How do you position your amp for gigs?

[Jonny D]

Just saw a guy who placed it sitting on its back pointing straight up. Never seen that before.

I personally point mine at a 45 degree angle to the crowd at one of the corners of the stage if at all possible.

 

[TheBuffalo]

Point mine right at me, I have a small amp that's mic'd so I gotta hear myself. And it doesn't beam into the crowd

 

[Greentone]

Usually on the floor in my vicinity. Not like it matters by the time the sound guy makes it loud enough for the drunks to hear.

 

[csseemat]

Timely question, I'm trying to figure out the same thing... I'm sure a lot of it has to do with type/power of the amp, is it mic'd or carrying the room, speaker compliment full/half stack vs combo amp, size of the room you're playing etc. I'm currently playing through a Delta Blues which has a single 15, unmic-d in hole in the wall biker bars. Beam is something I really need to figure out. What may sound great to my ears on stage sounds all kinds of ice-pickish right in front of the amp. I know 15's beam more than 12s do... Last gig I had it kicked back on an amp stand aiming just about at my upper back level. Went out as far as my coily cord would let me go and it sounded much better than it did when it was sitting flat. I've toyed with turning the amp completely around or possibly getting a shield to help with the beam, then there's the whole beam blocker vs doughnuts debate. So I'm anxious to hear peoples replies as well!

 

[hitchcaster]

it really depends on the situation.. first find the soundguy booth, don't point it at him.. usually i try and get it on the side and pointed a bit sideways so its not really pointed at anyone if possible.. the tilting thing effects the sound in a bad way IMO, esp putting on its back, bad idea for tone, but some pro's do it.. depending on what you have to work with on stage it can get tricky... if your stuck in the middle and can't turn the amp so its facing the front corner the of the stage, then i usually do a ghetto baffle which also works great.. put a pedalboard case, or guitar case in front of the speaker so it blocks the beam, whatever you got... in a pinch even a soft guitar gigbag over just part of the speaker takes the edge off so you can push the amp and have no gig buzzkilling complaints mid show... ive got the clearsonic baffles which i use sometimes but usually it stays home cause of the extra hassle and no gains for me from ghetto style but rule #1 never point it at the soundguys head, he is your enemy ;-)

 

[Dewey Decibel]

Tilt bag legs! Points the amp up at you so you get a more accurate sense of what's coming out of it, and also helps prevent you from beaming the audience.

 

[dbun]

backstage in an ISO box

 

[Abandoned]

On its feet, on the ground, pointed directly at me.

 

[Phletch]

Un-mic'd most of the time, cab facing backward so I can get the amp up on the pipe and not kill the front row or the drunks on the floor.

 

[Dewey Decibel]

On its feet, on the ground, pointed directly at me.

If that's the case it's not pointed directly at you so much as pointed directly at your ankles.

 

[Jonny D]

I personally also use a Delta Blues quite a bit and tried a Weber Beam Blocker and while it did help with the beam problem, it just did something to the amp sound that I didn't like. It wasn't terrible, but it felt like it affected clarity.

 

[rockon1]

Like this(when I can). Bob

 

[Jonny D]

I had my daughter make a beam blocker like that out of thin foam we had sitting. She enjoyed the project and it worked pretty well.

 

[naveed211]

Really depended on the amp, but most times on the floor pointing straight out. If the amp wasn't very loud or didn't project very well, I would sometimes have it on a stand, but I actually don't think I've ever angled it up.

 

[nmiller]

If that's the case it's not pointed directly at you so much as pointed directly at your ankles.

That's fine as long as I can hear it and the audience can hear it.

 

[Lullabies]

Usually I am mic'd so I don't need to worry about hearing myself as I come through the monitors and I can usually hear my amp well. I just place it anywhere and face it towards the front of the stage.

Facing it straight up sounds interesting... Would be good with a beamy amp

 

[MJ Slaughter]

On a shallow stage with the audience close I use a little baffle I made with ozite on the speaker side. Keeps from beaming into anyone's ears and I can hear better. Larger, deep stages in good size venues I'll bring a large cabinet for the back line and not worry about it.

 

[Lullabies]

On a shallow stage with the audience close I use a little baffle I made with ozite on the speaker side. Keeps from beaming into anyone's ears and I can hear better. Larger, deep stages in good size venues I'll bring a large cabinet for the back line and not worry about it.

Smart!

 

[Silent Sound]

Point mine right at me, I have a small amp that's mic'd so I gotta hear myself. And it doesn't beam into the crowd

Even if I don't have mine mic'ed, I always point it to my head. I gotta be able to hear myself above all the other noise going on, and that's the simplest way to do it! Plus, it keeps me from turning up too loud. Being too quiet has never been a problem for me.

 

[jpage]

Behind a plexi shield. Best gear addition I think I've ever made.