Dealing with a chronically loud guitar player

[mikecd1]

The good: Love the guy, he's technically got very good chops and either plays note for note solos or pretty close on most classic rock stuff. Shows up for rehearsals and is on-time for gigs.

The bad: Always too loud, doesn't blend well and I'm tired of asking him to turn down all the times. I think its already taken a toll on our friendship. We get told to turn down sometimes by club owners. Its affecting my hearing and probably has already affected his which may be the problem. Its annoying the other guitar player too and doesn't portray the band in a very good light.

Looking for suggestions to try and get him to listen more and try to fit in. Its like a virus and can drive the overall level of the band up. 4 piece band, 2 guitars, bass and drums. The drummer works hard at his volume and I try to keep it so he and I are balanced. Would like the same of the two guitarists only one controls his volume, the other drowns him out most of the time. Maybe its competitive for them.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

Start doing a little power trio stuff on the side with the drummer and other guitar player.
When Mr. Loud finds out and asked what's going on, tell him you guys wanted to try some quieter stuff.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

Do you just tell him to turn down when need be? If so, I would suggest sitting down and explaining this to him as a band. It really seems like the guy is trying in every other regard. You could also work on his choice of rig, get something that aims at his head. Also, when your band sets their volume level, that is it. Do not turn up and play his game. Ideally, he will begin to realize that he cannot hear everybody due to his own volume. They key word there is "ideally" though...

I reported the thread to have it moved, it should get moved soon.

 

[mikecd1]

Do you just tell him to turn down when need be? If so, I would suggest sitting down and explaining this to him as a band. It really seems like the guy is trying in every other regard. You could also work on his choice of rig, get something that aims at his head. Also, when your band sets their volume level, that is it. Do not turn up and play his game. Ideally, he will begin to realize that he cannot hear everybody due to his own volume. They key word there is "ideally" though...

Other guitarist and I have made several suggestions regarding his rig which I think may be complicated because he plays open back amps like a Fender Deluxe and Blues Junior. Doesn't use any compression and perhaps those amps are harder to dial back especially once you add a bunch of reverb. The only time I turn up is when I can't hear myself anymore and am usually begging everyone to turn down by that point.

I've also asked to have the thread moved. Sorry to anyone who expected humor.

Two potatoes standing on a corner - which one is the prostitute?
The one that says I-dah-ho

 

[lokikallas]

Here's how the conversation goes
"Dude, you are way too loud. You have to turn the hell down. No, man, I'm serious, no like even lower. Ok, now where is the dial at? Ok, never go over that, it's getting ridiculous man."

 

[Downunderwonder]

Hold auditions for someone who is a team player. He can audition too. Make sure his amp is pointed directly at his own skull.

 

[old spice]

Someone's got to go.

 

[two fingers]

I have had to let several go or quit when it was their band. The one and only time I ever got it to work was when I told the guitar player he could play as loud as he wants as long as his amp is pointed at his head. He could tilt it back. He could put it on a rack if some sort that got it ear level. I didn't care. As long as it was pointed at his head he could do whatever he wanted. It took about two songs in a rehearsal before he said "Holy crap! I WAS too loud!"

Tell you guitarist the same thing. "Buddy, you can totally let it rip if you point that sucker at your head. Loud as you want. The only rule is that it has to be pointed at your head."

If he doesn't change then, he's gotta go.

 

[BusyFingers]

I've also asked to have the thread moved. Sorry to anyone who expected humor.

Two potatoes standing on a corner - which one is the prostitute?
The one that says I-dah-ho

Wait, I just heard this one recently:

Two snowman are sitting on a mountaintop. One turns to the other and says, "Do you smell carrots?" See my link below for visual contextual support.

 

[dtripoli]

Me: Turn the volume down, you are ridiculously loud!
Guitarist: I can't, my amp doesn't start kicking with the proper tone unless it's at this volume.
Me: Then you have the wrong amp, come back when you get another.

 

[Pbassmanca]

The good: Love the guy, he's technically got very good chops and either plays note for note solos or pretty close on most classic rock stuff. Shows up for rehearsals and is on-time for gigs.

The bad: Always too loud, doesn't blend well and I'm tired of asking him to turn down all the times. I think its already taken a toll on our friendship. We get told to turn down sometimes by club owners. Its affecting my hearing and probably has already affected his which may be the problem. Its annoying the other guitar player too and doesn't portray the band in a very good light.

Looking for suggestions to try and get him to listen more and try to fit in. Its like a virus and can drive the overall level of the band up. 4 piece band, 2 guitars, bass and drums. The drummer works hard at his volume and I try to keep it so he and I are balanced. Would like the same of the two guitarists only one controls his volume, the other drowns him out most of the time. Maybe its competitive for them.

I find that usually, the only way to really deal with the situation is to shoot them.

 

[megafiddle]

If the guitar player is relying on natural overdrive with the amp he is using, then he cannot simply turn down; he needs a smaller amp.

-

 

[BAG]

I have had to let several go or quit when it was their band. The one and only time I ever got it to work was when I told the guitar player he could play as loud as he wants as long as his amp is pointed at his head. He could tilt it back. He could put it on a rack if some sort that got it ear level. I didn't care. As long as it was pointed at his head he could do whatever he wanted. It took about two songs in a rehearsal before he said "Holy crap! I WAS too loud!"

Tell you guitarist the same thing. "Buddy, you can totally let it rip if you point that sucker at your head. Loud as you want. The only rule is that it has to be pointed at your head."

If he doesn't change then, he's gotta go.

This ^^^^^

He's got to have his amp up off the floor at least 12-24" and pointed straight at his head. If he refuses then you're never going to get him to turn down and should cut him loose.

Me: Turn the volume down, you are ridiculously loud!
Guitarist: I can't, my amp doesn't start kicking with the proper tone unless it's at this volume.
Me: Then you have the wrong amp, come back when you get another.

This too. He needs a smaller amp he can drive properly without lifting the roof off the place

 

[baileyboy]

We get told to turn down sometimes by club owners.

I would start auditioning for other guitarists. He needs to be fired as soon as you get a competent replacement. If he hasn't learned after several club owners have told him so, he will never learn. Like most lead guitarists I've played with, they blew out their eardrums years ago and have permanent damage, so can't hear how loud they really are.

 

[guy n. cognito]

It's not easy for most people to be the lone complainer in a sea of silence. Does the whole band agree that he is too loud? Have you all discussed it as a group?

 

[ThinCrappyTone]

A couple of thoughts:

• Most of the "too loud" guitarists I have played with, and there have been many, claim they can't hear themselves. Meanwhile the ears of the audience are bleeding from the guitar volume. Often, it's because their 4x12 is pointing at their knees. They can't hear themselves because they're standing right in front of it, but 10+ feet away, it's all that can be heard. Solution (as others have said): Get them an amp stand. Put their combo, or a 1 or 2x12, on it, so they can hear themselves better with less volume. And so the speaker isn't pointed right at the heads of the crowd.

• Another solution to the "guitarist can't hear himself even though he is deafeningly loud" problem: Spread his speakers around, for better monitoring, rather than have one, super loud point of origin. A combo on a stand at the back of the stage, and a 1x12 cab at the front, kicked back like a monitor. Or go to in-ears.

• Can't get the amp cooking at low power? Ask him to get an attenuator, or better yet, a lower wattage, or variable wattage amp. That way he can get his amp cooking without it being at the top of it's volume range.

• Final solution other than kicking him out? Have someone else set his amp and keep it on their side of the stage.

But honestly, the best bet is probably just ditch this guy. If he can't be reasonable, then he's not worth dealing with.

 

[obimark]

I've played in about 10 bands- how many times have I seen a too-loud guitard actually turn down for good? Maybe once.

The problem is usually one of two things-
1. They really only want to hear themselves, not your bass...EGO.
2. THey are already deaf or partially deaf and don't even know.

With either of these you are fighting a losing battle, get somebody else or even better just play as a trio.

There are SO few songs that can't be done with just one guitar. Yeah you miss some tiny parts every now and then from the second guitar but overall SO MUCH better.

 

[Joybass]

Got a drummer like that. Hell of a nice guy, always serious, knows his stuff and the songs. Just plays to damn loud.

 

[AngelsBassBall]

I had this problem once, I moved on. Those guys are still playing VH covers in the drummers basement.

I digress. Are his amps on tilted stands or are they on the stage providing volume to his feet? If it's the latter buy a tilted/angled amp stand and just put his amp on it. To 2 fingers point, get his volume to his ears...if he still doesn't realize he is too loud your best bet is to let him go. Not understanding volume and how instruments mix is as bad as not knowing how to keep time.

The current band I am in the guitarist is loud, but appropriately so. And yes he uses an amp stand.

One of the reasons I always play with a full stack is so the volume is at ear level, which means even though I have the wattage to blow ear drums my volume never goes above halfway.

Best of luck!

 

[JES]

Two snowman are sitting on a mountaintop. One turns to the other and says, "Do you smell carrots?"

This wins for "most TB joke ever."

I'd say smaller amp, aim at head.