11 Tips for Stage Cable Management for Live Bands and Presentations

Route your audio cables neatly and efficiently for live sound reinforcement setups. Whether you're in a cover band, a praise and worship band at church, doing production for concerts or presentations, or a full scale touring act, cable management is an important part of the stagecraft process. Microphone, monitor speakers, and other audio cables can become trip hazards or slow down setup and tear down, as well as just make for a messy stage, when not properly addressed.
Much about onstage cable management is simply thinking about the goals of pinning the stage for the talent before you even start connecting the audio equipment. Have an actual plan that follows professional stagecraft practices and concepts. Think about the best places for cable runs, mixer and snake cable placement, minimizing exposure to walkways, and maximizing neatness. I've seen many bands or inexperienced techs simply start connecting things randomly, with no thought about neatness, the need for audio troubleshooting ability later, safety, or setup changes that might occur before they are actually finished setting up the audio equipment.

Worse, with the musicians or inexperienced techs acting independently during this process, with no overall plan and concept, it can quickly spiral into a mess of cables that are hard to decipher and looks awful for the talent and the audience, and easily could be a trip hazard. And these days, with live streaming growing in popularity, bad cable management will look awful on camera as well.

While this is specifically talking about the stage, this info can be applied to FOH amps and speakers as well.
Use this for clubs, auditoriums, churches, festivals, ballrooms, conference halls and anywhere live audio is being used.

Proper cable management and stagecraft is what this live audio tutorial is all about.

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►Basic Stage Terms Video mentioned in this video:
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►Patreon Page where Patrons have access to script files, other PDF tutorials, Behringer X32/M32/XR18/MR18 channel and scene files, and other audio production information:
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►►Amazon Affiliate Links To Equip Used/Mentioned In Video-

►Elite Core PEX410 4 Channel 10' Fan To Fan XLR Snake on Amazon:

►Elite Core PEX610 6 Channel 10' Fan To Fan XLR Snake on Amazon:

►Dual Channel Cable Ramp, 2 Pack on Amazon:

►Pro Gaffer Gaffers Tape, 2 in x 55 yd on Amazon:

►Shurtape Console tape 3/4" x 60yds on Amazon:

►Pro Console Mixing Artist Tape 1/2 inch x 60 Yards on Amazon:

►Behringer XR18 on Amazon:

"As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases."
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Suggested videos:

►Five Tips For Better Live Vocal Mixes:

►Behringer XR18 Monitor Setup Tutorial:

►Behringer X32 Monitor Setup Tutorial:

►Installing a Live Streaming System in a Small Church:

►5 Typical Mistakes Behringer XR18 and Midas MR18 Users Make:

►5 Typical Mistakes Behringer X32 and Midas M32 Users Make:

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►Facebook Group:
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#LiveSound
#AlanHamiltonAudio

[flashanddancedj]

Alan, this is a great refresher for those of us who are really getting back to work...

[basdenchris]

I need every single musician I know to watch this video. I think all of us have been guilty of making unnecessary messes with cabling (sometimes on those throw-and-go shows I still find myself not taking the proper time to make it clean—bad habit I know), and these concepts are dead simple and, as you said, don’t cost a dime. Honestly, they’ll save you money in the long run when your cables aren’t getting destroyed from people tripping and stepping on them constantly.

[JoeBoomerMusic]

Dude... Just the concept of where the slack should go is fundamental. I didn't know how to ask that kind of top-level question for ever. I appreciate the broad and specific info. Amazing

[skirwan]

I can't thank you enough for making all these videos. I highly recommend anyone doing stage hand work or sound to watch this channel- great training vid for new hires as well

[TimOost]

Beginner here. Thanks so much for your videos, I've watched them all! This video inspired me to buy a stageblock with both enough mic inputs and monitor outputs (we use separate buses with active wedges) to clean up the upstage mess and it worked so much better. We then put through the multi cable under the podium. Now we need to get shorter mic cables as previously we would run all lines separately to the mixer in a big taped off line.

[Kzz]

Got a small gig coming up so this was super helpful to watch. Thank you!!

[mikejones]

A "clean" stage also helps your cables last longer due to not being walked on. Walking on "coiled" cable increases the potential for damage to the cable.

[thesurgepartybandnj]

Thanks again Alan, all your videos have so much useful information. I now use aux fed subs all the time, send my vocals pre EQ to the monitors and EQ my kick drum following your advice. I also played with the reverb decay time for a nicer drum effect. You’re one of the good things that came out from the COVID shut down!
Sergio

[ToddWCorey]

Thank you! This should be automatic for audio folks, but it seems to be at a premium. Attention to detail separates the pros from the pretenders.

[jonathanarleys]

Thanks for these tips.
As a hybrid user (digital mixer for FoH, analog mixer for multimedia, and snakes) it help me manage cables, especially for drums and wired mic for vocals.
Not clean as yours but it helps managing to minimal as it should be.

Its fun to watch your videos and implement it as max as I can.

[ItzTooSik]

I love this channel. If you get time, can you make a tutorial soon giving some tips on how to EQ the master bus in a live setting

[saustindavis]

1:36 when he just tossed the slack on top of the snake head 😆

[Riffman]

Love this type of video, Alan. Thanks!

[leehanson]

We have individual "snakes" for every performer, mic, DI, and monitor cables zip-tied together, labeled, and color coded. Works great until one of the XLR's goes bad.

[TimmyP]

I recommend electrical tape instead of gaff or board tape. If left on for a long time, e-tape remnants are much easier to remove.

[larslengberg]

Great video, thanks! What about power cabling? Didn't see much of it in this video.. Do your power cabling before signal cabling? Can you run power and mic/line cables alongside each other with no risk of inducing hum etc..? Tips from a pro is always appreciated! :)

[FirebrandVOCALS]

These videos are absolute gold 😎👍🍻Cheers 🍻

[dennisjones]

Most of this is true, however, I run AC power from one side of the stage, and run audio from the other side keeping the cable overlaps at a 90 degree angle to minimize induction fed AC hum in the audio lines. This is more important with the mic cables than line level from the snake to amps. Yes, it is more work, but the less hum introduced, the less you have to EQ it out. Another tip, use as many wall outlets you can find, it will give you less headache later and make blowing a breaker less likely. Always tape the cables down, this prevents tripping and possibly pulling your and the bands expensive equipment to the ground. Use color coding with numbers or initials of band members for your tape at BOTH ends of your run for, AC power, MIC cables, return to amp cables, and low signal from instruments, if there is an issue, it helps with troubleshooting.
Wireless is a great way to minimize cable runs, use for vocals. Use wired for instrument miking since they are stationary.
Just my two cents worth.

[Soulpuddinghtx]

Very basics but SUPER important to burn into your brain for this industry

[danielstartek]

How do you change your last name to Audio? I wanna be Vinnie Video!