i got a great topic to talk about

Pete Ethridge · From: Mississippi, USA

i have been playing music for 30 plus years.i dnt need the money i get from playing,but the problem i have is when you go evey month to a place that dont pay at all and people say your to loud and want to comeplane about it . most of the time i am at a good volume but the soundman if thats what you want to call this person always i am to loud.the guiar players are more louder than i am ,but dont no one say anything to them.so i said to my self ill just go and not carry 5000 dollars worth of my stuff and just listen . what would you do ask your self and let me know . thanks Pete
_________________
i use a ZUM SINGLE ON a double frame, no effects,and a nashville 400 that is it

Bud Angelotti · From: Larryville, NJ, USA

Hi Pete - Try this. Next time it happens, explain to the person that is complaining, that it is the soundman who has you too loud, and it is out of your control. Not telling you anything you don't already know, but where you sit and play on the stage, it sound good, right? But elseware in the room, it is going to be completly different. Take a minute to explain that to the complainer. It's out of your hands.
I used to play alot of solo acoustic guitar. I would always (well most of the time) literally, show whoever was in charge of the room, where the master volume was on the PA. I would tell 'em, here's the volume knob. Put the volume where you want it. It's their room. Of course, invariably, someone would complain anyway. So go figure. Rolling Eyes

hope that helps.

Bobby Snell · From: Austin, Texas

That 15" speaker in your Nash400 will be loud out front, more than you may notice on stage. You might try moving that around on stage so it's not pointing out at the middle of the crowd. If you have to, have it up on a chair or something pointed at your head.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Played at a place Thursday that I hate to play because of the a-hole bartender and waitress always bitch about the volume. So we turn down. Then the crowd bitches we are too soft and they have a hard time dancing because there is no "vibe" happening - some actually leave because of it (they told us so). So this Thursday, we were already playing low and they bitched. I could hear someone clear across the room sitting at the bar talking, WHILE WE WERE PLAYING. So, when they said to turn it down, I yelled out at the audience to quiet down because we couldn't hear our selves on stage. Got a real dirty look from the bartender and waitress, but laughs and claps from the crowd.

As far as your problem, I would turn down, and like was suggested, maybe get your amp up on a stand where you can hear it good, and just let them realize you are not loud enough. Of course, if you have a soundman and run everything through the PA, he may be complaining your signal is too hot for the mixing board and wants you to turn it down for that reason.

You also have the option of making it known that you are playing that loud to be heard over the f-ing (you need to use the whole word for the impact it has)guitar player who is blasting your head off. If you are playing at a place for free (puzzles me that a place that doesn't pay the band can have a sound system and soundman, unless you are just sitting in with a band -that is paid- and it's understandable then), then you are not losing much if you speak up and get fired, or just don't go back. I assume that you do it for free because there is not a lot of opportunities to get out and play, and you do it for enjoyment. But, is it really enjoyable to you? Being bitched at for volume issues makes it so I don't have a lot of fun. In fact, I quit that gig I spoke of above and let a friend take over the misery. I only fill in once or twice a month when he has better gigs to play or some kind of family thing. There's not enough money in the world to get me to take that gig back.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Clyde Mattocks · From: Kinston, North Carolina, USA

It's always too loud for someone, usually the person who chooses to sit right in front of the speakers.
_________________
LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Fender Twin Tone Master, Session 400, Harlow Dobro, R.Q.Jones Dobro

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Yup Clyde. Play at this Moose lodge where these two really old ladies (and I mean REALLY old) sit up front and always bitch, heck, they would probably complain even if we played without turning our amps on. No one else thinks it's too loud (we ask). If they had 1/10th of a working brain, they would realize that they could move to the back of the hall and not have a problem. I wish they would just go home.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Dave Hopping · From: Aurora, Colorado

Pete,you're better off staying home.There's so much wrong with this gig I don't even want to think about how much typing I'd have to do to articulate all the problems.You can't fix stupid;all you can do is smile and walk away. Rolling Eyes

Bud Angelotti · From: Larryville, NJ, USA

Rich - Don't hold back! Smile

Maybe we need a whole new catagory. Not just a new topic, a new catagory, called Steel Guitar Vent, or Steel Guitar H...
You know, where we can vent frustrations about crazy stuff that happens that we have absolutly no control over and, you know, share. Very Happy

Cause I got some doosey's! and I bet they're small potatoes compared to what some folks have been thru.
Like a support group. Devil

like the time that.. aww- you don't wanna know.

Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Oh Bud. Those are minor inconveniences compared to some war stories I could tell. I won't tell about the time I slapped an older lady that for months would dance in front me and take her hand a strum across the strings while I was playing. After telling her several times to stop, she kept doing it. Then one night she did it and her ring caught my first string and pulled it so hard it broke the string, so I back handed her. Not proud of it and the only time I hit a woman, but she deserved it. OOPS. I guess I did tell the story.

OK then, I won't tell of the time my guitar got covered with various flavors of pies when the gig had a pie eating contest ON STAGE and a bunch of drunk pie eaters got a little out of hand. Dang, I told the story again. I better go take a nap before my gig tonight and stop leaking stories.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Bud Angelotti · From: Larryville, NJ, USA

rpetersen · From: Iowa

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

I aim my amp at my head and have no mike anywhere near me so it's not an issue. The guitar player use to put his amp on a stand, same as me, and it really never presented a problem with his mike.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Mike Bowles · From: Princeton, West Virginia, USA

we use to get the same complaints from a couple of the same people every time i ran across some shirts that said if my music is too loud you are too old i walked by one of these people one night they asked to see what my shirt said when i let them read it i never heard that any more people usually say im not loud enough that they cant hear me.
_________________
Mike Bowles

Douglas Schuch · From: Valencia, Philippines

I can see it from the audience perspective, as I am never on stage (yet), but often in the audience. This is more of a whole-band view, not just the steel (such as Richard's Thur. gig). I'd say watch your regulars who come in particularly to hear the band. If the first ones in grab the very front table, and it fills up from there, then you are not playing loud enough. If your fans come in early and grab the very back tables.... well, the band is too loud. If your regulars just scatter around depending on their volume preferences, then you know you got it about right.

I'm one of those guys who loves music, but hates loud music. I will almost always be at the back of the room. But that's just me.

Lovin' it from all the way at the back,

Doug
_________________
Bringing steel guitar to the bukid of Negros Oriental!

Pete Nicholls · From: Macon, Georgia, USA

I've found that if it is only one or two folks in a crowd complaining, they are likely wearing hearing aids!
_________________
Justice The Judge SD-10, 2007
Justice Pro Lite SD-10, 2011
Quilter Steelaire
Quilter Labs Tone Block 202 Head
Roland Cube 80-XL
American Stratocaster - Yamaha Bass Guitar
1 Fender Telecaster Nashville Edition
Ham Call: N4BHB

Chris Schlotzhauer · From: Colleyville, Tx. USA

If the customer, guitar player, and soundman say you're to loud.....

you might be too loud

Bob Blair · From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

I buy what Chris is saying - you might be too loud. As for the comment about hearing aids, if you wear them it might be because in years gone by you and/or others in your band were, in fact, too loud! Having said that, if I find something too loud I don't complain - I just leave, or don't walk through the door in the first place. Dim Lights are fine, but I've had enough Thick smoke and Loud Loud Music to last a lifetime.

I did used to hate it though when people always told us to turn down and we thought we were as quiet as we could reasonably be.

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

Maybe a good idea to put an informational "fold-up" on each table telling the audience what to expect and what to do if they feel the band is too loud.
Something like:

Please Read This Info!!!
There will be a dance band performing tonight.
The band volume at these seats will be too loud to talk comfortably, and will likely seem way too loud if you are wearing a hearing aid.
Please move as far away from the stage as possible if you are not interested in hearing this performance at its intended volume.
Thank You,
The Management

Maybe put a container of earplugs on each table, too.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

It's difficult for me to think that there are people stupid enough to think if they go into a night club, or even a frickin' critter club, that the music won't be a little loud. Deafening is a no-no, but come on, music in dance venues is usually a little loud. If they can't handle the volume, stay home.

That Thursday night gig I spoke about has some folks who come in at Happy Hour and watch what ever sports games are on. And, they stay until after the band starts and still expect to be able watch and hear the TV's behind the bar. At 9:00, the place turns into a night club, not a TV room. They couldn't care less about the music. They should pick up their butts and go to a bar that caters to them.

And as far as the hearing aid thing, most of the people I know that wear hearing aids in the crowd never bitch about the volume. They can turn it down to whatever volume they like.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

"Perception is Reality".
If they think you're too loud, you're too loud, regardless of the actual volume.
I'd take steps to meet, greet, and educate the audience (and place them accordingly if possible).

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Pete, I think the "reality" is, if only one or two people complain and the rest of the crowd doesn't, it's not really a volume issue, it's a people issue. Would you rather have one or two leave because they think it is too loud, or have several leave because it is too soft. This happened at the Thursday night gig I referred to. The regular patrons who come to dance and want the music up to where they can "feel it" (their term, not mine). The one night they were telling me of, many regulars left complaining about the "lack" of sound. Some have not returned. I am not a regular member of that band any more, but the guitar player and bass player play in other bands with me. They said since the big bitching started, the band has gone down to one main speaker (not 2), the guitar player plays mainly through the monitors so the sound doesn't really project into the club much, the steel goes through the monitors as well, this keeps the volume out of the amps pretty low (I mean playing in an apartment volume). They still bitch (bartender and waitress - not the crowd, the crowd bitches it isn't loud enough), even though while we are playing, I can hear people talking at the bar clear across the room. Does that sound like it's too loud?

If I was to come into your gig and bitch that you played too much classic country, but the rest of the crowd liked it, would you feel obligated to change up your play list to accommodate me at the possible expense of losing your other followers?
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

I personnaly would kindly introduce myself and talk politely to the problematic folks in the audience, ensure that they fully understand the Mission Statement of the Band and the establishment regarding live entertainment, find out what they are thinking, and offer them some viable options.

Regarding co-workers, I like to speak to people face to face first. But if that does not resolve the issue, I would quickly escalate the problem with the waitress and bartender to the manager and/or owner.
Resolving the problem would be my goal.

I guess my only other thought is, if only one or two people complain, that seems about normal, no?
Fuggettaboutit.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Several decades ago, I accompanied an acquaintance to a downtown Portland club. It was a first for me and we found seats in about the middle of the room.

After several minutes, I realized someone, somewhere in the room, was playing a BIG archtop guitar. Discovering it in a darkened corner of the club we drifted that way. It was a guy with an accoustic bass and guitar accompaniment. He was playing some really nice JAZZ Guitar.

Folks had gathered around them and had basically pushed them into the corner. Quiet music, thoroughly enjoyable and I had to be dragged from the building when it was over. THAT, was an entirely new experience for me.

So does music REALLY have to be loud enough to cause nosebleed?

Forum Index > Steel Players	Goto page 1, 2 Next	Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic