ojplaysbass Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 i've recently (in the last 2 years) found myself in rehearsal and live situations straining to hear my own playing - i'm using the same equipment as i always have and it hasn't dipped in volume (and i'll be damned if i blow my amp/drive an audience away from the dancefloor in order to satisfy my drummer and guitarists' egos) but it doesn't stop there - i go to pub gigs, etc. and end up being unable to enjoy the sounds because the band turns up louder and louder through the night it's not that my hearing is shot - i always use proper protection (oo er missus) it surely can't be that i'm turning into a grumpy old fart - i'm only 26! is this a trend? has anyone else noticed it? am i making it up? help :S can we start a revolution of musicians who play quieter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Bands play too loud, period. Especially in pubs. I also find the sound in cinemas excessively loud to the point where it makes me nauseous, so I wear earplugs. Makes conversation difficult, though. I rehearsed in a band up until recently with a brass section who insisted on being miked up... in a room about 20ft square. Why?? No idea. Either everyone is deaf or they're just arses. Or both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I fully expect to wear plugs or less visually plugs when watching bands. It was good when our loud drummer said we were tiring him out as that meant he plays quieter...and we all get the benefit of that. Tis a problem and altho I would think it was age related, it seems you are doing the right things. You might still think to get your ears checked altho you'd more likely notice if you were having hearing converstions in cluttered situations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Some bands just think that the louder they play, the better they are. for some, this is true, as the immense volume covers up the fact that they aren`t that good. However, some sound-men also suffer from this. There`s a local band I go to see, who have 2 guys who do the sound. If sound-guy1 is doing the sound, they will be at an acceptable volume all night. If sound-guy2 is doing it, by the end of the night, and all the next day, my ears are hurting, and I already have bad hearing, so it must be agony for punters with proper hearing - though I`m sure the immense amounts of lager prevents them from realising it. And, as mentioned, cinema sound is too loud as well. If I go to see a film, it is so loud, I come out not having understood half of it, as it was so loud the background slamming of doors/tyre-screeches etc have blotted out most of the dialogue. So I think the attitude "loud is better" unfortunately prevails in many areas - do go and get checked out though - once your hearing is bad, that`s it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrenochrome Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Yes, lots of bands do it (including mine) - it makes the on stage sound messy and indistinct. In our band the backline level has increased as the drummer gets louder through playing and gigging more often. We've got a massive PA with everything miked so we have no need to be loud. Even drummers with reasonable dynamics often have a 'normal' level which is too loud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Yip, bands generally play to loud. Unless it suits the genre, turn it down! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oopsdabassist Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Recent gig we played, acoustics of the room were such that most of the sound got bounced back to the band, during sound check I went to far end of room(wireless) and could hardly hear anything, really weird, we had to play so loud it was painful, just so the landlord could hear at the bar....he kept saying 'turn up' too! Glad I had my earplugs with me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len_derby Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 The whole world has got noisier. More traffic (road and air), more gadgets etc. means that the ambient background noise we all live with has gone up steadily over the years. The increasing infantilism of our culture means that cocooning loud noise is seen as a comfort. To shut the F*** up and listen to someone else needs a sympathetic maturity that's beyond a lot of people it seems. One day only the very rich will be able to enjoy silence. Got out of bed the wrong side this morning? Moi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 (edited) I'm goingf to sound like a REALLY old man here and blame the massive jump in people plugging in to mp3 players/ipods. Safe levels are 85db for long term exposure. Go up 6db and you will start damaging hearing after 2 hours. Crank it to full (ipod about 103db) and the damage will start much sooner. Completely agree with Discreet about cinema - I avoid going as not only do I find it too loud overall but I find the balance can be ridiclous with sfx being ridiculously out of proportion to the rest of the film (and don't get me started on surround sound) Edited October 25, 2011 by Mykesbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 [quote name='ojplaysbass' timestamp='1319501027' post='1415049'] it surely can't be that i'm turning into a grumpy old fart - i'm only 26! [/quote] I'm 6 years younger than you and I'm already a GoF so possibly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbassist Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I hate really loud bands and agree with you. I always use earplugs on loud function band gigs. I am getting on, & a bit grumpy though :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malcolm.mcintyre Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I have started to use in ear monitors for rehearsals now. This allows me to run my bass amp quietly and if the others want to hear me THEY have to turn down too. Drummers don't seem to get it though do they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 [size=4]I'm old, grumpy and currently playing with more watts than my first 3 bands put together! [/size] [size=4]Most of my bands are too loud and some of them will turn down if asked but we usually aren't. My ears are so knackered that even if we turned down by 50% I'd still have to wear the ear plugs so the volume thing isn't an issue for me. I do worry about my kids though. [/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 The world is getting louder. I went to a gig a couple of months back, a small pub, the bass player seemed to be trying to use the 410/115 stack to maximum volume. It was actually making my ears hurt. Drummer and guitarist in my former band were both guilty of playing the volume war. Drummer had one volume, guitarist moaned he needed to turn his amp up because he couldn't hear himself or 'drive' it at lower volumes. THAT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE STOOD TOO CLOSE TO THE AMP AND IT'S TOO BIG IN THE FIRST PLACE YOU ARSE! That's what I felt like saying . At one gig they asked me to turn my amp up, I refused and told them to play quieter. Anyone would've thought I'd farted in their faces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I am actually pleased that we have been able to drop our levels of late...but not before some of us damaged our hearing, I'm sure. I wear plugs all the time and don't have any ringing in the ears now... and I encourage the band to do the same.. Punters and bar-staff are at the same risk as well over the course of time but just because we are protected to a degree doesn't mean we now have license to wind it up..!! One recent gig I had to misfortune to experience was where the bass drowned out the mic'd drums through a hefty..for a pub venue..HK rig. It would have been funny if it was wasn't so damn stupid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul torch Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 As a child I suffered serious ear infections which left my hearing damaged. The top frequencies in one of my ears had apparently gone though I couldn't tell in everyday situations. During a 16 year hiatus from playing in bands I worked as a DJ and upon returning to playing bass I find I cannot hear the rest of the band unless I am right by their individual amps/drum kit, they are constantly telling me that they cannot hear the bass but to me that is all I can hear. Having said that we have recruited a new very talented keyboard player who sometimes has his instrument so loud that it actually hurts my ears, he is cool though and turns down when I ask him. Protect your hearing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bassman7755 Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I've played in a couple of bands with electronic drum kits and its a total revalation being able to set the overall volume of the band to what ever level you like, independently vary on stage and out front level and add a bit of reverb to teh drums in more dead sounding venues. I remember one gig in a really small pub, we had a quiet but amazing sound, like a loud CD player. I with more drummer would go this route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 [quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1319534373' post='1415187'] I've played in a couple of bands with electronic drum kits and its a total revalation being able to set the overall volume of the band to what ever level you like [/quote] It's even better playing with a drummer who can play an acoustic kit quietly... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1319534643' post='1415189'] ....It's even better playing with a drummer who can play an acoustic kit quietly.... [/quote] [size=4]+1[/size] [size=4]They do exist. I know several.[/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Get you drummer to buy some in ear monitors! It's amazing how quietly they play when they can hear everything. Won't sort out the bandana wearing guitarist with Marshall stacks but at least the crash cymbal won't be perforating your ear drums. I always found it funny how some drummers claim that they need the volume to get a good sound out of their kit yet they can manage to play quietly without knowing it when they have in ears! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamPodmore Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1319534643' post='1415189'] It's even better playing with a drummer who can play an acoustic kit quietly... [/quote] [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1319535448' post='1415206'] [size=4]+1[/size] [size=4]They do exist. I know several.[/size] [/quote] I'm in a band with one. He's so good at it that we can have a band rehearsal with 2 acoustic guitars, 25w bass amp and an unmuted acoustic kit (Rock sizes, 22x1 8 kick, 14x6 snare, 12" and 16" toms) with cymbals. I know what you mean about many things being too loud, i think a lot of pub bands are, and i'm 16. I tend to find that i have my earplugs in my pocket any time i'm going out and know theres a possibility of live music. Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 If it's too loud, you're too old. - Ted Nugent posted by the guy who has been using earplugs since age 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul torch Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 [quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1319537963' post='1415269'] If it's too loud, you're too old. - Ted Nugent posted by the guy who has been using earplugs since age 18 [/quote] I'm way too old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1319534643' post='1415189'] It's even better playing with a drummer who can play an acoustic kit quietly... [/quote] I agree with this... and the dynamics are easy and can be huge as well. I don't think I ever got over sitting through a 2 hour..NOT JOKING ...sound check of an electronic kit tho... Our guy is done through a P.A in a couple of minutes tops as his kit is tuned so well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 [quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1319537963' post='1415269'] ....If it's too loud, you're too old. - Ted Nugent.... [/quote] [size=4]Inspite of everything I've already said, I'll agree with that![/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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