My band's failed attempt at going ampless

[Wasnex]

“Low stage volume” is a concept that is repellent to many people. Especially drummers lol.

Sad but true.

 

[Mike Caldwell]

“Low stage volume” is a concept that is repellent to many people. Especially drummers lol.

For a soundman a gig with crazy stage volume your just doing damage control. Had one in a live but ok sounding room, drummer's snare was a like a cannon shot and painfull with every hit just acoustically in the room, sound check started with all amps cranked most likely even higher than normal just hang with the snare and drum volume.....nothing is in the very excellent PA system, they all want loud and louder monitors. After the second song they say they can't hear monitors by that time the drummer went from hard hitting into full afterburner.
Guitar player had too much low end just to add to the roar.
I kept the vocals over the audio assault and put ear plugs in.

I'll add that anyone who runs sound has been there!

Had another quite a while back, very loud stage volume in a very live room, band would not really dial it down any though the guitar play did let me put the lid from my mixer case in front of their amp.....that did help a very tiny bit....but then they wanted the stage monitor even louder!
Person putting on the event mentioned the volume and I ask if they had seen the band play before and they said they had and they were really loud then!!!!!!!

I could go on!!!! I try not to put myself into those situations when at all possible!!!

 

[ivanthetrble]

But I thought loud stage volume filled in the gaps the PA didn't cover? See this is where things get wonky. Sound people who are listening to what the audience hears, seem to want less on stage volume, whilst some players in this thread are saying the opposite?

 

[_Some Dude]

But I thought loud stage volume filled in the gaps the PA didn't cover? See this is where things get wonky. Sound people who are listening to what the audience hears, seem to want less on stage volume, whilst some players in this thread are saying the opposite?

I think it’s situational.

The soundmen I work with regularly will turn us up/down on stage to fill out and blend with FOH. It’s usually set during sound check, however we’ll be approached between sets as the room fills up if they want us to make adjustments.

But, we seem to have developed an abnormal situation as ours feel like honorary members of the band.

And I’ll freely admit this doesn’t apply everywhere. In those cases we just ask the soundman if the volume is good and try to be easy to work with.

 

[ivanthetrble]

But if you are ampless, as was the subject of the OP, then you don't have the option of turning the on stage volume up or down at all? Maybe that is why they failed?

 

[Mike Caldwell]

But if you are ampless, as was the subject of the OP, then you don't have the option of turning the on stage volume up or down at all? Maybe that is why they failed?

Probably not.

 

[Mike Caldwell]

But I thought loud stage volume filled in the gaps the PA didn't cover? See this is where things get wonky. Sound people who are listening to what the audience hears, seem to want less on stage volume, whilst some players in this thread are saying the opposite?

Not really provided a half way legit PA is in use and there is full mix going, in that case loud stage volume is doing no one any favors.....at least out in the audience.

By "half way legit PA" I'm not talking about an arena sized system but a couple good top boxes over a couple subs...and set up properly!

In my couple of stage volume examples a few post back both of those events seriously compromised, people were leaving the one and very few came into the room of the other and did not stay long.