8 Pieces of "Gear" you need at pretty much every Live Gig

Performing on stage can be an exhilarating experience, but it also requires careful planning and preparation to ensure a seamless performance. One of the most crucial aspects of a musician or performer's on-stage setup is the gear and equipment they use.

In this article, let's go through some essential equipment that a musician or performer needs at pretty much every gig.

Musical Instruments

The most important piece of gear for any musician is, of course, their instrument. Depending on the type of music you play, this could be anything from a guitar, bass, keyboard, drums, horns or even your voice.

It's crucial to ensure that your instrument and everything that goes with it is in good condition and tuned correctly before you hit the stage. Think of things like new strings, working pedals, extra sticks, and more.

Try to make sure everything is in good shape before you go to your gig. If you are traveling any distance to perform and can't go back home should you need something, you may also want to think about having a backup readily available in case something goes wrong (This will be true for just about everything on the list).

Amplifiers

If you play any electric instruments, a good amplifier is essential to a good show. Amplifiers can be responsible for giving you a unique sound that makes your instrument louder and more prominent. They also help you to design your "tone" with features like distortion. It's essential to choose an amplifier that suits your needs, whether it may be a small practice amp for intimate gigs or a larger, more powerful one for bigger venues.

Try to remember that good amps come in all shapes and sizes. Chris Stapleton famously performed a beautiful rendition of the American National Anthem at the Superbowl on his run-down old 1962 Fender Princeton amplifier... and he sounded AMAZING. Even a "bad" beat-up amplifier could have the perfect sound for you. 

Microphones

While some singers can project well enough to fill an entire concert hall with sound, Most vocalists will need a microphone to amplify their voices so their audience can hear them. There are many different types of microphones available, and it's important to choose one that suits your style and vocal range. 

• Dynamic microphones, like the ever-popular Shure SM58, are great for live performances as they are more durable and can handle loud sound levels. These kinds of mics typically can take a hit and keep going strong. When you watch a live performance, it is very likely you are watching the singer holding a dynamic microphone.
• Condenser microphones are best suited for recording as they are more sensitive and provide a higher level of detail, but in live settings, they are often also found on select instruments like drumsets when a dynamic microphone is not ideal. In certain live performance situations (common in styles like bluegrass), condensers can help to give a performance a much more intimate feel that suits the performer and connects better with the audience. The most common condenser mic found in live performances is a lavalier, a small clip-on mic used by public speakers. 
• Like condensers, Ribbon Microphones are much more commonly used in recording and less frequently in live settings. They are often used with electric guitars to pick up the raw edginess of sound coming from an amplifier. These kinds of mics are known for quality sound but can be easily damaged as they are highly sensitive. Certain brands, like Royer Labs, are known for creating more durable road-worthy ribbon mics. 

Cables

To connect all of your gear together, you're going to need cables. It's essential to choose high-quality cables that are durable and try to take good care of them. Much of the time, if you have something "wrong" with your sound, a cable is the source of your problem. 

Here is a quick list of some common cables you might need:

• XLR cables are most often used for microphones and connecting your sound system together. These cables are "balanced" with 3 connectors, a positive, negative, and ground built into the cable.
• 1/4 inch cables come in a few types. 
  
  • TS Cables (TS stand for "Tip, Sleeve") are commonly used to connect an instrument to an amplifier or an amplifier to a speaker. These cables are not balanced. You may hear additional noise since these do not include a ground wire. 
  • TRS Cables (TRS stand for "Tip, Ring, Sleeve") connect in the exact same way as TS cables, but include a ground wire within the cable providing more protection from signal noise. You can see the difference between a TS and TRS cable on the end connection. TS will have 1 line on the connector. TRS will have 2 lines.
• 1/8 inch cables are the common connection used for headphones, computers,and cell phones. If you need to play "break music" from a phone, you might need something like this.
• MIDI cables are data cables used to pass signals from keyboards and sequencers to other devices. 
• DMX cables look a lot like MIDI cables, but are used for controlling lighting systems.
• RCA cables are the familiar consumer "Red & White" audio connections that we have seen on older TV, VCRs, and video game systems, but these are also used for other digital audio sources like S/PDIF connections.  
• Ethernet cables like Cat5 and Cat6 are also becoming much more common for live music too as they can send many audio channels across long distances with virtually no latency. 

There are many more options than just this short list so I want to point you in the direction of a great resource. I have a lot of great friends and fellow performers who work or have worked for Sweetwater. Should you ever need a particular cable, I recommend checking out the Cable Finder on the Sweetwater website Here.

Stands

Stands are crucial for holding instruments, microphones, sheet music, speakers and even lighting in place while you perform. For guitarists and bassists, a guitar stand could be useful when you take a break. It might not be very easy to play keyboard from the ground or sing a song while playing an instrument if you don't have a stand to hold the microphone. 

Having the right stands for the job will make you show easier to perform, look better on stage, and keep your other gear safe.

Speakers & Monitors

If you want your audience to hear your show, you will need some kind of speaker system. Traditionally for most live performances, it requires two separate systems:

• The Front-of-House (FOH) system for your audience to hear and
• The Back-of-House (BOH) system for the performers to hear each other on stage. 

The Front-of-House system most often includes speakers and subwoofers (for lower frequency sounds like the kick drum of bass) combined with a front-of-house mixing system to set volumes, eq, compress, and add effects to each sound.

The Back-of-House system works in the same way with many of the same pieces, but has the option of using different kinds of on-stage monitoring.

Traditionally, on-stage sound monitoring for performers has been done using floor monitors or wedges, which are speaker cabinets placed on the stage pointing towards the performer. These speakers allow the performers to hear themselves and other instruments on stage. However, relying solely on floor monitors can result in a mix that is not optimal for the performers, and may also cause problems with feedback and bleed when using microphones.

In-ear monitoring (IEM), on the other hand, uses earphones that fit snugly in the ear to provide a more controlled and personalized monitoring experience. Instead of relying on the sound from floor monitors, this allows musicians to hear themselves and their bandmates more clearly on stage. It's worth noting that in-ear monitoring systems can be more expensive than traditional floor monitors. However, many professional musicians and performers consider them to be an essential investment for their performance and hearing health. 

Lighting

Whether you use simple stage lighting or more complex lighting rigs, it's important to have a good understanding of how lighting works and how it can enhance your performance. 

There are many types of lighting equipment that can be used for live performances, including spotlights, floodlights, moving head lights, strobes, and lasers. Lighting can be used to highlight specific performers or parts of the stage, create mood and atmosphere, and enhance the overall visual impact of the performance. 

In addition to the lighting fixtures themselves, there are also control systems that can be used to program and control the lighting effects. As mentioned above with the cables, some lighting control systems use DMX (Digital Multiplex) technology, which allows for precise control over the individual lights and effects. This enables lighting designers to create complex lighting shows with synchronized lighting effects, color changes, and other visual elements.

An important note: Most modern lighting uses LED technology which is far more efficient than old-school incandescent lighting. LED lights use about 80% less energy (which really helps when you are limited on power) and functionally, they are much more capable of impressive lighting displays.

Power

With all the equipment you'll be using, you'll need plenty of power outlets. This may sound obvious, but you do need to make sure you have enough power available for everything that will be on stage with you. Power strips are a great way to ensure that you have enough power outlets for all your gear. They also help to protect your gear from power surges and other electrical issues.

You need to be aware of two specific pieces with regard to your power:

• First, you need to physically have enough outlets to be able to plug everything in.
• Second, you need to make sure that those outlets will actually supply enough power to everything you have on stage.

It's important to remember that power strips can become overloaded if too many devices are connected to them, which can cause them to malfunction or even start a fire. Use power strips in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and to avoid overloading them. It's also a good idea to regularly inspect power strips for signs of wear or damage and to replace them if necessary.

In conclusion, these are some of the essential equipment that every musician or performer needs on stage. Having the right gear can make all the difference in delivering a great performance. Remember to take care of your gear and ensure that it's in good working condition before each gig. With the right equipment and preparation, you can create a fantastic performance that will leave your audience wanting more.