I posted the following in the Studio and Recording Forum, but it didn't fetch a respoinse. I'm hoping it will do better here;

Hi all,
I need to start learning and investing in being self sufficient for live gigs.
I'm looking to put together a Praise & Worship/ Christian rock band. Using 2-4 keyboards, 2 acoustics guitars, one electric guitar, one electric bass guitar, drummer and hand drummer.
I will need two main speakers and probably 2 monitors. I'll probably use 5 mics.

Does anyone know of any good online resources/ web sites that explain how to set this all up. 3 keysboards would need 3 stereo channels, guitars will need 4 channels, vocals would need 5 channels. total of 15 channels.

I suppose a 16 track mixer will be needed, two main speakers, two monitor. Wouldn't I need things like compressors, EQ's, separate mixer for monitors?

Thanks for any direction you could give me.

Peace
Bob
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Yamaha makes an excellent series of books that relate to live sound and more specifically, P&W sound. Look for them at GC stores or Sam Ash.

Thanks for the tip Uncle Dave. With what you said, I guess I might as well also check my local library and Barnes and Noble heh?

Thanks again.

Bob
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Can't hurt, Bob !
Live sound reinforcement is a science. The science of acoustics, and physics is a big part of it. It definatly takes some "hands on" knowledge to mix a band successfully.
You need a good ear, you need to NOT look at the knobs and dials. Mix the band like you can't see the controls. Make it SOUND good.
You'll get the knack in no time.

Uncle Dave,
I picked up "Live Sound For The Performing Musician" at GC by Paul White. It's part of a whole series of books called "Sound On Sound". Judging from the first two chapters, I can see how complex this whole art/science is. Ya got your wattage, your Ohms, your dBs, crossovers passive, active and on and on. And you have to balance and match all this, and this is the tip of the iceberg. Then I checked out a few loudspeakers online and now I see I have to learn how to interpret the way they report their specs to what I'm learning. What did I get myself into?

Thanks again bro.

Peace <><
Bob

You can get yourself in the muck of all that technical stuff for nothing. I gave my $.02 on the Studio and recording forum where you posted the same thread. General Rule, have more watts of power than you need. Better on your speakers if you have more than enough power than if you under power and turn it up too far. That's why I recommended the equipment I did in the other forum. The subs I mentioned had a built in crossover.

I still don't understand everything there is to know about Ohms and that kind of stuff. I have a friend who owns a music store who I trust. That's what I would do if I were you. Just ask someone who knows, and then come back and ask some of us to make sure you aren't getting ripped off.

I play keyboards, but I don't exactly know all the science that goes into building one. Same with PA gear, I wouldn't let the science get in your way too much.

FAEbGBD,

Interestingly enough, your suggestion about "asking someone who knows", was actually mentioned in a few books, including the one I'm now reading. I will have to tap into someone who I trust's knowledge and experience to help me match up the equipment. Thanks again.

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Bob