Hearing yourself on stage - small combo as foldback?

[sunfish]

I have trouble hearing myself on stage when I know im loud enough to blow someones head off at the back of the room. My ears are not what they used to be. I use a TC RH450 with RS210 cab and a Flite 15 cab. Plenty loud and ear height. But playing small venues, mainly  pubs where you have no choice but stand right next to your cabs, i never feel i can quite hear myself compared to rehearsals. Especially playing with a keyboard player nicking my frequencies.

So ive thought about using the DI out of my amp into a small combo added to the stack. No room for a  wedge at my feet.  Not sure if the Peter Jones Earbox would work in an americana band scenario. 

 

Anybody tried this?

 

[Mudpup]

Maybe sort the keyboard player out first? Restore your sonic space and get out the front for a listen. 

 

 

[Dan Dare]

1 hour ago, sunfish said:

Especially playing with a keyboard player nicking my frequencies

 

The bane of our lives all too often. I've lost count of the number of times I've tried to explain to a KB player that the fact that he has the ability to play ten notes simultaneously doesn't mean he has to do so all the time. Getting them to understand that there is a difference between playing solo, when they have to provide the lot - melody, chords and bass line - and playing in a band context, where space has to be left for everything else that is happening, is a never ending quest.

 

Edited February 5, 2022 by Dan Dare

[Happy Jack]

2 hours ago, sunfish said:

 I use a TC RH450 with RS210 cab and a Flite 15 cab.

 

Far Canal ... what size of venue are you playing to need that much volume?

 

In my bands, we have low-volume backline and put everything through our PA. On stage (clubs and pubs) we can hear ourselves just fine and nobody gets to go deaf.

 

It helps if you tilt back the 210 against the back wall, and stand as far forward from it as you can. Personally I'd lose the 115 immediately.

 

YMMV

 

[Lozz196]

This might seem like a strange solution to hearing things, but what about a good set of ACS ear plugs? Mind bring the volume of the whole (very loud) band down to a really comfortable level where I can hear every note from every instrument. 

[sunfish]

All good points. We only have a small PA for vocals only. (Which is mine and I don't sing,  ironically) 

The 115 is to raise the 210 to ear level. 

Did a gig last night without keys and was much better but still not easy to hear. Maybe I bring the 115 to raise the cab but not plug it in so it's not projecting to the back of the room quite so much. 

[lemmywinks]

Had similar problems - keys player who doesn't know how to eq or fit in a mix coupled with being on top of my amp as I was stood behind him a lot of the time. 

 

For a while I used a pair of Markbass Club 121 cabs, on tight stages I would have the top one tilted up at me. After this I moved to a powered wedge which gave me more options regarding placement and I could have vocals through it as well. Eventually I just went full IEM and never thought of using backline live again.

 

 

[Bankai]

It’s been four hours so I guess I best rock up and recommend a Barefaced 12” cab. 

[Downunderwonder]

12 hours ago, sunfish said:

small venues

Define small.

 

So small you have to play quietly? I don't sing so sometimes I hop off, or out of the 'stage area', to hear wth is going on. It's always plenty plenty loud.

 

You could use the 15 as a stand and pump up the 210 but it's less than ideal having a passive radiator sucking out lows.

[gjones]

8 hours ago, sunfish said:

All good points. We only have a small PA for vocals only. (Which is mine and I don't sing,  ironically) 

The 115 is to raise the 210 to ear level. 

Did a gig last night without keys and was much better but still not easy to hear. Maybe I bring the 115 to raise the cab but not plug it in so it's not projecting to the back of the room quite so much. 

If your hearing isn't great, dare I say that it might be a good idea to look into hearing aids. A friend of mine, who is a drummer, recently bought a pair. They are so small as to be almost invisible while being worn and he's very pleased with them. My high frequency hearing is pretty dodgy, at 10khz maximum. If my hearing got significantly worse, I wouldn't have a problem getting myself a set.