Laptop for Gigs

[Jacqui]

I am thinking of trying a Laptop PC for my daytime gigs, I am currently using Mini Disc's and a full size MD player, with a small 200 watt PA.

I wanted to know if -
1.The type of laptop makes much difference, ie memory and hard drive size?,
2. Does it matter what soundcard it has, is the standard one OK, I will be using MP3 files which I will import from my main PC?
3. What software for selecting and playing files and setting up a playlist.
4. I would need auto pause between tracks, I read an article
www.hitsquad.com/vocal/post-6377.html on this site the last post by audiophile, it sounds very difficult to set the tracks up to auto pause, would any one know about that feature it appears to be the Win amp software they are using.
5. I enquired in a Music shop a while back and was told it was best not to use the laptop for anything else, not have other programmes installed like virus checkers and email

Any advise please
Jacqui

[JohnG]

Hi Jacqui,

Just my few cents worth, as long as the laptop is reasonable and plays without glitches normally it should be fine. It could be running something as early as Windows 98, or 2000, it doesn't have to be ultra fast for playing back mp3s.

Hard drive size probably won't make too much difference either, maybe a PC with a 20 or 40 GB drive should do, just as long as it's big enough to hold the operating system and WinAmp (or whatever) and all your mp3s.

Sound card? The sound chips in laptops are NOT noted for their performance just the low cost. I would take a look at a PCMCIA card like the Indigo Echo i/o or DJ. Check that the drivers it comes with will work with whatever laptop and version of Windows you use. I use one of these and it plugs right into the laptop with just a little box sticking out of the side.

One thing you may have to invest in is a good double insulated power supply for the laptop. Many three pin (i.e. earthed) power supplies can cause an "earth loop" mains hum in the mixer. A good quality, properly insulated two pin supply (where the earth pin is made of plastic on the plug) should prevent this. I'll look it up for you. OR a DI box that has an earth lift is an even better way.

Essentially all the guy is doing is creating a folder full of the files he wants to play at the gig in the right order by changing the file name (adding 01, 02, 03, etc.) at the front so they are listed consecutively in the order he wants them. Then he has the directory open in WinAmp in front of him and by hitting send the first song is sent to WinAmp to be added to the playlist. It plays the one song then stops. He moves the pointer down in the directory (one press of down arrow I imagine) and when he is ready hits send again. And so the next song is put in the playlist and plays, then stops because again there are no more songs in the playlist. And so on.

A bit of a cludge but it sounds as if it should work fine.

I use an old laptop running Realplayer to play mp3s, sometimes for hours without a glitch, it is a Pentium 750 with 256 meg RAM and a 20 GB disk drive running windows 2k. The only thing that makes it glitch is the virus checker and any other things that run in the background. So an old PC that is stripped down of all software should do just fine.

In order to prevent it falling off wherever you're going to put it, stick some velcro to the bottom and the other piece to the stand or box it's going on. Accidents do happen!

All I can think of at the moment, but I'll give it more thought.
All the best,
JohnG.

[kenja]

Hi Jaqui
You can get auto pause with Winamp though you need to search the setup menu to put it into effect. It's not actually called "Auto-pause". I cant remember exactly as it's a while since I used it and in any case I prefer WMP.

If you don't have a playlist you don't need auto-pause. What you should do is as follows:

1. Get all your tracks in easily searchable order directory-wise (use Windows Explorer). If you want a playlist then make one up in a new directory and not in your player be it Winamp or WMP. You then use this directory only at the gig and select from it as you like.
2. Set up MiniLyrics add-on to embed in the player (if you want lyrics to show as an aide-memoire at the gig)
3. Play all your tracks so that Minilyrics gets all the lyrica down from the web, then edit as you like and save them.
4. At the gig, have your playlist directory open, select the track and press enter. the track will play and the lyrics will show. At the end of the track the player will stop.
The only un-automated part is right now as you need to press ALT + F4 to exit the player and go back to the playlist directory. Not difficult really as it can be done with the left hand only.
5. Cursor to the next track and start again.

SIMPLES TCHTKT!

As far as I know, with mp3 files, the sound card type doesn't make much difference.

Hope this helps.

Ken

[shanless]

Could you just not load a list of songs in VanBascos Playlist in the order that you think you will need them?....maybe I'm talkin through me a*se...but I've tried it and it works fine...provided you have sorted the key and tempo out in another program and saved the track first.
Pausing could be done on the 'main features' of the player.....

the only thing I would be concerned about....if it was me....would be how professional it would look. I use two mini disc player mounted in a purpose built 'cabinet' which also houses my mixer desk and 2500watt amp.
I pride myself in both my setups.( I have another system for doing karaoke )....both look very professional and slick....no unsightly phono leads or extension boards................it's power lead in..speaker cables in...mic and guitar leads in ....and I'm ready to go.

[frank]

I use Windows 98 operating system with all accesories uninstalled.
It is stable and works well with Cakewalk 3,Van Brascoes and Win media player.

[Jacqui]

Thanks for all the help here guys, some great advise , I had not realized that you could get lyrics to show too
the Minilyrics gets all the lyrics down from the web, that Ken mentioned
this is something I had not heard of, I thought it was only karaoke files with CDG that showed the lyrics, so I am interested to find out about that feature.
Like you Kev for my eveining gigs, I use a Mini Disc player set up discreetly on a unit, but the Laptop thing, I am thinking of more for daytime gigs, when it's just a short time, most places I go people seem to be using a Laptop, and when I mentioned recently to someone I used Mini Discs, the reaction was as if I had said I was using a gramophone player LOL, but lots has been mentioned here which will be of great help, even the Velcro & power supply, things you don't think of till you put it into practice.

I don't think the vanbasco would help me as I have all my Midi files converted into MP3 already, and I don't think it plays those does it, but the winamp sounds like it would be fine, is that just the standard player, and would I need any extra plug In's with that?
Jacqui

[kenja]

Hi Jaqui

Minilyrics is an add-on for media players like Winamp or Windows Media Player. It's available to buy for about a tenner. Look it up on Google.
Once installed, whenever you play a track - doesn't matter what format - a box will come up to get the lyrics from the web. Often it will bring them up automatically but if not you just need to enter the right Artist name and Song title and do a search.
There are two types of file you will see - .lrc files which move with the song, a bit like vanbasco, and .txt files which are just static. When they come up, just save the version you want, you might want to edit it and synchronize it first, and then it will come up every time you play the song when not connected to the internet, as at a gig.
It takes time and effort but it surely is a good aide for those songs you do not perform regularly.
Just my opinion but you will find Windows Media Player a lot less fussy than Winamp and it is already on your computer.

Regards.........Ken

[moonie]

Hi Jacqui

Winamp rocks! I used it to play mp3's and could start and stop it, skip tracks and change volume all from my guitar midi controller pedal (hands free) could even swap windos and play "normal" mp3's for the break with Windows player...

Spend a little time with winamp and you'll love it..."Local Media" has a search function and if you add a "key" (ie: backing) to the title or as a tag just type in backing and all your tracks are listed in a flash, playlists are easy...also have a look in the "options" menu for "Global Hotkeys"...the pause function is under "options" / Playlist just check the box halfway down for "manual playlist advance"
Two points I would make for a laptop set-up though

1/ If you're gonna use it a lot buy an ARX USB DI box...connects to the laptop via USB and provides two balanced outputs (left & right)...this saves using the dodgey little audio connector on the laptop that is easily damadged and uses a isolating transformer so no more laptop buzz in the PA.

2/ Switch off all wireless connections and use wired only. I once did a gig and the midi's and the audio were speeding up and slowing down, did some research later to find out the builings "auto" airconditioning system was affecting it via the wireless!

Happy gigging
moonie

[Jacqui]

Thanks for the info moonie, I'm still transferring all my music onto my PC, as a lot of it is on mini Discs at the minute.

Switch off all wireless connections and use wired only
What do you mean here, would that include a wireless Mic plugged into the amp?
the midi's and the audio were speeding up and slowing down
Were you playing them from the PC or from an external player for that to happen?
Jacqui

[moonie]

Switch off all wireless = on the laptop for "connectivity"...so you don't want anything "talking" to the laptop that's not meant to... wireless mic is fine

Speeding up & slowing down = all my audio and midi tracks sped up or slowed down when played from the laptop!!! Took the laptop outside on batteries and no problem, came back to the stage...DOH!No back-up on hand...acoustic show...embarrassed to say the least!! Lesson learned...lol

I just keep my laptop in a roadcase now, power suppy cable tied in place with enough lenght to remove it and sit it on top of the rack, I have back up CD and mp3's on a cowon D2 (small high quality player) but the thing that keeps me with the laptop is the flexibility and ease to see things. AN example is the search feature of winamp, I was at a wedding last weekend and got the request during a break, can you put on some "Grease" so I type in Grease and about 2 seconds later Grease mega mix is playing...no fiddling in folders or scrambling for disks so they were happy and I went back to my beer!

Well hope that makes it a bit clearer for you...if you want to control the player via a pedal or keyboard try searching "Bomes midi translator" on google...it's the sweetest little program that "captures" sysx messages and then you assign "keystokes" (ie: spacebar) to that message. The result is you press a button and the player starts playing or whatever you told it to do.

[Jacqui]

Thanks Moonie, that all makes things pretty clear now.
Sounds like you've had plenty of experiences good and bad!

Cheers Jacqui

[klassicblak]

Hey Moonie, I have a question for you regarding your suggestion of using an ARX USB DI Box, I have sent you a PM.

Thanks
Chris

[Jacqui]

Just wanted to know what plug in is best to use if you want to play CDG files in winamp, and do any of them have a key changer?

[Rosybud1956]

Hi Jacqui, Check your PMs. Will email you with links. Oh maybe I can put 'em here.

Here's the cdg plug in link... www.winamp.com/plugin/cdg-plug-in/100775

Here's Pacemaker link............ www.winamp.com/plugin/pacemaker/12689

Pacemaker allows you to change key, tempo or pitch............
Feel free to email me for more help. Cheers Lyn

[weeo]

Hi Jacqui. I found this post from yourself from a while back.
After using minidisc for many years i'm thinking on changing to laptop.
I'd like to know how you got on when you changed and also the best programme to use , sound cards, any problems you had,etc.
At the moment i record from Cakewalk midifile through a Roland sound module to minidisc. I have used Audacity in the past for some small projects to transfer to mp3 , but i've heard that Audacity is maybe not the best programme to use.
I'd appreciate your comments, or anyone else who can advise on this.
As a PS-- when on holiday recently,a lot of the artists were using i-pads, but i don't think my eyesight would be good enough for that.
Regards
Eddie