Full volume

[Stylee Mousse]

I was in a sort of similar situation, also doom and death with a loud guitar player and blew up a 15" speaker. I got me an Ampeg SVT stack, 300 watt tube head with a matching 800watt 8x10. Preamp full, power around 5 or 6, it's enough for me. I do second the question about the drums, can you hear those at all? Because after my power move, we really had trouble hearing the kick drum. So we toned down a tiny bit and carved our eq to let it come through more (and told the drummer to get new skins).

gray makes excellent points here. As a sound guy who has mixed lots of VERY loud bands, I’ll amplify the advice re drums - none of those bands buried the drums. Good loud bands know how to divide up the sonic real estate for maximum impact.

Obviously neither you or your guitarist are going to be quiet but there is a “sweet spot” for loud and it may not be what you might think it is

 

[mrjim123]

Fire the idiot or walk, for your own health and sanity.

 

[jtg]

Really, page 5 and no one has talked about in-ears and ampless being the second coming? Or did i miss it?

 

[Passinwind]

Really, page 5 and no one has talked about in-ears and ampless being the second coming? Or did i miss it?

 

[Michael Milner]

I recently started a band, and my guitar player plays extremely loud, and when I try to match him volume wise I’m running into the problem of frying speakers.
How can I achieve playing at full volume and not sounding like crap and blowing speakers?
Im running Ampeg pf800 head with GK GLX 8x10 4 ohm. I also run the pf 800 4x10 daisy chained into 2x15.
When I run the 8x10 it farts at full volume. Pulse I already fried 3 of the 8 speakers….
I just wanna play LOUD and not worry about damage.
Any input would be much appreciated.

stoner, doom, death metal.

If it is your band, tell the guitar player to turn down. If the guitarist doesn't listen, or keeps turning the volume back up, replace that person.

 

[Bassamatic]

It's easy. He is likely standing over his amp, so most of the sound goes by him. Raise his amp up to his ear level so he can hear it better - he will turn down.

 

[DirtDog]

I’ve tried and tried to convince him to turn down. I’m about to start handing him the bill for the repairs lmfao!

Get him to point his amp towards HIS ears and see how he likes it.

 

[svtbass]

Pack 87 trolls into the room with him.

 

[beaglesandbass]

I recently started a band, and my guitar player plays extremely loud, and when I try to match him volume wise I’m running into the problem of frying speakers.
How can I achieve playing at full volume and not sounding like crap and blowing speakers?
Im running Ampeg pf800 head with GK GLX 8x10 4 ohm. I also run the pf 800 4x10 daisy chained into 2x15.
When I run the 8x10 it farts at full volume. Pulse I already fried 3 of the 8 speakers….
I just wanna play LOUD and not worry about damage.
Any input would be much appreciated.

stoner, doom, death metal.

This sounds like the worst band situation i've ever heard. If an 800 watt amp couldn't keep up with the band, I'd be out.

Stoner doesn't mean dumb.

 

[Savage_Dreams]

no nice way to say it..... youre nuts if you really want to try to get louder than that.

 

[Wasnex]

One of the useful SPL-related things to do is buy or borrow an SPL meter and put it on stage. Then cross-reference that against a sound exposure chart showing how many minutes you can play before risking permanent hearing damage (I'm guessing under 30 minutes). Then do the same for an audience location and suggest you need to offer the audience earplugs.

The naughty option is, over s period of weeks, start talking progressively more quietly to the guitarist and mumbling slightly.

My solution was to simply wear ER15s whenever I was practising or performing with other musicians.

 

[BlueTalon]

Do they actually do that? Like, would blood have to be pouring out of his ears, or something (his brain, perhaps)?

If I was leaking human motor fluid out of both of my audio receptacles, I'd probably want a flashy lights ride to a hospital.

 

[Short4since64]

I wake up every morning to the sound of 1,000,000 crickets, plus a lower frequency noise that sounds like the interstate in the distance. Reason? First, a Sunn driven screaming B-3 whipping 2ft from my head and a 360/361/361 rig punching me in the gut. At least the Marshall was on the other side of the drum kit. Then in another band a guitarist who played stunningly, but into a full stack, 100W with no master volume with me blowing in the slipstream. I was no better. This was a power trio - SVT head into 4-15" JBLs in horn loaded cabinets, later a Bass Rockman into a huge Crest lead sled. Roto 66s, later Thomastiks and a huge high boost. Audiologist wondered how I was able to respond to him. Nothing at all over 9 KHz. Flat graph at -60. Stone deaf. Big dip between 800 and 2K. Severe problems understanding female voices if not pointed directly at my head. Run for your life. It's not worth it.
Posted this pic before.

 

[RandomKaren]

View attachment 5277105

When did Benedict Cucumberpatch start playing bass?

 

[Egg250]

You make some good points and GENERALLY I would agree with most of what you're saying but the OP is playing in a doom/stoner/death metal band. The things you're suggesting aren't very realistic for those genres of music unfortunately.

I dunno. I don't care what genre, too loud is too loud. Immaturity is immaturity and hearing loss is permanent.

 

[Drredplate]

I dunno. I don't care what genre, too loud is too loud. Immaturity is immaturity and hearing loss is permanent.

I agree with what you say.
Sustaining hearing damage at rehearsal FFS. What’s the point in that!
Let’s be honest we have all done it when we were young and foolish.
You can create the vibe of whatever genre you want without being silly loud and as someone who does a bit of sound engineering sound a lot better at lower volume.
Silly loud is for amateurs correct volume for the situation/venue is professional.

 

[Five or Six]

Haven't heard squat out of the OP in a while.must be after reading all these post he has it figured out now?

 

[Michedelic]

Really, page 5 and no one has talked about in-ears and ampless being the second coming? Or did i miss it?

Not everybody believes in that.

 

[tvbop]

If you absolutely must stay with this guitarist. Get urself some industrial ear plugs and ear dfenders and either an old AmpegV4B/Orange/Acoustic 2 x 15 bass bin. Place bin directly opposite guitarist, crank ur low mids and volume and watch him pack his guitar and leave.