He took my guitar into a limiter and reverb and did some magic with this to blend me with the main track. Also, the venue was not so big, so we also condidered the stage sound coming from my amp and tried to find a good balance of everything. I was at the right side of the stage, so he pan me just a little to the right (not that much, just an inche), so the guitar was blend but has also its specific place.

Oh man, you feel so better when you know the sound is kicking ass !

[Nightkarnation]

Mr. Lau, gracias nuevamente por la excelente información detallada!

Frank!! Awesome reference you sent me there! loved the video!

I have finally bought a GEMINI DRP-1 Rackmount Digital... I now will have XLR outputs and unbalanced outputs. Mr Lau, do you think I should take XLR to 2 1/4 cables for the venues here in South America? or maybe XLR to XLR cables, or both combinations...

Here's a live video from the show I made March, Friday 8 (pre tour show)
Nightkarnation Live
On this show I used a lame mp3 player (headphone output, stereo cable to 2 1/4) for the bass and drums, using a brickwall master...
Frank, obviously we are not playing the same music here, but I agree, the brickwall sound is really hard on the ears...
I will set up master alternatives now for the tour, I have learnt that.

If you guys can give me suggestions based on the video/sound I have left, I am all ears!

Cheers!!!

[Frank Rideau]

Nice, you seem to go well and natural with the backing track (timing) which is never easy.

Bring the more you can, jacks, connector, etc... Can't you get any information, contact, with the venue you are going to play? Best is to get in touch with the sound guy.

Leave some headroom in you mix for the sound engineer. Don't worry for the loudness. It's not your mix that will determine how loud it will be, but the live mix and the PA. Why not bringing 2 versions (one more process/compressed) and sound check with both.

Good luck !