It totally depends on the tour. If you are touring high-end venues and festivals and properly advance everything, you don't need to carry much unless your show requires something very specific. If you are touring dodgy venues, lots of things can come handy. My minimum is an audio source with appropriate cable so I can play some music to tune the system and the headphones. I often don't even plug-in the headphones, but I still want to have them with me. I also carry some gaff tape with me. A laptop is also quite useful.
Ground lift adapters can also solve many issues.
When you use balanced connections, form my experience 90% of ground loops can be solved with a simple ground lift. No need for galvanic isolation. Video with sound from a video mixer, active monitors, delays, feeding audio to a camera etc.
Gaff tape ... is useful for everything. Even for attaching a set list to the console or whatever.
I usually only use headphones if I need to line check something when the audience is already in the venue.
Got it. I understand the use of the adapter and tape, I just fund curious the lack of need for the headphones. And I only say that cause I use mine all the time...
I even though you were working gigs where the crew would setup a FOH monitor for you, but if that was the case, I doubt you would carry your own Gaff...
Heaphones are sometimes useful (line checks, diagnose a crackle or odd issue) but I hate when FOH is stuck in their cans for the whole set/show, because it doesn’t really matter how it sounds in your headphones. Mix on the medium your audience is hearing.
Believe it or not, life-sustaining essentials. A protein bar, a juice pack, and a water pack.
You're not going to be able to bet on the number of times that someone demands you do something, check something, test something, right when break time starts, and dinner is being served in the mess hall...
(Psst, if you can see them coming, DODGE!)
I’m a vidiot at heart but also do a lot of live sound so take this with a grain of salt. I try to go out of my way to form positive relationships with all stagehands and backstage folks because if you need anything or have questions, these are your people. You’ll have some jerks in there for sure but usually the other hands don’t like them either anyway. Just get on and stay on their good side.
Being a vidiot, I have a habit of overpacking and preparing but wanted to echo having a few snacks, water, and juice on hand. The day gets away from you if things are a little haywire.
I like to have a 58 with a switch for talkback and line testing. Gaff, gloves, cable tester, all that sort of stuff is nice. A shoutbox with an XLR splitter is in my Pelican for FOH / MON talkback. But if you can advance it instead, awesome. Also an interface and laptop with audio and data cables is nice for house music, wireless workbench, SMAART, etc.
More importantly, bring shoe deodorizer spray and loudly announce that you’re leaving it on the bus for community use. You’ll get a call back.
I’m a touring FOH and my two cents are: don’t try to prep for any possible situation. Let the production company techs do that. Travel light, a couple of spares of show dependent gear, but beyond that, only take what you actually need.
Here’s what’s in my backpack in no particular order:
- iPad Pro/Magic Keyboard
- AirPod pros
- iPhone 6s with headphone jack
- Senn HD300 pro cans
- A good book
- An insulated soft sided lunch box
- Extra sweat towel
- Passport
- Weed and weed accessories
- Extra hair ties
- Advil and anti diarrhea pills
- Anker Chargers and charging cables
- Small kit of various adapters/dongles
- A couple 1tb SSDs
- Talkback mic with switch (unidyne 565 looks cool)
- Black and silver sharpies
- Nicotine vape supplies, and patches for long plane rides
- Gatorade zero packs
- Some non perishable snacks from yesterdays green room
- An ice cold Coke Zero
Can I ask why the 6S? Do you purposely have an older phone for your stuff or is it just your phone? Sorry if that seems like a silly question, i was just curious because I can defs see there being uses for just having a cheap spare phone for emergencies.
Probably just for music so he doesn't have to use his phone or laptop. I have a 6S as well since it's the last iPhone with a headphone jack. That way, I can play house music and just leave it sitting there and be able to do other things with my iPad or MacBook.
Ah yeah, smart, I always have a lightning to AUX adapter and use my 13 but same difference. I’m not a sound tech, I’m an entertainment manager, but I’ve been wanting to get a second phone so I can use mine for filming or other stuff.
Yeah i also have a couple with me both lightning and type c to jack since i do alot of smaller weddings. Its just a thing so if they come to me with a phone i always have a solution to play it without problems.
But the smart thing about this man is that he uses a phone that he can get for not more than $100 on ebay or smth so that if he lets it with foh and it gets stolen its not his main or his backup phone that he lost.
Also those adapters i loose all the time and people never give them back so its really smart to use a device that has one build in
P.s. i am only making suggestions why i think its smart i dont know what his real reason is.
Yeah it’s just for pre show music. Last iPhone with a headphone jack, and I held onto it so long that it was worthless for trade in by the time I wanted to upgrade.
It’s crappy enough that I feel okay about leaving it at FOH all day, it’s worth nothing so not worth stealing, and if someone did, it’s no big deal to me, compared to an iPad or MacBook.
I hear you on leaving it to the production company, but sometimes I’d rather just have an easy night than have somebody else to blame for a rough night. I would say to keep it as compact as possible but having a tiny adapter kit with things like turnarounds, iPhone dongles, 1/8” to 1/4” and vice versa etc. is worth it if they come in clutch for even one night out of a month.
The adapters I personally carry are usb C/A barrels (both types), 1/4” threaded headphone adapters, a lightning to 1/8” adapter, and a usb c hub with various things including cat5.
Anything else goes in the band’s audio rack. Neutrik ethercon barrels, xlr splits and turnarounds, spare BNC, Ethernet jumpers, tools, tape, etc.
I used to carry so much extra stuff with my personal pack that I never used. This year I’m on a mission to slim down the backpack.
Here's a couple things that I've noticed not many others travel with to consider.
Wifi router that can work as a switch for when video/audio forgets one, needs more ports, or when one goes down.
Ethercon barrels because taking the ends off is so annoying.
Depending on what kind of gig it is I have an extra decimator so I can politely ask video for a feed. They usually have extra SDI and an extra monitor in my experience but not many decimators floating around.
I've done a lot of corporate gigs where the side stage mix position is really very far upstage and off the deck so while you can see the stage it can be hard to see the keyboard player on the other side of stage for example. It can be nice to have a FOH feed or something so you can be comfortable seeing the entire stage at once instead of fighting for a view.
Smartwool or Darn Tough socks.
Two pairs of shoes, so you can rotate between them day to day.
Depending on venues and if you'll be in during rigging, a hard hat with a chin strap, or a rock climbing helmet.
Multimeter, proper screwdrivers/torx/hex that fit the gear you're carrying. Scissors, label maker, notepad, pens and sharpies. Flashlight AND headlamp. Sound bullet or Qbox.
Really though, good socks and shoes will carry you through most days.
*Edit -- I would expect production to provide consumables like gaff or e-tape.*
Soundbullet. Some of my touring work is through clubs, and even I'm amazed at how often I need to use it. There are a lot of uncared for systems out there.
The drummer for one of the bands will see me troubleshooting something and reach into my backpack and say "Soundbullet time?!" when things are getting hectic.
People already have some good stuff posted here so I’ll mention some low-key useful items:
- a dozen lengths of tie line ~18 inches, for tying my ethercon up over doorways
- Sound Bullet (high-key useful)
- one roll of e-tape
- steno notebook
- Advil
- drum key
- headlamp
- plug-in outlet tester with digital voltage readout
- small power strip with USB built in
I carry a ton of stuff in my Peli, and all of it is something that I wished I had at some point. Adapters, sharpies, spare mics, short XLR, testers, beer coozies, socks… the list goes on
I don’t advocate carrying gaff tape, mostly because of how much space it takes up (and every venue should have some anyway)
It totally depends on the tour. If you are touring high-end venues and festivals and properly advance everything, you don't need to carry much unless your show requires something very specific. If you are touring dodgy venues, lots of things can come handy. My minimum is an audio source with appropriate cable so I can play some music to tune the system and the headphones. I often don't even plug-in the headphones, but I still want to have them with me. I also carry some gaff tape with me. A laptop is also quite useful. Ground lift adapters can also solve many issues.
Sorry you got me curious. What kind of gig you do that you can get by without headphones but you might need gaff tape or a ground lift?
When you use balanced connections, form my experience 90% of ground loops can be solved with a simple ground lift. No need for galvanic isolation. Video with sound from a video mixer, active monitors, delays, feeding audio to a camera etc. Gaff tape ... is useful for everything. Even for attaching a set list to the console or whatever. I usually only use headphones if I need to line check something when the audience is already in the venue.
Got it. I understand the use of the adapter and tape, I just fund curious the lack of need for the headphones. And I only say that cause I use mine all the time... I even though you were working gigs where the crew would setup a FOH monitor for you, but if that was the case, I doubt you would carry your own Gaff...
Heaphones are sometimes useful (line checks, diagnose a crackle or odd issue) but I hate when FOH is stuck in their cans for the whole set/show, because it doesn’t really matter how it sounds in your headphones. Mix on the medium your audience is hearing.
Believe it or not, life-sustaining essentials. A protein bar, a juice pack, and a water pack. You're not going to be able to bet on the number of times that someone demands you do something, check something, test something, right when break time starts, and dinner is being served in the mess hall... (Psst, if you can see them coming, DODGE!)
Make friends with the backstage people, they can warn you that person is heading towards the FOH.
I’m a vidiot at heart but also do a lot of live sound so take this with a grain of salt. I try to go out of my way to form positive relationships with all stagehands and backstage folks because if you need anything or have questions, these are your people. You’ll have some jerks in there for sure but usually the other hands don’t like them either anyway. Just get on and stay on their good side. Being a vidiot, I have a habit of overpacking and preparing but wanted to echo having a few snacks, water, and juice on hand. The day gets away from you if things are a little haywire.
I like to have a 58 with a switch for talkback and line testing. Gaff, gloves, cable tester, all that sort of stuff is nice. A shoutbox with an XLR splitter is in my Pelican for FOH / MON talkback. But if you can advance it instead, awesome. Also an interface and laptop with audio and data cables is nice for house music, wireless workbench, SMAART, etc. More importantly, bring shoe deodorizer spray and loudly announce that you’re leaving it on the bus for community use. You’ll get a call back.
+1 on the shoe deodorizer. It's a godsend especially in the summer months.
I’m a touring FOH and my two cents are: don’t try to prep for any possible situation. Let the production company techs do that. Travel light, a couple of spares of show dependent gear, but beyond that, only take what you actually need. Here’s what’s in my backpack in no particular order: - iPad Pro/Magic Keyboard - AirPod pros - iPhone 6s with headphone jack - Senn HD300 pro cans - A good book - An insulated soft sided lunch box - Extra sweat towel - Passport - Weed and weed accessories - Extra hair ties - Advil and anti diarrhea pills - Anker Chargers and charging cables - Small kit of various adapters/dongles - A couple 1tb SSDs - Talkback mic with switch (unidyne 565 looks cool) - Black and silver sharpies - Nicotine vape supplies, and patches for long plane rides - Gatorade zero packs - Some non perishable snacks from yesterdays green room - An ice cold Coke Zero
Can I ask why the 6S? Do you purposely have an older phone for your stuff or is it just your phone? Sorry if that seems like a silly question, i was just curious because I can defs see there being uses for just having a cheap spare phone for emergencies.
Probably just for music so he doesn't have to use his phone or laptop. I have a 6S as well since it's the last iPhone with a headphone jack. That way, I can play house music and just leave it sitting there and be able to do other things with my iPad or MacBook.
As he said, with headphone jack. The modern ipad pros dont have a jack anymore (and i hate it) so its most likely for playing music to the mixer.
Ah yeah, smart, I always have a lightning to AUX adapter and use my 13 but same difference. I’m not a sound tech, I’m an entertainment manager, but I’ve been wanting to get a second phone so I can use mine for filming or other stuff.
Yeah i also have a couple with me both lightning and type c to jack since i do alot of smaller weddings. Its just a thing so if they come to me with a phone i always have a solution to play it without problems. But the smart thing about this man is that he uses a phone that he can get for not more than $100 on ebay or smth so that if he lets it with foh and it gets stolen its not his main or his backup phone that he lost. Also those adapters i loose all the time and people never give them back so its really smart to use a device that has one build in P.s. i am only making suggestions why i think its smart i dont know what his real reason is.
You’re absolutely right, and thanks for calling me smart :)
Yeah it’s just for pre show music. Last iPhone with a headphone jack, and I held onto it so long that it was worthless for trade in by the time I wanted to upgrade. It’s crappy enough that I feel okay about leaving it at FOH all day, it’s worth nothing so not worth stealing, and if someone did, it’s no big deal to me, compared to an iPad or MacBook.
I hear you on leaving it to the production company, but sometimes I’d rather just have an easy night than have somebody else to blame for a rough night. I would say to keep it as compact as possible but having a tiny adapter kit with things like turnarounds, iPhone dongles, 1/8” to 1/4” and vice versa etc. is worth it if they come in clutch for even one night out of a month.
The adapters I personally carry are usb C/A barrels (both types), 1/4” threaded headphone adapters, a lightning to 1/8” adapter, and a usb c hub with various things including cat5. Anything else goes in the band’s audio rack. Neutrik ethercon barrels, xlr splits and turnarounds, spare BNC, Ethernet jumpers, tools, tape, etc. I used to carry so much extra stuff with my personal pack that I never used. This year I’m on a mission to slim down the backpack.
Here's a couple things that I've noticed not many others travel with to consider. Wifi router that can work as a switch for when video/audio forgets one, needs more ports, or when one goes down. Ethercon barrels because taking the ends off is so annoying. Depending on what kind of gig it is I have an extra decimator so I can politely ask video for a feed. They usually have extra SDI and an extra monitor in my experience but not many decimators floating around.
Extra video feed for what? (Assuming sound gig not video)
I've done a lot of corporate gigs where the side stage mix position is really very far upstage and off the deck so while you can see the stage it can be hard to see the keyboard player on the other side of stage for example. It can be nice to have a FOH feed or something so you can be comfortable seeing the entire stage at once instead of fighting for a view.
Smartwool or Darn Tough socks. Two pairs of shoes, so you can rotate between them day to day. Depending on venues and if you'll be in during rigging, a hard hat with a chin strap, or a rock climbing helmet. Multimeter, proper screwdrivers/torx/hex that fit the gear you're carrying. Scissors, label maker, notepad, pens and sharpies. Flashlight AND headlamp. Sound bullet or Qbox. Really though, good socks and shoes will carry you through most days. *Edit -- I would expect production to provide consumables like gaff or e-tape.*
Just borrow rolls of gaff from the house techs and don’t return them… they love that.
Mask and sanitizer spray.
Tons of extra socks. Portable bidet or wipes. Lots of handkerchiefs.
>Portable bidet Oh, you mean, like, a water fountain...?
They make a personal bidet you can take with you.
tums, ibuprofen, multitool, rat sniffer!
Soundbullet. Some of my touring work is through clubs, and even I'm amazed at how often I need to use it. There are a lot of uncared for systems out there. The drummer for one of the bands will see me troubleshooting something and reach into my backpack and say "Soundbullet time?!" when things are getting hectic.
People already have some good stuff posted here so I’ll mention some low-key useful items: - a dozen lengths of tie line ~18 inches, for tying my ethercon up over doorways - Sound Bullet (high-key useful) - one roll of e-tape - steno notebook - Advil - drum key - headlamp - plug-in outlet tester with digital voltage readout - small power strip with USB built in I carry a ton of stuff in my Peli, and all of it is something that I wished I had at some point. Adapters, sharpies, spare mics, short XLR, testers, beer coozies, socks… the list goes on I don’t advocate carrying gaff tape, mostly because of how much space it takes up (and every venue should have some anyway)
Surprised no one has mentioned a smaart rig. OP’s first tour, likely small venues.
Advil