Thordenucci
Member
I usually have the volume at 9:30-10:00.
how loud live?
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brh34
Member
I haven't gigged in a while, but I do remember that a balanced sound for the entire band was what we were after. In almost every case, I was mic'd up to the PA, so the stage volume coming out of my cab was mostly for me to hear...not the crowd. I do remember playing louder in practice than I did live...as I wasn't mic'd into the PA for practice.
I would say that how loud your drummer plays is going to dictate the volumes of the rest of the band. Of course, this is just my opinion. However, it seemed to work for us.
I would say that how loud your drummer plays is going to dictate the volumes of the rest of the band. Of course, this is just my opinion. However, it seemed to work for us.
playdosboogies
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IMHO. Master volume mesas, at least the ones i've owned, don't sound their best at really high volumes unlike most tube amps. They tend to mush out on the low end. When i used my mesas live, i always hoped they had a good PA so i could run it at moderate volumes for the best sound. Its weird, because most tube amps sound awesome when you get the power tubes cooking, but mesas, with all the preamp gain, tend to fall apart sound-wise at supercranked levels.
NoGlassNoClass
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playdosboogies said:
Different EQ for high vols. Less bass, more mids, less gain and let it rip.
Mr.Hetfield
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Umm channel volume at 12 and master around 1030
I also have 2 tubes pulled out to my the dual rec 50 or so watts
I also have 2 tubes pulled out to my the dual rec 50 or so watts
edgarallanpoe
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I couldn't have said it better myself. I run my clean channel in 4X6L6 mode for the headroom, not the volume.
terribleboy
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That's your decision! Once I was on a concert, were the amp (not a mesa, but also 100 watt) was at about 10 o'clock! But he played with a pa! At a bandcontest at our school, there was a guy wich didn't use the pa and his amp gave full power. (Sound was ok)
So try to find out your best way,
terribleboy!
I don't want to know, how much mistakes I did
So excuse my English, please!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So try to find out your best way,
terribleboy!
I don't want to know, how much mistakes I did
So excuse my English, please!!!!!!!!!!!!!
+1 on the placement of amp/cabs on the side of the stage. Both guitarists in my band place them side by side on the side of the stage, facing in across the stage. It's easier for everyone in the band to hear it, and the side by side placement means one guitarist can't blow away the other one. It's easy to set our volumes at the same level.
bryan_kilco
Well-known member
yeah but then you dont get the stereo guitar effect! I cant stand when guitarists have both amps on the same side, honestly. Im a huge fan of L and R guitars, bass and drums center. Unless your cab is miced, if you turn cab sideways the audience wont get the full defined tone.jab said:
Southernhell
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Different volumes for different styles of music. I play extreme metal exclusively live. I have tried going with what the sound guys suggested until I was told by one guy that my amp sounded thin. He told me to turn the amp up until I liked the way it sounded. It is the sound guy's job in a live situation to amplify the band to be heard as they should be heard over the noise of the venue. Much like a recording engineer's job is to capture a band's sound on tape as it meant to be heard. They have to work with what they are presented.
Most sound guys use a general setting on their board that they use on every band that plays on the venue's stage. If you like it loud they tell you to turn down so they don't have to adjust their setup. This is laziness and they are not being a live sound engineer.
In a guitar oriented rock band, the main instrument is the guitar. If you have to play loud to get the tone that really helps you shine, it is the sound man's job to bring in the rest of the band to match YOUR volume. This usually means pulling guitars down in the mix.
Drums are the next most important instrument to be brought into the mix, followed by bass, then vocals.
A competent sound man should be able to provide a near perfect mix using what is given him within a minute of the band starting if they have not had the time to do a proper sound check beforehand.
When Hod(my band) plays live, the first thing we do after doing last minute tuning after setting up is get our stage volume. Both guitarists(myself being one) turn up so that we can hear ourselves over our drummer, as well as hear each other across stage. This is before the sound guy even speaks over the monitors to us. Monitor mixes are always crappy so I just ask for drums in my monitors(not really needed) as well as vocals. I can hear Carl from across stage so I don't get the paper thin wasp nest monitor mixed guitar that gives me a headache by the second song. There is really no need to crank the amps, but they have to be loud enough to fill the stage as well as move some air.
There is no need to be intimidated by a sound man telling you to turn down if you are within reason(no need for arena volume in a <500 capacity venue). Just politely tell him to turn the guitar down in the mix and blend the PA mis to the stage volume. A small chat with him prior to you going on stage explaining the situation above helps as well.
If he tries to bully you or gives you a bad mix, it is nothing to tell other bands and the club owner that the guy will intentionally give bands bad mixes, which in turn will give the club a bad name thus lessening bookings as well as damage his reputation as a sound man.
I have no patience for someone who tries to damage my performance because he doesn't know how to use his equipment (which is 90% of the cases when they tell you to turn down and you know that you aren't loud to begin with).
Most sound guys use a general setting on their board that they use on every band that plays on the venue's stage. If you like it loud they tell you to turn down so they don't have to adjust their setup. This is laziness and they are not being a live sound engineer.
In a guitar oriented rock band, the main instrument is the guitar. If you have to play loud to get the tone that really helps you shine, it is the sound man's job to bring in the rest of the band to match YOUR volume. This usually means pulling guitars down in the mix.
Drums are the next most important instrument to be brought into the mix, followed by bass, then vocals.
A competent sound man should be able to provide a near perfect mix using what is given him within a minute of the band starting if they have not had the time to do a proper sound check beforehand.
When Hod(my band) plays live, the first thing we do after doing last minute tuning after setting up is get our stage volume. Both guitarists(myself being one) turn up so that we can hear ourselves over our drummer, as well as hear each other across stage. This is before the sound guy even speaks over the monitors to us. Monitor mixes are always crappy so I just ask for drums in my monitors(not really needed) as well as vocals. I can hear Carl from across stage so I don't get the paper thin wasp nest monitor mixed guitar that gives me a headache by the second song. There is really no need to crank the amps, but they have to be loud enough to fill the stage as well as move some air.
There is no need to be intimidated by a sound man telling you to turn down if you are within reason(no need for arena volume in a <500 capacity venue). Just politely tell him to turn the guitar down in the mix and blend the PA mis to the stage volume. A small chat with him prior to you going on stage explaining the situation above helps as well.
If he tries to bully you or gives you a bad mix, it is nothing to tell other bands and the club owner that the guy will intentionally give bands bad mixes, which in turn will give the club a bad name thus lessening bookings as well as damage his reputation as a sound man.
I have no patience for someone who tries to damage my performance because he doesn't know how to use his equipment (which is 90% of the cases when they tell you to turn down and you know that you aren't loud to begin with).
zjanke
Member
I've seen full stacks in small bars, mic'ed through a PA :shock:
If you, in that situation still think it's the guy behind the table that isn't capable of doing his job, then you shouldn't read any further....
I try to work with the soundman to get the job done. For me that is a Blue angel on 6V6 about 12 o'clock and a JCM888 (hotrodded JCM800 with ppimv) adjusted to my BA. Due to the ppmiv I can cranck it at any level. The soundman can turn me up to amplify my sound, he can't turn my volume down. The only thing he can do in that situation is turn up the rest and make the total so bloody loud that your audience will leave.
Hey, I made sure that everybody was pissed because it was way too loud, but I had a great sound :roll:
If you, in that situation still think it's the guy behind the table that isn't capable of doing his job, then you shouldn't read any further....
I try to work with the soundman to get the job done. For me that is a Blue angel on 6V6 about 12 o'clock and a JCM888 (hotrodded JCM800 with ppimv) adjusted to my BA. Due to the ppmiv I can cranck it at any level. The soundman can turn me up to amplify my sound, he can't turn my volume down. The only thing he can do in that situation is turn up the rest and make the total so bloody loud that your audience will leave.
Hey, I made sure that everybody was pissed because it was way too loud, but I had a great sound :roll:
loudguitars
Well-known member
I run a 2x12 at the rear of the stage. I turn whatever amp I am using, MKIV or Lonestar up till I like the tone. Where the tubes are working, and then I either turn the cab to the rear, or usually put a 20 space rack cover
over part of the cabinet face. Then I can move it around to suit the sound. I usuall start about 80% covered and then end about 60%. You still get good tone without killing the audience and pissing off the soundman. I play on a big stage however. 500+ people.
over part of the cabinet face. Then I can move it around to suit the sound. I usuall start about 80% covered and then end about 60%. You still get good tone without killing the audience and pissing off the soundman. I play on a big stage however. 500+ people.
cellardweller
Well-known member
PUH-LEASE!!!!dean69 said:
C'mon...gimme a friggin break!!!
Could we possibly be more false and cliched at the exact same time?
loudguitars
Well-known member
Southern Hell, My most important factors in sound reinforcement are way different from yours. The vocals could hardly be the last item behind drums! I guess I don't play metal music. But, I have been to many old school Metal concerts in my day, and the vocals were very prominent.
Metallica, Dio, Sabbath,Megadeth
Most concert goers in my experience will never complain about the vocals being too loud, but are never hesitant to complain about piercing buzzsaw guitars or being killed by the subsonic bass drum.
I realize and agree that the guitars tone is crucial for the sound of modern metal, but the overall mix and balance of the music outweighs everything else in a live setting. We are in a "Band" after all.
IMHO us fellow guitarists can be a little "guitarded" occassionally.
A little too "guitarcentric" in the big picture.
Metallica, Dio, Sabbath,Megadeth
Most concert goers in my experience will never complain about the vocals being too loud, but are never hesitant to complain about piercing buzzsaw guitars or being killed by the subsonic bass drum.
I realize and agree that the guitars tone is crucial for the sound of modern metal, but the overall mix and balance of the music outweighs everything else in a live setting. We are in a "Band" after all.
IMHO us fellow guitarists can be a little "guitarded" occassionally.
A little too "guitarcentric" in the big picture.
Southernhell
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I never said that vocals were to be lower in the mix than the rest of the instruments. They are the easiest to compensate for once the rest of the band's mix is set. I guess I should have explained it a bit better.
Once the band mix is set, it is easier for the soundman to place the vocalist in the mix. Usually 4-6db higher then the rest of the mix, but situations vary.
Every gig I have played, the vocal check is always the last instrument in the mix. General sound checks follow this path about 90% of the time. Drums, then guitars, or vice versa, then bass, then keys if any, followed by vocals. The non vocal checks can be mixed in order, depending on who gets set up first, but the vocals are almost always the last to be checked.
The point I was trying to make is that as guitarists, you should not be afraid of turning to the point where you can hear yourself without monitors. The soundman will compensate. Most venues have a PA that is more than adequate to compensate the other instruments for a loud amp stage volume. Soundmen that want a quiet stage volume so they can make their mix, is simply a bad soundman. They should be more than willing to make adjustments as necessary. If your loud amp screws them up, then they dont know how to adjust the gain knob and or slider on the mixing board and should leave that job to someone who can. I wasn't saying that you should dime your amp in a small venue just to get your tone, but you should be able to hear yourself over the drums and bass. You will never hear vocals at stage volume unless you are using monitors.
To the original poster. I always run my DR on channel 3 with 1:30 channel volume, output is set to 10:00 - 11:00, sometimes bumped up a bit on the output depending on persons in attendance as they act as natural baffle material.
Once the band mix is set, it is easier for the soundman to place the vocalist in the mix. Usually 4-6db higher then the rest of the mix, but situations vary.
Every gig I have played, the vocal check is always the last instrument in the mix. General sound checks follow this path about 90% of the time. Drums, then guitars, or vice versa, then bass, then keys if any, followed by vocals. The non vocal checks can be mixed in order, depending on who gets set up first, but the vocals are almost always the last to be checked.
The point I was trying to make is that as guitarists, you should not be afraid of turning to the point where you can hear yourself without monitors. The soundman will compensate. Most venues have a PA that is more than adequate to compensate the other instruments for a loud amp stage volume. Soundmen that want a quiet stage volume so they can make their mix, is simply a bad soundman. They should be more than willing to make adjustments as necessary. If your loud amp screws them up, then they dont know how to adjust the gain knob and or slider on the mixing board and should leave that job to someone who can. I wasn't saying that you should dime your amp in a small venue just to get your tone, but you should be able to hear yourself over the drums and bass. You will never hear vocals at stage volume unless you are using monitors.
To the original poster. I always run my DR on channel 3 with 1:30 channel volume, output is set to 10:00 - 11:00, sometimes bumped up a bit on the output depending on persons in attendance as they act as natural baffle material.
