Contour knob fixed an anemic outdoor tone

One thing I've found in dealing with acoustic challenges is that there are some helpful rules that make for a good and often logical starting place, but there are also exceptions. Good on you for trying something outside the box and saving a show!

 

The same thing happened to me last Tuesday (Blues Society jam). I started with the contour down on my 700RB and ended up with it at 2:00 during the last set - it felt right. But then, playing outside, it seems like there is a world of difference in sound after the sun goes down. I don't know why, except the wind?

 

Unless there’s a whole lot of wind vs about none, it’s much more likely to be psychological. That doesn’t make it less real.

 

Unless there’s a whole lot of wind vs about none, it’s much more likely to be psychological. That doesn’t make it less real.

Maybe, I don't know - just something I've noticed.

 

Less ambient noise, or at least different bands of noise will be present after rush hour.

 

One phenomenon at large outdoor events of which SR professionals are acutely aware is, on a warm day, after the sun goes down and the air begins to cool, there is often a warm, more humid layer of air closer to the ground, where the crowd is located. This can form an effective acoustic boundary layer and cause the deflection and refraction of the sound over the audience's heads. I wouldn't think that would be particularly audible from the performer's perspective, but it's a very real thing. Perhaps what you're perceiving is something related to this phenomenon, or as has been suggested... maybe psychoacoustics is playing a role.

Edit: To further clarify -- changes in temperature and (especially) relative humidity can have significant effects on sound anytime and anywhere, but outdoors is where one is likely to encounter big changes as the sun goes down and the air cools.

 

Redbrangus mentioned the "warm, more humid layer of air" after the sun goes down. We were playing about 20-30 feet from the edge of a lake, as we frequently do. So maybe I'm not just imagining things?

 

I'm with Redbrangus. I think changes in humidity plays a huge role in outdoor tone. With temp changes come humidity changes, and it changes EVERYTHING.