Please don't play too loud boys

Brendan Mitchell · From: Melbourne Australia

I got a call during the week from a friend whose band I had played for a couple of times . He had a job Friday night with him singing/guitar another guitar a fiddle player and me on steel . He said the manager wanted a quiet act to get around these new laws about having 2 security people in a band venue --long story don't ask .
So went along with my Fender Champ and was pleasantly surprised , the guitar player was top notch playing acoustic lead the fiddle player was fantastic , tasteful and never overplayed and the singer had a great bunch of songs 75% real country stuff .
This was such a nice change from taking a big amp and struggling to hear yourself over drums and screaming guitars . We have been asked back to play again in 2 weeks so i am looking forward to that .

Paul Sutherland · From: Placerville, California

I have had a few low volume jobs, and I enjoyed them. It seems like you can really hear what's going on in the music better. If everyone in the band gets past the bitching stage, we always have a good time.

Mike Archer · From: church hill tn

I agree Brendan
ive got so at home I play real low
with tracks
and I enjoy gigs where we can play at lower
volumes when im playing steel
when I play tele well im not
playing as soft as I should I guess
seems like the music just sounds better
boy 20 years ago I played real loud
and you know what you dont sound a darn bit better
least thats my thoughts

Mike Very Happy

Ernest Cawby · From: Lake City, Florida, USA, R.I.P.

we are playing an senior home next month again and you must control it there or they will leave.

ern

Danny Hall · From: Nevada, USA

The hardest guy to get soft is the drummer usually. I played in a worship band a few years ago with a 40 something former hard rocker. He told me that he used to really thrash them, but the funny thing was he had a touch I had never seen in a drummer before. Small snare, smaller cymbals that he muted quickly when needed, lots of tom and easy on the base drum. Altogether the best small venue drummer I've ever seen or worked with.

When I told him that, he got all bashful on me. Humility. Comes with age maybe.
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Mike Archer · From: church hill tn

Danny I agree with you

a soft drummer who knows when and when not to be loud is a real treasure in deed
as well as accents/stops/pushes/
and drum patterns that fit the song Very Happy

Mike

Steve Alcott · From: New York, New York, USA

"It takes a really good drummer to be better than no drummer"

Chet Baker

Brendan Mitchell · From: Melbourne Australia

Bill Myrick · From: Pea Ridge, Ar. (deceased)

If I may, I'd like to praise my son, a drummer, for being able to control volume and overplaying very well. We have a twice per month gig that requires tact and everyone in the band is well pleased with him. He plays an electric set there and that helps a lot.

Josh Yenne · From: Sonoma California

Yea... I agree... I always try to get as far from the Drummer as possible.... I have been playing lots of low volume "jazz volume" gigs on my steel... in fact the majority of them since I have taken up the instrument... it is a real joy to take my Princeton out for the gig...

A lot of non-jazz drummers will say they have to really hit them hard to get the 'tone' they want... and I can sympathise.... that is why I love it when a drummer has a nice little cocktail kit that is quality....

Jaclyn Jones · From: Texas, USA

When we play at "soft" gigs the other guitar player and the bass always complain the can't feel the music. All night long they get louder and louder untill you can feel the music blocks away. The band does not mic anything and one club had a sound man that tried. He gave up after a few songs. Oh well, thats most likely a common story. Thats why I am shopiing for a new band after3 years with these guys. Can you hear me now? LOL
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Ned McIntosh · From: New South Wales, Australia

This 2 security guards legislation is killing off live music venues in Melbourne big time. Once they're gone, the punters go to some other pub, the venue closes and it's another venue gone forever.

Nice to see someone has got the idea of not playing loud for a change! If I could only get that across to our local country music association life would be a heck of a lot easier.
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The steel guitar is a hard mistress. She will obsess you, bemuse and bewitch you. She will dash your hopes on what seems to be whim, only to tease you into renewing the relationship once more so she can do it to you all over again...and yet, if you somehow manage to touch her in that certain magic way, she will yield up a sound which has so much soul, raw emotion and heartfelt depth to it that she will pierce you to the very core of your being.

Paul E. Brennan · From: Dublin, Ireland

I love playing at low volume. When the gig is very loud your ears just get fatigued after a while. Then it becomes difficult to even know if you're in tune.

I definitely agree it's the drummer who holds the key to control of the band's volume. It's such a pleasure to play with a good drummer. One who can feel exactly the right tempo for a number, play with softly and loudly as the situation dictates, help the band finish a number during those 10 minute solos....

Of course a good drummer is a musician and not just a skin whacker.

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Once upon a time people played on unamplified guitars, without drummers.
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Mark van Allen · From: Watkinsville, Ga. USA

There are several venues I play in Atlanta that are always low volume gigs, sometimes with, sometimes without drums. I find the touch and feel I have to use on steel on those gigs to be radically different from the louder venues. Fun, inspiring- not better, different.

Don Zeitler · From: Michigan, USA

Howdy, I always prefer to rehearse with mostly acoustic instruments. I've been playing with just a drummer while I play Guitar, harmonica and vocals. The drummer is playing only a snare drum with brushes. It makes us not only unique but also give us the chance to play quieter venues. I also have been playing a lot of steel on just an acoustic guitar with a raised nut. I've been getting more calls for that then my pedal steel lately. It's nice because it's quiet and blends in with the vocalist so nice. I've really been enjoying it. Smile

Roual Ranes · From: Atlanta, Texas, USA

I have a friend that his band was playing a local gig and were asked to "turn it up...this is the _____" and we want hear you. ????????????

Sure don't happen often.

Jim Lindsey (Louisiana) · From: Greenwell Springs, Louisiana (deceased)

I've always had the good fortune of being in bands that were relatively quite for the most part. Smile

I've only worked in one or two groups who were really loud and in those two groups I was always being asked, "Man, can you please turn up?"

The funniest part is that I was running three amps (a Session 500 as my center dry amp with two Nashville 400 amps as my left and right saturated amps). People would see these three amps and go "Oh, my gosh, he's going to blow us out with his volume" and then we'd play and they'd be asking me to turn up. Laughing

There was this one drummer I worked with who played so loud, his rim shots sounded like cannon fire in The 1812 Overture. We put him behind a plexiglass drum shield and that helped a lot (and encouraged him to play quieter because he was too loud for his own ears when he was behind the drum shield).

My favorite thing was after Ty (Herndon) got his record deal with Epic Records. Almost immediately we found ourselves in ear monitors and, man, I loved them! Very Happy

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chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

i played a country gig once outside of merced or fresno with a band i didn't know and the drummer was very tasteful....used to play with iron butterfly!

Bill Holt · From: Boling, Texas

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