Is there usually overwhelming lowend at metal shows?

[jamisonsalamand]

Where I live, it's really difficult to get to shows. I've only really been to two, and one was a metalcore band just today. The PA system had overwhelming low-end, and I was pretty much unable to tell what the opening bands(who I hadn't heard before) were playing other than the rhythm/double kick. It wasn't as much a problem with the band I went to see, as I know the songs and know what I'm supposed to be hearing with songs I'm familiar with. I'm just wondering if most venues and shows are like this, with almost obnoxious low-end to everything and hardly any definition(mids and attack) to the melodies or riffs that they're playing, or if the soundman for this show was just kind of bad

 

[dukeisdog]

I find that this happens a lot with bands out here in Winnipeg also. Mostly just in the local scene, but thats mostly because we have inexperienced guys around my age (17) working the board.

There was a Holly Springs Disaster show I just went to, and they came with Architects, and Structures, and FAME also played, and I was really looking forward to hearing Structures live, because based on their myspace recordings, I thought they would be amazing. I couldn't pick up anything that they were playing at all. Their whole sound was just mud. Mind you, these dudes are playing custom Carvin 7 string guitars, but still. Their recordings are impressive, though.

Architects comes on, and through the whole set, I can't hear their vocalist.

Holly Springs was amazing.

I was pretty disappointed with the sound at that show overall though, but it was overall an awesome night.

 

[ga_edwards]

It also depends where you're standing in the room.

 

[WhiteKnuckles]

That's kinda typical due to most metal guitarists cranking their low end.

2 guitarists + a bassist + a double kick drummer + some cookie monster vocals = crap live sound.

 

[AndyLES]

That's kinda typical due to most metal guitarists cranking their low end.

2 guitarists + a bassist + a double kick drummer + some cookie monster vocals = crap live sound.

Bingo. Plus, younger engineers often forget about the channel hi-pass filters...

 

[GregShadoan]

I agree, it's a disturbing trend. Usually opening bands have in experienced FOH people, and they think that if the low end is crushing, that it's cool, or something. Personally I think it's stupid, but I digress. The better more experienced engineers know this and usually mix a more balanced show. Opening acts rarely get adequate sound checks, where as the main act has the time to walk the room, and adjust for balance and clarity.

 

[jamisonsalamand]

Bingo. Plus, younger engineers often forget about the channel hi-pass filters...

Are these the same as what the mixer i use at practice has, which says "Low cut"?

 

[bigblondeafro87]

crushing low end is cool if its defined and has matching elements in treble and mids.

 

[M0ses]

Are these the same as what the mixer i use at practice has, which says "Low cut"?

Indeed.

 

[Gearhead17]

Mayhem Festival - Tinley Park, IL.

WAY TOO MUCH LOW END! Typically the kick drums had too much going on between 100-300hz and that DROWNS everything out! Mostly the bassist gets buried along with the vocals not sounding as good.

Some bands would all hit the same note simlutaneously with the kick drum and I swear you could hear a WALL of low end erupt and it took 2 seconds for everything else to be audible again. Unbelievable.

Metal guitar tones sound "metal: with the mids cut a LITTLE. The massive mid cut tones by the guitarists on stage and by the sound guy has truly got to stop. I could not figure out anything many of these metal bands even played. In many cases, two guitar bands featured both guitars with the exact same tone.

Even stranger - Rob Zombie - I BARELY heard anything Blasko played for the entire set. Even when the drums and bass were going (nothing else!), I heard only the drums.

Low end is cool, how can you argue? Too much is bad thing. Someone has got to start a campaign - "Bring back the mids".

 

[RNV]

Every time we play we always have the other bands come up to us and ask how we get our sound so clean.(Thrash/Death in drop C) Our answer is simple, we don't cut our mids and we take the time to have the two guitarist EQed a bit differently and I run just about flat a tweak to the room. We took our time to fill in any sonic voids.

 

[walker rosewood]

interesting... i've always heard that metal shows are all high end, like there might as well not be a bass player.

 

[fokof]

I heard some very interesting Metal mixes where the kick was only the attack , no low end at all so all the low end was for the Bass and the guitar.
Lots of albums are mixed like that.

It's a complete different approach but works well if all are OK with this. (read "the drummer")


Just sayin'

 

[iridiumrocks]

That's kinda typical due to most metal guitarists cranking their low end.

2 guitarists + a bassist + a double kick drummer + some cookie monster vocals = crap live sound.

I love the description "cookie monster vocals" because that pretty much nails it. Our sound guy did a battle of the bands in a local club and there were singers doing the cookie monster thing by eating the mic and growling. Then they would say "Hey the PA sounds like crap!". As the old saying goes, Garbage in Garbage Out.

 

[mtshark]

I agree, it's a disturbing trend. Usually opening bands have in experienced FOH people, and they think that if the low end is crushing, that it's cool, or something. Personally I think it's stupid, but I digress. The better more experienced engineers know this and usually mix a more balanced show. Opening acts rarely get adequate sound checks, where as the main act has the time to walk the room, and adjust for balance and clarity.

Newsflash: I don't think many of the bands in question are too concerned with clarity