Ultra compact live performance/recording rig using iphone & garageband

[des0free]

I set up an ultra compact "live rig" using only my iPhone, a tiny battery powered 2 channel audio interface (TC Go twin, bought on sale for only $29 that I can plug a guitar and mic into), and garage band (free), plugged into PA speakers. The attached MP3 is my first test playing to a backing track loaded into garageband (which also provides guitar amp sim and guitar and vocal effects, reverb, etc.), recorded by the iphone - I don't claim it is optimized as I only started playing with this setup (edit: I now used WAV files which makes post remixing easier).  Below the photo is a hypothetical (dramatized) story: 



Guy walks into a club for his gig and the sound guy says "where's your gear?". Guy opens a small backpack to reveal an electric guitar with removable neck and headstock (e.g., https://www.soundonsound.com/news/ten32-reveal-portable-guitars). Sound guy says, "Oh, that's cool, but where's your amp and pedal board"?  Guy says "I'm just going to use the PA speakers and I don't need to plug into a mixing board".  Sound guy says "Uh, ok, where's your guitar amp"?  Guy pulls out an Iphone from his pocket and opens Garageband (free), revealing a tiny picture of an amp on the screen. A quick swipe reveals a tiny picture of a pedalboard.  Sound guy says "Uh, ok, but how are you going to plug in?"  Guy pulls a tiny battery powered 2 Channel audio interface out of his pocket (e.g., https://www.tc-helicon.com/product.html?modelCode=P0DPG) and plugs his guitar and mic into it, and plugs in 1/4 cables to the two main PA speakers.  Sound guy says "Ok, where's the rest of your band".  Guy swipes his iphone screen to reveal a multitrack player/recorder and points to a tiny waveform "That's a backing track with drums, bass, keys', etc. that I recorded at home, and I'm going to play my guitar and sing". Sound guy says "Do you need me to do anything?". "No". Sound guy says "Great... bartender get me a whiskey and make it a double". Guy steps onto the stage, taps a few settings on the phone and hits "play". The backing track starts playing, he steps up to the microphone, strums his guitar ... the mosh pit goes crazy, etc...  Afterwards, the guy tells the crowd "I hope you liked the performance", I recorded it all in 24 bit resolution and I'll "airdrop" you the file right now.

[Ted]

Sound guy applies for state unemployment benefits.

[StephenM]

LOL... this is another cool example Doug of why you are fun here on SC... you have that cool curiosity that keeps driving you to some more cool stuff...
I could be very tempted to go this way... wow...

When I was in the Adirondack mountains this summer I went to an open mic at a pub/bar/whatever they call it up there called the Rusty Nail in a town called Saranac Lake (the Adirondacks have very few actual towns where you can actually get supplies etc, this bar has been in the old town very long time)...
on Tuesday nights they have open mic.  The guy who runs the PA, brings his own PA, sets it up etc for very little pay.  Perhaps he gets some tips.  Super nice man and he loves doing it.  He said he only takes about 2 weeks a year off.  There weren't alot of people there that night but the people who played, myself included, and some really good locals, had such a great time.  It was magic.  We ended up forming a band and I played drums for over an hour (they have a set up drum kit there, an old one but good one)... I doubt I had so much fun in a very long time. 
I hope to get back there again some time..... it was one of my favorite places I ever got to play at. 
There are so many folks who love music... this site has many including you... thanks for this..

[TPB]

very cool this would be good at the local monday players club
Tim