"HELP".........I cant hear myself over the guitars

[Mushroo]

Try using a compressor/limiter (if you are not already) to get a little more volume out of your gear.

 

[nzscott]

I think the drummer is the problem here..

not in this case , our drummer is a very rear breed and has the ability to play at lower volumes without it affecting his style or his skill to be constantly in tempo throughout the piece we are playing .....but I know what you are saying ......he still hasn't lost that other bad trait that effects most drummers .......he's always late for practice

 

[Nic.]

This might be an unpopular opinion - but you mentioned boosting mids and cutting lows. How does it sound if you put the lows back in? As much as mids are needed (and "mids" is a huge category from 600~2k+ Hz, you need to boost the right bits), it's very possible to overdo it.

If, with full lows and just enough mids to cut, you can't be heard,then try changing around which mids you're boosting to find the right slot for your band. I'm doing it with two guitars and keyboard in a rock/metal originals band, it can definitely be done.

 

[guitarflinger]

Genz Benz stack - Streamliner, 900 Watts, two 410 cabs.
Also DI to PA system, and in-ear monitors indoors, just the cabs and PA outdoors.
I can hear myself fine.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

One counter-intuitive move that sometimes work is to turn down your volume. I find that if the other players realize that they can't hear the bass then they'll turn down too, which can lead to all the sounds having more definition and clarity. This assumes you're playing with people who are actually listening - YMMV.

You assume that skinny stringers notice bass in the first place. I tried turning my volume to 0 .... For 3 songs in a band once (that i subsequently left) and they did not notice, the drummer did, but not the squealers. YMMV indeed

 

[Deleted member 165050]

Make sure you are playing a Fender Precision. If someone had been playing a Precision during the Big Bang it would have cut through the noise. Astrophysicists have detected traces of P bass in the cosmic microwave background.

 

[Mvilmany]

That's is mostly the issue: Mids.
If you don't here yourself or can't cut through, tweak the mids. I've always done this with great results

Yeah, if you dial in a scooped-mid "bedroom tone" while playing with others, you'll be drowned out in the mix. Neck pickup, amp knobs on flat will usually do the job.

 

[Mr. Sound]

I find I have a much harder time hearing myself in a 2 guitar band. Its definitely because one the of guitars always ends up in my sonic space.

Whenever I'm thinking I can't hear myself, I'll play an intentionally wrong note. If I can't hear the error, I'll make some changes to my settings. Most of the time I realise I can hear myself, I just can't distinguish the bass from the guitar as much as I'd like. Staking 2 cabs and standing next to them so they are playing in my ear works well, and setting up on the other side of the stage from the guitar with the most low content.

I don't need to intentionally play a bum note...it just happens...seriously, my problem comes when I play a correct note, which I'm hearing as wrong, and then I'm lost!

 

[nzscott]

Genz Benz stack - Streamliner, 900 Watts, two 410 cabs.
Also DI to PA system, and in-ear monitors indoors, just the cabs and PA outdoors.
I can hear myself fine.

I don't think its a power problem ,im only using a 3rd of the power that my amp produces according to my volume dial .
im leaning toward the sonic space theory. in the past I have only played in bands with one guitarist and I have never had this problem before .

 

[Phalex]

I've played in bands with one guitar, and I've played in bands with up to three guitars. What I found works best in a volume war is just don't play. If they keep getting louder, they must not be able to hear themselves over the bass and drums. I found that turning the bass down so no one can hear it is a great way to make the guitarists wake up and take notice. I have more wattage than anyone else on stage. I could win every time, but why would I want to?

 

[Radio]

At last nights gig, I had the guitarist (There are 2 of them) next to me put his combo up on a big milkcrate. It got it closer to his ear, and reduced the boominess I was hearing. It helped a lot, but I'm going to try my little Ampeg BA115 as a bass monitor next gig.

 

[Gearhead17]

I don't think its a power problem ,im only using a 3rd of the power that my amp produces according to my volume dial .
im leaning toward the sonic space theory. in the past I have only played in bands with one guitarist and I have never had this problem before .

The Volume dial does not work like that. It all depends on what you are feeding the amp signal wise. Take a photo of what you live amp settings typically are and tell us how you set the controls on your bass. We might be able to find a different culprit.....

 

[Frank77]

Guitar players who know when to turn down are few and far between...heck I've played upright as a duo with a singer-songwriter in a small coffee shop and he'd always be much louder than needed. The guitarist of my current band is an absolute gem though: he asked that his track be lowered in the mix of our recently-recorded demo, saying "It's not meant to be that upfront...turn it down, it's distracting!".

Otherwise, it's always an EQ / volume war...and it gets old quick. It's the main reason I pretty much gave up on rock music entirely.

 

[Thumper19605]

Your cab at your ear level, or run your line out to a headphone amp and use one in ear or earbud.
I have felt your pain, wish you luck.

 

[mc900ftj]

You assume that skinny stringers notice bass in the first place. I tried turning my volume to 0 .... For 3 songs in a band once (that i subsequently left) and they did not notice, the drummer did, but not the squealers. YMMV indeed

Now that's funny....and not in a good way.

 

[Downunderwonder]

Step 1, get guitar amps blazing directly at owners' heads.

Result, guitar turns down, complains his tone is wrecked. News flash, that's your tone to the mic, deal with it.

Step 2, find a sound man who can mix a rock band like a rock band not EDM with guitars.

 

[someguyfromNC]

I was once a guitard. A very common thing among us is the need to scoop out the mids, dial in lows, and tell people how awesome our heavy tone is. This usually makes the mix terrible. Guitar is a midrange instrument. When you hear isolated guitar tracks to 'heavy' riffs its always a lot brighter than you first assumed.

If your guitarist wants to play bass give him some lessons so he can join another band. If you want to fix the mix you are going to have to eq everyones amp so everyone can have their own 'sonic space.' Get him out of your space and dial in some mids on your amp.

 

[Ric5]

Try this:

1 - The whole band plays quieter
2 - Guitars turn down the bass and low mids

 

[FunkySpoo]

You assume that skinny stringers notice bass in the first place. I tried turning my volume to 0 .... For 3 songs in a band once (that i subsequently left) and they did not notice, the drummer did, but not the squealers. YMMV indeed

I was in a band where the keyboard player was always telling me to turn down. So at sound check one day I didn't even plug in. And as expected after sound check he said I was too loud and he told me to turn down. I pointed at my amp and told him I didn't think I can turn down anymore. Never told me to turn down again.

 

[BboogieXVII]

Balance (that's what the classical dudes sometimes call it) is indeed a rare find in the wild rollercoaster ride of live rock. Getting the right amount of sound to the musician's ears is indeed the trick. It seems a lot of guitar players just set their rig on the floor and crank up until they can hear themselves; and possibly no one else but perhaps the drummer, if he/she is a pounder that is.

It's hard to get people to try new things but like others have said if they could position their cabs to where they go more or less directly to where they can hear it and if they cut back on their bass then there is a chance for it to happen.

I really really don't like staggeringly loud guitars and if, with my musician earplugs in I feel it's too loud I just leave if I'm there to listen