You know you're playing too hard/loud when...

[Popsicle Pete]

When your girlfriend first tells you she loves you only after you hit a nice low B.

I lol'd.

 

[timber22]

We were playing an outdoor gig and our keyboard player's 79 year old mother is there. She is a sharp and funny lady. I asked her later how we sounded and if we were too loud and she said, "Well, when I walked all the way to the back, went in the port-a-potty and closed the door, you sounded better!". I almost pissed myself laughing.

 

[Beginner Bass]

You're too loud when the bass scoops his mids in a metal band, and can still be heard.

You're playing too loud when you're metal band sounds like they're doing a song, but in reality, you're just tuning.

 

[AnchorHoy]

Variation on the 'walking beer mug" thing:

Played a hole-in-the-wall tavern way back in the day that had a nifty overhead rack for their wine glasses - hanging upside down by their bases, right above the bar. Everything's cool until I hit the first low E....

Wine glass vibrates its way out of the rack and falls on the bar, right in front of the bartender. Crash! Broken glass all over the bar. "You need to turn down". "Yep, I'm on it"

Barkeep starts cleaning up the glass while I roll off the low end on the amp and drop the Master Volume a bit. Try another low E. Crash!

"One more and you're flagged"

Played the rest of the gig with my bass sounding like it was coming out of a pocket sized transistor radio, and it still didn't help in the end. Got sent packing after one set, and stiffed for our pay. The weird thing was that the amp wasn't that big, or really that loud. An Acoustic 136 combo - 100w solid state into a single 15". Just the room resonance, I guess

 

[JimmyM]

i used to have a 136 and it could scream when i needed it. not a quiet amp by any means.

 

[Fassa Albrecht]

When I first got my Laney, I was so used to hearing myself on my church's 450w Trace Stack that I turned RIGHT up and began playing.

Now it didn't sound that loud to me (yaay for going deaf!) but the neighbors two flats above me didn't agree and called the cops.

 

[steveksux]

When my bobble head Jesus falls off

Bass players should have bobble head Pope's instead. They're infallible.

Randy

 

[Invisible_Kid]

When the amp sets the wooden floor on fire from overheating.

 

[Epitaph04]

When the guitarist in my band has to take a break because he feels nauseous.

 

[Pandafist]

congrats, this is the least rock & roll thread evar

maybe I just don't belong here

hulk smash

 

[Big chicken]

The bassist's too loud, when you can't hear the guitarist.

... But the guitarist is always too loud

not always
Invalid Link Removed

 

[Nashrakh]

You know you're playing too hard when you have calluses.

 

[thehangingmist]

in real life, you are playing too loud when you can really hear yourself

 

[Invisible_Kid]

congrats, this is the least rock & roll thread evar

maybe I just don't belong here

hulk smash

ORLY?

 

[Beginner Bass]

You know you're playing too loud when the drummer can't hear himself.

 

[PunkSweeper]

Try playing in Drop A on a 5 string. I've actually shaken my house so much that the windows vibrated open on their hinges.

Gotta love a venue that can support the A.

 

[ampcarfan]

When the rest of the band stops playing and you keep going cause you couldn't tell.

This actually happened to our guitard years ago (yes, that name fits him). We were playing an outside party and 2 sheriffs deputies came walking up... we all stopped playing as soon as we saw them except the guitar player who was soloing at the time, not only did he not see the cops, he didn't even notice we stopped playing (Randall full stack) until one of them tapped him on the shoulder and gave him the slice throat/ cut sign with his hand, the look on the lead players face was priceless!

 

[kuys]

When all the acoustic guitars on the wall are doubling you.

 

[doctorpunch]

My rig/playing has caused a few calamities:

One gig we played, our stuff was set up by a window and there were various beer signs on it. The Budweiser sign directly behind my rig fell onto the outlet that me, the rhythm guitar player, and the PA were all plugged into. We fixed it and jumped in before the song was even over

I like to windmill, but the human skull isn't built to spin around violently. One gig we played I did it for about 20 seconds straight and I fell directly onto my ass.

On more than one occasion I kicked out someone's wire.

 

[Paradox92]

...when you're practicing unplugged and someone tells you to stop because you're drowning out Enya.