My daughter is engaged to a metal head bass player. He is a talented musician who plays in two bands. I have yet to go to one of the serious metal band's gigs. My usual reasons are either because of location, time or because I just don't like their sound. The other does a mix of originals and some covers (they actually do occasional paid gigs). On several medium to small bar gigs I have gone to, I noticed they were overly loud and not clear. One gig was an all day multiple band fund raising gig in a small to medium bar. When I arrived part way through, I noticed the other bands sounded loud and mushy. When his band came on I noticed the same thing and then I saw to dude running FOH. All the bands were blaming the sound guy and while he was an easy scape goat, the responsibility ultimately falls on the "performers".
Here's my $0.02 on over-use and abuse of FOH. In the late 60's early seventies, our band was gigging 5 to 7 nights a week. My amp was a Kustom rolled and pleated with 2-15 cabinet, the keyboard player had a Leslie tone cabinet, the guitar player had come decent sized amp as well and the drummer didn't need to be mic'd. In all the club gigs we did, we never played into a PA. I have been asked how we were heard without FOH. The answer is "clearly".
Most of the gigs back then were in bars, clubs, school assembly halls, outdoors and in one case we performed on the outside terrace at the Shoreham Hotel in DC as opening act for a big name act. All of this was done without benefit or detriment of FOH. In the 70's; the venues were getting larger and bands saw how most big acts had a sound man controlling the sound and balance from out front. The larger venues created a larger need and everyone had to have a sound system and sound man, not, just a PA.
This brings us to today. Most bands have a PA (sound system) and sound person. You throw that into a small to medium venue and now we have the band's equipment and the FOH fighting for air. The end result is what sounds like LOUD mush. It also takes the db level to the point people don't enjoy "live" music as much. The best thing the sound person could do is turn-off all instrument feeds and make sure the vocals were clear or not allow the musicians to use on stage amplification and turn all control of sound to the person who is in the mix. Unfortunately, many sound people and DJs think the sound should be BOOMING like the systems they installed in their cars. Nothing like a trunk vibrating to scream ASSHAT. Loud is not better.
Our manager's husband was the business manager for AGVA. He kept reminding us that there were 10s of thousands of great musicians and singers; but fewer "performers". If we wanted to make money at this we needed to provide entertainment that was an enjoyable experience and caused people to want to pay to come back and see us again. LOUD and indistinguishable in a small venue creates the opposite effect. Don't blame the sound man for sounding poorly.
Here's my $0.02 on over-use and abuse of FOH. In the late 60's early seventies, our band was gigging 5 to 7 nights a week. My amp was a Kustom rolled and pleated with 2-15 cabinet, the keyboard player had a Leslie tone cabinet, the guitar player had come decent sized amp as well and the drummer didn't need to be mic'd. In all the club gigs we did, we never played into a PA. I have been asked how we were heard without FOH. The answer is "clearly".
Most of the gigs back then were in bars, clubs, school assembly halls, outdoors and in one case we performed on the outside terrace at the Shoreham Hotel in DC as opening act for a big name act. All of this was done without benefit or detriment of FOH. In the 70's; the venues were getting larger and bands saw how most big acts had a sound man controlling the sound and balance from out front. The larger venues created a larger need and everyone had to have a sound system and sound man, not, just a PA.
This brings us to today. Most bands have a PA (sound system) and sound person. You throw that into a small to medium venue and now we have the band's equipment and the FOH fighting for air. The end result is what sounds like LOUD mush. It also takes the db level to the point people don't enjoy "live" music as much. The best thing the sound person could do is turn-off all instrument feeds and make sure the vocals were clear or not allow the musicians to use on stage amplification and turn all control of sound to the person who is in the mix. Unfortunately, many sound people and DJs think the sound should be BOOMING like the systems they installed in their cars. Nothing like a trunk vibrating to scream ASSHAT. Loud is not better.
Our manager's husband was the business manager for AGVA. He kept reminding us that there were 10s of thousands of great musicians and singers; but fewer "performers". If we wanted to make money at this we needed to provide entertainment that was an enjoyable experience and caused people to want to pay to come back and see us again. LOUD and indistinguishable in a small venue creates the opposite effect. Don't blame the sound man for sounding poorly.
I played the rest of the gig hearing what I could of myself from the mains bouncing off the back wall of the club.
