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Dix
03-24-2012, 04:23 PM
Well, today is brain fart day.
I go to a wedding & reception today at 2pm for a 6pm event... that I actually thought was a 4pm event. :uhoh: I actually checked my contract a couple of time over tha last week I know... I just know I did & it was 4 - 10... nope 6 - 11. How did I get THIS confussed? Brain fart.. :uhoh:
I get there, go thru everything with the bride & her two assistants. We get everything covered. I start to set up before getting paid. Not a problem today but just for notes, it something I never do. :uhoh:
I get set up & go for my sound check.... no sound. :uhoh:
I go thru all my system from front to back... my wife goes behind me although she isn't the electrical or sound tech here.... still nothing. I determined I have sound from the laptop to the sound card cause the little "A" light is blinking a little. But no sound is getting to the mixer. Changed the cable from the sound card to the mixer, still no sound. I checked the connections from the mixer to the amp to the speakers just to make sure. Those all look good. I shut down the laptop & restarted just to make sure the sound card was being detected although I could see the software loaded. Still nothing. So, I shut down again & installed my backup sound card.... still nothing. I double checked the software settings for the third time... while doing so, I changed to the laptop speakers just to make sure I had sound. Yep, got sound from the laptop speakers but no sound thru TWO sound cards. We went over the mixer for a third time & I noticed... AH HA!!!! there is the culprit! In transport somewhere, the line one switch got switched from line one to phono. :blank: So after going thru everything three times, changing the sound card twice & changing the sound output options three times... it was a simple switch that I over looked for about 30 minutes.

Why do I set up early? Because sometimes we just have those days where we get brain farts & just over look things that are right there in front of us.
The groom showed up about 2:30 & handed me the remaining balance, so there wasn't any problems... this time.
Why am I writing this? Cause since the wedding doesnt start for another two hours, I needed something to do :blank:

Divercity
03-24-2012, 04:31 PM
:lol: great read. I find especially in the I.T world the issue is more obvious and simple than you think.

windspeed36
03-24-2012, 04:46 PM
Reminds me of a friend of mine was doing a gig with Daryl Bbraithwaite and suddenly in the middle of him speaking to the audience the mic suddenly cut out so Mark was frantically going through everything trying to find the problem, turns out the Daryl had unclipped the cable from the mic :teef:

bumpyjonas
03-24-2012, 04:54 PM
The night before my gigs especially weddings I do a dry run through with the equipment I am taking the night before, but Dixie you are correct those days will occur...

ampnation
03-24-2012, 05:25 PM
To narrow down which part of the signal chain is the problem...

Small Rolls MX56c MiniMix A/V Mixer (http://www.rolls.com/product.php?pid=MX56c&PHPSESSID=cf1a76cb6f7d2b443b461898506374d9)
Connect an iPod to the mixer as your source, then start from the cable connected to your initial source, moving toward the speakers, and you can quickly isolate which link in your signal chain has gone awry. Keep your speakers, iPod volume and mixer output level all down to avoid jarringingly high levels once you find a good path. If you can, (time might not allow) turn your amp/powered speakers off while you're connecting and disconnecting. This mixer is great because it is battery operated meaning you can take it to each part of the signal chain without having to find an outlet, and because you can connect to just about any audio connection with it. Just make sure you have fresh batteries.


disclaimer -- I don't own one of these. I'm just aware of it.

Ntertainment
03-24-2012, 05:59 PM
To narrow down which part of the signal chain is the problem...

Small Rolls MX56c MiniMix A/V Mixer (http://www.rolls.com/product.php?pid=MX56c&PHPSESSID=cf1a76cb6f7d2b443b461898506374d9)
Connect an iPod to the mixer as your source, then start from the cable connected to your initial source, moving toward the speakers, and you can quickly isolate which link in your signal chain has gone awry. Keep your speakers, iPod volume and mixer output level all down to avoid jarringingly high levels once you find a good path. If you can, (time might not allow) turn your amp/powered speakers off while you're connecting and disconnecting. This mixer is great because it is battery operated meaning you can take it to each part of the signal chain without having to find an outlet, and because you can connect to just about any audio connection with it. Just make sure you have fresh batteries.


disclaimer -- I don't own one of these. I'm just aware of it.

Fresh batteries are a problem in my operation, i use rechargable, but i've been known to forget them...

Why did you speak with the bride this afternoon? Shouldn't all that be cleared up ahead of time?

Dix
03-25-2012, 12:10 AM
Why did you speak with the bride this afternoon? Shouldn't all that be cleared up ahead of time?

Everything was discussed prior to the event... but the day of, I go over everything again to clarify any last minute changes or to confirm that nothing has changed. I am thorough to a fault sometimes. I don't leave anything to chance. I do my best to cover every aspect. In my "day of" communications, I get with the bride & or any assistants who are at the facility. I inserted a clause in my contract that at least one person MUST be on site DURING setup... this being one reason. I need to know that we are ALL on the same page so everything goes smoothly. Kinda like getting there 2 - 3 hours early for an event.

"Client agrees to provide a working cell phone number for client(s) throughout the contracted end time of the event. In the event DIXIELAND DJ can not contact client, DIXIELAND DJ can not be held liable for any changes.
Client agrees to provide two (2) auxiliary persons on the day prior to, and the day of, the event who can give instructions & provide information on clients behalf while client is unavailable. Client agrees to provide a working cell phone number for each auxiliary person. At least one of the two auxiliary persons (or client) must be available at the above mentioned location at & during our setup time. This can be a wedding planner, friend or relative etc."

DJMC
03-25-2012, 11:11 AM
I have a 2 hour minimum setup time for ALL wedding and reception events.

Two hours is non-negotiable. Some weddings with ceremony (separate sites same venue) will be 2.5 or 3 hours setup time.

KLH
03-25-2012, 12:22 PM
Sometimes you have those days to remind you that you need to pay attention to everything. Rep, Dixie...

-KLH

Dave Daschofsky
03-25-2012, 12:31 PM
I got set up last night and everything looks ready to go, the lights are all set up, speakers placed, laptop is up and running. I fire up the music and get nothing, there's a signal going out of the mixer but no sound. I check the amp and it seems fine. After tracing the signal path I discover that I hadn't plugged in the cables from the mixer to the amp.

sss18734
03-25-2012, 12:35 PM
I did almost this exact same thing hooking up a monitor to a Rane mixer. I was using an iPod to test the signal and forgot about the little dip switch that switched between line and phono. Turned a 5 minute setup into a 30 minute setup... I couldn't believe myself!

Brom
03-25-2012, 04:10 PM
I often get crap from others DJs I know for getting to my wedding gigs so far ahead of time but you hit the nail on the head. It's much easier to troubleshoot without the time crunch if it comes to that. Plus, it never fails that I'm sweating like a pig from loading in and setting up so I always just wear black pants and a black t-shirt for that part and save my good clothes for the actual event. I like to leave a 30-minute window before things start to change into my suit and tie, clean up a bit, and chill out while going over my notes.

rotoitiman
03-27-2012, 02:36 AM
2 hours minimum, and thats worse case scenario. If its less then 2 hours, then they can kiss cable management, subs, lights or any other special care needed for a wedding. I usually like to setup 4 hours before hand, gives me plenty of time to go over any last minute details, have a rest and get ready. I cover a wide area and visit a lot of new venues, and each one has requires a different setup, speaker and light placement etc etc. It is such a joy to play a venue I have been too before, means everything is already sorted before I get there.