Last week I wrote about the idea of biography play, inspired by my next production - Ring of Fire. Today, I'm writing the impeding challenges of getting the show onstage - and this puppy is all about wireless.

In addition to wireless microphones, we also have 5 channels of in ear wireless, and the usual compliment of communications wireless headsets. A big part of our set-up and early checks have been focusing on the wireless spectrum and making sure we're not butting heads with ourselves - or with whatever else is in the air in Montgomery.

Back to mics... as for actor worn body mics - nothing unusual: there are only 10 including a spare... but nearly every instrument in show requires a wireless mic - including a host of acoustic and electric guitars, a stand up bass, a fiddle, a Dobro, an accordion, and a trumpet.

A trumpet? Yup. I have to be frank - I have yet to figure out that one, without branching into specialty microphones which, again to be frank, are outside of my budget range, if indeed we discover it needs it's own support.

An electric guitar or an acoustic guitar with a pick-up are pretty straight forward, and a set-up I've done many times. In this case, we'll use a quarter inch cable to TA4F (mini-female four pin connector) that's compatible with our Shure wireless microphones. The 1/4" end of the cable plugs into the 1/4" jack on the guitar, and the wireless pack rides clipped to or in a pouch attached to the guitar's strap. The same applies to the Dobro.

A traditional acoustic guitar without a pick-up gets a little more interesting. The wireless pack rig is the same, but instead of a 1/4" connector, a traditional mic element has to be rigged to the guitar. I've done this before, but it can be tricky to make sure that the finish on the guitar isn't marred or damaged, or that the mic element doesn't get in the way of either the string vibration or the guitarist's strumming hand. We'll see how we do when we begin tech this weekend!

The stand-up bass made me nervous, but ended up being almost a simple as a guitar. Our bass player's bass has a pick-up, and he has reinforced the bridge of his base with a baffle. The wireless pack tucks right into the baffle, and the cable snakes to the front of the bass to plug in.

Our fiddler has a tricked out fiddle with a pick-up and 1/4" jack - the trick in this case is where the pack goes, since fiddles don't generally come with straps. For rehearsals he's been putting the pack in a shirt pocket. We'll have to rig something else for performance since one of his costumes doesn't have a breast pocket. Something for the pre-tech to do list.

I've also never had the experience of putting a microphone on an accordion - but with a strap it's a little less challanging than the fiddle - or the trumpet

Yeah... I'll have to let you know how that goes.

Until next time cats and kittens,

Cheers!

~R