• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

You're too loud!!!!!!!!!

#41
IMHO, most guitar players are seriously over-amped for the majority of the playing environments.

One of the guys I play music with regularly also tours with some "house-hold name" country acts. He uses a 22watt Fender in the enormo-domes and outdoor festivals. Just add a SM57 and a PA.

When 'Billy Currington' first signed with Mercury, his band did a showcase, outdoors on the street near the Ryman. His guiatr player was using a Blues Junior.

Invalid Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed

Why a guitarist in a pro/am band in a club would think he/she needs a 100 watt 1/2 stack is nothing short of sheer stupidity - IMHO, YMMV.
 
#42
You have gotten a lot of good advice, but from what you are describing about your bandmates, none of it will be of any value to this band. Between your drummer and guitar #1, you have two pretty unreasonably people that are not likely to change. I think you should start looking for a new band or consider putting one together yourself. Being flexible and open to constructive criticism is every bit as important as skill on your instrument if you want to have a successful band. It sounds like you and guitar #2 are the only ones in the band that have that.

You hit the nail right on the head here! I have known that they were in control and tuff to work with since day 1. We have all got along but we have had problems as of the late. Drummer and guitar 1 got into a huge fight at practice last week.

I have been in a number of gigs where the manager has said that he wanted us to turn down - we turn down. Mostly the reason they do that is because the bar/restaurant is NOT a "music only venue" per se and the manager is trying to maintain a volume level that is conducive to the patrons being able to converse - and not have to scream at the top of their lungs to be heard

These dolts fight with me on this...they say then why do they hire a band then if they just want them to turn down so low we sound like a the house music system. We had people yelling in each others ears at tables in the rear of the place last gig! Managers will not take customers complaints over a band for long.

One of the bottom-line reasons to play in a classic rock cover band is to get paid. If you want to get paid, you have to do what the owner/manager says. Now if you are fortunate enough not to care about getting paid, you can afford to be much more picky about what clubs you play. Make a list of the ones that let you "do it your way" and screw the ones with the volume issues. Otherwise get your band to pull their collective heads outta their a$$es and realize that they are hired to do a job and the person paying you decides if you did it or not.

Right on! And let me tell you the two trouble makers in the band want paid big time...they are very cheap and always knock me for getting low paying gigs...but i get all the bar gigs our drummer got a few word of mouth parties. I network for the band do cold calls to bars etc. I always get the going rate for any band of our type in our area and they say ....well we are better than most others bands and we have a kickass PA so we need more for our time and for us to haul this system around. I say we are as good as most local cover bands and not as good as a few one thing for sure we are louder! :scowl:
 
#44
bassbully43 said:
Sorry...the above post i cut and pasted questions and advice with my answers and kinda messed it up...you gotta read it all.
Click to expand...

You convinced me! It's obvious that you're already the bandleader (regardless who started the band), your guitar #1 and drummer just don't recognize it. With the attitude you have there should be no trouble getting quality musicians. I say you start recruiting today!

Ralf
 
#45
It seems you have your head in the right place regarding being a professional bar band and how to properly address your employers' requests. Unless the rest of your band is irreplacible, replace them and keep on gigging. If you get a reputation as a responsible, professional band that does a good job, you will get plenty of gigs and plenty of $$. Obviously if you get a reputation as a band that plays way too loud and disregards management's requests, you will only get a reputation. That and $3 will get you a beer - domestic at that.

Good luck!
 
#49
Since when do people complain about the bass being too loud? In most small venues the drummer controls the volume. I have a drummer who plays too damn loud and too damn quiet in the same song. Talk about nuts. He sings a lot and when he sings he has to play so quiet so he can hear (even though he has a freakin hot spot monitor 4" from his ear.) that I can't hear him. Then a solo comes along and he cranks it up so loud he's all you can hear. I stopped using my lakland, and went with my Warwick Corvette all the time. The bell brass frets have a good deal of volume variance. I can play just quiet enough, and he can't overpower me when he gets crazy. I actually hear my fills now. Now, when the volume questions start, I don't do a freakin thing except say talk to the drummer, then maybe turn me UP a bit more.:help:
 
#50
Here so far is what i have learned......

1.Go to smaller watt amps and speaker set ups 1x12 ..2x12.
2.Get the amps off the floor more in the air.
3.Lose the huge subs and go thru the mains.
4.Get the drummer to down size and play softer.
5.Get away from playing to the dinner crowd..and play to the later bar crowd (drinkers).
6.Mic all the guitars to the board to monitor them better.
7.Make the manager happy.
8.Get my dolt bandmembers to do all this and understand me.
9. Quit if they dont and find a new band who know what they are doing and are pro's.
 
#51
Ironically, my band went on the lower volume tyrade because the stage volume was hurting my ears and I didn't see any reason why I should have to pop earplugs at every show.

We'll still occasionally get the lady in her 30s+ who complains while I'm checking mics... "Can you turn it down a little?" She doesn't realize that I've got a compressor and a hard limiter on my PA to protect speakers - regardless of what comes through that PA, it's not possible to get louder than what comes through on that first mic check.

Meh. We're still too loud on stage, and I still need to pop the plugs, but at least we can hear each other now.
 
#53
Both the blues bands I play in the guitarists use Fender combos... past 2 on the volume and even those are WAY too loud. it's mostly the direction of the sound... but eitherway, it's offensive.

I now carry a sheet of plexiglass to put in front of their amps... that way they can gain it up a little and the sound doesn't hit the people like a knife.

I ran sound for my cousin's band over the summer, and the one guitarist had a 50 watt half stack... It was the most annoyingly loud thing I've ever heard in my life. Just because it was outside and for about 1500 people, I was able to crank the whole PA up to it's level... and even then, I barely had enough headroom to contend with it... I'm talking like 4000 watts too. I told him about 8 times to turn that sucker down... and even on like 2 it was WAY too loud.

My cousin has a 100 watt Plexi head, but he uses an attenuator on it. Crank it up and crank it up. Sounds great.


Either way... if it's too loud, it's too loud. If it's offensive to anyone, then you aren't doing what you are supposed to be doing... entertaining people. Why would you want to piss any of your customers off?

IMO, the lower the volume, the better... ever more so if you are a cover band playing in a corner bar.
 
#54
bassbully43 said:
Here so far is what i have learned......

3.Lose the huge subs and go thru the mains.
Click to expand...


I do NOT agree with this ONE lesson.

Subs are even MORE important at low volumes IMO.

They let the audience FEEL the music even when you are not that loud.

You can stick your head in a 400 watt sub going full bore and it isn't loud. Keep the subs so you can tickle their fannies.
 
#56
bassbully43 said:
It is like alot of the bar/rest wing type eateries square block building the whole front glass windows large exposed metal rafter ceiling with beer banners hanging down etc. I guess it would seat about 150 without the bar. I know what your saying about all those amps...too big..i can go to a 4x10 with no problem and still be loud enough so i know they can go to a 2x12 or single 12 also.
Click to expand...


Well all I'm saying is that it usually is best to let your pa do the work instead of power amps, you have to remember there's no compression or eq or anything on the raw sound of an amp, it doesn't make for a very nice sound....
 
#58
groovyastro said:
Well all I'm saying is that it usually is best to let your pa do the work instead of power amps, you have to remember there's no compression or eq or anything on the raw sound of an amp, it doesn't make for a very nice sound....
Click to expand...

But there's obviously nobody qualified to run the PA. I feel quite certain that putting a mic in front of everything would only add to the volume, not help it. The guitarist is still going to have his amp turned up, but now that it has its own channel strip then he'll feel the need to put the fader at or above the line marked 0.
 
#59
bassbully43 - the list works. 1, 2 and 4 gets the most accomplished.

A different era but my drummer thought he was Ansley Dunsbar and over played every room. I bought a drum shield kit. Amazingly, he went with it and man, once everyone experienced a quasi-studio mix, we all realized in a profound way that we needed to practice a lot more!
 
#60
bishopthomas said:
But there's obviously nobody qualified to run the PA. I feel quite certain that putting a mic in front of everything would only add to the volume, not help it. The guitarist is still going to have his amp turned up, but now that it has its own channel strip then he'll feel the need to put the fader at or above the line marked 0.
Click to expand...


Well, if the guitarist/soundman, whatever he is, refuses to reduce volume, no matter what you suggest, well, then you have a people issue not a sound issue... If you like playin with this guy and he's in charge of the sound, then you'll just have to ride it out, your hands are tied. Believe me I've been in many bands, some I had a say so in and others I didn't... I would just explain to to the bar owner the way it was, so he wouldn't hold a hateful grudge against you... You never know, you might wanna play there again someday, maybe with a new group....lol
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back