I appreciate that - but I’ll guarantee there are rock bands MUCH louder than you
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Practice volume: next trial solution
- Thread starter tothemax
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I appreciate that - but I’ll guarantee there are rock bands MUCH louder than you
We did gig last week and going with the new practice routine really improved our sound, it has also really been helpful in identifying weak areas. For example our keyboard player tends to move off his mic during songs, which means his vocals wander. Now that the music is more under control it was really clear the other night. Since it's getting to be a thing I'm going suggest he try a headset mic and see if it makes a difference. I was using my Ampeg BA-115 for the gig which was perfect, good punch and not blasting us out on the frontline. For practice I will start running a DI line to the PA to spread the sound. Throughout the night we still get volume creep, but it's magnitudes better and we all leave practice in a better place. Really appreciate the good feedback. Btw: our trap drummer and I have a running joke with how much crap I can stuff in his bass drum without him seeing it (my latest trick is pull the moving blankets I use to pad gear in my SUV and slip them in his drum). Progress is coming slowly, but it seems to work better keeping it positive and moving slowly than pulling rank and making practice a bummer.
Yow! Drum shields at rehearsal? Miking the drums? Hundred-watt amps? Where the hell are you rehearsing, the Superdome?
I would suggest 10W practice amps for guitar and bass, drummer just brings a snare and hi-hat with a practice pad on the snare. The goal ought to be that you can give spoken directions while playing and be heard.
Otherwise it's not a band rehearsal, it's just a bunch of guys blowing off steam by making a bunch of noise (which can be OK, but it ain't rehearsing).
I would suggest 10W practice amps for guitar and bass, drummer just brings a snare and hi-hat with a practice pad on the snare. The goal ought to be that you can give spoken directions while playing and be heard.
Otherwise it's not a band rehearsal, it's just a bunch of guys blowing off steam by making a bunch of noise (which can be OK, but it ain't rehearsing).
Do you have a recorder, like a Zoom or something? Or even a half-decent mic and an interface into a laptop?
I would suggest recording yourselves during practice from a spot out in the room where somebody might be when they listen during a gig. Set up like you're on stage. Get the drummer to play at a reasonable volume and have everybody else play at whatever level they feel they should be playing. Do a PA mix like it's a gig, with the vocals set at a reasonable volume relative to the drums.
The problems should be SUPER OBVIOUS. If you do this in a practice situation, you can play, record, tweak, play, record, tweak until you get things set somewhere that everybody in the band can agree you sound halfway decent. You won't need to be negative or call anybody out, everybody will be able to hear the bad mix.
Alternately if the guitars think they sound great when they're a muddy mess, just make it an "experiment" to have everybody turn waaaay down just for grins and turn them back up in the PA mix. That'll get you an A/B recording that should be obvious which way is better.
I would suggest recording yourselves during practice from a spot out in the room where somebody might be when they listen during a gig. Set up like you're on stage. Get the drummer to play at a reasonable volume and have everybody else play at whatever level they feel they should be playing. Do a PA mix like it's a gig, with the vocals set at a reasonable volume relative to the drums.
The problems should be SUPER OBVIOUS. If you do this in a practice situation, you can play, record, tweak, play, record, tweak until you get things set somewhere that everybody in the band can agree you sound halfway decent. You won't need to be negative or call anybody out, everybody will be able to hear the bad mix.
Alternately if the guitars think they sound great when they're a muddy mess, just make it an "experiment" to have everybody turn waaaay down just for grins and turn them back up in the PA mix. That'll get you an A/B recording that should be obvious which way is better.
Sounds like the room is the problem. If you stay there try
setting up facing each other, raise your amps 3 or 4 ft.
That should help with volume issues or you can have a volume war.
PA facing in to you as mentioned before. 40 W bass amp is too small .
We rehearse this way and it works wonders for volume and hearing.
Good Luck
setting up facing each other, raise your amps 3 or 4 ft.
That should help with volume issues or you can have a volume war.
PA facing in to you as mentioned before. 40 W bass amp is too small .
We rehearse this way and it works wonders for volume and hearing.
Good Luck
We do record practices, but we have the same issue many bands do - players listen to themselves and not the mix. With the new mixer I've got some free channels so I DI my bass into the mix (just enough for a little boost). But we are making progress. The golden rule, you are only as strong as your weakest member.
