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I was way too loud at practice

Stinsok

Stinsok

Dec 16, 2002
7,464
3,487
62
Central Alabama
#1
And didn't realize it. I have had a Seymour Duncan Bass 4000 for quite a while but have never used it with a band. About half way though practice the guitarist (who uses a Marshall) said "man,you are peelin' the paint off the walls!" The drummer said "yeah, it's pretty loud." It wasn't my intention to be that loud. That old boat anchor amp is really a beast.
 
#5
Stinsok said:
And didn't realize it. I have had a Seymour Duncan Bass 4000 for quite a while but have never used it with a band. About half way though practice the guitarist (who uses a Marshall) said "man,you are peelin' the paint off the walls!" The drummer said "yeah, it's pretty loud." It wasn't my intention to be that loud. That old boat anchor amp is really a beast.
Click to expand...

With a lot of guitarists, this comment really means "Man, I could almost tell I wasn't the only one playing!"
 
#10
Stinsok said:
And didn't realize it. I have had a Seymour Duncan Bass 4000 for quite a while but have never used it with a band. About half way though practice the guitarist (who uses a Marshall) said "man,you are peelin' the paint off the walls!" The drummer said "yeah, it's pretty loud." It wasn't my intention to be that loud. That old boat anchor amp is really a beast.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but don't you know what a volume control is and what it does???

Turn down until the band sounds balanced!!!!!!! It's not about drowning the guitar player but about what makes the band sound good!

Paul
 
#12
This sounds like typical "Battle of The Amps" mentality here folks... A war in which no one ever wins and everyone loses... their hearing that is. An extremely silly way to practice if you give a crap about your most precious asset apart from your hands. You all need to turn down.. probably alot it sounds like.
 
#14
At practice Sunday for one of my bands I caught my guitarist sneaking the volume a few times. After the fourth or fifth times I told him to turn down since everything already sounded good when we started practice. He then told me all he could hear was 'DUM DUM DUM" coming from my rig. I said ok so I turned down. All the way down. Turned my rig off completely. Unplugged my wireless from my bass. Then "played" the rest of the rehearsal like that.

Funny part(s) was when we were done practice, the guitar player came up to me and said that he really liked how we were blending in the second half of practice, but if I could face him next time so he could see my hand positions since he couldn't really hear me too well :eyebrow:
The other funny part was that we were auditioning a new keyboard player that day. He realized immediately what I did. During a little break between songs, he came up to and said that he thought it was so cool meeting someone who didn't keep turning up. I think he was the only other smart person there that day that didn't feel like losing their ears.
 
#16
Stinsok said:
I am well aquainted with the volume and playing with a balanced sound, but why do I always have to be the "volume bitch?"
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Traditionally our role has been to anchor the band and to provide a foundation for the soloists whether vocal or instrumental. For some of us that role has been evolving into other fields like providing common sense where none exists. If you are in a volume war it's bad for the band, bad for the audience and terrible for your ears. Going up against a guitar player is a battle you can never win. Turn down to reasonable levels and encourage your guitarist to do the same "for the sake of the band!"

Paul
 
#18
I'm quite sure this has nothing to do with anything but...

In our rehearsals, I am the undisputed volume king (thanks to my 250w ampeg and an extreeeeeemly loud BFM omni 10).

Its like a 67 L88 Corvette. Noone needs that kinda power, but if you have plenty of headroom, and you need to goose it every once and a while...

and I never have to sacrifice tone for loudness. As long as common sense prevails, everyone is happy. When common sense doesn't prevail, well, I'm still happy!;)
 
#20
I should have made the original post a little different. With an untested, old amplifier, I was able to move the earth with very little effort. The amp I had been practicing with (a Carvin B800) was fine and had enough headroom. The Seymour Duncan has 200 watts less at 2 ohms and is much louder than the Carvin at the same settings.
 

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