Playing Shadows with minimal equipment

[nivramarvin]

A few weeks ago I was engaged in theatrical performances in restaurants ("tavern theater") to provide musical accompaniment to the breaks. I only played instrumentals for electric guitar (from "Amapola" to "Yellow Jacket"). To keep the effort to a minimum, I used software instruments instead of real hardware: AmpliTube on my iPhone for the guitar sounds and Traktor DJ on my iPad for the backing tracks. All the equipment – apart from the guitar and a small active monitor – fit into a cloth bag so that I only had to walk once from the car to the restaurant: adapter for the iPhone (iRig HD2), volume pedal, blueboard for remote control and a few cables.

The software AmpliTube CS (which was free) allows 4 effects before the virtual amp and two after the amp. I achieve an approximate "shadows sound" with the Vox emulation "Brit Copper 30TB", the effects are optionally added: NoiseGate, Compressor "DCOMP", a mild Fender Overdrive and two or three "Fender Tape Echo" connected in series for the multitap echoes. For most of the other songs I use a Mesa Boogie Mk.4 emulation with the following effects: NoiseGate, Compressor, Fulltone OCD Distortion, Chorus, Fender Tape Echo and AmpliTube Reverb.

In addition to the 4 foot switches, the AmpliTube Blueboard has two connections for external pedals, which unfortunately do not work for me.

[GuitarPhil]

Nice setlist and it's great how you have got the gear to a fine art

Phil.