Other than the occasional outdoor event with vocals-only PA support, all my gigs are low to medium volume. Last year everyone but the drummer started using IEMs, which makes managing stage volume very easy.
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Anyone who likes gigging NOT loud?
- Thread starter Shenron
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My band is always quiet. We can whisper to each other while playing and after decades of playing in loud metal bands I can say I’m truly loving it
I only played in a party band before, with audiences from 200 to 1000 people. It was always too loud for me. And usually it wasn't even painfully loud or anything like that, often I didn't even have the common muffled sound sensation afterwards, but it was too loud for my comfort. I was the only one with a stage monitor, because I don't like putting things into my ears, so I heard everything as it was in the room. Of course the PA was infront of us, else I would've probably went deaf. And we didn't have an acoustic drumset either, so that's good.
Over the past few years I've tried to protect my hearing in day to day life more. I used to listen to music pretty loud, as probably most teens and young adults have, but I stopped because I felt like my hearing was actually getting worse. There are certain nuances in songs that you can't really hear if the music is too quiet, but I try to keep it as quiet as I can, while still being able to hear the entirety of the music. I also switched to speakers recently, because I felt like the headphones just made it 10x worse.
Over the past few years I've tried to protect my hearing in day to day life more. I used to listen to music pretty loud, as probably most teens and young adults have, but I stopped because I felt like my hearing was actually getting worse. There are certain nuances in songs that you can't really hear if the music is too quiet, but I try to keep it as quiet as I can, while still being able to hear the entirety of the music. I also switched to speakers recently, because I felt like the headphones just made it 10x worse.
I'm in a 5-man party rock band (think Van Halen, ZZ Top, Journey, Petty, Elton, etc.). Drummer has a high-end E kit that sounds great and allows us to play at any volume, even in smaller bars. We've been asked to turn up but try to sound check at levels that are respectful to the crowd. We've never been asked to turn down. We certainly get louder at outdoor venues, but our stage volume is very reasonable. Three of us use in-ears, two of us use stage rigs.
I'm convinced that is a reason that we've been asked back at every venue we've played. Well, hopefully the musicianship has something to do with that too
I'm convinced that is a reason that we've been asked back at every venue we've played. Well, hopefully the musicianship has something to do with that too
I love playing not loud gigs. It's why the Moose/Elk/senior home circuit is so nice. $100 gig for 3 hours and nice volumes.
AS stated previously, "loud" is relative. But when the audience is hold their ears while dancing, it's a sign they want less volume. The band I'm in is talented and very popular, but the guitarists seem to think they know better than the audience, what the audience wants to hear. I disagree, and it pains me to see our loyal crowd holding their ears , and being unable to converse with each other while we show them how much power we can burn in our speakers. But... I only play bass, and my inputs to the band are always ignored.
Fine.
Just give me my paycheck.
Fine.
Just give me my paycheck.
i play some trio and quartet jazz gigs that are very quiet. i also play gigs with a 7pc. band (with horns), but we've learned to keep the volume down to a dull roar --- our drummer likes to whip it up now and again, but the horn players really prefer the quieter sets.... along with their aging bass player!
I am so over playing loud. However, what I hate the most is playing meekly, or timidly. If it's not meek music to begin with, which I wouldn't be playing anyway. My preference is for the band to be able to play at low volumes but with the same intensity, or near. In my experience the majority of players have a real problem doing that. If the drums can't slam-bang, then their instinct is to get timid, not just turn down. My opinion - so many players hide behind volume; their's and other's. And if they are actually exposed, they go into a shell. I've been in an original blues band for 9 years now with players that can generate a powerful sound at a low volume, which IMO the key player in pulling that off is the drummer. We have 3 drummers that we alternate through, and all can sound big at conversational volumes. It helps that for small venue or low-volume gigs our guitarist has a 13 watt vintage tube amp, and I have a 25 watt tube rig, so the tube amps sound driven at low volumes, because they are. And IMHO, that sounds better than relying on pedals to simulate it. Now for sure we blow and go the larger the venue, but never a crazy loud volume onstage even when FOH has control otherwise. Even then the biggest rig I have is 100 watts all tube with a 410. We play everything up to festivals and it handles all the larger venues no problem. Same theory for me - it sounds like it's working, because it is, but it's not melting your face like a 300 watt tube rig if you're wanting it close to break up.
Probably went way off topic there. But yes, I enjoy playing low volumes if everyone knows how to still sound big.
Probably went way off topic there. But yes, I enjoy playing low volumes if everyone knows how to still sound big.
I prefer to gig quieter, the louder it gets the less intelligible it becomes for me. Specifically, vocals get really hard for me to tune when loud.
I’m GenX but I’m still cool for my age and not at all afraid to admit I prefer to play loud. Now amps in general are smaller I’m typically limited to only 2 12” but I only play to rock and I only go see live music for the same reason. Flame away but cool is always beating uncool. There’s more to rock’n’roll than enjoying your dinner and saying woo.
Rock the Effe On
Rock the Effe On
Main band I play with is reasonable-volume in most venues. Drummer has a powerful kick that doesn't need micing in medium rooms, though snare and cymbals aren't overpowering.
There are no electric guitars in my main band, though I played a gig Friday where the electric guitarist (and drummer) kept the volume level manageable and didn't overpower the stage.
Sometimes my main band is louder on big stages, depending on overall monitor levels. We try to ask house sound techs not to kill us with stage volume.
I can tell if a gig was not too loud if I don't feel that sense of overall fatigue afterwards.
OTOH, when the gig was too loud, I feel wiped out. Also, on the often long drive home, listening to music feels tedious.
I've got some possible restaurant gigs coming up backing an acoustic guitarist/singer in a duo with tracks. Looking forward to the lower volume (and bigger cut of pay/tips).
There are no electric guitars in my main band, though I played a gig Friday where the electric guitarist (and drummer) kept the volume level manageable and didn't overpower the stage.
Sometimes my main band is louder on big stages, depending on overall monitor levels. We try to ask house sound techs not to kill us with stage volume.
I can tell if a gig was not too loud if I don't feel that sense of overall fatigue afterwards.
OTOH, when the gig was too loud, I feel wiped out. Also, on the often long drive home, listening to music feels tedious.
I've got some possible restaurant gigs coming up backing an acoustic guitarist/singer in a duo with tracks. Looking forward to the lower volume (and bigger cut of pay/tips).
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I tend to prefer lower volumes on stage. But it depends on the band. I work with one band where the quieter the stage is, the better for them. I work with another where the louder the stage is, the better for them. In both cases I'm there to do a job and getting paid to do so and it's not my band. So if needed I'll wear earplugs. If needed I'll wear in-ears. Whatever it takes to get the job done.
I miss having horns in the band.i play some trio and quartet jazz gigs that are very quiet. i also play gigs with a 7pc. band (with horns), but we've learned to keep the volume down to a dull roar --- our drummer likes to whip it up now and again, but the horn players really prefer the quieter sets.... along with their aging bass player!
I made a point when I formed my current band that it had to be substantially quieter than the band I was previously in. Rehearsing without earplugs and not finishing with a headache and ringing ears is just great. I'm using a 60w 1x12 amp and is more than enough.
During my tenure as FOH engineer for a large church, we were instructed to mix for 95 dB peaks, which for me is just on the verge of uncomfortably loud. Churches are wild.
The days of loud stage volume is LONG since passed. PAs and monitors have gotten very good, even at the budget level, that stage volume is simply not needed anymore. Bands sound SO much better the lower the stage volume is and the more controlled the sound can be coming from the PA. After all it is the sound man's job to MIX everything together properly.
Most of the problem IMHO, is wanna be rock-stars who crank up everything because they want that rock concert feeling for themselves. They are performing to themselves to the detriment of everyone else.
Most of the problem IMHO, is wanna be rock-stars who crank up everything because they want that rock concert feeling for themselves. They are performing to themselves to the detriment of everyone else.
Restaurant with "background" music being so loud you have to shout to the person at the table next to you to be heard only get visited by me once, no matter how good the food is. And I let them know on the way out.
If people really want to hear and feel your band, they will stand closer to the sound sources. There is no need to pressurize a room with volume to the point where you can only hear a person talking if they yell in your ears.
That being said, we rarely put a mic on anything but a vocal and used very small pa speakers to keep the arms race at bay.
That being said, we rarely put a mic on anything but a vocal and used very small pa speakers to keep the arms race at bay.
All relative. Guitars, basses and vocals are all "loud enough"...until the drummer starts. It's all pointless until you see whether you can hear it over live drums.
I actually made lower volume a requirement before I joined a 90's cover band. I abused my hearing for years before finally wising up in my 20's and wearing earplugs for all rehearsals, shows, and concerts I attended. The guitarist used to bring two 60 watt Peavey 2x12's to run stereo (we only have one guitarist), with a drummer who had no sense of dynamics. No we run all in-ears for rehearsals and I'm inching us toward trying with an electric kit to essentially eliminate stage volume.
I shared that we'd need to do in-ears, or drastically reduce stage volume, which after a long time assembling and putting together a live sound/in-ear rig, everyone has gotten on board. Being able to hear everyone clearly and thereby expose all of us when we miss one thing or another has helped us get tighter too. We haven't played out yet with this arrangement (getting our 3rd drummer up to speed... sigh) but I'm excited to roll this set up out in the wild and see how it goes.
I shared that we'd need to do in-ears, or drastically reduce stage volume, which after a long time assembling and putting together a live sound/in-ear rig, everyone has gotten on board. Being able to hear everyone clearly and thereby expose all of us when we miss one thing or another has helped us get tighter too. We haven't played out yet with this arrangement (getting our 3rd drummer up to speed... sigh) but I'm excited to roll this set up out in the wild and see how it goes.
