What Sound Gear do I need for my concert?
What Sound Gear do I need for my concert?
This is a brief guide for picking the sound gear you need for your event. We won’t get into the specifics of running it in this article but we’ll help you figure out what you might want to have and why.
How loud can you, should you, or do you need to be?
Snakes, Stage Boxes and Sub-Snakes
Backline (Drums / Bass Amps etc)
Controllers and more advanced setups
Front End Speakers
These are the main speakers that the audience will hear. There’s a few things to consider here:
Distance / Spread
An important consideration is how far you need to send sound. Different speakers do drastically different jobs of sending sound long distances or spreading it wider, the two are generally inversely related. In a small venue you usually want wider spread. In a large venue, you need distance and you might add spread with extra speakers, as in a “line array”.
Look at the specs for the speaker and determine what the dispersion pattern is. One speaker might do 120 degrees horizontally and 25 degrees vertically, while another does 60 degrees horizontally and 15 vertically. The latter will likely throw further though.
When looking at specs for “loudness” don’t just look at how many watts they are, look at the actual decibels they create. Power usage is often skewed to make speakers seem like they are “powerful”
Line Arrays
Line arrays are these sort of speaker clusters (picture of a line array) you see at big concerts. The individual speakers are designed to throw far over wide, which allows you to place lots of them in an “array” right above one another, pointing at slightly different angles to give wider, controlled coverage. It allows scaling and driving sound output further than you otherwise could.
If you try to cluster speakers with wider dispersion patterns (most smaller scale speakers) together, you can get interference patterns that reduce their effectiveness compared to speakers designed to be used in arrays, however if you spread them wide enough extra speakers still help, but you ideally want them almost 90 degrees different from each other depending on their dispersion.
In Victoria you can find line arrays through DL Sound, or Pacific Audio Works.
Subwoofers
Subwoofers are dedicated bass speakers to really fill out the low end. For a small show, you can certainly get away without them, but they really do add a lot. How many you need will vary depending on the venue.
We like to set up the subwoofer(s) in the middle front of the stage, rather than on the sides under the speakers. This isn’t always practical though, and certainly you can stack subs at the sides, under the main speakers. The downside of subs on either side, is that there can be interference patterns where the bass in the middle gets cancelled out.
Fill Speakers
A fill speaker is just an extra speaker that is designed to fill areas of the venues that might need more sound.
Front Fills
A common style of fill speaker is a ‘front fill’ used to fill the space right in front of the stage. If your main speakers are pointing towards the back of the room, especially if your stage is wide, you might be lacking sound from them right up front in the middle of the stage. Often one or two small speakers, even just laid on the stage pointing at the audience can fill this gap.
Delay Fills
The other common type of fill speaker is a “delay” speaker which is so-named because it is used further back in the venue, and needs to have the signal being sent to it delayed, so that it arrives at the same time as the relatively slow (roughly 340 metres per second) sound coming from the mains. In larger venues delay fills can keep the sound clearer at the back of the room without needing to push the main levels too high. If you are using a delay fill, setting a time delay is essential. Any digital mixer should support delaying an output, but if you are using an analog mixer, you’d need a separate piece of gear to control the delay time. A laser measure or just a long measuring tape will help you figure out how long to delay the speakers. Some consoles will allow you to set the delay in feet or metres but you might need to do some math to figure it out.
How loud can you, should you, or do you need to be?
This is a nuanced multi-faceted question that you likely have less control over than you might think.
In a perfect world I will always try and set sound to the level such that you hear a mix of sound from the live instrument, and from the soundsystem. This makes the sound three dimensional, and still allows the engineer to balance the levels. Of course this goal assumes a limited size of venue. At larger scales you will rely more on the PA.
In real-world scenarios though, there are a few factors that dictate your minimum and maximum volumes:
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Stage sound: A drum kit, guitar amp, or trumpet on stage can be extremely loud all by itself. It’s easy to exceed the Victoria outdoor sound bylaw limit without a sound system.
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Balancing to the loudest instrument: Most of the time, I find myself setting the overall mix level to match the loudest acoustic instrument on stage (usually the cymbals/snare or guitar amp) so other instruments don't get drowned out. More often than not, this is the cymbals and snare on the drum kit or a guitar amp. In echoey rooms with lots of reflective surfaces it’s really easy for loud instruments to get out of hand and musicians might need to adjust to their surroundings. Many musicians have great dynamics, many are happy to adjust if you ask, but there are still some who don’t/won’t, and it can be a tough subject to broach. As an event organizer it might be pertinent to discuss dynamics early in the conversation with a thought to the particulars of the room.
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Feedback: Practically the level you can amplify a signal to is limited by the point where the amplified sound starts amplifying itself and feedback occurs. This will often put a top level on how loud you can turn up the volume much before the power of your speakers becomes a factor. This is especially a factor for quiet sources. If a singer is singing quietly (especially in front of a loud drumkit), there isn’t a way to make them loud enough without feedback occurring.
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Neighbours / Bylaws: This one is pretty self explanatory, however there are lots of things to consider. In Victoria the bylaw states 90dBA weighted at the point of reception, which is actually the point where the complaint is made. In practice however the city asks you to aim for 90dBA at the front of house mix position.
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Crowd noise: The amount of sound a crowd can make is surprising. If the audience is trying to communicate with each other over a band, it gets loud and can trigger a sonic arms race.
All this is to say that you need to consider a lot of things when choosing how loud to be.
Monitors
Stage monitors are speakers pointed back at the band so they can hear themselves. Each musician will likely want their own custom mix, so you may need a monitor for each musician. For a show with rock bands, I’ll usually bring at least 4 monitors. If the band uses in-ear monitors you might not need as many physical wedges though, but it’s usually a good idea to have some anyways. Some musicians like both, or at least to have a backup.
If you have a DJ, don’t forget to bring a monitor (or two), and stand(s) for them.
Mixer / Console
The mixer is the heart of any show, bringing all instruments, vocals, and effects together. For larger events, options like the Behringer X32 or Wing Rack provide flexibility, remote control, and the ability to save presets for different bands—making transitions between sets much smoother. For smaller gigs, the Mackie 1402 VLZ is a compact analog mixer that’s simple, reliable, and perfect when digital features aren’t needed.
It’s always helpful to have a few extra channels available for unexpected instruments or mics. Digital consoles also allow mix adjustments from anywhere in the venue, which can be a lifesaver in tricky acoustic spaces.
Microphones/DIs
A good selection of microphones is the basis for amplifying your sound. Our basic full band mic package will give you a good idea of what we’d bring to most shows. There may be a few more things there than you’ll need at every show, but we’ve discounted them significantly in the bundle so it’s still affordable to just make sure you have a few extra. You’ll want plenty of mic stands of varying heights and styles to ensure that mics can be positioned exactly where they’re needed. We usually bring one pack of 6 tall K+M boom mic stands, as well as short stands for drums and kick mics.
Wireless microphones give performers the freedom to move around without worrying about cables. It’s also a good idea to have a few direct input (DI) boxes on hand. DIs allow instruments like keyboards or acoustic instruments with pickups to plug straight into the mixer, helping deliver a clean, balanced signal over longer cable runs. Having spares of each on hand is always recommended because nothing slows down a show like needing a mic, stand or DI box.
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Microphones:
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Dynamic (e.g., Shure SM58 / SM57): Rugged, low sensitivity, ideal for loud stage environments and vocals. Requires no external power.
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Condenser: Highly sensitive, detail-oriented. Requires +48V Phantom Power.
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Direct Input (DI) Boxes: (video what is a DI box?):
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Passive DI: Best for powered/active sources (keyboards, active acoustic pickups, active basses). Uses an internal transformer and requires no battery or phantom power.
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Active DI: Best for passive instruments (passive electric/acoustic guitars, passive bass). Requires +48V phantom power or an internal battery.
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Stands & Cabling: Use heavy-base boom stands for vocals/drums to prevent tipping. Keep cable runs neat by coiling excess under stand bases.
Cables
To power everything, you’ll need enough electrical cabling to reach the stage, speakers, mixer, and any other gear in use. Power is often the first thing that gets underestimated, and it’s much easier to plan for it up front than to scramble for outlets later. Safe, thoughtful power runs also help avoid tripping hazards and last-minute rearranging. Our power kit A is a good pre-made kit to cover a fairly large stage.
Once everything has power, the audio signal needs to get where it's needed. Microphones, instruments, and DI boxes all need to feed into the mixer. From there, sound is sent out to the main speakers for the audience, and to monitors on stage so performers can hear themselves. We’ve put together a cable kit for medium shows that fits in one well organized bag and should give you an idea of what you might need for most shows.
Having a few extra cables, and a bit more length than you think you’ll need, can make setup smoother and save a lot of stress. Keeping cable paths neatly routed around the stage, not across where people are performing, makes it easier to work throughout the show.
Important: Avoid plugging your entire setup into a single wall outlet! High-draw gear like subwoofers and stage lights should be split across different wall outlets on separate circuits to avoid tripping breakers mid-show.
Lastly, always use gaffer tape, never duct tape, to secure power and audio cables across walkways to eliminate tripping hazards. Save yourself, and your community a mess of stickiness after the show!
Router / Networking
If you are using a digital mixer, and want to control it remotely with a tablet or phone, you’ll need a WiFi router. Most WiFi routers will do, but I prefer to use a cellular router so I’ve got access to the internet for playing music between bands, and so my phone doesn’t always try to switch away from the console network in search of connection to the wider web.
If you are going to be controlling the console from a distance, you might want to extend your WiFi signal so you have good coverage across the venue. We’ve got WiFi mesh network kits that will extend your signal all over the venue.
I actually control my front of house sound from this wireless dual screen, 16 fader control setup. For a setup like this I often keep a WiFi mesh repeater right at front of house, and it can adapt WiFi to an ethernet plug, for hardware that connects that way. For some gigs, to avoid running cords across the dance floor, I’ll bring our eco-flow power station to power the controller setup, which makes the whole thing completely wireless and self-contained.
Snakes, Stage Boxes and Sub-Snakes
An audio snake is just a big multi-channel extension cable to run signals from the stage to your mixer and back, so you can place your mixer in a good mixing position. If you are using a digital mixer you can control from a tablet or phone, you can often skip this step and just leave the console near the stage.
An analog snake is just a big fat 100+ foot long bundle of cables. These days it is more common to use a digital stagebox, or even just another digital mixer, like a Behringer Wing Rack which can be used just as a patch-bay. You can connect a stage box or console through an ethercon cable, which is essentially just a shielded ethernet cable with a special connector on the end to provide support and extra grounding. In a pinch you might be able to get away with using a regular ethernet cable but you risk something going wrong. How big that risk is, is a subject of much debate on reddit.
Sub-snakes are the same idea, but just shorter (25ish feet is common) and just get signal around the stage, so there’s an easy place to patch cables in. Proper use of sub-snakes can be super helpful to conserving cables and keeping your stage tidy. We like to use fan snake, which we’ve opened up to split into multiple cables at the end, to patch the drum kit. This saves a ton of time and cables.
Backline (Drums / Bass Amps etc)
If you can avoid having to swap drum kits and bass amps 4 times during a show, that will save you a ton of time and space. Often it’s just a matter of starting a group chat with the bands and seeing if they can coordinate on sharing some gear. Maybe offer some incentive to the folks that do provide the gear. Generally drummers should expect to bring their own “breakables” (cymbals and snare) often they might want to bring their own kick pedal too.
If you have a longer event, or just want to skip uncertainty and coordination, you can just rent a set of backline for everyone to share. We’ve got a catalogue of backline available to pick from if you are interested. I’d aim to provide at least a drum kit and bass amp that can be shared. Guitar players are often partial to their own sound, but having at least one guitar amp is a good idea. We find a Fender Deluxe 65 reissue is a solid choice for a lot of genres. For heavier shows, you might consider providing guitar cabinets and guitarists can bring their own heads.
Don’t forget a drum carpet, it’s such a frequently forgotten item that even if we’re not providing drums we’ll often bring one just to avoid delays caused by last minute adventures around the venue to steal a doormat.
Mixing Platform
For larger shows, it’s nice to be a little above the crowd so you can see / hear a little better.
I like to bring one or two 4x4 stage decks with 16” legs to make a little mixing platform.
Music for Between Bands
An often missed detail for a lot of concerts is some music between bands, at the beginning of the show etc. At a larger event it is ideal to have a DJ lined up to handle some tunes to keep the energy high. Make sure you have a high table for them, and somewhere they can set up that keeps them out of the way of stage transitions.
If you don’t have a DJ, a playlist of some sort will work, but you’ll need to make sure that you have a device to play it from, and a way to hook that device up. Don’t plan on using your personal phone, since you’ll certainly need it during the event. A laptop, old phone, or tablet usually works well, but make sure you have downloaded content on the device, or solid access to the internet to avoid dropouts.
Stage Lighting
Lighting is a massive topic, and to go deep into it is beyond the scope of this article, and in fact beyond the expertise of the folks writing it. That said, we’ll talk about some basic concepts that work for us.
Just Light
The bare minimum is that people need to see the performers. Maybe your venue has that covered already, but often the default light in venues is harsh and creates a terrible vibe. The most basic option is a simple clamp light with reflector. They are simple, cheap and you can position a few of them to throw enough light at the stage. They don’t change colours or do anything fancy but they give you light that you are in control of. Make sure you have enough extension cords. These are also very handy for other areas of the venue like the bar, or at merch sales or the front door. Once you turn the ugly lights off, you’ll need to replace it with something.
Simple Stage Light Setups
The next step up would be to get some purpose built stage lights on stands. For a basic setup we recommend something like the Yorkville LED2x which is easy to mount on a lighting stand, has adjustable colours and intensity, and has automatic programs which change colours to the music or just based on time. They also make a 4 led model, the Yorkville LED4x, which are also great, though we find having more of the 2 head models in more places is more effective.
Controllers and more advanced setups
Once you have a larger number of lights it really improves the show if you can have them coordinated together. This allows you to set consistent colour palettes, do blackouts, adjust the overall level, have lighting react to music, and so much more. We like to use the Maestro DMX controller which is made by Limbic Media in Victoria. This little device can be controlled from any device with a web browser (phone, tablet, computer etc) and takes an audio input so that the lights react to the sound.
The challenge with using a lighting controller is that all the lights need to be connected together to communicate via the DMX protocol. DMX normally runs over XLR cables, just like sound, though sometimes they use a different 5 pin DMX format. Each light also has to be set to a specific DMX address, and the controller needs to know that address, and what each light can do. Setting that up can take some time.
To combat the complexity of a DMX setup we use a few tricks:
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Wireless DMX - We use a wireless dmx transmitter with multiple receivers to connect our lights wirelessly to the controller. This saves a ton of time running cables and also functions as a splitter, so you can send your DMX signal in multiple directions. Note that once you’ve connected one light with the wireless DMX, you can connect more lights to it via an XLR cable.
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Pre-programming lights, and keeping the same fixtures. Once the initial setup is done if you use the same lights and controllers and don't change the addressing, then subsequent setups are easy.
Our deluxe lighting package with controller is an example of a setup we’d take to a larger show. If you want to use it, it should be all programmed and ready to go.
Consider Photographers
If you have photographers or videographers capturing your show, make sure you give them enough light, and that it is a natural pleasant warm colour. It’s easy to set up dark moody stage lights, but then find all the photos turn out poorly.
