Help, I can't turn down any more - or how do you deal with the sound police?

[Fluddman]

I typically gig with small amps 10 to 20 watts. I mostly use a Vox style amp made by Victory on its 12 watts low power setting.

My band plays at a moderate volume and we get gigs because of this. Even so, our sound man is on my case.

I suspect he wants total control of vocals and instruments. My experience, as both a player and sound guy, is that guitars sound best coming from guitar amps (ideally at the edge of break-up) and for the small venues we typically play, there is no need for guitars to be in the FOH mix.

I do however accept that a guitarist cannot reliably judge if they are too loud standing on stage - so I don't dismiss his opinion.

Sorry for being long winded, but now to the point.

Is it time to invest in a very nice attenuator like the Tone King Iron Man II or maybe try a Tonemaster with their excellent power scaling.

With more valve/tube amps than fingers, I am leaning towards an attenuator.

How are you managing to appease the sound police. I'd be interested in hearing about it.

Thanks in advance.

 

[toanhunter]

my first thought is, can't he just mic you up? not all sound guys know what they're doing.

 

[uriah1]

Or turn amp around, anngle up in air, use plexiglass amp sound barrier
Some Vegas acts use.

 

[ruger9]

We've had good experience using plexiglass baffles.

 

[msalama]

Yep, baffles work, have used one a coupla times too.

 

[Uncle Daddy]

Blame the bass player.

 

[arlum]

Good Lord have times changed.

 

[Fluddman]

my first thought is, can't he just mic you up? not all sound guys know what they're doing.

I am mic'd up - but mainly because the keyboard player uses in ears.

In the small venues we play there is little need for the guitars to be in the front of house mix - if they are balanced with the drums the guitars are usually loud enough to carry the room. On the low power setting my amp is just starting to break up at this point - so to me at least this is ideal.

We use the same sound guy all the time. I actually own the PA - so all he does is mix.

Does he know what he's doing? Good question - we get good feedback from the punters so I guess so. But I suspect he is doing more tweaking than he needs to .

Cheers

 

[Fluddman]

Or turn amp around, anngle up in air, use plexiglass amp sound barrier
Some Vegas acts use.

We've had good experience using plexiglass baffles.

Yep, baffles work, have used one a coupla times too.

Haven't tried baffles. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Harmonic]

You have a volume control on your amp, just turn it down.

You night not use an amp, send the output of a overdrive pedal to the PA system.

I suspect that there is another problem. Drums or bass too loud perhaps.

 

[Fluddman]

Blame the bass player.

Man, those bass players have it made. Not much competition for the low frequencies. But no harm in trying to blame them .

 

[Fluddman]

You have a volume control on your amp, just turn it down.

You could not use an amp, send the output of a overdrive pedal to the PA system.

I suspect that there is another problem. Drums or bass too loud perhaps.

Turn down? That's crazy talk .

But seriously, I'm using a 12 watt amp turned up just enough to get a little hair on the notes. It's just loud enough to be heard over the drums.

If I didn't use an amp I'd still need a monitor of some kind. Probably why I was thinking about Tonemasters.

Sound guy doesn't hassle the drums and bass so much. I think it's because guitar amps beam.

Cheers

 

[msalama]

Good Lord have times changed

Yeah, for the better. And about time, too, since I still manage just fine without a hearing aid.

Anyway - @Fluddman, if you suspect your sound guy has an excessive amount of fingers in every pie, you need to talk to him. If he knows what he's doing, he'll understand.

 

[Fluddman]

Good Lord have times changed.

Yep - guitar amps definitely on the way out. No amps on stage becoming the norm.

I'm too old to change

 

[brookdalebill]

Sound men!
Grrrrrr.
Some so and so with an IPad, trying to “play” the entire band.
Grrrrrr.
%@$%&* em’, all!

 

[Fluddman]

Yeah, for the better. And about time, too, since I still manage just fine without a hearing aid.

Anyway - @Fluddman, if you suspect your sound guy has an excessive amount of fingers in every pie, you need to talk to him. If he knows what he's doing, he'll understand.

I've done a lot of sound work but always had plugs in. So no hearing aids for me yet .

I am talking with him - I am sure it'll work out.

Cheers

 

[Fluddman]

Sound men!
Grrrrrr.
Some so and so with an IPad, trying to “play” the entire band.
Grrrrr.
!@$%! em’!

I'd laugh but I also do a lot of sound work too . But I know what you mean.

Cheers

 

[prairietelecaster]

Is your sound guy using head phones or live to ear or a combination? Can you go wireless or long cable to get where he is listening to hear what he does? That could help your situation.
I've had seemingly decent sound from a stage position but have gone out front to listen. “Jeeze I better make some adjustments”.

 

[VintageSG]

A Hughes&Kettner RedBox DI to take to FOH and fire your amp across the stage as your 'personal monitor'
Setup with your guitar volume on '8' and roll it up as and when needed.
Give in and use an amp-in-a-box with an active DI and cab emulation. With good monitors, it's not so bad.

 

[Chiogtr4x]

Good Lord have times changed.

My solution?
I'm the sound man!

I'm just being silly,
our gigs are so small ( moderate volume brew pub or cafe or nursing home gigs) and all we put through the PA system
( I sit next to the mixer board, we just have two powered Mains and one powered monitor that's it)
are a few vocal mics and maybe my acoustic guitar if I'm playing acoustic.
no need to mic any amps, drums and we have tiny amps.

Super simple, clear sound.

( secret weapon are drummers who can play really quietly without losing energy. So the band can rock out without being too loud- it's all old fart rock and roll, blues, Country-Rock- music that is not loud volume dependent)