I'd thought it would be an interesting topic to hear about how Nh payers setup, breakdown, travel in between, to each job in one day. What tips and tricks do you use make it all happen day after day. Gear used, loading procedures, weather issues, etc.... I know for me when I do NH gigs I like to do one trip so my Rock n Roller KART is essential, although I still see people carrying keyboards under their arm with No case no Kart, & making numerous trips in & out stuffing everything in the trunk of a small vehicle also!!

Forgot to mention ....one day while leaving a NH I see a guy ROLLING in his Whole entire Rig on a custome made contraption, w/speakers, KB, etc.....
"ALL SET UP" already out of a Van down a ramp, into the facility.....in & out he just plugs in and he's ready!! awesome!

Just play the accordion...

I use a dolly that modifies into a L shaped unit. I set my Bose sub at the rear, then my bench upside down next to it. I use two smaller bungy chords to secure the two tall cases holding my Bose tower to the handle that I'll pull to move it. I then slide my kg in between the two upright towers cases and the one side of the piano bench. Then, I slide the bose base unit underneath the two legs of my bench, then attach another bungy chord into the handle of the bose bass case and one of the travel hooks on the underside of the kb case. There's a space for me to slide in my kb stand...I put 2 mic stands, upside down into one space, secured by a small bungy chord and my music pad pro goes in a corresponding space across from it. Finally, there's room at the end of the cart for me to slide in my equipment bag of cables, pedals, etc. and off I go. One trip in, one trip out.

I do this the same for each show, regardless if I do 1 or 4 in a day.

If its raining, I can load the cart while underneath the rear hatch of my mini van and cover the whole with a tart that I carry with me in the van all the time.

To load the cart-5 minutes
To unload it-5 minutes

General set up takes 15-20....tear down, about the same.

------------------
Bill in Dayton

I never worked a nursing home gig, but i'm really looking forward to it. I figure that i'll be the house musician at the one they put me in when my time comes, and i'll have my stuff all permanently setup and will never have to setup/breakdown again. Then when i die someone else will have to worry about it. Now that sounds like heaven on earth to me, can't wait! ;D

meantime I'm one of those guys described above who carries his kbd naked w/no case.
(saves a lot of $ on clothes bada boooom!!)
making 3 trips back and forth with other items. there's nothing healthier than walking, and it's much easier and actually much less time-consuming than putting everything into cases and stacking everything on a racknroll, making one trip, then unpacking and repacking. humans have this instinct of trying to "save" by carrying as much as possible instead of using their legs...from groceries to lumber to whatever they load/unload. hence all the
strains, sprains, falls, hernias, etc. just make more trips, walking more is GOOD for you.


------------------
Miami Mo

For nursing home type jobs..what can be easier than my set up?

V-stand in it's carry bag, BA330 self contained mixer/amp..and battery powered to boot, and Prelude in a wheeled lightweight bag..with all the accessories...Carry in one trip..right hand wheeling the Prelude, left-hand carrying the BA330, and the V-Stand with a shoulder strap..

Set up time, including unloading or loading time...less than 10 minutes...depending how far I am parked from the door..

If it is too much to carry for you youngsters....all fit easily on a R&R cart...just add another 5 minutes to use the cart..

Mo cases are a must for me...I hate abused equipment..and I want the next owner to have a clean well cared instrument...besides it shows to other folks that you are professional..

Mo, maybe that is why no one wants to trade you keyboards.....just kidding...well a little bit...

Fran maybe they don't want to trade because they know i got my E60 from you/Donny? just kidding. Look like a professional? a case makes you look like one? hmmm.. maybe i'll carry my mics in an attaché case, and of course i'll wear a derby with that. thanks for the heads-up, never realized people could be seeing me with a naked kb rolling on a folding handtruck, immediately setting up all my stuff without unpacking and not taking up the venue's space with my cases/rollercart and them thinking...
wow what an amateur, we won't call him again.

------------------
Miami Mo

Mo, at least...don't wrap the E-60 in an old plastic table cloth..

Guys ..you know what? Maybe I am doing it all wrong..

Don Mason uses a Executive high back chair to roll his equipment to the gig..and I have another friend that uses a wheel chair (yes..that kind of wheelchair)....and both of these guys couldn't be busier...

F/S a like new Rock and roll cart..
a lightly used carry bag w/ wheels for a 61 key board..
or trade for a wheelchair and assorted blankets...

Using my RockNRoller10, I load my X-stand and seat on one end and attach with an oversize bungee. The Compact extension bag goes over the X-stand arm. On the other end goes my equipment bag and L1 Compact base. There's just enough room in the middle to fit my s910. I roll in and set up, all in about five minutes. I do the reverse going out.

Does it look professional - hell yes! People have commented on how compact my equipment is and how quickly I can setup and tear down. I always use protective bags and covers when possible.

I have multiple rigs for back-to-back jobs. and, I play jobs that pay enough to pay my kids (one plays bass in my trio-the other works our DJ and mobile sound operation) to completely set up for the job. When they are finished with the first one, they go on to the second. I finish the first and we switch places. They tear the first one down while I'm on the second one. They're excellent sound techs, so they balance the sound for the room, plug in the Ipod for background/break music, etc...even choose which sound equipment is right for most of the gigs.

Multiple set-ups let me leave the B-3 and Rhodes in storage at the club where I use them, leave a 2nd unit at a restaurant/house job and still have two set-ups for back-to-back gigs. Of course, the equipment needs change. Sometimes, it's a small trio job with a 4 channel PA, a guitar, mike and bass and guitar amplifiers. Other times, it's TurboSound speakers, 24 channel board, 4000 watts of Crown power, 4 keyboards, three stringed instruments, 2 other amps...whatever it takes to do a party for 4-5000 at Keeneland Track, the Governors mansion, etc.

I don't do nursing homes and am a really active advocate for Federally regulated standards regarding staffing, accountability and care standards.

Look up the Federal ratings of the nursing homes you play regularly. You'll be shocked!

Russ

The first thing I do when I get to a gig if I never performed there before is to go inside and look at the room to see what I'm up against & gear I need for that gig...then after an assessment I make a decision what gear to bring in as I have four different setup options with me at all times.... I use a Rock & Roller 10 always for a one shot in & out & ALl my gear has padded covers.. I am right now in the process redesigning & reducing my rig once again with some new wiring ideas as we speak making it smaller & faster then it already is without sacrificing sound.

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 05-07-2010).]

I have a hand truck that forms into an L. I place my gig bag on the rear of the truck, my keyboard case lays on the base of the ht and gig bag. On top of that I place my Bose bass unit. Then my kb stand. On top of that I place my stool, and inside my stool I lay the Bose towers and mic stand. It takes me 10 minutes to set up and tear down. Unless I stop and talk to people, which is ofte, I can be rolling down the road 15 minutes after the job ends. As for weather, most all of these facilities have covered areas somewhere on the property.

Joe

I'm down to about 7 minutes for a setup everywhere I perform. Like DNJ, I also check out the room if it's a new venue, also look for the nearest electrical outlet and make sure it works.

Unlike some, I take everything to every job--I want to give them the best I have to offer. The only major change I've made in the past couple years has been switching to the Bose L1 Compact, which easily handles all of MY audiences. I posted a video of a typical setup prior to purchasing the L1 Compact, which can be found HERE

One of MY best assets for quicker setups is the custom-made console I designed and constructed. Not only does it serve as a lighted sign and laptop platform, it also hides all the wires on the back of the keyboard, and contains all the power supplies, surge strip, vocal processor and foot switches, all of which remain plugged in at all times. Sure makes life a lot easier.

Additionally, I no longer do jobs where I have to negotiate steps--I leave those jobs for the younger guys.

Cheers,

Gary

I too use an R10 R&Roller but I keep My Bose Compact and my seat in the van along with Mis's,stands,cables etc. I keep my big Bose,and stands set up in my studio. That way all I have to do is grab whichever kb I want and go. I also bought the shelf accessory for the R10 so one trip does it, no matter where I go.

Does anyone stand up when they do NH gigs.....?
i don't even take a stool anymore , one less thing to lug around as I sit very low and most standard chairs will suffice, or I add my folding Bingo Seat Cushion which really works great attached to any folding chair.