First live gig with the Kemper..

  • Not too long and I will use my Kemper for the first time live on stage.
    Sure there have been many discussions here about this issue but I would like some kind of "rules" for anyone who uses his Kemper for the first time live.


    Please share your expirience.


    1.What are your "guidelines" for the "be sure to have taken care about" of the technical side;I guess most of you guys use their Kemper live with the main outputs FOH while they have a seperate monitor/controller or a 1x12 guitar cab close to them.So please list all your personal tips and "cautions" ie input,output,caps,volume level for different kind of rigs like clean,overdrive;Influence of different guitars,changing guitars "on the fly" etc..Your "personal check list" would be fine as an example.


    2.What has been your biggest "problem" or "handicap" using your Kemper live.From small venues to bigger stages;


    3.What was the reaction of the different venues sound engineers when "confronted" with the profiler;Any comment or objection from that side of the stage that led you to do something different on the next gig;


    Sorry when this issue has been alraeyd discussed in any other thread.

  • For your chosen set up:
    1A)In OUTPUT, disconnect the Main Outs from the Output knob. This will allow you to change the Monitor Level without affecting the Main Output level.
    1B) Set your Main Outs to -15db. This will prevent overloading the input of the FOH mixer.


    2) I was already using a digital processor with a FRFR monitor, so my only adjustment was enjoying better sounds :)


    3) Most Sound Engineers in my geographical area are professionals - they are open to what the performer needs, so they are flexible and cooperative. The ones that have never seen a KPA before usually tell me at the end of a show how surprised they were with how it sounds. The ones who HAVE seen one before say "Great - you have one of those, too!".

  • Most importantly. Keep a USB stick in your Kemper or very handy, which has a couple complete current backups on it. This way, if weirdness starts happening at a gig, you can reload the backup as a last resort.


    My KPA is rack-mounted, and i keep a USB stick in it at all times, with current backups. Saved me at least once.

  • Relax, you got the best gear possible behind you! Don't worry about your tone for once lol.
    Never trust a new sound guy, go out wireless and double check what he's got you coming through the mix and recheck often..
    Set up different banks/patches for how different venues can affect your sound, not just EQ but effects. Set up one bank for how you like your sound, another set for rooms where you might want to add or subtract dynamics such as delay reverb, etc
    I don't have different inputs saved for my other guitars, if I change guitars live I don't want to go to my Kemper and start making changes (especially when I break strings}, instead I use patches and banks that my other guitar likes with my current Input settings (clean sense, dist sense).

  • @Nikos: How have you monitored yourself up to now? Make sure you use a dedicated monitor you like and that you're accustomed to at gig levels (I use a DXR10). It is most important that this very sound is good and inspirational to you.
    For everything else refer to the post of @paults.

  • Thank you all for your usefull tips.


    @Ingolf
    I will go in the future for some Atomic or Yamaha-controller as I have seen that most of you guys are very happy with them.But right now and in the next months (with banks still closed/limited access) I am thinking about other monitor solutions.Using some of my tube amps as monitor is ofcourse out of question.But I have an old Axsys212 which has an aux-input going straight to the power amp/2x12 eminence-speakers.


    If I dont find some thing better (which is very likely in the next days and weeks) I will give it a try with this setup.Till yet I used my KPA only at home checking the sounds with my tannoys.


    Again,thank you all for your answers.Keep it coming.

  • I send stereo from XLR main outputs to mixer during rehearsal, and we wear headphones during rehearsal, with no amps. I was thinking about going with mono signal to FOH for the first show, because having to mix two channels might be needlessly complex for FOH engineer. Thoughts? Is anyone else running stereo live? I'm doing my first Kemper show one a week from tomorrow.


    For monitoring the Kemper I picked up Samson XP112 powered speaker for $99, on clearance, at Fryes. I did have a DXR15, but returned it, because I felt like it was overkill, although it did sound very nice. I listened to all the powered speakers in a live gear room at Guitar Center before originally choosing the Yamaha that I purchased and later returned. Honestly, the Samson sounds every bit as beefy and awesome to me with the Kemper, and I don't have buyers' remorse about the $700 monitor any more. I really just need a decent sounding FRFR to monitor my guitar, and don't need an 1100 watt audiophile-class PA cabinet to accomplish that.


    The XP112 as has a single XLR thru output. which I was planning to connect to the board for FOH, rather than connecting directly to the Kemper, which is the other reason I was leaning towards mono for live.

  • I've completely gone away from stereo after many years trying to get it right at every show. It's great for that one guy standing in that one right spot in the house, the rest only get half my chorus, delay, etc, until 20 more people show up, then it's some other guy in a different spot. I could never find Waldo either or maybe my eyes just got tired. Go mono and go back to relaxing before shows lol.

  • I've completely gone away from stereo after many years trying to get it right at every show. It's great for that one guy standing in that one right spot in the house, the rest only get half my chorus, delay, etc, until 20 more people show up, then it's some other guy in a different spot. I could never find Waldo either or maybe my eyes just got tired. Go mono and go back to relaxing before shows lol.


    Thanks for the additional perspective!

  • I've completely gone away from stereo after many years trying to get it right at every show. It's great for that one guy standing in that one right spot in the house, the rest only get half my chorus, delay, etc, until 20 more people show up, then it's some other guy in a different spot. I could never find Waldo either or maybe my eyes just got tired. Go mono and go back to relaxing before shows lol.

    This is so true. I use mono FOH, so monitor out and stereo for my IEMs (main outs) plus I can use the space effect for my IEMs

  • Another + for -15dBm and mono-out for live use. The exception is those few times that I know there is a soundman who is concious about the issues with stereo signals, and who uses a mixing-console that doesn't blend stereo-signals into a horrible mess in monitors and other mono-destinations. This is one of the things that very few digital consoles get right. One can only hope that the implementations will improve.

  • Another + for -15dBm and mono-out for live use. The exception is those few times that I know there is a soundman who is concious about the issues with stereo signals, and who uses a mixing-console that doesn't blend stereo-signals into a horrible mess in monitors and other mono-destinations. This is one of the things that very few digital consoles get right. One can only hope that the implementations will improve.


    Excellent information. I am planning to run main out, in mono, to FOH console and monitor out to my FRFR. How do you set up XLR main outputs to run a mono signal? ...and does the above sound like a plan? I read elsewhere that Ingolf said main outs run same signal out of left and right, except for stereo effects, delay reverb, ect. Do I need to set up the output section a certain way to optimize how I am sending mono signal to board?

  • I only have one 30-minute set under my belt with the KPA so far. So while I'm no expert on the subject, I can share my experience as a cautionary tale.


    There were two sound guys running the board, and both were "one can short of a six-pack" if you catch my drift. When I brought my rig onstage they both cocked their head to the left in confusion. This was a bad sign. I spent about five minutes explaining my rig: "I don't need a microphone, this monitor is for my own personal use only, just take that XLR cable and let me plug it into my direct out please."


    We got no sound check. Another bad sign.


    It's a good thing I brought a monitor, because three notes into the first song I could tell there was a problem. There were no less than seven monitors at the front of the stage, and my guitar wasn't coming out of any of them. Halfway through the song both sound guys came up and removed my vocal mic and placed it in front of the bass cabinet that I was resting my rack upon. Guess what? That didn't work.


    When the first song ended the sound guys came up on stage, pointed at my monitor, and asked, "are you coming out of that?" I said yes, but I am also coming out of the direct out where I plugged that XLR cable you gave me." They both looked at each other, then back to me and said, "we're going to mic this monitor." I said, "why would you need to do that when I am coming out of the direct outputs right into the board?" Puzzled, they went back to the board and discovered they never turned the gain up on my channel.


    Anyway, I am not sure what you'll get from this story except maybe a few laughs. But never again will I perform without a cursory sound check.

    Husband, Father, Pajama Enthusiast