General Music Chat

Clearly they don't actually read the messages.

I posted a topic whining about loud drummers and BandMix deleted it. I presume they thought I was advertising for a drummer in the forums.

So, the thing is, I'm a premium member. The drummer I was complaining about was someone I found on BandMix. He was stupid loud.

I lost the rest of the complaint, obviously, but my basic question is:

Why are drummers the last ones to get it that excessive volume is no longer acceptable in a band?

FWIW: I haven't actually done that well in finding musicians on BandMix. Mostly because the board is a little too draconian in the barriers it imposes. I understand the need for a profit - I even approve of it - but when your profit motive begins to clash with customer service you need to make a decision. IME, erring on the side of customer service usually winds up leading to more profit. But I gather others have had a different experience.

It's a shame because Bandmix is a good sight and there are a lot of lurkers here. I think the main problem is people aren't serious. They're looking for an established band who's either well known or making a lot of money. That's not gonna happen here. I no longer look for musicians here, I have my other website I go to.

My drummer's loud as heck, but then so is my bass player and then there's Cisco on his loud as heck guitar. With me in the band, I've been able to get them to tone down and be more conscious of it because honestly, I think they get so used to playing so loud, their hearing is shot, they don't know.

Chaeya

Clearly they don't actually read the messages.

I posted a topic whining about loud drummers and BandMix deleted it. I presume they thought I was advertising for a drummer in the forums.

So, the thing is, I'm a premium member. The drummer I was complaining about was someone I found on BandMix. He was stupid loud.

I lost the rest of the complaint, obviously, but my basic question is:

Why are drummers the last ones to get it that excessive volume is no longer acceptable in a band?

FWIW: I haven't actually done that well in finding musicians on BandMix. Mostly because the board is a little too draconian in the barriers it imposes. I understand the need for a profit - I even approve of it - but when your profit motive begins to clash with customer service you need to make a decision. IME, erring on the side of customer service usually winds up leading to more profit. But I gather others have had a different experience.

Don't look for a drummer, look for a percussionist.

I agree RG. Drums to me are King. Give me a percussionist any day, but he has to approach them the way you do. They are not just DRUMS. They are a musical instrument. Give me a great drummer and I would do a 2 piece. [who needs bass players anyway]

As far as volumes, one thing, the young ones have the energy, but may lack the interpretive skills. The older ones have the skills, But when you need some cranking they tend to conserve their energy.

Can be a conundrum.

Aiki, pay em agin and post agin. Then they might let it slide. They haven't figured out all the secret passwords yet. [SMILE]

I read your rant before they nixed it. Why did they nix it? Nothin in that pos struck me as nix-worthy. Go figure.

you should`nt post infls such as zeppelin,sabbath.that style is loud and not for the sake of being loud it`s to achieve tone.play a marshall at low volume,sounds like crap.play a deep snare soft,sounds like crap.you have to change your infls (on bandmix) to attract the right people.you can play your bass at low volume and get a decent tone and so can keyboardist`s.have you ever noticed that guitarist`s and drummers get along so well in rock bands?it`s because they understand one another.we play loud to achieve tone and we sound bigger and fuller live than in the studio.

5k

Exactly right. For the tone I want i have to turn up to at least 4 by myself and more with a drummer there. (200 watt head, marshal cab). Not because I love loud but because I'm looking for a specific sound that occurs at a specific volume (or above)

Its the 'above' part that gets annoying. I was playing with some guys here in GA and didn't like the guitar at all. It actually hurt my ears. (I was playing bass at the time). Yet even with bass I like it loud enough to distort into a nice wide, warm crunch.

I tried taking my prac amp to a jam - I figured it's loud enough. Wrong. While on ten (!) it has a great deal of volume, the depth of sound wasn't there once the drummer fired up.

I've noticed that some guys here are often critical of loud players. To them I say, do it your way, I'll do it mine. but I will never play any louder than absolutely necessary to get the sound I want.

Just an aside - my stratocaster has different needs volume wise than my Tele. Its a bit beyond mere pickup differences, I think they get 'right' at slightly different volume levels.

cheers
Talbot

I though playing too loud was the guitar players job ???

5k

Exactly right. For the tone I want i have to turn up to at least 4 by myself and more with a drummer there. (200 watt head, marshal cab). Not because I love loud but because I'm looking for a specific sound that occurs at a specific volume (or above)

Its the 'above' part that gets annoying. I was playing with some guys here in GA and didn't like the guitar at all. It actually hurt my ears. (I was playing bass at the time). Yet even with bass I like it loud enough to distort into a nice wide, warm crunch.

I tried taking my prac amp to a jam - I figured it's loud enough. Wrong. While on ten (!) it has a great deal of volume, the depth of sound wasn't there once the drummer fired up.

I've noticed that some guys here are often critical of loud players. To them I say, do it your way, I'll do it mine. but I will never play any louder than absolutely necessary to get the sound I want.

Just an aside - my stratocaster has different needs volume wise than my Tele. Its a bit beyond mere pickup differences, I think they get 'right' at slightly different volume levels.



cheers
Talbot

You could probably get that sound within a lower volume spectrum if you worked at it some.
I play a 50 watt Carvin Nomad and rarely turn it up past 3-4 on volume & 3-5 on the soak.
It's plenty loud for the stage environment ( even with the drums mic'd ) and I just D/O it to the PA to feed the three way mains.

Loud is the best! Keeps the adrenaline levels high.

Loud is the best! Keeps the adrenaline levels high.

There is a difference between loud and too loud.

Played / ran sound at a benefit a few years ago.
Was a young group there that would have had a good sound if not for the guitarist.
He had his Orange full stack cranked to the point of it actually being painful if you were 40 feet of the stage.
Female vocalist ... could not hear a word she sang the whole time.

I offered to help ... but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO he just wanted to wail on that damn amp ... to hell with how the band sounded.

I was asked by some folks in the crowd ... can't you fix that ??

Sorry ... I can't fix stupid.

"Drums are loud." - Tony Williams

Correction:Everyone equally loud!

Volume is relative. If you can't control volume, you can't play at appropriate volume. If you refuse to attempt to control volume, you're a selfish twit with no consideration for your bandmates or the music you claim to be making.

I like loud music as much as anyone, but I've had a few epiphanies on the definition of "loud" in the past decade or so. What is appropriately loud in one setting is stupid, out of control loud in another.

Rehearsals should be quieter than performances. In bands I've been in where we always play full volume, performances suck. In bands I've been in where we keep volume low during rehearsal, performances are good (for some value of good, allowing for the quality of the musicians involved).

In general, the loudest musicians I've played with are not among the best. Those who really refuse to control volume have a high probability of being among the worst I encounter.

Rehearsal spaces are hard to come by these days. Rental spaces are expensive. Garages and living rooms are problematic with neighbors unless you control volume. Economics says: control your volume.

The venues which still have live bands have gotten smaller. And smaller. And they're not as big, either. I've personally played in bars where the entire room was under 30'x30'. I've also played in places considerably larger than that. Appropriate volume int he 30'x30' room was way lower.

If you can't turn the vocals up without running into feedback, everything else needs to be quieter. There's only so much you can or should do with EQ to eliminate feedback.

High SPL causes hearing loss. It can also cause headaches, nausea and patrons to leave the bar.

If you are a drummer and you show up with a set of North drums and 27 cymbals (including five china caps) you are probably too loud before you even start playing.

Oh, yeah, and: louder means bigger, heavier equipment and more of it. When I start getting (me, personally, not the band) $1500 per gig, I'll start bringing all that equipment. Until then, minimalism rules.