A durable rack case that keeps all your gear organized andstage ready is a must for the travelling crew that needs to setup quick andbreakdown even quicker. How does one keep all the cables, patches and othernumerous accessories needed to let the show go on without going mad.  Successful roadies will all tell you thatkeeping everything organized is the biggest factor in keeping things moving.

The first step is to recognize that you are disorganized andneed to take some steps to fix the mess. The next step is to figure out exactly how to get organized but this canbe accomplished with a few tricks to eliminate the overwhelming spaghettisetup.  Take inventory of all theequipment you must carry to any gig to make it a success.  This will give you an idea of how many casesyou need and how big they should be to fit your gear.

Once you have a list of items start grouping items that arethe same depth you know what will fit in a rack case.  Next you will want to place the heaviestequipment near the bottom of the rack and stack lighter equipment on top. Placeitems like monitors and keyboards at the appropriate height for ease ofuse.  Then you will usually attach acable patch bay to the back of the rack and wire each piece of hardware to thepatch bay.  Now it is easy to use patchcables to easily wire everything together.

Now that you have everything grouped you will have a goodidea if you need one rack case or five. The next step is to make sure you have cables to hook everything up oncein a case without switching cables around during the middle of a show.  Always make sure the cables have some slacksince each venue is a bit different you need to have some wiggle room.  Also ensure that the cables used are highquality since a short, noise interference or lack of signal will kill a greatshow faster than a fish out of water. Finally keep in mind how rough the ride might be for yourequipment.  You may need a rack case thatabsorbs the shock from travelling; also known as a shockmount rack.

Once you have determined how many cases, how large andnecessary accessories you are ready to purchase the perfect rack cases.  Finding the cases locally may prove much moredifficult since every industry has its own standards and music stores usuallycarry a limited selection.  Thanks to theinternet you can find all the rack cases you need no matter what your needs orindustry.