In which I explain the importance of power conditioning...

So, you get to the gig, your rig is on point, you've dialed your tone for days, you got a great sound guy... Everything is perfect.

Then you turn on your amp.

Uh Oh...

You got the sixty cycle blues.

Ba Da Da Da Duh!
Your gear it's a humming,
Ba Da Da Da Duh,
Audience is a running,
Ba Da Da Da Duh,
Sound like a train is coming!
Ba Da Da Da Duh,
*Best blues growl
That noise it got me DOWN!
*Wicked solo that nobody hears, cause your rig is noisier than the hell.

Seriously.

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Here is what's happening:

The bar had some jackleg contractor set up their electrical, and the stage happens to share a wall with the kitchen... Which means it shares a circuit with an old freezer full of fried mushrooms, two coolers of lemons and celery sticks, and also for good measure about two dozen neon signs hung around the room. This is bad, and but just because it's unintended noise. It's also dangerous for your gear... That sweet multi effects pedal you just dropped five hundo on, yeah, an order of onion rings could be it's undoing.

Gigging is an unpredictable venture.

Kinda like that box of chocolates, you just never know...

That's where a good power conditioner comes in.

At the very least one of these little bad daddies from Furman should be an essential part of your rig. They cost around 40 bucks, got a fifteen foot lead on them, and have six surge protected outlets.

They will protect your gear from dangerous power, but sadly won't do much to clean up any power noise. For that you need something with active EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) filtration. You're probably going to spend at least sixty bones for that, Furman M8x2 comes to mind. Great little rack mount unit that has six outlets in the rear with wall wort spacing, and one on front.

You can get fancier versions of this, with lights, and such, but unless it has a voltage regulator, don't spend any more than sixty is my advice.

However, if you got a high end rig (mesa, diesel, orange, whatever ... If it cost a lot...) Then you probably want something with a voltage regulator.

You see, voltage isn't a steady thing. It fluctuates based on power infrastructure, and the draw of whatever else is on the circuit. A standard 110 outlet can deliver as much 120v, or as little as 90v give or take... A voltage regulator takes that power, stores it, and delivers your rig the steady voltage it craves. In the end, don't we all just crave a little stability?

A good conditioner with a voltage regulator is going to cost you somewhere around two hundred, but if your rig is worth more than ten times that, isn't that a small price to pay to protect it?

In summation:

Protect your gear, and your sound. You will see a definitive return on investment in a good power conditioner.

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• Disclaimer, I'm not a shill for Furman,. I've just been in the industry long enough to know the value of a good product.

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Find volume 1 here: https://steemit.com/steemitlocalmusicsociety/@mattie.b-leaver/sound-advice-with-mattie-b-volume-1

Image sources:
http://stbenedictstable.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/bluesman
https://www.google.com/search?safe=off&client=ms-android-americamovil-us&biw=360&bih=310&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=jr1OWY_VGYPTjAOi67v4Bw&q=stability+meme&oq=stability+meme&gs_l=mobile-gws-img.3..0.108769.113564.0.114366.16.15.1.0.0.0.443.3728.2-11j2j1.14.0....0...1.1j4.64.mobile-gws-img..1.15.3787.3..35i39k1j0i67k1.BY3cgOYwoE4#imgrc=EVxOkth1HxiZoM:

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Bona Fides
-I have been a professional live and studio engineer for fifteen years in the southern Missouri area.

-I was a production manager for Music City Center in Branson, where I singlehandedly ran sound, lights, video and lasers for the Trans Siberian Experience on a system a designed and implemented.

-I was Stage Manager for Scott Shipley Music (one of Johnny Cash's guitarist) and ran over a hundred dates.

-I Ran the Pro Audio Dept at G.C. for eight years, selling and servicing systems of all sizes
-I am currently the Resident Engineer at The Old Glass Place in Springfield MO., And the on call engineer at Lindbergs Tavern in Springfield

-I am also currently the lead system designer for an AVL systems integrator here in Springfield.

-finally, I'm a father of four... So I know how to deal with noise...

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If you found this useful or entertaining at all, you know what to do.

Also, find us at the Steemit Local Music Society on discord.
https://steemit.com/music/@mattie.b-leaver/steemit-local-music-society-open-for-business