Just recently purchased a Beat Buddy and getting my head round the software and footwork. I’m just wondering about the different ways people are connecting it to PA’s.
I will be using it for the first time live in a venue which has its own PA system and monitors. How am I best plugging in to that?
I normally have a DI’d acoustic so I’d probably want the Beat Buddy on a separate channel. Will I need a DI for the Beat Buddy or are there other options? What does everyone else do?
I hear I need a volume pedal for the BB too or some other device to control its fiestier moments!
I run mine directly into my mixer using a standard 1/4" cable. Basically treat the BB like you would a keyboard that’s not using an amp. BTW, it sounds AMAZING through a PA directly!
Thanks for the reply! So, is it a balanced signal that comes out of the Beat Buddy? Just as the desk would be a long way away, I’m worrying about possible hum. Do you have the same problem as some about having different volumes for different drum sets and tracks?
I don’t think it’s balanced, but my mixer is right next to me. I don’t really have much problem different volumes, but I only use one drum kit for everything, since I only do the “with bass” songs. Also, the mixer is right by me, so I can easily adjust it. A direct box would most likely be the best scenario.
Is there someone manning the front of house mixer? If there is, and there are enough channels, I’d just direct box the BB and let the sound guy control the volumes. I play a 1 person show, and I run everything direct into a small mixer and out of that into powered PA speakers.
If the front of house is unmanned, and simply the point of insertion for the music, a small mixer to control your volumes would be nice.
I use a behringer mixer like this. [ATTACH]1342[/ATTACH]
My guitar is both electric and acoustic, so I had two instrument channels anyway. I run the beat buddy out of the acoustic channel since it likes full range anyway. I run my vocals into a harmonizer pedal, then into ch 1. ch 2 is a guest vocal mic. 3/4 is my electric guitar, and 5/6 is my acoustic guitar/beatbuddy. I have a small Pandora guitar multi effects thing that i use to put a touch of reverb on the vocals, and I run either a phone or tablet into the line in for interset music. That little old mixer sure gets a workout! But everything is there at my right elbow for ease of control!
[ATTACH=full]1343[/ATTACH]
That’s certainly is quite a workout for that little mixer. In this case I’m pretty sure there’s a sound engineer FOH, but that set up would definitely work on some of my other gigs. Now I’ve just gotta figure out midi and make myself some songs with Bass!
Ended up getting a Whirlwind podDi as it has volume pots to adjust for each track and can double up for ipod background music when we are having a break. .The ground lift is a lifesaver on it!