How to dial in your KPA live sound?

    Hey Guys!


    My primary interest as a proud KPA owner has been home recording, however next year I may have the opportunity to play live with a band.


    For those of you who gig with the KPA, do you have any tips for dialing in your live sound? Is it just trial and error at the specific venue? Do you get it most of the way there at home through your studio monitors/guitar cab? Any major changes with output settings for playing live vs. at home?


    Also, are in-ear monitors pretty much standard for performing live today?


    Thanks in advance! :thumbup:

    Kevin

    Although I should fine-tune at one point , you should dial in the sounds at gig-level volumes.


    Go with your fav profile and tweak the amp settings , definition, clarity ...


    Guess that's the easiest way instead of going with eq'ing ?


    Raf

    Kemper stage with 2 mission pedals (in a Thon line 6 FBV case) and a Zilla 212 (K-100/V30) , SD powerstage 700 poweramp

    Like 1
    Quote from Roeffel

    you should dial in the sounds at gig-level volumes.

    That's the main point. Otherwise you will hear stuff differently. Search for Fletcher/Munson effect, consider it like the "loudness" switch on some hifi amplifiers. You will experience that rigs that sound good at low volume, i.e. at home, may sound harsh, too bright and/or too bassy at gig volume. It took me some time to figure out the beauty of some (commercial) profiles in my early Kemper times as I was just listening to them at home.


    Apart from that: If you have your go to rigs and settings you can prepare a lot at home. I do this quite often and only tweak minor things in the rehearsal room or even at the venue. For the latter I never needed more than some slight EQ settings in the Output section. If the Performances you use are well balanced and prepared it will go fine and the need for tweaking will be low. Basic advice: Try to play your set with the band a few times under gig conditions to get used to it.


    Personally I do not use In-Ears, I am happy with floor monitors or guitar cabs but I see that more and more people go for In-Ears. That's fine with the Kemper.

    Does anyone have the time to walk me thru selecting preset effects and using them in the preformance I have made. My computer skills are almost non-existent. I have managed to make a preformance with my limited abilities.

    Thx

    Eddie

    Quote from fsteddie061

    Does anyone have the time to walk me thru selecting preset effects and using them in the preformance I have made. My computer skills are almost non-existent. I have managed to make a preformance with my limited abilities.

    Thx

    Eddie

    My advice is to look through as many tutorial videos that you can:


    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGGZ01rd9e82wTUK406XVaw


    Many times each :)

    Kemper PowerRack |Kemper Stage| Rivera 4x12 V30 cab | Yamaha DXR10 pair | UA Apollo Twin Duo | Adam A7X | Cubase DAW
    Fender Telecaster 62 re-issue chambered mahogany | Kramer! (1988 or so...) | Gibson Les Paul R7 | Fender Stratocaster HBS-1 Classic Relic Custom Shop | LTD EC-1000 Evertune | 1988 Desert Yellow JEM

    I went through the same thing a couple of years ago. My solution was to get a pair of Neumann KH-120 studio monitors for my home studio. I tweaked the KPA at home through my monitors at a moderate volume and then tried it out on the gig. The sounds that I had tweaked at home were 98% perfect. The last 2% of the tweaking was done on the gigs. These were minor things like small volume and EQ changes. It took about 2 or 3 gigs, but my patches are perfect now and the soundman barely has to touch the volume levels on the guitar. I hope this helps.

    Quote from fsteddie061

    Does anyone have the time to walk me thru selecting preset effects and using them in the preformance I have made. My computer skills are almost non-existent. I have managed to make a preformance with my limited abilities.

    Thx

    Eddie

    Hi there : )

    Try this link and maybe you´ll find some helpful tips n´trix .... ( I did :) )

    https://www.kemper-amps.com/vi…orials#a-videos-tutorials

    The adjective for metal is metallic. But not so for iron ... which is ironic.

    I would advise:

    1) As said before you need to play at volume ( see point 3)

    2) If using a regular guitar cab but will go direct into the PA, audition profiles through FRFR speakers - guitar cabs colour the sound so much, you will not be able to dial in the FOH sound using them

    3) Test at rehearsal with the band - that is the only way to find out how you stand in the mix.

    4) Assume you will need to make tweaks


    IEM's are a different story. I do use them to save my hearing but they are isolating and I find I never get a great sound out of them. So yes you should aim to use them but I treat them like my back line sound - it is secondary to the FOH sound. As long as I can get on with the sound, I want the audience to have the best sound!