Solo artists and singer-songwriters with just a guitar can easily get an affordable setup. These singer-guitarists usually just need a small PA and a couple of guitar accessories and they’re ready to hit the road. We have a few suggestions for you.
The best gear for singer-guitarists
The professional life of solo artist with a guitar
In this article about gear for singer-guitarists, I’ll share my own experiences as a professional musician and as a singer with a guitar.
You play at weddings, churches, forests, and even at the beach. You play at the company event at the restaurant or the birthday party in the garden. For these different scenarios, it’s always good to be flexible. We need to be able to react quickly. The car is usually parked further away, and we need to be able to set up everything and take it down again quickly.
It’s even not uncommon to find there aren’t any power outlets available. Your sound should be clear but not too loud and intrusive, but you should also be able to play at party volume if needed. These are all pretty demanding tasks, and it took some time before I optimized my current equipment to the point where I felt confident and sure that I was fully equipped for almost any job. With this optimization, it’s now a much more enjoyable process and saves a lot of hassle.
Gear for singer-guitarists
I’ve put together a few suggestions for the best equipment for singer-guitarists. We hope these suggestions will help you make the best decision. I’m assuming you’ve got a good guitar, a good microphone, and quality cables. These are just parts of a bigger system, but I think the following hardware is among the best options and has been tested int real world scenarios.
Bose S1 Pro
The S1 Pro sounds fantastic, is lightweight, has a long-lasting battery, a 3-channel mixer with EQ, a reverb effect, and Bluetooth functionality. Just plug in your microphone and guitar, connect the tablet via Bluetooth, and you’re all set! No matter where I am or what the power supply situation is, I can count on this speaker to deliver. Its battery lasts for several hours, and the speaker is powerful enough in most situations.
Other options, like the EV Everse 8*, offer similar features. But there’s also a matching backpack for the Bose speaker. The Bose S1 Backpack* has plenty of room for cables, microphones, pedals, and more. It’s built to last and of the highest quality. Everything fits in and is always well-stowed. You can practically carry your complete sound system on your back.
L.R. Baggs Session Acoustic DI
If you’re looking for a way to get good sound on your acoustic guitar consistently, I suggest checking out the L.R. Baggs Session Acoustic DI* pedal. This pedal works great with almost all pickup systems. It optimizes the sound, makes it less sensitive to feedback, and has a mute/standby function. Plus, the 9 V block lasts forever.
If you’re already happy with the sound of your guitar, you probably don’t need the L.R. Baggs Session Acoustic DI. In my experience, though, it always improves the sound.
Always in tune
A clip tuner is a must-have to keep you in tune. I prefer the clip version to the floor tuner because no additional cables are necessary. You’ll notice again that I’m all about minimal effort with maximum benefit!
It’s best to choose a tuner that is very easy to read and responds quickly. I can recommend the TC Electronic PolyTune Clip Black Tuner*. But there are, of course, also alternatives. Here are a few suggestions:
Everything in view
I have to admit that I have trouble remembering hundreds of songs. Some songs you only play occasionally, while others don’t stick in your head. The only thing that helps is a tablet holder for your mic stand. If you still have good eyesight, use a phone holder.
I’ve found that I need a slightly larger format, so I’m looking at something like a small iPad. I use the K&M 19791 tablet PC holder*, which I permanently have attached to my microphone tripod. It’s very stable and holds your tablet securely. You can use it in either portrait or landscape format. For me, it’s another indispensable tool and definitely one of the most important pieces of equipment for singer-guitarists.
A little atmosphere, please!
Sometimes, it’s good to create a little atmosphere on stage. Often, you’re placed in a gloomy corner and feel a bit invisible. But how can you do that without needing to connect to electricity and putting in a lot of effort?
LED lighting with a rechargeable battery is a great solution. The Ape Labs LightCan V2 Set 4 G* set is a breeze to set up, provides gorgeous decorative light, brightens up every dark corner, and the battery lasts for hours. I also like the Varytec Giga Bar HEX 3 BAT.
Of course, lighting also means more effort, so returning to the car boot is unavoidable sometimes. But overall, I have the Bose Backpack on my back, so I’ve got the full sound system with all the pedals, mics, and cables. I’m also carrying the guitar case in one hand, and a microphone stand with a screwed-on tablet holder in the other. I can easily tuck a small bag for the proposed lighting under my arm.
We want to hear from you!
You probably already have some experience in this area. We’d love to hear about your favorite gear for singer-songwriters. My goal was to get the best results with the least effort. That means having good sound with a simple setup that works for any occasion. Here you go!
More on singer-guitarists
Originally published on Gearnews.de by Andreas Cordes. Translation by Julian Schmauch.
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