Not used to being so loud on stage... No one can hear me though.

[lespaul_79]

Hi, So I've been an acoustic player for the last 5 years. I joined a band and now I'm the lead guitarist.

For every gig, on stage, the mix sounds ok (to me) and I feel like I'm loud enough. But we record every show with a Zoom H2 and I can never be heard. I think the band is getting pist that the audience cant hear me.

I know the obvious solution is to turn it UP. But when I do, it feels so freckin loud and I feel like if I barely touch the strings I get blown away. Kinda like driving a race car and barely touching the gas.

Perhaps I should do a line out to the PA (if there is enough channels) so I can get a good mix with the band on stage but the audience can hear me too. Is this weird? Should I just crank it and get used to it?

(BTW, we play kind of a alt countryish thing and I play a Baja Tele through a Peavey Classic 30 with a Dyn Comp, Tube Screamer, and volume pedal.) Thanks folks!

[cnote]

If your amp is miced, turn the channel up. If you don't mic the amp, blast away. Micing is better than a line to the board. Turn the amp so you (and other band members) are out of the blast range, but you can still hear. Get it off the ground especially if your playing without a stage.

[elmicko]

If you're not miking the amp, you're probably standing too close to it. Get a longer cord or go wireless and move the amp farther away from you. From your perspective you're way too loud because you're standing close to your amp and that's all you can hear. Out in the audience is a different story. Try playing your soundcheck standing out in the audience area a bit and you'll hear how you're getting lost in the sound of the band.

[Old Cane]

Originally Posted by cnote

Micing is better than a line to the board.

Indeed. That classic 30 is a nice little amp. If it sounds the way you want it to onstage then mic it. If the other guys are blowing you away on stage you have 3 options:

1-turn up
2-get them to turn down
3-since #2 has never happened in my lifetime, find a different band

[Red Square]

You for sure want to mic the amp. Then it is the sound man's issue.

[indiobravo]

in my opinion you have to do two things:

1. get over it ;-) - it's something you have to over come in your brain that tells you your too loud. it's a trust thing too - that the stage vol is not the same as the out there vol.
2. reposition your amp - point it away so that it doesn't dump right in your ear. that will help ease you into the louder stage vol you aren't used to.

and of course have fun with it. it's kinda liberating once you know that you really aren't blasting folks - you get to feel things a little more :-)

[lespaul_79]

Originally Posted by indiobravo

and of course have fun with it. it's kinda liberating once you know that you really aren't blasting folks - you get to feel things a little more :-)

That is pretty deep......

Thanks everyone. All of your advise is super helpful. Yeah, I guess when the amp is right behind you, you get blown away. I'll try a couple of these points y'all mentioned.

[lespaul_79]

Originally Posted by Red Square

You for sure want to mic the amp. Then it is the sound man's issue.

During the set break this Sunday, I told the sound guy I was going to turn town a bit and asked if he could crank my amp through the PA. Half way through the set, I reminded him and he said I was indeed turned up through the PA.

Folks in the audience still said I was quite. Ugh...

[Jack S]

Are you tilting the amp or elevating it so it is directed straight at you? I prefer to keep my amp on the stage or floor, not elevated, and I do not like it tilted up toward my ears. This helps to keep from hearing too much of myself and not very balanced with the other band members. I use a small amp so mic'ing it is my preference. That way the sound can be balanced through the PA and if I am too loud to my ears, it can be brought down some at the monitors while maintaining a louder sound to the audience. If you use a large, powerful amp, and you are already overpowering the balance from the PA because it is so loud, then turn the amp down and allow the PA to balance things out.

[Red Square]

During the set break this Sunday, I told the sound guy I was going to turn town a bit and asked if he could crank my amp through the PA. Half way through the set, I reminded him and he said I was indeed turned up through the PA.

Folks in the audience still said I was quite. Ugh...

Well...you have to trust the soundman. He is getting paid to make sure the levels are right. The audience members aren't. And if the audience members are your friends, for sure don't trust their ears....they came to hear you.
Point your amp at any band member that especially can't hear you well.

[Skub]

Originally Posted by lespaul_79

Hi, So I've been an acoustic player for the last 5 years. I joined a band and now I'm the lead guitarist.

For every gig, on stage, the mix sounds ok (to me) and I feel like I'm loud enough. But we record every show with a Zoom H2 and I can never be heard. I think the band is getting pist that the audience cant hear me.

I know the obvious solution is to turn it UP. But when I do, it feels so freckin loud and I feel like if I barely touch the strings I get blown away. Kinda like driving a race car and barely touching the gas.

Perhaps I should do a line out to the PA (if there is enough channels) so I can get a good mix with the band on stage but the audience can hear me too. Is this weird? Should I just crank it and get used to it?

(BTW, we play kind of a alt countryish thing and I play a Baja Tele through a Peavey Classic 30 with a Dyn Comp, Tube Screamer, and volume pedal.) Thanks folks!

Good advice so far,another thing worth mentioning is,you have just highlighted one of the possible pitfalls of playing or practising unplugged. Play through your amp at every opportunity to get you accustomed to what a guitar and amp do together,higher volumes will come as less of a shock. It'll all fall into place soon,then they'll be telling you to shut up.

[Cymro14]

Some good points here. We don't mic any of the instruments up. Try a long instrument lead and put the amp way behind you and as others have said angle it away from your direct hearing line. I put my amp about 4-5 metres behind me. I find it helps with getting the stage mix correct...and it's easier on the ears....YOU DO NOT WANT TINNITUS, BELIEVE ME!!!!!!!!!......Anyway you should be using ear plugs......EVERYTIME...OK

[PengBoy]

Perhaps you should alter Your tone so that it cuts through the mix better. Pure volume isn't always the answer. If you're playing with very little midrange (which can sound good when just the guitar is playing), It won't matter how loud your amp is.

[Skub]

Originally Posted by Cymro14

Some good points here. We don't mic any of the instruments up. Try a long instrument lead and put the amp way behind you and as others have said angle it away from your direct hearing line. I put my amp about 4-5 metres behind me. I find it helps with getting the stage mix correct...and it's easier on the ears....YOU DO NOT WANT TINNITUS, BELIEVE ME!!!!!!!!!......Anyway you should be using ear plugs......EVERYTIME...OK

If I had my amp 4-5 metres behind me in some places,it would be down the fire escape and into the carpark.

[GigsbyBoyUK]

You need to get out in the audience to listen a couple times during the first few songs, especially when you are playing using your own PA with no soundman. Even if you do that at a soundcheck you need to do it again during the gig, as when the place gets busier the sound changes. This is one of the reasons that I use a long lead.

[Joe Baggadonitz]

As many on here seem to know, you gotta get the band to turn. It's a common problem many bands tend to 'over play' and play too loud usually because of the excitement of playing in front of an audience. I'm constantly preaching at my band , "When I'm singing, don't play over my vocals!" The vocals and/or acoustic guitar should never have to compete with the band to be heard. Work it out in practice- I'll stop in the middle of a tune and tell them 'it's too f***ing loud! You're not making me sound bad, you're making 'us' sound bad. I'm glad I'm not the only one who has to deal with this *******.

[paratus]

Originally Posted by PengBoy

Perhaps you should alter Your tone so that it cuts through the mix better. Pure volume isn't always the answer. If you're playing with very little midrange (which can sound good when just the guitar is playing), It won't matter how loud your amp is.

^ What Peng Boy said is important too. Based on the OP's comments, it is on the sound man if he isn't being heard.

[Cymro14]

Originally Posted by Joe Baggadonitz

As many on here seem to know, you gotta get the band to turn. It's a common problem many bands tend to 'over play' and play too loud usually because of the excitement of playing in front of an audience. I'm constantly preaching at my band , "When I'm singing, don't play over my vocals!" The vocals and/or acoustic guitar should never have to compete with the band to be heard. Work it out in practice- I'll stop in the middle of a tune and tell them 'it's too f***ing loud! You're not making me sound bad, you're making 'us' sound bad. I'm glad I'm not the only one who has to deal with this *******.

This^^^^^^^^ +10. Playing in an electric band is so different to acoustic. It requires a totally different approach with regard to dynamics, volume and range. Many bands take tothe stage without having played and rehearsed enough IMHO.

[Tim Armstrong]

Bands tend to set up so that each player is standing in front of his/her amp, with the amps facing the audience. Classic look, but what happens is that no one can hear the mix of instruments very well. I prefer to put the amps towards the sides, angled in towards the front center of the stage, so that the speakers are aimed in such a way that the whole band can hear each other better.

This could help you hear your guitar sitting in the mix better, which would help you play at a more appropriate volume level.

Tim

[yardleyboy]

Its good that your listening though!
I ran a recording studio and when a new band was in I waited until one of them made comments about the sound BUT NOT HIS/HER OWN INSTRUMENT. Your band mates seem concerned about the bands sound and that is good.
The solution is likely to be about tone as much as volume IMO