Karaoke Forums

Jam, this IS a "regular" show, but I think I'm getting better at it, I think I cut about 3 minutes off the last set-up time. At that rate, in a year, I should be close to an hour for set-up.

Rosario

Half-hour in, half hour out. Seriously, unless I'm putting up the truss (which takes a lot more time, mostly due to more wiring required) my combined load-in and setup time for the complete rig with lights on trees is 30 minutes. Tear down and load out, with everything properly and neatly put away, packed in the van correctly and ready to roll down the road, another 30 minutes.

For me there are a few keys to this. First is having as many things ready to connect or already connected as possible. I have 6 receivers in my wireless rack that get connected to the mixer. All the cables are plugged into the receivers at all times, loomed together and all I have to do is take off the covers, pull them out and plug them in. Second key is having a system. I know exactly what cords, cables, etc. I'm using for what, I take them all out of the cable bin first and lay them (or toss them) near where they need to go. I do one area at a time, working from one side of the "stage" to the other. On tear down I am equally methodical and I don't dilly dally. If people come up to talk, I talk to them while I'm still wrapping, folding, collapsing, whatever. The third key for me is practice. Working stages for bands I've learned how to tear this stuff down fast. At festivals, where you have multiple bands coming on and off, we can have our bands off the deck completely, 10 minutes after the last song ends. I'm very quick at wrapping cables and cords in the proper fashion and that definitely helps.

I'm getting better and faster at wrapping cords. All Mic cords (I use powered PAs, sub) are in one stack, all extensions are in the other with the power cords in a stack between. All fit in the top tray of my gator bag.

In my business, standardizing everything eliminates waste and mistakes.

On my small rig, with 15" powered speakers, I have all the XLR cables on a hose reel. The first three are lifetime warranty Hosa for my SM58s and Beta 58, the next 8 are Whirlwind for speakers (two mains, one mon). When I "wind" them up, I do it with a crank. Something like this:

http://tinyurl.com/2clwlzs

but without the stand.

pulling up to the door to playing music, 7-10 minutes.
everything is prewierd in the rack, all the lappy cables are tied together in a "snake" and the Bose is up in 2 minutes. all wireless so no cables to run, one power cable for the rack, one for the bose, and one for the receiver on the bose. tear down takes a few more minutes, but not much. total time on a bad night, 30mins tops

OK I have to ask.
What is the correct way to wind a cable.
I have been reducing by half, then by half again
till I knot it.

Guess that's not how it's done?

http://cnettv.cnet.com/wind-store-your- ... 71977.html
I don't do the "tougher audio wire wrap". I wrap all my cables like he shows in the first example, and for the exact reason he states. You won't break the wires inside. I also use velcro cord ties for all my cables, like these: http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=16856
except I picked up mine at the Dollarama Store (12 /$1). I saw them and bought about 20 packs or so. Hubby uses them as well. Very handy.

weird that is exactly how I try to wind my cables but it never works out 100% for me. No matter which way i wind them, the cord always wants to wind the opposite way *If I loop it left handed it wants to go right etc* altho I have to admit, I didn't know you were supposed to unwind them the exact same way you wind them..

Another 'interesting' thing is it doesn't seem to matter how neatly i pack everything, as soon as I move the cord case, everthing winds up as one big jumbled mess *spend 10 minutes tryring to separate everything*

-James

Very impressive. Do you use a sub and/or a sound monitor? Are those wireless as well?