Decades Project Task 7: Advanced Instrumental Equipment Test

Write a blog post that demonstrates your knowledge of how to use the equipment that you need to perform on your chosen instrument. Use these cues to help you.

SINGERS:

MICROPHONES:

Write a blog post that demonstrates your knowledge of how to use the equipment that you need to perform on your chosen instrument. Use these cues to help you.

Plugs and connections – what type, where they go

If on stage, what the mic is usually plugged in to (i.e. how the signal reaches the mixing desk.)

STANDS:

Main types. How to use. Why to use.

MIXING DESK:

What “Channels” are. What “mutes” are. What “faders” are. What “sends” are. How to apply effects such as reverb. What “Equalisation” (or “EQ”) is.

P.A.:

How you get sound to come out of the P.A.

MONITORS:

What they are. Who needs them most and why.

MASTER VOLUME CONTROLS:

What position the master volume control should be in when any piece of equipment is switched on, and why.

DISTANCE OF MIC FROM MONITOR OR P.A.

How you know when you’re too close, or the mic level is too high

GUITARISTS/BASSISTS:

INSTRUMENTS:

What the controls do. What can cause buzzing, crackling or sound drop-outs.

What causes broken strings

CABLES: What kind.

EFFECTS UNITS: (eg.pedals)

How you connect them. What power supplies are and what you need to check before using them.

MASTER VOLUME CONTROLS:

What position the master volume control should be in when any piece of equipment is switched on, and why.

AMP:

What an “input” is. On some bass amps there is an active as well as a passive input – say what the difference is. What the difference is between “gain” and “volume” (sometimes labelled “master volume”)

Some guitar amps have an effects stage – say what some of the effects (eg. reverb, delay, chorus) do

Some amps have a tuner – say what this does and what happens to the amp output when it’s engaged.

How you know if you’re standing too close to the amp or it’s too loud.

Whether basses can be plugged into guitar amps. Whether guitars can be plugged into bass/keyboard amps.

MIXING DESK:

What “Channels” are. What “mutes” are. What “faders” are. What “sends” are. How to apply effects such as reverb. What  “Equalisation” (or “EQ”) is.

P.A.:

How you get sound to come out of the P.A.

MONITORS:

What they are. Who needs them most.

KEYBOARDS:

What the different types we have at college are.

Pedals that can be connected – which input is needed.

Ways that you can amplify the keyboard and/or hear it onstage.

Whether a keyboard can be plugged into a guitar or bass amp.

MONITORS:

What they are. Who needs them most.

MIXING DESK:

What “Channels” are. What “mutes” are. What “faders” are. What “sends” are. How to apply effects such as reverb. What  “Equalisation” (or “EQ”) is.

P.A.:

How you get sound to come out of the P.A.

DRUMS:

Different things you can hit the drums with and why they can be used.

Basic ways a drum kit can be mic’d up.

The different parts of the kit.

Drum hardware (stands etc.)

MONITORS:

What they are. Who needs them most.

What a drummer might need to hear in their monitor onstage.

DRUM PADS/V-DRUMS:

How you power them up /connect them.

MIXING DESK:

What “Channels” are. What “mutes” are. What “faders” are. What “sends” are. How to apply effects such as reverb. What  “Equalisation” (or “EQ”) is.

P.A.:

How you get sound to come out of the P.A.