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Bands operate and stand or fall as a unit. Everybody needs to be on the same page.
Explain one more time that despite repeated requests he turn down you're still getting complaints about the volume from the audience and club owners. And the band is tired of getting its ears blasted out too. Tell him if his volume becomes an issue one more time you're gonna let him go. No excuses, no discussion, no additional chances.
If he argues, cut him loose right then and there.
Or…just save time and just let him go now. People who can't or won't control their volume for whatever reason seldom change their ways.
Explain one more time that despite repeated requests he turn down you're still getting complaints about the volume from the audience and club owners. And the band is tired of getting its ears blasted out too. Tell him if his volume becomes an issue one more time you're gonna let him go. No excuses, no discussion, no additional chances.
If he argues, cut him loose right then and there.
Or…just save time and just let him go now. People who can't or won't control their volume for whatever reason seldom change their ways.
I've had a similar situation, with a somewhat happy ending...
Putting the amp (a vintage Fender Hot Rod DeLuxe, his pride and joy) on top of a handy (unplugged) 4x10 cab and making the guy stand about 3 feet directly in front of it made him realise how loud he was getting.
Well.
That, and the very real threat from myself and the drummer that the beloved Fender Deluxe was in imminent danger of getting thrown into the river outside the rehearsal room.
Oh. I voted band meeting. Gang up on him, make it clear the rest of you are not happy and WILL replace him if he can't keep it down.
Putting the amp (a vintage Fender Hot Rod DeLuxe, his pride and joy) on top of a handy (unplugged) 4x10 cab and making the guy stand about 3 feet directly in front of it made him realise how loud he was getting.
Well.
That, and the very real threat from myself and the drummer that the beloved Fender Deluxe was in imminent danger of getting thrown into the river outside the rehearsal room.
Oh. I voted band meeting. Gang up on him, make it clear the rest of you are not happy and WILL replace him if he can't keep it down.
IMO: you've already stated in your post what it is that you need to say to him:
"i love you man, you've got very good chops, great solos, you show up for rehearsals and you're on-time for gigs. my issues with you are: you're always too loud, you're not blending well and i'm tired of asking you to turn down. i think the issue is already taking a toll on our friendship. the band gets told to turn down sometimes by club owners. your volume is affecting my hearing and probably has already affected yours. our volume issues don't portray the band in a very good light." and then be quiet until you get a response.
in spite of what you read on TB, direct speak is good stuff: it's honest, it helps create dialogue, sows the seeds for mutual respect (in spite of differences), and best of all = it's the shortest distance between two points of view!
if you think you've said this before, try it again! good luck!
"i love you man, you've got very good chops, great solos, you show up for rehearsals and you're on-time for gigs. my issues with you are: you're always too loud, you're not blending well and i'm tired of asking you to turn down. i think the issue is already taking a toll on our friendship. the band gets told to turn down sometimes by club owners. your volume is affecting my hearing and probably has already affected yours. our volume issues don't portray the band in a very good light." and then be quiet until you get a response.
in spite of what you read on TB, direct speak is good stuff: it's honest, it helps create dialogue, sows the seeds for mutual respect (in spite of differences), and best of all = it's the shortest distance between two points of view!
if you think you've said this before, try it again! good luck!
Oh!
Deluxe Reverb.
I had, at first, assumed he was cranking a 100 watt Marshall stack to 11.
I was going to recommend a Deluxe.
Yeah, from that, you can gather I have been through LOUD.
OK, I get it.
The Deluxe Reverb does like to be cranked up.
The saving grace is that they come with tiltback legs.
Have him tilt it back so that it aims at his head.
That will not only help him understand how loud he is,
but it will also mean that it won't be aimed right at you.
I bet most of his hearing loss is highs.
Does he also turn up the treble knob?
An attenuator would help.
So would a Princton Reverb.
Deluxe Reverb.
I had, at first, assumed he was cranking a 100 watt Marshall stack to 11.
I was going to recommend a Deluxe.
Yeah, from that, you can gather I have been through LOUD.
OK, I get it.
The Deluxe Reverb does like to be cranked up.
The saving grace is that they come with tiltback legs.
Have him tilt it back so that it aims at his head.
That will not only help him understand how loud he is,
but it will also mean that it won't be aimed right at you.
I bet most of his hearing loss is highs.
Does he also turn up the treble knob?
An attenuator would help.
So would a Princton Reverb.
Who's the band leader?
If it's you,,
when all else fails,kick him out.
If it's not you,when all else fails.........
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- Jan 1, 2014
- 1,016
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- Decendant from the Clovis culture. "Emitting that wonderful bass effect since 1970".
So much this! Save your friggin' "tone" for the studio when it's in an iso room! And when it's pointed at their stupid face, they always complain that they don't like the sound. So why would you from across the stage or an audience member caught in the cross fire or the microphone right in front of the speaker (presuming you're mic'ing your amps) like the sound of it?
Pretty much tinnitus in a box.
.
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Ah...loud guitarist syndrome...I know it all too well. I'd have a band meeting concerning this, be constructive and
not criticizing...to at least give the guy a chance. There are many good suggestions on here, the best are in ear monitors,
amp raised/pointed at guitarist, maybe a smaller rig or monitors. You (and especially you're sound man) need to explain
how important this is for the overall sound of the band and ultimately the enjoyment of the customers. If he's unresponsive to suggestions then I'm afraid it's time to part ways.
not criticizing...to at least give the guy a chance. There are many good suggestions on here, the best are in ear monitors,
amp raised/pointed at guitarist, maybe a smaller rig or monitors. You (and especially you're sound man) need to explain
how important this is for the overall sound of the band and ultimately the enjoyment of the customers. If he's unresponsive to suggestions then I'm afraid it's time to part ways.
Record the show - play it back. Show him how his guitar sits in the mix (or not)
Get an SPL meter (smartphone app is fine) - take a reading about 5' out from his amp. Any louder than 95-100dB is too loud. Get him to turn the amp down until he hits 95dB.
Ask him to point the amp away from the stage or turn the damned thing around.
Show him that his guitar has a volume knob that doesn't need to be dimed 100% of the time.
If it's that he can't hear himself, get that ol Fender tilted back or on a stand. Or mic up the amp and put more in the monitor pointed at him and only him.
Insist that he use a smaller amp in places where volume might be a problem.
Ask him to take the potentially problematic pedals out of his rig (eg. almost anything with a boost capability).
Ask me how I know!
Get an SPL meter (smartphone app is fine) - take a reading about 5' out from his amp. Any louder than 95-100dB is too loud. Get him to turn the amp down until he hits 95dB.
Ask him to point the amp away from the stage or turn the damned thing around.
Show him that his guitar has a volume knob that doesn't need to be dimed 100% of the time.
If it's that he can't hear himself, get that ol Fender tilted back or on a stand. Or mic up the amp and put more in the monitor pointed at him and only him.
Insist that he use a smaller amp in places where volume might be a problem.
Ask him to take the potentially problematic pedals out of his rig (eg. almost anything with a boost capability).
Ask me how I know!
I use to play in a loud cover band too..really loud guitar player...The type I dealt with was that he was good had good chops,,,but tended to more of make up his own solos to the song....didn't much sound like studio version....
Now the way I dealt with volume....I went to local audiologist and got some musicians ear plugs,,the type with the filter...works real well.....I also have an ampeg svt cl with an 8x10...I just gave him a taste of his own medicine that is all,,
And he eventually figured it out...he eventually turned down...just get u some earplugs,,,play there game for a while ,,,they will figure it out,,,,besides what awesome tone from cranked svt and 8x10.....
Now the way I dealt with volume....I went to local audiologist and got some musicians ear plugs,,the type with the filter...works real well.....I also have an ampeg svt cl with an 8x10...I just gave him a taste of his own medicine that is all,,
And he eventually figured it out...he eventually turned down...just get u some earplugs,,,play there game for a while ,,,they will figure it out,,,,besides what awesome tone from cranked svt and 8x10.....
Bring wire cutters, cut the plug off of his instrument cable, about ten inches from where it goes into his amp. Get out your soldering iron and make him and the whole band wait while you fix it for him. Do this every time he is too loud at practice. Eventually he will learn, or end up so close to his amp that he will be able to hear it
This is the most common TB topic right after Tubes vs Solid State, Mixing Cabs, & What's the deal with Ricks. 
It might be that he has problems with hearing his guitar in the mix, and that he is compensating by turning the amp up. Not that he considers his volume low overall.
I just switched to IEMs because of hearing, even while I'm just practicing myself. And wow, it is so much easier to hear what I need to hear. Because of my hearing, I had been slowly moving toward just playing like I was a piano roll, not really aware of it. I would just act a player piano and just load the roll, and go. As long as I could pick out the beat, I though I was fine.
So, I would suggest going that route to tame the volume issue of the guitar player, even if you guys need to pitch in band revenue to help with the purchase. I have dual drivers and I cannot see a guitar player needing more drivers than that. So, it's not like you need to buy the IEMs over $500.
Then, take the responsibility off each band member, and have a sound guy be responsible for the mix and volume of what the clientele hear.
I do have to note a caveat though. All those videos about how to put together an IEM system for a band at low cost, is not really so. You'll find needs to keep adding or improving something to the system. Just like anything else.
If your band usually plays in small joints where amps + monitors is a bit too much, IEMs are the way to go, imo.
I just switched to IEMs because of hearing, even while I'm just practicing myself. And wow, it is so much easier to hear what I need to hear. Because of my hearing, I had been slowly moving toward just playing like I was a piano roll, not really aware of it. I would just act a player piano and just load the roll, and go. As long as I could pick out the beat, I though I was fine.
So, I would suggest going that route to tame the volume issue of the guitar player, even if you guys need to pitch in band revenue to help with the purchase. I have dual drivers and I cannot see a guitar player needing more drivers than that. So, it's not like you need to buy the IEMs over $500.
Then, take the responsibility off each band member, and have a sound guy be responsible for the mix and volume of what the clientele hear.
I do have to note a caveat though. All those videos about how to put together an IEM system for a band at low cost, is not really so. You'll find needs to keep adding or improving something to the system. Just like anything else.
If your band usually plays in small joints where amps + monitors is a bit too much, IEMs are the way to go, imo.
Every time he starts playing too loud just turn your own volume knob to zero. If he doesn't notice, get rid of him. If he does notice but refuses to change, get rid of him. If he does notice and changes his playing...
Awww, just get rid of him.
Awww, just get rid of him.
have a band meeting. If you are all in agreement that his volume is over the top, let him know as a group. If he doesn't fix it, find another guy. This takes the pressure off of you to solve the problem
