Just because bands once used no sound reinforcement doesn't mean that they necessarily had a good balance between instruments. For example the electric guitar was invented for this very reason. For years guitar parts were drowned out by drums and horns but with acoustic guitars there was no solution to this. Guitar players simply had to accept they weren't going to be heard much in a big band environment. The electric guitar changed this and then Charlie Christian became a prominent guitar player in Benny Goodman's band. Until then the only way a solo guitar player could be heard was to play in the sort of lineup that wouldn't drown him out eg. Django Reinhardt who played just with other acoustic guitarists, violin and double bass. Also vocalists did use microphones and PA systems even back then.

But don't assume that just because bands years ago lacked sound reinforcement that everything was peachy. That wasn't necessarily the case. I really think that if Glenn was alive today he would choose to use some sort of reinforcement to fine tune the balance that he wanted to hear.


[This message has been edited by Nigel (edited 10-28-2007).]