Wedding gig this Saturday

[Robert]

A gal contacted me, wanting acoustic guitar for her wedding. It's a Van Morrison tune, and I can't do it using only guitar.

So, here is my plan. Use my laptop with Guitar Pro to play a backing track, while I play the melody on acoustic.

My laptop has fairly good speaker, and I think it should sound loud and good enough. The other benefit is I won't have to worry about power - the battery on my laptop lasts for 3 hours.

What do you think?

 

[Spudman]

Take the looper. You'll need more than a laptop for amplification. Remember at a wedding there are a lot of noisy people looking to have a good time and talk and party. You'll need some volume because they will certainly want you to play more than the one song. Besides it's free food and booze for a few tunes.

1 long extension cord
1 outlet strip
1 guitar (or more)
1 looper
1 laptop
1 Vox amph
misc adapters
aspirin (it's a wedding remember)

 

[Robert]

Well I am playing this one song when they are leaving the altar. It shouldn't be that noisy of a crowd then, should it? Initially they wanted only acoustic, not even amplified. I am thinking I can use the laptop and play my acoustic through my Vox Valvetronix. Hmm, maybe I can put the laptop through the amp too somehow...?

 

[Spudman]

That's what the adapters are for. Doesn't that amph have a CD or aux input?
How big is the wedding? If it is around 100 or less you might be OK without the gear.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Laptop into aux in of the amph, or even just put the backer on an iPod/mp3 player and aux in, then guitar into the amph too. You could bring the laptop, but if you just put your backer on your mp3 player, why do so? The laptop speakers are decent, but I do think it won't carry over the noise of even a small crowd. As they leave the ceremony, everyone will be whispering to each other about this and that at least. You will need to cut through a little. If it is mid ceremony and they are leaving the altar, maybe you could get away with your lap top speakers, but using your amph like a PA and an acoustic guitar amph should be nicer I think.

 

[evenkeel]

If you've not played with a backing track it might be tough first go around. Like playing with a metronome you have to be spot on. But I suspect you've done this before.

I'm not sure the sound from the laptop will be loud enough and may bit a bit unnatural. Also the speakers in lap tops are pretty "dry". Running it all thru an amp seems better. Can you add a bit of "colouring" if needed? Chorus, reverb, etc.. What are the room acoustics like? Assuming it's in a church the hard pews, floors and solid walls might make the need for amplification minimal IF the crowd is fairly small.

 

[Robert]

I'll see if I can export the song as an MP3 and load it in my looper pedal. It's at a church and how many people are there I have no idea about.

I have played with lots of backing tracks, I think I will be okay there.

 

[Spudman]

Call the church. They might have a house system.

 

[Robert]

Well, I made it. There was a girl playing piano music, as everyone were being seated. I tried to play with her, but she had never played with anyone and it was not easy for her. I just tried to stay in the background.

Then, my moment came. I had my laptop going into my amp - the backing track was loaded and I pressed play. NO SOUND! Arrgh! After a mini heart attack, I wiggled some cables and 15 seconds later I was in business again. Phew! From there on, it was just smooth sailing, but I nearly slit my own throat there for a moment. It was a cable connector thingy (from 1/4 inch to head phone style plug) that obviously had some issues. I tried a few minutes earlier and it worked, so it was a shock that it didn't work when the big moment came.

Oh well, hardly anyone noticed, and once I got going, it sounded just swell and dandy.

They were happy with the music, and I got a ride with the father of the groom to the bank, so he could get me my money. End of story. It ended well.

 

[warren0728]

good job robert....as a former wedding photographer (man i do not miss shooting weddings) if that is all that happened and you got paid in cash!! it was a good wedding day! :beer:

ww

 

[evenkeel]

Robert,
Nicely done. :bravo: :bravo: Sounds like a good save. Just curious, what was the VM tune you played? Lots of Van stuff would be "wedding appropriate".

 

[Robert]

Thanks - These Are The Days, and Have I Told You Lately.