Live volume issues....

[GCDEF]

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

I agree with GCDEF. Find more appropriate venues to play in. As strange as it sounds, I have had success with lowering the volume of my drummer by mic'ing his entire kit. Put it in his monitors as well as FOH. A lot of times a drummer will hit harder when he can't hear his shit reverberating off the back of his skull. Give him more in his monitors and he will relax a little. Works for us anyway.

And that's a good idea. Blast the sound back at the stage so the musicians are happy and keep the front down so the club is happy. Works for all musicians too.

FWIW, whenever we play volume constrained situations, audience response is always more subdued and comments are that we don't sound nearly as good as we usually do. Rock bands need to rock, and a certain volume is required for that.

[buddaman71]

Originally Posted by GCDEF

Some places think they want a band when they really just want an acoustic guy in the corner. There's always electronic drums, but personally, I'd just look for more appropriate places to play if unmiced drums are too loud.

Exactly! I've had owners call and ask to book my band, and I swing by the place and there's no freakin way it's appropriate for any full band, much less my silly loud ass outfit.

I actually book myself as solo acoustic show or with my singer as a duo in places like that, and it's fun and I play as many shows as I want that way.

[Anthony Gring]

Originally Posted by billyguitar

If a drummer really wants to be a musician and work for many years, he'll have to learn how to play quietly. The drummer is the volume control of the band. Wherever he's at is where everyone else will be.

This ^^^^^^^ + 10000

[Somniferous]

Thinner cymbals and hitting them less hard. It's really rock drummers bashing the cymbals, usually heavy ones, that makes the volume get crazy. Oddly enough this also makes for a better recorded drum sound as it usually brings the cymbals in line volume wise with the skins.

[sacakl]

Agree with everything GCDEF has said here. Amazing some of the cramped places I've played, the stripmall sports bar that's cramped, tiled floors, and vaulted ceilings. No way a 4-piece rock band with acoustic drums works in those places. Learned the hard way that it's just not worth it since the band, their fans, and the patrons all end up being disappointed. If it's an all acoustic or jazz thing, that would be different. These type of venues think they want rock, but really can't handle it since they want it at jukebox sound levels.

[Nelson89]

Originally Posted by sacakl

Agree with everything GCDEF has said here. Amazing some of the cramped places I've played, the stripmall sports bar that's cramped, tiled floors, and vaulted ceilings. No way a 4-piece rock band with acoustic drums works in those places. Learned the hard way that it's just not worth it since the band, their fans, and the patrons all end up being disappointed. If it's an all acoustic or jazz thing, that would be different. These type of venues think they want rock, but really can't handle it since they want it at jukebox sound levels.

Yep...they'd be better off with an iPod if they wanted rock...

I was on tour as a guitar tech for my mates band one day and they played at this one pub that hired them...they were a heavy blues/rock band, strictly originals, the pub were not only looking for a quieter band, they were looking for a cover's band...advertised "live rock bands", but with an acoustic drum kit, fender hot rod deluxe at 2, they were already too loud...the bit that was stupid is they started with the singer doing an acoustic set and the pub manager complained that they wanted a rock band, not acoustic guitar, so then they cut that acoustic set there and then and started with the band and then the pub manager said they were way too loud. We ended up just leaving, the venue did nothing but complain, didn't know what they wanted and of course refused to pay anything for the gig (supposed to get $600) even though they still played for about 2 hours (supposed to play for 3).

It's worth researching the place beforehand and gauging whether they really know what they're asking for.

[ifshnee]

Great drummers can & do grove hard while playing low.

Been there, done that, worked with many who can.
It separates the real pros from the wanna bee's.
With out musically balancing band dynamics, your band will just be a garage band.
Don't mean this as visious, just cold stark reality.
example: worked with Dave Weckle a coupla times. One time at a drum seminar in a small music store. He grooved the snot out of things at a low playing level. It can & is being done.

[Floyd Eye]

Originally Posted by GCDEF

FWIW, whenever we play volume constrained situations, audience response is always more subdued and comments are that we don't sound nearly as good as we usually do. Rock bands need to rock, and a certain volume is required for that.

Exactly. I can think of 2 bad shows we did in the last 4 months and both of them were in situations where we HAD to play at low volume. It's very hard to get into what you're doing if you aren't even remotely happy with what you're hearing.

On the other hand, we played an outdoor pool party yesterday afternoon on about 500 acres for some very cool people who kept insisting we could go as loud as we wanted. We obliged and had a hell of a good show.

[Tweeker]

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

...2 bad shows we did in the last 4 months..we HAD to play at low volume. It's very hard to get into what you're doing if you aren't even remotely happy with what you're hearing.
...we played an outdoor pool party yesterday afternoon on about 500 acres for some very cool people who kept insisting we could go as loud as we wanted. We obliged and had a hell of a good show.

Indoor and outdoor shows are apples and oranges. Being able to rock hard at low volume is a partially a technical skill to be cultivated.
And if you excuse me going all Zen on you, it's about "being happy" with what you're hearing on the inside before you bring it out.

Originally Posted by ifshnee

Great drummers can & do grove hard while playing low...It separates the real pros from the wanna bee's...

Amen

[sacakl]

Originally Posted by Tweeker

Indoor and outdoor shows are apples and oranges. Being able to rock hard at low volume is a partially a technical skill to be cultivated.
And if you excuse me going all Zen on you, it's about "being happy" with what you're hearing on the inside before you bring it out.


Amen

Agree that an excellent pro drummer can keep volumes low. When a place is cramped and tiled floor to ceiling, not conducive for classic rock coverbands at jukebox sound levels unless they're playing Magaritaville all night long.