Is it at all feasible to continue a gig if you are on a flatbed truck in a parade. We had a generator powering our amps and keyboards, and had a few mics for our vocals, fiddle, whistle, bodhran, etc...
We got lucky this time, everyone in the front of the parade got drenched but somehow we stayed dry throughout
I am sure there are some good (and bad)stories on this ....)
I'd shut down the amp. I will NEVER forget the first time I got zapped- 1965- outdoor gig- uncertain ground connections- lips touched the mike-BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Being the son of a Fireman who did electrical work as a side job and having been a Union Electrician myself I'd say once it starts to rain... pull the plugs.
BUT, someone up there must like us Mick! Their was rain in front of us and rain in back of us but we only got an isolated drop or two. It was a fun time... BTW, just saw us on channel 78, we should get more gigs!
Residual current circuit breakers or wotteffah they are called these days do the trick!
240v in Europe, worst than the New World's supply!
But AKOOSTIK is best!
I've played alot of situations, and outdoor festivals in the rain is one of them.
If it is a steady rain and everything is wet, its great to have some sort of tarp over you. I've played lots of festivals where it rained, and it's really great to have a roof over you, even if its only plastic.
The other thing I always do is wear rubber soled shoes. Canvas sneakers are best.
If you are touching an electric instrument (guitar, bass) and then touch your lips to the mic, you will complete an electric circuit. So set your mics so that you don't need to eat the damn things. You cannot under any circumstance touch your lips to that mic.
You also cannot touch any other electrified members of your band. If you do, you will complete a circuit between them and yourself.
The other bit of advice I learned in the Navy fixing electrical things on airplanes: if you have to reach out and touch soemthing with your hand and you aren't sure if you will be shocked, use the "one hand rule". Put your other arm behind you back and just use one hand if you think you might get shocked (like adjusting your amp with wet hands) That way you will not complete the circuit through your chest and risk stopping your heart.
other than that, if they tell you you have to go on, just try not to touch anything and try not to blaspheme as lightning strikes will only make the situation worse.
often if you are playing at a festival, the sound equipment is usually provided and used by the other acts as well. So you don't really have much say in what they did in regard to circuit protection.
I've also been blown across my shop in the Navy when I tripped a 36 amp circuit breaker. I had an entry and an exit wound and had to be taken to Pearl Harbor for medical treatments as I was nearly killed, so circuit breakers will protect your amps alot better than your flesh.
A 36 amp circuit breaker is not intended to protect you, but to protect the circuit. You need a 30mA residual current device (RCD) and a proper grounding to protect you, as yhaalhouse mentioned above.
sure, and not to argue, but did you not catch the part where I said that most outdoor festivals have the PA system already set up for you?
you don't have any control over what they use for circuit protection, but there are still things you can do as a performer to lower your risk of electric shock while up on a wet stage with electric instruments in the rain
but all that withstanding, I will not argue about the type of circuit breakers. If you tell me a household circuit breaker is all I need then that's fine by me.
but in a performance situation, I won't bet my life that the hippies that organized the festival are electrictricians by trade, so I wear rubber shoes and try not to touch my lips to the mike.
Many years ago, I heard a song about some soldiers who were fighting during a storm with lots of thunder and lightning. The foolish young lord (a nobleman) who was supposed to be leading the soldiers makes the mistake of lifting his sword up while trying to encourage the men to fight harder A bolt of lightning hits the sword and changes the foolish young lord into a smoking cinder.
I think you guys have achieved your goal of scaring the **** out of me. Damn, I was actually more concerned about my equipment than my flesh too, I DID have rubber soles on though,.... phew
Hopefully I won't be in the middle of an out of body set of great music when the first raindrop does hit my mic or I truly wil be out of body.
I may be a bit out of my depth here, but no one's talked about what seems to be the obvious choice - a radio mic. Expensive perhaps, but still cheaper than getting frazzled.
singing (with amps)in the rain
singing (with amps)in the rain
Is it at all feasible to continue a gig if you are on a flatbed truck in a parade. We had a generator powering our amps and keyboards, and had a few mics for our vocals, fiddle, whistle, bodhran, etc...
We got lucky this time, everyone in the front of the parade got drenched but somehow we stayed dry throughout
I am sure there are some good (and bad)stories on this ....)
thank you for them
slainte
mick
# Posted on July 8th 2008 by LagansLove.Com
Re: singing (with amps)in the rain
I'd shut down the amp. I will NEVER forget the first time I got zapped- 1965- outdoor gig- uncertain ground connections- lips touched the mike-BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
# Posted on July 8th 2008 by Greg the Piano Tuner
Re: singing (with amps)in the rain
Being the son of a Fireman who did electrical work as a side job and having been a Union Electrician myself I'd say once it starts to rain... pull the plugs.
BUT, someone up there must like us Mick! Their was rain in front of us and rain in back of us but we only got an isolated drop or two. It was a fun time... BTW, just saw us on channel 78, we should get more gigs!
# Posted on July 8th 2008 by Raymond G
Re: singing (with amps)in the rain
Residual current circuit breakers or wotteffah they are called these days do the trick!
240v in Europe, worst than the New World's supply!
But AKOOSTIK is best!
# Posted on July 8th 2008 by yhaalhouse
Re: singing (with amps)in the rain
I've played alot of situations, and outdoor festivals in the rain is one of them.
If it is a steady rain and everything is wet, its great to have some sort of tarp over you. I've played lots of festivals where it rained, and it's really great to have a roof over you, even if its only plastic.
The other thing I always do is wear rubber soled shoes. Canvas sneakers are best.
If you are touching an electric instrument (guitar, bass) and then touch your lips to the mic, you will complete an electric circuit. So set your mics so that you don't need to eat the damn things. You cannot under any circumstance touch your lips to that mic.
You also cannot touch any other electrified members of your band. If you do, you will complete a circuit between them and yourself.
The other bit of advice I learned in the Navy fixing electrical things on airplanes: if you have to reach out and touch soemthing with your hand and you aren't sure if you will be shocked, use the "one hand rule". Put your other arm behind you back and just use one hand if you think you might get shocked (like adjusting your amp with wet hands) That way you will not complete the circuit through your chest and risk stopping your heart.
other than that, if they tell you you have to go on, just try not to touch anything and try not to blaspheme as lightning strikes will only make the situation worse.
# Posted on July 8th 2008 by Nate Ryan
Re: singing (with amps)in the rain
one thing about the circuit breakers...
often if you are playing at a festival, the sound equipment is usually provided and used by the other acts as well. So you don't really have much say in what they did in regard to circuit protection.
I've also been blown across my shop in the Navy when I tripped a 36 amp circuit breaker. I had an entry and an exit wound and had to be taken to Pearl Harbor for medical treatments as I was nearly killed, so circuit breakers will protect your amps alot better than your flesh.
# Posted on July 8th 2008 by Nate Ryan
Re: singing (with amps)in the rain
A 36 amp circuit breaker is not intended to protect you, but to protect the circuit. You need a 30mA residual current device (RCD) and a proper grounding to protect you, as yhaalhouse mentioned above.
# Posted on July 8th 2008 by Ramiro
Re: singing (with amps)in the rain
sure, and not to argue, but did you not catch the part where I said that most outdoor festivals have the PA system already set up for you?
you don't have any control over what they use for circuit protection, but there are still things you can do as a performer to lower your risk of electric shock while up on a wet stage with electric instruments in the rain
but all that withstanding, I will not argue about the type of circuit breakers. If you tell me a household circuit breaker is all I need then that's fine by me.
but in a performance situation, I won't bet my life that the hippies that organized the festival are electrictricians by trade, so I wear rubber shoes and try not to touch my lips to the mike.
# Posted on July 8th 2008 by Nate Ryan
Re: singing (with amps)in the rain
Many years ago, I heard a song about some soldiers who were fighting during a storm with lots of thunder and lightning. The foolish young lord (a nobleman) who was supposed to be leading the soldiers makes the mistake of lifting his sword up while trying to encourage the men to fight harder A bolt of lightning hits the sword and changes the foolish young lord into a smoking cinder.
# Posted on July 8th 2008 by fauxcelt
Re: singing (with amps)in the rain
okay okay
I think you guys have achieved your goal of scaring the **** out of me. Damn, I was actually more concerned about my equipment than my flesh too, I DID have rubber soles on though,.... phew
Hopefully I won't be in the middle of an out of body set of great music when the first raindrop does hit my mic or I truly wil be out of body.
ps
Hi Ray
fancy meeting you here.
# Posted on July 9th 2008 by LagansLove.Com
Re: singing (with amps)in the rain
Nothing beats the tingle you get if you touch a badly grounded mike on a rainy day while singing!
# Posted on July 9th 2008 by zippydw
Re: singing (with amps)in the rain
ANd I should know better. I also come from a Union Electrician family!
# Posted on July 9th 2008 by zippydw
Re: singing (with amps)in the rain
I may be a bit out of my depth here, but no one's talked about what seems to be the obvious choice - a radio mic. Expensive perhaps, but still cheaper than getting frazzled.
# Posted on July 9th 2008 by lazyhound