Bose L1 Setup Ideas

I got my Bose L1 Mod 1 yesterday. I have no external equipment only a Tyros 3 to play through it and will run my mic through the keyboard. I don't know what presets I will use - I have to experiment.

Do you EQ your keyboard flat and use the Bose presets, use the Bose 00 EQ which is flat and use the keyboards EQ, or do you use a combination of both?

Do you use the base stand with the cover on or do you remove it for every gig?

Any good ideas about gig setup and transporting your equipment?

I hope a few of you jump in here and discuss your L1 setups and what keyboards you are playing though it.

Hammer

I've had my L1, Model 1 two days ago...So, take this for what's its worth...

Really one way stands out...

("the gary way")

Like you said, run your mic into the Tyros3 and take 2 lines out into channels 3 & 4..

That way, your voice gets the benefit of all the effects / EQ the Tyros provides. The kb itself does have effects on all of its styles.

Another way would be to put the tyros into channels 3/4 but run your mic into channel one. Look at the list of mics on lid of the power stand...if you see yours there, dial that preset in-as its already designed for that specific mic.

But note, there will be no reverb on your vocal then...

If you want reverb on your vocals using a L1 system, you either have to use an external effects unit or a box amp that provides it OR purchase the tone engine, which is basicaly a mixer with effects also...

Doing three gigs with the new rig today-I will file a report...

Good luck!

Bill

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Bill in Dayton

Hammer...
For the last couple of years I have been using the Yamaha 3K (as you know). I tweaked EQ and a few of the internal settings to run through a JBL system I was using prior to getting the Bose.

After getting the Bose I didn't do much in the way of changes in the keyboard and experimented with several of the Bose presets, wavering between 05,12,55 & 57. I couldn't find a consistent preset that would work in ALL the venues I play.

Last Wednesday, I set up in the afternoon for a night gig and took a cue from DonM. I used preset 00 and reworked the EQ in the keyboard until I felt satisfied. It worked great.

The next afternoon I set up in another hall with a different type of stage and it sounded completely different to me...thin, lacking the nice round sound I have been used to. Rather than adjust the 3K, I tried my usual presets and found 55 did the trick (for this room, anyway).

Later, that night, during the gig, two audience members came up to comment on how clear and full everything sounded.

Moral: I'm not sure ANY ONE setting is going to perfect for EVERY venue. I always try to set up and do a sound check in the afternoons. However, when the room becomes full of people, I often find myself modifying the keyboard's EQ on the fly.

Eddie

Deane,

Eddie hit the nail on the head--there is no single setup that fits all. However, there are lots of great options available and none take a lot of time to setup.

First and foremost, I try to use the least amount of equipment as possible, thereby decreasing the possibilities of equipment failure to just a scant few.

I don't use a mixer, my mic is fed directly into the TC Helicon M and it is fed directly into the keyboard's Mic/Line In connection. This allows you to get the full benefit of the keyboard's vocal processor, plus provides the best available vocal harmony when needed. If you don't use an external harmonizer, then the mic is plugged directly into the keyboard.

On the Bose L1 is fire the keyboard's outputs directly into channel 1 and 2. Channel 3 of the L1 is used for the audio output of the Laptop, which is where I run MP3s during breaks. Winamp seems to work best for this. Channel 4 of the L1 is reserved for guest mic situations, which this time of year seems to be more prevalent because of corporate Christmas parties where someone wants to make lots of announcements. I use an inexpensive, high-gain mic for announcements, which fires directly into the channel withing the need of a powered mixer.

If I were doing a duo job, which is extremely rare, I would likely run the second mic through my Alesis 6FX mixer and then run it into channel 4, thereby providing the effects and control of the mixer without effecting my standard setup.

The presets will vary depending upon venue configurations, crowd density, and ambient noise level. Some days 05 work, while on others you may find that 12, 55 or 57 work best.

I set the L1s remote EQs at the 12-O'clock position and channel 1 & 2 remote volumes at the 12-O'clock position. The Master volume, however, rarely exceeds the 9-O'clock position, while the keyboard's master volume is usually set at about the 1-O'clock position.

As I've said so many times in the past, BE SURE to set the gain staging exactly as it is outlined in the instruction manual.

If at all possible, set up everything in a large hall while setting the Gain Staging, and making the various other L1 setup adjustments. This is really important. If I set up my L1 in the office, which measures 15 X 18 feet, has a 7.5-foot drop ceiling, and carpeted floor, there is almost no bass and the L1 doesn't seem as if it has enough power. However, when set up in a large venue, the bass can be overwhelming and with the master volume just set at 25 percent, I can blow the walls down. It's the nature of the beast. If you get into a bind, give me a call and I'll do what I can to help you out.

Good Luck,

Gary

Hammer, I can't give you any advice it's all been given by the folks who I got it from.

This is a bit off the topic, but I'm happy to report that Bose service is outstanding. Gary, Eddie and Don M know that already. Here's my deal, I screwed up the fuse housing at Thursday night's gig. I have the good fortune of my office being located just 20 minutes from the service center of Bose in Framingham, Ma. On Friday during a break I delivered to power stand to the service center. The young man who checked in the stand said turn-around time would be 2 weeks. I thought that's just great I miss the rest of my Christmas gigs using my Bose ARGHH!! Well, at least I'll have it in time for New Year's Eve. Today, I got an e-mail from Bose saying the unit has been shipped. Wow, that's great service.

Yes, I had a fuse holder break. I called Bose that afternoon and had it the next morning by overnight shipping, and they didn't even charge me for it, even though my unit was out of warranty.
I now have spare fuses and holders. Of course I haven't needed them since I have them!
DonM

Don I got a little aggressive with a screwdriver LOL. Seems there a black circular shaped piece of plastic on top of the panel that the fuse holder attachs to I snapped that baby in half. OUCH!! While on the subject is there a trick to reseating the fuse back in? For the life of me I could not reseat the fuse properly after removing it.

It's pretty hard to get in. I just push it until it goes down, as best I remember.
DonM