There comes a point when obnoxious impacts other areas like being professional and respectful of the crowd as well. Hopefully your band gets that now, if not then it may be time to lay the law down or move on.
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Gig Report. My ears are destroyed.
- Thread starter TreySonagras
- Start date
Quick and current story. The band I am currently with are in the 60 - 70 age range. We are not a super loud band. One venue we play frequently is a long rectangle. The band area is at one end and maybe 15' wide by 8" deep. The bar itself opens to about 20' wide from the band area to the bar which is at the other end of the room.
The owner would set at the very front table with a decibel meter app on his phone and try to keep us at less than 100db. Meanwhile the folks at the bar would be telling us to turn up. The owner drinks a lot and can't be reckoned with. So the last few times we were so low in volume that it just wasn't any fun.
Fast forward to last night: The owner had a digital decibel meter mounted up above one of the windows on the side wall about two tables forward of the stage. It shows the ambient db to be in the mid 80's. The owner sat at the bar while we all watched the meter as we played. Much to our surprise we were able to play at the volume we prefer with the meter varying from 96 - 102 bd's. Everyone was happy!
The owner would set at the very front table with a decibel meter app on his phone and try to keep us at less than 100db. Meanwhile the folks at the bar would be telling us to turn up. The owner drinks a lot and can't be reckoned with. So the last few times we were so low in volume that it just wasn't any fun.
Fast forward to last night: The owner had a digital decibel meter mounted up above one of the windows on the side wall about two tables forward of the stage. It shows the ambient db to be in the mid 80's. The owner sat at the bar while we all watched the meter as we played. Much to our surprise we were able to play at the volume we prefer with the meter varying from 96 - 102 bd's. Everyone was happy!
Volume wars equate to a group of individuals that are not actually functioning as a cohesive, professional entity. My main band, I took over sound reinforcement duties. Not because of volume wars but more out of my personal desire to make the band sound better - which I knew I could do better than the BL. I had just bought a cool digital mixer, was excited to learn it, and he had no issues with it. A relief, I think. At this point, I can tell a guitarist to TURN YOUR AMP DOWN - and they do it immediately, without questioning, because they also have a desire to sound great as a band. It’s a wonderful position to be in, and I’m blessed. My advice would be to search out individuals who aren’t self centered narcissistic egomaniacs, and play with people who genuinely want the entire band to succeed, regardless of their role in that success.
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
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- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
There are guitar players who will not even talk to me because I told them too many times to turn down.
When a band gets so loud that it becomes painful noises and ceases to be music I simply stop playing and plug my ears.
Extreme volume at a gig is extremely unprofessional.
I quit jamming with friends because they couldn’t keep the volume in check, and I’m pretty satisfied with my early retirement from live band life. It was a hobby for me so I know having gigs mean paychecks is a different thing for different people.
I also just got a hearing test result back, and it confirmed frequency loss in one ear. When you see the chart of the hearing loss it is hard not to reconsider priorities. Take care of those ears. When they’re gone they’re gone.
I also just got a hearing test result back, and it confirmed frequency loss in one ear. When you see the chart of the hearing loss it is hard not to reconsider priorities. Take care of those ears. When they’re gone they’re gone.
I read through this thread to post exactly this same thing. If something is causing pain in my ears, I'm going to stop it immediately by putting my hands over my ears. If that happens in the middle of a song, so be it -- the band will have a bass-wielding, non-bass-playing, ear-covering statue on the stage until whatever is causing the pain stops.
I'm very fortunate that I don't have to worry about that with my band. It's a blues-rock trio. Everybody understands and values dynamics. The BL bought a set of electronic drums to use at practice, which allows us to play softly enough to sing without mics and be heard.
Also, I've been using EarPeace hearing protection pretty much every time I've played in the last ten years or so. It's one of those things I always have with me when I go out, and feel a little naked without it.
I have tinnitus. A love of metal… and racing cars.
in the race car (bmw m3 with a s54) i had custom moulded in ear receivers… plus a padded full helmet… still loud as hell at full throttle in what is effectively a metal box with a race muffler. that is what did me in. I forgot my earplugs one session and regretted it.
In my old band one of our guitarists decided he wanted to be loud one rehearsal. I asked him to turn down… he did not… the noise literally made me feel dizzy… so i left early. We had a talk later however.
ironically, back in the day i was at a “Deftones” show… crowd surfing and landed infront on a literal wall of speakers. Yikes! Loud! My ears rang a solid week after that show.
now my failing is loud music driving to/from work. Plus, at home i feel my bass sounds best at volumes that are too loud.
no question… i will have hearing aids in 20 years
in the race car (bmw m3 with a s54) i had custom moulded in ear receivers… plus a padded full helmet… still loud as hell at full throttle in what is effectively a metal box with a race muffler. that is what did me in. I forgot my earplugs one session and regretted it.
In my old band one of our guitarists decided he wanted to be loud one rehearsal. I asked him to turn down… he did not… the noise literally made me feel dizzy… so i left early. We had a talk later however.
ironically, back in the day i was at a “Deftones” show… crowd surfing and landed infront on a literal wall of speakers. Yikes! Loud! My ears rang a solid week after that show.
now my failing is loud music driving to/from work. Plus, at home i feel my bass sounds best at volumes that are too loud.
no question… i will have hearing aids in 20 years
They should practice already because at this rate they will need it pretty soon.
Truth. I wear Earasers (-26 db, I think), even at rehearsal... I'm right next to the drummer's acoustic set.
That's a lovely thought! I'd sell a kidney to get rid of the damned ringing in my ears, which I blame to a youth filled with industrial machinery, and lax PPE procedures.
Band leader that is the drummer. Well there's your problem. Seriously maybe he doesn't realize how loud it is when he is behind the kit. Does he wear in ear monitors? If not try that and see if he can hear the rest of the band better at lower volumes. If that still doesn't work then quit.
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+1 for Earasers. I tried multiple other brands (including Etymotic) and found Earasers to be the best for me. I wear them at every practice, and to almost every gig. I also like that they are invisible to the audience.
I think the cause of most volume wars is that everyone is standing directly in front of their amp, which is sitting on the floor blasting their ankles. With this setup everyone can hear everybody except themselves, so everyone turns up to hear themselves in the mix. Everyone needs to have their amps on stands or otherwise pointing at their own ears. (For the bass player, a pair of 2x10s stacked on end is great for getting some speakers up close to your ears.)
Stop playing with that band. Hearing loss with tinnitus is no picnic. Once the inner ear hair cells are damaged, they can't be repaired.
