Every level of player uses backlines, from the smallest stages to the biggest. Here, SIR Chicago sets up a backline for Bettye LaVette before she opened for the Rolling Stones at Soldier Field.
At some point in your gigging life, you can likely expect to run into a situation where you’ll be plugging into a pre-arranged backline. A backline, as defined by the production pros we spoke with for this article, is essentially all the equipment that you, as a band, need to play a show. It’s usually either provided by the promoter that has hired you to play, or you’ve provided a backline supplier with a rider that lays out exactly what your band needs to execute your set just the way you want. But that latter situation is usually reserved for bands that are already operating with quite a bit of success. If you’re just starting out and you don’t have the dough behind you to have a supplier set you up for every gig, it’s more likely that the first time you run into questions about backline will be in the context of a festival or showcase.
Case Jumper, the live events manager of backline supply company and rehearsal studio Soundcheck Nashville, lays out the way things go down for the Country Music Association’s summer extravaganza, CMA Fest.
“We do five small stages of backline, then we do the River Stage, which is a larger package, and then we do Nissan Stadium,” Jumper says. “So, on the smallest stages, CMA says, ‘Look, we need something where bands can come up, play, get off, and get the next band on in 30 minutes.’ It has to be a very quick turnaround, and that means that it has to be things that people are going to play and use. So for something like CMA Fest, on the small stages, you’re probably going to get a Nord keyboard. There’s going to be a Fender Twin, there’s going to be a Vox AC30, there’s going to be a [Fender] Deluxe [Reverb], and then there’s going to be probably a Gallien-Krueger bass rig, and then an assorted drum kit with cymbals. I give them those specs, and then they use that in their advance with bands. With something like the River Stage, which is still that same format of ‘quick-on, quick-off,’ but it’s a little bit larger scale, we up it. There are multiple key rigs but also a Hammond B3 and Leslie, and a pretty giant drum set. Sometimes we do a grand piano, and then the amp range goes more. So there’re Peavey Nashville 400s, there’s a Marshall JCM900 rig. There are Voxes, Twins, maybe some Deluxes, probably a Roland KC-550 keyboard amp. It just becomes a larger thing. For the stadium, we basically build it out per band. Then we get into specifics of riders, where we’re doing exactly what they’re asking for.”Here are some of the most common pieces you’ll see on backlines in Nashville. Do you know how your guitar and effects rig sounds through them?
Vox AC30
Fender Twin Reverb
Fender Deluxe Reverb
Marshall JCM900
Gallien-Krueger bass amp
Peavey Nashville 400
Nord keyboards
Hammond B3 organ
“For the stadium, we basically build it out per band. Then we get into specifics of riders, where we’re doing exactly what they’re asking for,” says Soundcheck Nashville’s Case Jumper.
Photo by Case Jumper
The equipment provided in a backline changes in every situation, but generally a band can expect that, onstage, they’ll be provided amplifiers, drums, and microphones. Depending on your needs, you might also have a keyboard and keyboard amp, and some stands. Generally it’s up to your band to bring your guitars, basses, pedals, and your drummer’s breakables, plus snare drum. But because the situation differs with every gig, it’s best to have an in-depth conversation with whoever is providing backline so that no one is left high and dry without the gear they need to get through the show. Some things get overlooked more than others. When we asked Jumper to tell us the most important thing for guitarists and bassists to remember about dealing with backlines, he immediately provided a pro tip: “Bring your cables!” And capos, he adds.
When it comes to the specific amp brands and models that one might expect from a typical backline which has been put together without artist input, Jumper notes a few common examples. In Nashville, AC30s, Twins, and Deluxe Reverbs are nearly ubiquitous. In Los Angeles, players might be more likely to find Marshall and Mesa/Boogie rigs. “Depending on what the sound of the area is, I think that dictates which amps you’re going to use,” says Jumper. “Bass rigs are another prime example. Ampeg SVT rigs may be more prevalent in Nashville, where Aguilar might be more prevalent in New York and L.A. And maybe Gallien-Krueger and some of the more funk rigs are more prevalent in Atlanta. Then Texas is its own market. It’s such a mix.”
It’s a good idea to figure out how your rig interacts with Fender Twin Reverbs, because you’ll encounter plenty of them on backline gigs.
Photo courtesy of Fender
Vox AC30s come up often in Jumper’s responses, for good reason. He notes that they’re incredibly versatile, which makes them great for many situations.
"You can go very clean, but very loud, still [with an AC30],” he says. “And then it works well, because most players are coming in with a pedalboard system. So while some old-school, L.A.-type players might still use the gain structures from a Marshall head or a Mesa head, most of the people are doing that all internally now.”
On that note, Jumper has noticed that in Nashville many players have been moving away from guitar amps altogether and opting instead for modelers and profilers like Kempers and Fractals.
“It’s a unit, much like a keyboard, where you say, ‘I’m looking for this particular sound,’ and you can plug in and it’ll get you very close to that sound,” says Jumper. “So maybe you’re a touring guy, and you’re having to do lots of flights—instead of trying to work with a backline company to make sure they have all your exact amps in every city, you might invest in a Kemper, and outfit the Kemper to sound exactly like you want. That way you’re just rolling into every venue with an SKB case instead of wondering what you’re gonna get.”
If you’re a backlinin’ bass player, you should probably know your way around Gallien-Krueger amps, like these Legacy 800 heads.
Photo by J.B. Stuart, SIR Phoenix
It’s worth pointing out, too, that every company is different, and some backline providers don’t necessarily advise clients about what they should use in specific situations, or build one-size-fits-all sort of packages. Some companies, like Studio Instrument Rentals [SIR] in New York, work pretty much strictly with equipment riders provided by bands or promoters, putting together their preferences exactly. So it’s also best to know exactly what you might need to ask for if you know you’ll be in a situation where backline rentals will make up a large part of your on-stage gear.
The best way to get that in order is by writing out an equipment rider. Jumper notes that it’s important to keep that rider constantly updated in order to avoid unnecessary confusion come gig day, pointing out that plenty of artists just forget to update riders after they’ve made changes in their sound.
An equipment rider is exactly what it sounds like—a document that very clearly lays out all the gear you’ll need to play a show. It will certainly contain the number of pieces per gear you’ll need (e.g. two guitar amps, one bass amp, etc.), but it should also note preferred brands and models, as well as brands and models that will work if your preferred amps are not available; wattage and power specifications; sizes of speakers; drums and drum sizes; and microphone preferences, if you have them. Essentially, you want to get down to the nitty-gritty of what must be on stage to pull off a great show. With a detailed equipment rider, backline pros can solve problems more quickly, giving them the tools they need to improvise when your preferred amp or mic isn’t available locally.
Do you have an equipment rider and stage plot for your band? Those are the first steps to getting ready for pulling together your own backline.
Photo by William O’Leary, SIR New York
Another document that works either alone or in tandem with a detailed equipment rider is the stage plot. As noted above, it’s not necessarily common that you’ll run into a situation where you’re able to simply ask for everything you want. But you will definitely wind up in situations where a stage manager needs to know how to set everything up. The stage plot is a visual document that indicates how gear should be arranged. This should include the placement for microphones, amps, drums, keyboards, and any other instruments, helping a stage manager quickly discern where band members will be standing or sitting.
If you’ve got any worries about your potential backline situation, or communication with the promoter leaves you with more questions than answers, it might help to generally expect workhorse gear. As Jumper says, in this part of show business, reliability is key—the aforementioned AC30s and Fender Twins are reliable, as are solid-state bass rigs. So it’s likely that you’ll encounter this gear on the regular. It could be a good idea to get familiar with these pieces and how your specific rig interacts with them.
And, of course, if you do get the privilege of working directly with a backline supplier, clear and friendly communication goes a long way to making sure your big gig goes off without a hitch.
“When people are coming to Soundcheck, I want them to ask how I can help them make their event, whether it be a festival or one-off, run as smoothly as possible from a backline perspective,” Jumper says. “I obviously can’t run it all, but I can make it so our gear is not faulty, you know—we’re not the chain that breaks. That allows artists to focus on whatever else they’re having to worry about. They know that Soundcheck is always going to provide top quality equipment, and they’re always going to provide people to make sure it works right.”
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 | Download Example 1 ZenTone 7 6V6, 1/4" direct out: Bass 5, Mid 5, Treb 7, bright switch on, Master 6, Gain 4 - single stage, then low-drive dual stage, then high-drive dual; Fender Contemporary Telecaster, bridge S/C; |
| Download Example 2 ZenTone 7 EL84 1/4" direct out: Bass 3, Mid 3, Treb 5, Bright switch, Gain 4 - first single stage, then low-drive dual; Duesenberg MC Signature, first bridge humbucker, then neck P-90. |
| Download Example 3 ZenTone7 EL34, 1/4" direct out: Bass, Mid, Treb 9/10; Master 8; Gain 10, high-drive dual stage gain; Gibson LP Studio, bridge pickup; |
| Recorded in Sound Studio on a MacBook Pro using Digidesign MBox. | |
Ideally suited as a studio tool that can also serve as a practice amp with a low-power mode (for tube tone and a nice overdrive at bedroom volumes), the amp is essentially a digitally-controlled device with an all-tube signal path, and offers a great deal of flexibility in terms of applications. Very clever. In addition to a 4- or 8-ohm speaker out, it offers both unbalanced 1/4” and balanced XLR direct outs with an internal speaker load and speaker emulation, so you if you don’t want to hook up a cab and mic it, you can run it right into your interface. If you want to use it on stage, you can send the XLR direct to the board and use the speaker out for an onstage monitor, or use the unbalanced direct out into a clean power amp for a high-volume rig. Talk about flexibility.
In addition to any of the several types of preamp tubes (12AX7, 12AT7, 12AU7, and so on), the octal tube socket also accepts 6V6, 6L6, EL34 and KT77 output tubes without the need for rebiasing. This makes tube substitution is as easy as it could be—a hefty bonus that makes it useful for yet another application, as a convenient tone-testing platform for various members of your tube collection.
Controls
At first glance, the front control panel presents a traditional layout, with On/Off and Standby switches, Gain and Master volume controls, and 3-band tone stack of Bass, Mid, and Treble— the Preset control being the only unusual element. The controls are digital, supplying the first twist on traditional here: rather than rolling free through their ranges, each knob has discrete settings as you turn, and an LED readout to let you know where you are in the rotation. There are 16 possible settings for both gain and volume, and 8 each for the tone controls. This design choice offers very precise tone shaping potential, even if it is an unusual way to operate an amp of this type. The second twist on traditional control panels lies in the fact that each knob also functions as a push-button switch for an additional feature: the Master volume control knob doubles as a switch for triode/ pentode operation; pushing in the Treble control knob selects between EL84 or octal tube output; the Mid knob is also bright switch; the Bass, a low-power switch; and the Gain knob controls switching between a single stage preamp, and “low drive” or “high drive” dual-stage preamp.
This is where the clever design of the amp really shows itself. It keeps the visual presentation of options to a minimum, while laying out all the possibilities in one place, leaving the ears and fingers to wander easily through the tonal territory. While it isn’t perfectly intuitive, it is logical and well designed; you don’t have to memorize a manual, or negotiate a mess of switches and gizmos.
As I mentioned, the amp did require some time, and fiddling, to get the hang of—and to find the tones best suited to each of the different guitars I plugged into it: a Fender Contemporary Tele, a Nash S-63, a Duesenberg MC Signature, and an all-mahogany Gibson LP Studio. The good news is that all that fiddling need not be repeated. Once you’ve dialed a tone you find especially likeable, you need only to push the Preset button twice to assign it to any of the 64 available preset locations.
Running through a single 12” FluxTone speaker cabinet, the amp puts out plenty of sound for practice or rehearsal. With the Tele, it served up bright, warm cleans using the 6V6, and the 3-band EQ allowed a solid range of control over the thickness of single notes and strummed chords. With single-coil pickups, I found myself gravitating toward the dual-stage preamp settings, as they were a little meatier, less anemic. Notched Strat-tones were particularly gratifying in the “low drive” stage with the EL84 output selected—just the right mixture of grit and chime for a terrific blues tone that went from thick and kind of jangly to a fat grind with warm, sweet sustain by using nothing but the guitar’s volume knob.
The single-state preamp setting did turn out to be very useful for smooth, mellow clean tones from the Gibson’s BurstBuckers and the Deusenberg’s P-90 and Grand Vintage humbucker. And, after switching out the 6V6 output tube with an EL34, setting the “low drive” Gain about halfway and cranking the Master, the ZenTone did a pretty decent imitation of a much bigger, British-style amp—albeit at much lower volume. I did find myself wishing for just a bit more of the richness and harmonic complexity that a great Class A amp can deliver, but I was nevertheless quite impressed with the ZenTone’s tonal range and precise tone shaping ability.
Recording the amp is a breeze—I ran the unbalanced line out directly into an Mbox, and was immediately rewarded with same tonal range and quality I’d heard through the external speaker. The addition of a line level control to the tone-shaping resources of the front panel made it perfectly easy to dial in just the right amount for any mix. We didn’t have the opportunity to test the balanced XLR output (which is hot) to a mixing board; the Mbox was unable to handle it without experiencing harsh clipping of the line-level input, even on low settings. That said, if you have concerns about the ZenTone 7’s compatibility with your setup or your interface, it’s probably worth contacting Backline Engineering to check with them.
The Final Mojo
The ZenTone 7 is not your ordinary low-power tube amp. While it’s not going to give you exactly the same level of touch sensitivity and tonal vividness as a high-end, handwired EL84 amp, it’s as good at what it does as anything I’ve played recently. If you’re looking to outfit a small home studio, want to avoid creating noise problems for the neighbors, and prefer a range of very useful functions over the perfect solution for one, specific application, the ZenTone 7 provides a great deal of them in a small, well-designed package.
Buy if...
You want a flexible studio tool that's packed with tones and easily adapted to practice, recording and performance applications.
Skip if...
You need the best boutique amp tone money can buy.
Rating...
MSRP $995 - Backline Engineering - backline-eng.com |
