MySetlist
← Getting started

Definitions

The terms you will come across in live music and in MySetlist

A

Ableton Live

Live is a DAW created by Ableton. Often the software is just called ‘Ableton’. Ableton Live is the industry standard for playback engineers to build the live show.

Ambience microphones

Ambience microphones, sometimes called audience or room mics, are microphones positioned on stage aimed at the audience. These microphones capture the sound of the audience, which MON engineers will send to your IEM. In-ears often decouple your experience as an artist on stage from the audience. With the ambience microphones, you have a better experience of the audience without the need to remove your in-ear monitors.

Audio Bridge

The Audio Bridge, created by MySetlist.app, is an app for people to use the stem player and send audio over multiple outputs of their audio device. This might be great if you want to rehearse a song but also want to send a sidechain signal to a bass pedal (like the Neural DSP Quad Cortex devices). You send the audio, click and cues via output 1 and 2 to your headphones or monitors. You send the sidechain signal via output 3 to your bass pedal.

B

Backing track

A backing track, or backing, is an audio signal that contains all the music a band does not play live on stage. Some examples are percussion, audio effects, choirs, etc.

C

Click

Click, or click track, is an audio signal that portrays the tempo. The modern-day variant of the metronome. In live music, the click is played over the in-ear monitoring system of the band.

Condenser microphone

A condenser microphone is the type of microphone you do not see at smaller live shows very often. These types of microphones require phantom power and are more sensitive than the more standard dynamic microphones. Condenser microphones are often used in studio environments, rather than live on stage.

Cues

Cues are audible signals that indicate an action should happen. In live music these are often countdowns played over the in-ear monitoring system of the band.

D

DAW

DAW stands for digital audio workstation. DAWs are software in which you can create music, like Ableton Live, FL Studio, Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Cubase, etc.

DI box

A DI box, direct input box, or DI in short, is a device that converts unbalanced audio (basses, guitars, stage pianos, etc.) to balanced audio signals. Preparing the signal for a longer cable distance, as well as making sure the output does not clip the mixer’s input.

There are 2 types of DI boxes: active and passive. Active DI boxes need phantom power to work. Passive DI boxes do not need phantom power to work. A general rule of thumb: if the instrument you want to connect has a power source, use a passive DI box. Otherwise, use an active DI box. This means that a stage piano needs a passive DI box, but a bass guitar needs an active DI box.

DMX / Art-Net / sACN / RDM

DMX is a protocol that lighting fixtures use. DMX is often sent over 3-pole or 5-pole XLR cables. DMX is very limited in its features. Therefore, lighting engineers use a mixture of different protocols on bigger stages. Some examples of these are Art-Net, sACN, and RDM.

DSP

In audio, DSP stands for digital signal processing. DSP is a way for audio to be processed digitally. This can be done in a digital mixer, but also in digital guitar pedals and audio interfaces like the UAD Apollo.

Dynamic microphone

A dynamic microphone is a type of microphone that you often see at live shows. The industry standard Shure SM58 and Shure Beta58A microphones are dynamic microphones. These microphones are less sensitive, and therefore great for use on stage. They minimize the chance of feedback.

E

EtherCON / RJ45 connectors – CAT-cables

EtherCON / RJ45 connectors are connectors used for networking cables or ‘Audio-over-CAT’ systems. We call these cables ‘CAT-cables’ or ‘CAT6-cables’. RJ45 is your regular network connector. EtherCON is the standard designed by Neutrik in the industry.

A CAT-cable should not be longer than 100 meters (109 yards). After that, the cable might lose data.

F

FOH

FOH stands for front of house. This is the position where the FOH-engineer stands and mixes the audio for the venue.

G

Gender bender

A gender bender is an adapter that allows you to connect two male XLR or two female XLR connectors together.

I

IEM

IEM stands for in-ear monitoring. Bands use IEM as an alternative to regular monitor speakers on stage. This allows them to have click, cues, and talkback over their in-ears. As well as a better sound quality in the venue.

IEM rack

The rack of IEM gear a band might have. Some only have wireless IEM systems. Some also have a mixer and splitter built into their rack to mix the audio for the IEM themselves via an app.

L

LTC

LTC stands for linear timecode. LTC is an audio signal which contains the current timestamp of a song within a bigger project. Lighting and visual engineers use timecode to create a synchronized show to your music. Sometimes, MTC or another protocol is used.

M

Max for Live

Max for Live, often written as Max4Live or M4L, is a complementary software to Ableton Live. MySetlist has a Max for Live device that allows the playback engineer to export song section information to the MySetlist stem player.

MIDI

MIDI is a protocol that sends data from one device to another device. MIDI can contain notes, automations, and program changes. On stage we mostly use MIDI to synchronize devices, send preset triggers, and automations. A MIDI cable has a 5-pin DIN connector or a TRS (mini)-jack connector. Sometimes a MIDI network can be made with RTP-MIDI.

A MIDI cable should not be longer than 15 meters (50 feet). After that, the cable might lose data.

MON

MON stands for monitoring. This is the position where the MON-engineer stands and mixes the audio for the (in-ear) monitoring.

Mono

Mono means that an audio source, audio file, or audio system consists of 1 channel. When you play a mono audio file over a stereo system, the sound is still mono, since the source of the audio is mono.

MTC

MTC stands for MIDI timecode. MTC is a MIDI signal which contains the current timestamp of a song. In some instances, MIDI clock is used.

O

Optogate

An Optogate is a small device often used for talkback microphones. These devices turn the microphone on once you are within a certain distance of the microphone and turn the microphone off once you are out of that range.

P

Phantom power

Phantom power, often shown as ‘+48V’, is a way to send 48V power from the mixer to a DI box or microphone, via the same XLR cable the audio signal is sent through.

Playback engineer

A playback engineer is a person that is responsible for the backing track of the live show and all triggers synchronized to the music. Those triggers might be MIDI triggers, automations, timecode, and more.

Playback rack

The rack of gear the playback engineer uses.

PowerCON (TRUE1)

PowerCON is a power connector, designed by Neutrik, a standard in the industry. These are alternatives for the regular power plug or IEC C13 Europlugs (like the Clavia Nord uses). These plugs are rigid and lockable, perfect for live shows. There are two types of PowerCON: blue/grey and TRUE1. Blue/grey are the old PowerCON designs that you cannot connect to make a longer cable. TRUE1 is the newer design of PowerCON that you can connect to make longer cables. PowerCON TRUE1 connectors also have better water resistance.

PSU

PSU stands for power supply unit. A lot of devices, like small synthesizers, guitar pedals, and UAD Apollos use PSUs. These are small devices you insert into a power outlet that convert the regular AC-power to another voltage (and often to DC) to power the device.

R

Rider

There are three different types of riders: hospitality rider, house rider, and the technical rider.

The hospitality rider is the list of hospitality requests and wishes for the act. It contains information about dinner, buyout, safety, PR, parking, dressing rooms, etc.

The house rider is the list of available equipment at the venue.

The technical rider is the list of technical requests and wishes for the acts. It contains the instruments and connections, monitoring, light plan, stage design, etc.

Routing

Routing is the way connections are made between a transmitter and a recipient. You route the bass drum to input 1 of the mixer. Or you route MIDI output B to the MIDI IN of your synthesizer.

RTP-MIDI

RTP-MIDI is a way to create a network of multiple devices to send MIDI signal over longer distances, send MIDI over Wi-Fi, and use fewer cables. RTP-MIDI is native for Apple computers. To use RTP-MIDI on a Windows computer, you need to download extra software. A CAT-cable can run about 100 meters, while a MIDI cable can only run about 15 meters before having to use a MIDI extender.

S

Schuko

Schuko, short for the German term ‘Schutzkontakt’, is the industry term to call regular power cables in a lot of European countries.

Sidechain

A sidechain signal is an audio signal that triggers a compressor. In modern music, we often use a bass drum signal to duck the signal of a bass-instrument.

Stem player

The stem player is the player in MySetlist.app to rehearse your parts at home. You can mute and solo channels, as well as change the volume of each channel.

You can use the stem player in the browser without the Audio Bridge.

Stereo

Stereo means that an audio source, audio file, or audio system consists of 2 channels: Left and Right. This creates a wide sound.

T

Talkback

Talkback, or talkback microphone, is a microphone which band members and engineers use to talk to each other during a live show.

TRS jack connector

TRS stands for tip-ring-sleeve. These are 3-pole balanced audio jack connectors. Both 3.5mm (eighth inch) or 6.3mm (quarter inch) jack connectors.

TS jack connector

TS stands for tip-sleeve. These are 2-pole unbalanced audio jack connectors. Both 3.5mm (eighth inch) or 6.3mm (quarter inch) jack connectors. TS cables are often used for guitars and similar instruments.

X

XLR connector

XLR connectors are 3-pin audio connectors. Microphones and other devices use XLR connectors.