Too loud, walked off

[police squad]

I was doing a gig with the blues/rock band yesterday

We only usually do one a year but the BL decided to do a warm up gig in what was a great venue but.

They've taken the carpet out

3 Guitarists

stupid Bose PA right behind me

I had my ACS custom moulds in and by half way through the 2nd set it was hurting my ears

The guitars just kept turning up and up

During a dreadful rendition of Heroes by Bowie I signalled to the BL that I couldn't hear and it was too loud

H e wound the song up early and I said I'm done.

It's loud, it's hurting me

and I walked off stage

 

I'm not a diva but I actually feared for the hearing I have left

I'm still fumimg this morning

[Steve Browning]

Don't blame you in the slightest. 

[Lozz196]

Think you made the right choice, if volume is painful whilst wearing ear protection then that’s way too loud. 

[zbd1960]

If you're wearing protection and it is that loud, then that is seriously wrong. People need to take this more seriously. I'm extremely wary of loud environments, which is why I have an app with an SPL meter on it. OK it's not 'accurate' since a proper reading requires measuring distances etc., but it's a useful guide. 

[casapete]

You did the right thing, well done. 

 

I’ve recently left a blues rock band, mainly because the stage levels were ridiculously loud.

Gigs which should have been very enjoyable were becoming significantly less so for me,

and my hearing is far more important. 

 

[JapanAxe]

I would hate to be put in that position but yes, good call. There have been a couple of bands where my decision not to accept an offer to join has been based partly on their excessive volume.

[Dan Dare]

Smart move. Leave them to go deaf and don't join them.

[paul_5]

I would have walked at ‘blues/rock’, or if not then, then definitely at ‘3 guitarists’! 😄

[Hellzero]

Reminds of a rehearsal with a band I just joined...

 

I just stopped playing during it and sat on my amp, waiting, until they noticed it.

 

I told them they were way too loud as I couldn't even hear myself and they replied "Hey, it's stoner music!"

 

I simply replied: "Farewell!" and I left.

 

We remained friends, but they all are deaf by now...

 

So good move and decision @police squad !

[Beedster]

Good call, far too many guitarists - many with damaged hearing making things worse - are either in search of a Townsend-esque visceral high, or because they don't understand audio/acoustic, ramp up their levels to compensate for poor EQ/positioning. I got in the firing line of an Tele through an AC-30 recently, my ears were ringing for around 4-hours!  

 

[EliasMooseblaster]

Your ears will thank you!

 

I don't understand why people still think it's clever or impressive to be painfully loud - especially given how easy it is to be loud these days with modern equipment. Unless you're at a Sunn O)))) gig, I don't imagine most audiences enjoy it either.

[Sean]

If it's not a band where you can have a sensible discussion about things like volume, then it's not a band to be associated with. 

 

I was approached to join a band that I'd seen play live a couple of times and politley turned them down because they always played way too loud. 

[Reggaebass]

A good friend of mine is in a rock band, it’s not really my kind of music but it’s good to see him and watch him play as he’s a great bass player, but unfortunately I’ve stopped going because they are so loud it’s uncomfortable 

[casapete]

23 minutes ago, Beedster said:

positioning. I got in the firing line of a Tele through an AC-30 recently, my ears were ringing for around 4-hours!  

That’s exactly the combination that made me leave my band!
AC30s are killing machines. 

[Buddster]

Another supportive post saying you did the right thing. 

I have tinnitus thanks to a loud guitar, and I'm still angry over it. 

Shame it took your action to point it out and the BL didn't notice. 

 

Ps- was this mid gig? 

[paul_5]

40 minutes ago, Beedster said:

 Tele through an AC-30…

 

I bet the neighbourhood dogs were going mental!!

[Joe Nation]

Good call. Should've hit them with one of these:

[MacDaddy]

37 minutes ago, Buddster said:

Ps- was this mid gig? 

 

 

What did the punters make of it?

[Cato]

With the revolution in digital modelling over the last decade there's just no need for guitarists to play through maxed out valve rigs anymore.

 

It may be 'authentic' but it's always been problematic in smaller venues and these days there are better solutions.

 

A lot of stadium filling rock/metal bands have made the switch so there's no excuse for blowing out the windows in Dog & Duck trying to hit the saturation sweet spot on a valve amp.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Fair play to you ! 
 

I’d expect the punters would be complaining if the carpet removal is not rectified , as it sounds  that was one of the main issues .

Normally playing  in a band , I usually found that we on stage could always hear each other in a quite mellow kind of way and the sound levels were heard by the audience .

 

We always did soundchecks . We had the vocalist also walk around assessing the volume at the same time time. 
 

one thing on a tangent ; on a couple of soundchecks at different venues , e were approached by the landlord telling us we were very loud . We explained that when the punters arrived it would deaden the sound somewhat, also making sure we kept an eye on things . We were asked back, and all was good .

 

Having said all that , it does sound that whoever setup the stage in that way is now going to have to have a rethink . You’ve set the ball rolling there, whether you continue or not. The rest of the band may have been heroes just for one more day , before they realised their hearing is now shot ! 😬

Edited 2 hours ago by RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE

[casapete]

22 minutes ago, Cato said:

With the revolution in digital modelling over the last decade there's just no need for guitarists to play through maxed out valve rigs anymore.

The best compromise is the use of small valve combos, 15/20 watts is usually fine for a band.

There has been a growing number of these being made in the past 20 years or so, negating

the use of 50/100 watt heads and accompanying 4x12 cabinets. Also powersoaks and 

attenuators can help tame loud amps to a certain degree. 

(Vox AC30s are renowned for being louder than many a stack though, so the general rule is that

stuff is as loud as it sounds I guess?). 

[police squad]

1 hour ago, paul_5 said:

I would have walked at ‘blues/rock’, or if not then, then definitely at ‘3 guitarists’! 😄

yep but they're all friends of mine, 

[police squad]

1 hour ago, Buddster said:

Another supportive post saying you did the right thing. 

I have tinnitus thanks to a loud guitar, and I'm still angry over it. 

Shame it took your action to point it out and the BL didn't notice. 

 

Ps- was this mid gig? 

mid way into the 2nd set (which was way too long anyway)

[oldslapper]

I left my last band (which I put together) due to excessive volume from both guitarists and keys player at rehearsals and gigs. Since leaving, the lead guitarist has taken to using 2 amps (AC30 and a similar) and got the other guitarist an extension cab. The keys player an additional Lesley. Lead guitarist refuses modelling as it’s “not authentic”. 
It just became a cycle of ever increasing levels as they compete with each other to be heard. The bvs can’t hear themselves in rehearsal but that didn’t seem to bother anyone. 
 

😡
 

[alyctes]

3 minutes ago, oldslapper said:

I left my last band (which I put together) due to excessive volume from both guitarists and keys player at rehearsals and gigs. Since leaving, the lead guitarist has taken to using 2 amps (AC30 and a similar) and got the other guitarist an extension cab. The keys player an additional Lesley. Lead guitarist refuses modelling as it’s “not authentic”. 
It just became a cycle of ever increasing levels as they compete with each other to be heard. The bvs can’t hear themselves in rehearsal but that didn’t seem to bother anyone. 
 

😡
 

At least for rehearsal, we used to do most of ours without a mic for the vocalist.