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Author Topic: Load Out advice - Mic cable winding  (Read 33971 times)

brian maddox

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Re: Load Out advice - Mic cable winding
« Reply #50 on: February 25, 2012, 10:07:45 AM »

I have never really understood this fascination with the resistor code. I guess because they had to learn it in middle school shop class people feel inclined to use it.

I don't really think it is all that hard to look at a 10 foot coiled cable and a 20 foot coiled cable and tell which is longer.

Also , in practice, I don't want help coiling cables. Any time saved by the help is usually lost on the next show when I have to uncoil them.

actually, resistor color code is just handy because a lot of people know it.  when i worked at a sound company i had no electronics background, so i just learned it as i went.  but in a larger rig, it's invaluable, because no matter what length cable you are trying to label, there is a way to color code it that anyone else in the shop can understand.  from a practical standpoint, nearly our entire inventory was one of 4 colors [20', 40', 60', 100'] but there were plenty of oddballs, and i could tell their length instantly by looking at the color code.

your point about telling the difference is true.  if you've got only 2 or 3 lengths and 2 or 3 types of cable.  but when your mic cable box pack takes 80 cables of various lengths, it's very handy to be able to look into the pile and grab what you need by color.  it's also nice to be able to tell a stage hand that 'all the red ones go in this box, all the yellow ones in that one'.  but that's all stuff that may or may not apply to a smaller operation...
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Jonathan Johnson

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Re: Load Out advice - Mic cable winding
« Reply #51 on: February 26, 2012, 01:43:29 AM »

The original poster quoth:

The longest part of load out at the end of the night is winding mic cables. I work alone and this seems to be 80% it. I was thinking of winding in groups, i.e. front stage mics and monitors (jbl prx) and backstage mics and monitors (jbl prx ) Does anyone have other suggestions which could save me some time at the end of the night with that part of the tear down? It's not feasible right now to hire more RELIABLE help.

John

I just had this vision of a very large drum (as in winch, not as in bass) in the back of the truck, with a single lead to the FOH console. At the end of the night, you hit "go" (don't bother unplugging anything) and it just starts winding things up and five minutes later your truck is loaded.

You'd better hope your next gig is at the city landfill, as with such a system that's where all your gear is headed anyway.

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Jordan Wolf

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Re: Load Out advice - Mic cable winding
« Reply #52 on: February 26, 2012, 02:55:25 AM »

I've worked with people who do the mic cable reel thing, and I just don't get it.
Same here.

Quote
C'mon people, just learn how to wrap cables! Take some home and practice if you have to. Heck, while you're at it, grab a hunk of rope and practice how to tie a bowline.
I think it's worthwhile to learn the clove hitch also...especially handy for attaching tie line to your cables (at the male end, please...unless you're making DMX), as compared to the velcro that I (and my corpy-work ties) hate so much.  It should also be stated that bare ends of tie line should be melted or knotted to prevent fraying.
« Last Edit: February 26, 2012, 03:14:20 AM by Jordan Wolf »
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chris johnson

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Re: Load Out advice - Mic cable winding
« Reply #53 on: February 26, 2012, 05:21:43 AM »

i use wrapping up cable time as my ME time to reflect on the evening.
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Charlie Zureki

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Re: Load Out advice - Mic cable winding
« Reply #54 on: February 26, 2012, 07:04:48 AM »

i use wrapping up cable time as my ME time to reflect on the evening.

  I use cable wrapping time to pass on the cable wrapping to people that need more practice wrapping cables. ;)

  Hammer
 
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Stu McDoniel

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Re: Load Out advice - Mic cable winding
« Reply #55 on: February 26, 2012, 10:11:23 AM »

actually, resistor color code is just handy because a lot of people know it.  when i worked at a sound company i had no electronics background, so i just learned it as i went.  but in a larger rig, it's invaluable, because no matter what length cable you are trying to label, there is a way to color code it that anyone else in the shop can understand.  from a practical standpoint, nearly our entire inventory was one of 4 colors [20', 40', 60', 100'] but there were plenty of oddballs, and i could tell their length instantly by looking at the color code.

your point about telling the difference is true.  if you've got only 2 or 3 lengths and 2 or 3 types of cable.  but when your mic cable box pack takes 80 cables of various lengths, it's very handy to be able to look into the pile and grab what you need by color.  it's also nice to be able to tell a stage hand that 'all the red ones go in this box, all the yellow ones in that one'.  but that's all stuff that may or may not apply to a smaller operation...
It is stamped on my brain from College and somehow I think I will never forget

Bad Beer Rots Our Young Guts But Vodka Goes Well

Black, Brown, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Green, White
 
0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

Lots of videos on wrapping mic cables online
However, I LOVE this little bungy Idea!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSyeRajAFXU

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Mark G. Hinge

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Re: Load Out advice - Mic cable winding
« Reply #56 on: February 26, 2012, 04:01:19 PM »

  I use cable wrapping time to pass on the cable wrapping to people that need more practice wrapping cables. ;)

  Hammer

 :)


Interesting thread, and lots of good ideas for me to think about.  I’m just a small-timer, and now-days just provide for my band, past, and newly-forming, but I’m going to have a new cable situation, so I’m looking for ideas. 

I do find wrapping cables somewhat therapeutic.  And I really don’t like others wrapping them, and I hate when I’m wrapping over/under and the cable doesn’t cooperate because someone did the hand-elbow thing. 

Tearing down, I’d also try to clear everything off the stage so there's little left but the cables, which makes it easier, and less tendency to yank on one when it’s caught on something. 

I use a BIC white-out pen (I love those things), like a ball-point thing to write the actual length on the cable end and on the black Velcro ties, which makes it easy to read in the dark. 

(I like those BIC white-out pens for marking things that are dark-colored; easy to read in the dark, sticks well and lasts long, but still removable if you want to without damaging the surface.)

I just used a big plastic tool box to store them in, and although not light, could be carried with one hand.  Electrical and speaker cables would be in different boxes, or course.

But long-story-short, I lost all my band PA gear, and the band broke up, so I’m starting all over with both.  I’m gonna need a lot of new cables, and I need to get real organized, because I’m going from all passive to all active mains and monitors (4), from FOH mixer/processing/snake to a StudioLive 16.4.2 on stage with me, and from acoustic drums to acoustic with Gen 16 cymbals and gonna add triggers to the drums, so everything is going to be very different for me. 

And with my EWI XLRs gone, I have to replace them and add for all the active speakers/monitors. 

As these new pieces are coming in, I’m replacing the music/rehearsal stuff with the new stuff so I can get used to them and figure out what I need.

Because of the powered speakers, I’m also having to figure out the power cables… I did order a couple Ninja 24-guage 25’ cables with an outlet every 5’… I hope that was the right thing to do.

Okay, I know I kinda went beyond the subject… just sharing, and don’t want to start a new thread about my needs.    :D

Marko

« Last Edit: February 26, 2012, 05:40:24 PM by Mark G. Hinge »
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Chris Chambers

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Re: Load Out advice - Mic cable winding
« Reply #57 on: February 26, 2012, 05:35:29 PM »

:)


Interesting thread, and lots of good ideas for me to think about.  I’m just a small-timer, and now-days just provide for my band, past, and newly-forming, but I’m going to have a new cable situation, so I’m looking for ideas. 

I do find wrapping cables somewhat therapeutic.  And I really don’t like others wrapping them, and I hate when I’m wrapping over/under and the cable doesn’t cooperate because someone did the hand-elbow thing. 

Tearing down, I’d also try to clear everything off the stage so there's little left but the cables, which makes it easier, and less tendency to yank on one when it’s caught on something. 

I use a BIC white-out pen (I love those things), like a ball-point thing to write the actual length on the cable end and on the black Velcro ties, which makes it easy to read in the dark. 

(I like those BIC white-out pens for marking things that are dark-colored; easy to read in the dark, sticks well and lasts long, but still removable if you want to without damaging the surface.)

I just used a big plastic tool box to store them in, and although not light, could be carried with one hand.  Electrical and speaker cables would be in different boxes, or course.

But long-story-short, I lost all my band PA gear, and the band broke up, so I’m starting all over with both.  I’m gonna need a lot of new cables, and I need to get real organized, because I’m going from all passive to all active mains and monitors (3), from FOH mixer/processing/snake to a StudioLive 16.4.2 on stage with me, and from acoustic drums to acoustic with Gen 16 cymbals and gonna add triggers to the drums, so everything is going to be very different for me. 

And with my EWI XLRs gone, I have to replace them and add for all the active speakers/monitors. 

As these new pieces are coming in, I’m replacing the music/rehearsal stuff with the new stuff so I can get used to them and figure out what I need.

Because of the powered speakers, I’m also having to figure out the power cables… I did order a couple Ninja 24-guage 25’ cables with an outlet every 5’… I hope that was the right thing to do.

Okay, I know I kinda went beyond the subject… just sharing, and don’t want to start a new thread about my needs.    :D

Marko
I like your idea for the white out - ill try it

Kenny Deal

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Re: Load Out advice - Mic cable winding
« Reply #58 on: February 26, 2012, 10:35:35 PM »

It is stamped on my brain from College and somehow I think I will never forget

Bad Beer Rots Our Young Guts But Vodka Goes Well

Black, Brown, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Green, White
 
0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

Lots of videos on wrapping mic cables online
However, I LOVE this little bungy Idea!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSyeRajAFXU
lol...
I was 10 yrs old when my father (TV repairman)taught it to me...
Bad Boys Rape Our Young Girls But Violet Give Willingly...
Nice...huh..
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Kenny Deal

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Re: Load Out advice - Mic cable winding
« Reply #59 on: February 26, 2012, 10:37:51 PM »

I used to just roll them up on my arm and then wrap a little around itself and plug it into itself  like an extension cord until I found out that is not good for the cables. The guy showed me how to wrap them and coil them so they are in a perfect circle and plugged back into themselves but I was never able to do it again. I just use the velcro thingys now.
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ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Load Out advice - Mic cable winding
« Reply #59 on: February 26, 2012, 10:37:51 PM »


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