Musicians’ gear minimalism-benefits of smart gigging

Introduction

In the world of frequent gigging, every detail matters. No other factors have such a significant impact on gigging as the size, weight, and amount of musical gear we bring. Compact musical instruments and PA setups are being introduced every day. Many musicians are surprised by how small and lightweight gear can sound these days. The musical instruments field is rapidly embracing modern technology not only to make gear smaller and lighter but also better sounding than before. Let musicians’ gear minimalism be your new way of gigging!

As with other fields of interest, there is an addiction associated with owning endless amounts of musical instrument gear as well. One guitar leads to another and another, and another…

In this article, we will list the main benefits of gigging with smaller, and less gear, but not sacrificing quality in any way.

1. Weight – The first rule of Musicians’ gear minimalism

Hauling heavy gear day after day, night after night, upstairs-downstairs. It almost sounds like a Motown hit from the late seventies, except it’s not, it’s someone’s reality.

Some musicians just can’t get rid of the huge gear they’ve accumulated over the years. It is a different story for a band that is lucky to have roadies who do all the heavy lifting but for the “ordinary” gigger it can become an exhausting task to do this on an everyday basis. Add that you may be over 50 to the equation and you will have trouble in the future if not already now.

Playing gigs itself is already an activity that can get you tired, let alone all the work involved before and after the gigs. So, downsizing your gear is a logical transformation for any musician looking to gig easily.

New technologies are making this transformation towards lighter gear possible more than ever, in every segment of musical gear.

Neodymium speakers are the biggest factor contributing to lighter gear. They can be found in guitar and bass cabinets, PA speakers, and stage monitors. So anywhere there are speakers involved, look for a model with neodymium magnet speakers for a lightweight solution. Or, why not build a cabinet yourself? Light guitar speakers are now easy to find.

Everyone loves the sound of a Fender Twin or Deluxe, but for everyday use try either a Fender Blues Junior or something completely different like a Quilter amp. Quilter amps are solid-state amps but sound as close as it gets to a good ol’ tube amp.

With lighter gear – your back will be grateful.

2. Size

Size is tightly related to weight, so anything that weighs less than the standard version is probably smaller in size as well. Some things like speaker enclosure size dictates the size of speaker cabinets but new technology brings us cabs that have less depth than before.

Public address systems are constantly evolving, so now we have line array and column speakers instead of bulky speakers that used to stack up to the roof of concert arenas.

Bass amps have become incredibly small. Check out the Baby Sumo from Guitar Sound Systems – GSS. It’s possible to have a multi-effects processor and an amp simulator in a box the size of an ordinary stompbox.

One of the best things about small musical gear is that it will fit and stack in your car or van much easier. Also, you will have much more space on stage, while setting up and performing.

3. Faster setup and teardown

Time is essential when preparing for a live gig. Less time spent on setup and teardown means more time for other activities. Soundcheck will be much more fluid and stressless when you know that your band has enough time to fix anything that can go wrong.

Because of smaller and less gear, there will also be fewer cables to mess with during setup and teardown. You don’t have to mic the drum kit with 7 mics for small gigs. 2 or 3 can do the job if played correctly.

Compact all-in-one PA column systems like the Mackie SRM-Flex Portable Column PA System can really streamline your setups. Small stagebox-type mixers controlled with tablets are not only much smaller than standard mixing consoles but reduce soundcheck time as well.

One more thing. When not gigging, you have to store your equipment somewhere, best somewhere at home right? Imagine the difference between storing huge amounts of gear in one of your rooms (or more) and a compact rig consisting of only one good small amp and a compact effects unit. Ok, we guitarists are addicted to pedals, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a small, but effective pedalboard. If using pedals for gigs never, I mean never connect your pedals together during setup, even if it’s only 2 or 3 pedals. Build a tiny pedalboard, it will save you time.

4. Ease of transportation – Portability

Opting for smaller music gear is essential when gigging frequently. Compact PA and instrument setups are much lighter than classic setups, making load-outs and load-ins easier than ever. Smaller and less gear means no need for driving huge vans or multiple cars to gigs.

Portability doesn’t only mean it will be easier transporting gear from home to the venue. When you arrive at the venue’s site you won’t always be able to get close as you would like to. We all know how hard it is to get that huge Marshall to the second floor. You don’t need to struggle with bulky gear. There are other types of amps that can sound fantastic as well, or maybe you even take the amp simulator path.

5. Additional time.

You will have much more time for things not related to gear setup and teardown like: 

• soundcheck
• changing clothes
• having dinner
• discussing the new setlist

All this bonus time we get due to smaller and less gear gives us the advantage to focus more on the creative, artistic part of the gig. This means your shows will get better and the chances of stressful situations will be reduced to a minimum.

6. Financial

When going the minimalistic route, cost-effectiveness is a big plus. Having less gear in most situations will reduce the amount of money spent. But there is a nice thing about it. You can use the same or a bit less of the same amount of money calculated for buying standard-sized gear to buy top-notch equipment that often is even higher quality than their larger counterparts. Small and lightweight new gear often is pricey and of the best possible quality and uses the newest technology available.

Since you will probably be dwelling with smaller price tags, in the end, you should be left with some additional finances than expected from purchasing classic gig gear. This helps us buy even better personal musical instruments or other PA gear needed. In short, it’s a win-win situation.

7. technological advances

By buying new extra small and lightweight musical instrument gear with musicians’ gear minimalism in mind, you are embracing new technology. This is because it would not be possible to produce such small but powerful and light equipment without the most recent technology being applied.

New materials like neodymium for speaker magnets makes speakers lighter and smaller. ABS plastic for speaker cabinets makes PA speakers like the QSC K8.2 sound better and last longer due to its long life and lasting durability characteristics.

The incorporation of digital technology into gear has totally changed the way musical instruments’ are made. The flexibility and portability of modern units with digital amps and processors is not comparable with standard gear in terms of ease of use.

A great example of this is where many church organs are now using sampled sounds instead of real pipes.

8. Easy playing in small venues

No more “we can’t fit on this stage” or “this stage is too small”. When using smaller gear your band band becomes adaptable to all kinds of venues, no matter what size or shape the stage is. Some coffee shops just can’t move that vintage-looking piece of furniture that makes it almost impossible for the bass player to place all the gear. Compact gear will make these types of venues pop up in your gig calendar, no problem at all!

Now you can play all the venues: large festivals, local pubs, and the smallest coffee shops.

Smaller gear is highly adaptable to various venue sizes. Whether you’re playing an intimate acoustic set in a cozy coffee shop or rocking out on a larger stage, compact equipment ensures that your sound remains balanced and controlled. This versatility opens up a world of opportunities, allowing musicians to confidently take on gigs of all shapes and sizes.

9. Energy efficiency

Smaller gear usually means less power is needed to run it. This is not just a benefit for us but for the environment as well.

Modern gear is more energy-efficient than older gear per se, even without talking about smaller gear. Nowadays you can produce 100dB of sound with less needed power than before.

10. Better interaction with audience

When playing with compact PAs and musical instruments there is a more intimate connection between the band and the audience. Thanks to the reduced physical barrier the concert experience can drastically change for the better. Musicians’ gear minimalism will change your gigs for the better.

11. Creativity boom

Dealing with less and smaller gear gives you more time for other things. But not only time is important.

The state of mind of a musician who is not too tired all the time is the kind we should always try to achieve. When you’re relaxed and calm, satisfied with how the gear is being setup fast and seamless, you will play great shows. And during those shows, slowly, you will start to notice that you are improving certain nuances you’ve never noticed before while playing. This is what it’s all about – creativity. In the end, performing gigs is a form of art, so using smaller gear can be a huge benefit.

conclusion

Now that we have covered the biggest benefits of musician’s gear minimalism, you may have noticed that the benefits are extremely correlated.

The main physical benefits, size and weight, automatically give us all the other benefits, since they are a natural post-effect.

This isn’t just for gigging artists. Even hobby musicians can benefit from smaller and less gear. Instead of focusing on all the pieces of equipment you have, you will become more creative. Try out this text: The benefits of gear minimalism.

It’s not all about practicality. Embracing small musical gear will dramatically change your gigging experience. You will not get exhausted as with standard bulky gear, so you will automatically have a better connection with your playing, and in the end, with your audience.