Karaoke Forums

My PA rig is being used for a wedding - on top an outdoor rooftop next to a windy lake.
Not for karaoke but thought I'd ask here anyways since there are experienced and practical live sound folks here. I don't have alot of experience with outdoor larger venues. Last minute thing, may not be able to do soundcheck beforehand

It's for 300 people up there and a fairly windy noise floor.
No live band, just the officiant, a singer, and wedding vows. Music through CDs.
I'm renting clip on MICs.
Think my pair of SRM450s will cut it for FOH?
Or should I rent another pair for the back?

If another pair for back, how to place?
- at the very back facing the front, to surround the area?
- or maybe to the sides half way to the back?

Also, I guess I should be using more compression to get the vocals above the windy noise floor? Any other stratagies to get half decent sound in these conditions?

thanks

mchin99

ps - I'm just doing the wedding ceremony; not DJing up there; DJ and his rig is inside on main floor of the building.

Changing and swirling winds can drive one nuts unless they have POWER. Make sure your speakers are secure and tied down. I carry the large plastic trash bags to put over them if it rains. Dont have many books out, one time I had the wind blowing the sheets right out of the plastic protectors. With my system now I would take oral requests only and not have to worry about slips blowing off the table. I would have 4 speakers one in each corner. If at night I use that new bulb and you can get them in yellow (bugs). A helper is really nice. These gigs can be very lucrative and dont be afraid to ask more for the conditions.

A crowd pleaser are loud audio effects like a 747 or helo flyover. The kids go nuts!!! PM and I can supply a download..

I painted a picture of worse conditions but I have survived thru devil winds and almost tornado like conditions. Be prepared....

_________________
Join The Karaokle Singers Social Network. Upload Your Music!!

If you're getting decent lavs (clip on mics) you shouldn't have much problem with wind noise. The biggest problem you'll find is that high end frequencies get pushed around in the wind quite easily and will be the first thing to get lost. For 300 people fairly tightly packed together you should be ok with the SRM 450's although more power would be preferable. The key thing you can do to help ensure you reduce the amount of high-end you lose is get the speakers at the right height for the audience. Unfortunately, since you can't fly the speakers, you can't angle them as would be ideal for a situation like this. Therefore make sure the horns on your speakers are just above head level for the audience (somewhere between 5.5 and 6 feet up). I'd also recommend that you run your vocals a little brighter (more mid-highs) than you normally would to help them cut through.

_________________
DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

Take compression completely off. And try to put the wind at your back. It does make a difference.

I was thinking about this also. Since I'm putting my poles as max height per letitrip's advice, think they may topple in the wind? How to secure the poles down? Potato sacks at base of tripod maybe?
Will definitely brings lots of garbage bags, thanks..



Good advice about the mid-high end loss, thanks.




Ok I'll take your word on this one, unless someone thinks otherwise, thanks..

mchin99

At the lake they use a big flat trailer. I tie them to the cargo strap hooks. One time I drove rebar into the ground and a twister came thru and still lifted them off and over.

Sand bags maybe with bungie cords hooked all the way to the bottom of the speakers.

_________________
Join The Karaokle Singers Social Network. Upload Your Music!!

I'm just checking to make sure you caught the part about the "horn height", not the whole speaker. You want the "horn" slightly above ear level. That shouldn't be to much of a stretch on your tripods.

Normally you would need about three times the power to work outside, but if you are just doing the ceremony itself you should be fine. Your soon going to learn just how much "the room" effects your overall sound.

Good luck on your first experience working under less than ideal conditions, just pay close attention to whats going on and all should be fine, oh yeh, make sure you have wind screens on your Mics and get paid in advance

_________________
Quickness of mind will deceive the eye

Got it. thanks.



they make wind screens for lavalier mics?

In situations where you think you might be in over your head, it's not a bad idea to check with some local hired sound operators. There are plenty of guys in my area who have enough equipment to do the type of event you're talking about for $200. Then you can get rid of the worry about wind and sufficient SPL to drown out the wind, and just plug in your mics & music.

I was going to do this myself for some weddings this year, but we ended up taking on enough additional gigs that it made sense to spend a few thousand dollars on finishing up another sound system vs hiring in sound for 5 jobs.

_________________
Jeff Wheeler, moonlight DJ/KJ

Naww, this is an interesting challenge When else can go full blast into the wind on a roof and U2's not even around After this turns out to be a complete nightmare disaster, I'll know better

Yes, ever seen the little black ball on someone's lappel? Most Lav's come with the wind screens I believe, although often times they are removed pretty quickly if someone's trying to make the mic as least noticeable as possible.

_________________
DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

Great. Will ask for them for sure. thanks..

I cant find the booties but this is an old old mic an old auctioneer used for many outdoor farm auctions. His wife knitted 2 booties for wind socks One green and one red.
When the auction was going bad he would put on the red bootie.

Yes it still works but weak and scratchy. I could clean the Amphenol connector on the bottom of mic and get it going.

Talk about a 58... This mic went to hell and back..

mic

_________________
Join The Karaokle Singers Social Network. Upload Your Music!!

Thanks again for everyone's help on this. Forgot to post what happened:

The wind was a howlin', the storm clouds moved in...and the sound...was sweet - indoors. Ha! Saved by the weather

Lessons learned:
Don't ever be stupid enough to try to do stuff on top of a windy roof.
On the best of days up there, two people standing side by side would have had problems hearing each other.
The wind would have definitely toppled speakers put on poles - they need to go on chairs - at best. Put speakers on poles up there too close to the edge of the roof - speakers are in the lake. Too close to the audience - pain and suffering lawsuit.
Power for your powered speakers? What power?! Ain't no outlets up there. Run your own 150 foot extension cord up the stairs - pain and suffering lawsuit #2.
The roof is sometimes wet from previous rain. Good luck ductaping wires down - so are you getting a bulk deal from your lawyer yet? And...Renting lav mics? There won't be any clips or windscreens 'cause these are the first to get lost so they don't bother, heck who cares cause no one would hear anything up there anyways!

mchin99

Where was this, the Sears Tower?

_________________
KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

It was just at a large resort clubhouse that overhangs a lake.
Problem is that this is not the time of year for an outdoor event there, let alone a wedding. Its too windy, chilly, and rainy now. In August, when the water and temperature is nice and warm, and the winds are less, it would maybe be lovely up there, except for the mosquitoes feasting.

You can use a 70v distributed system with smaller indoor/outdoor speakers mounted around the railing or so like the ones they use in a mall or a theme park. Not too heavy, not too loud and everyone hears everything.