SYNTH ZONE
Visit The Bar For Casual Discussion
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 >
Topic Options
#113053 - 01/19/02 08:33 AM Playing Loud Is Fun--How was your gig?
DonM Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 06/25/99
Posts: 16735
Loc: Benton, LA, USA
Just a frivolous topic brought to mind by a great gig last night--I wonder how everyone else's night went.
I'm playing a couple nights a week in a new club on a nearby lake. It is huge, with seating capacity of maybe 4-500. The audience is very diverse, ranging from early twenties to 70's. Most of the people live around the lake, so many income brackets, lifestyles, etc are represented.
It's very interesting because they can drink as much as they want, and still be very close to home. They don't have to worry about DWI's. Everybody pretty much knows everybody else--it's like a big family.
The common thread is that they do love to have a party, and late in the evening they want some loud, rockin' music.
It has been quite awhile since I was able to really crank up the volume. I have a 1000-watt digital power amp, and it was red-lining most of the night. It's a feeling of real power--everybody dancing to whatever beat you play. They want to feel the bass and sing along with the chorus. Great fun, reminiscent of the old rock-n-roll bands that got a lot of us started.
The arranger let me string medleys together, go quickly between songs, and cater to the requests with no time needed to "call" the song to anyone else in the band or load sequences. Just one button and you go from a rocking "Mustang Sally" to a "Treat Me Like A Fool" and back to "Taking Care of Business".
I was so pumped I forgot to take a break for three hours.
DonM
_________________________
DonM

Top
#113054 - 01/19/02 09:29 AM Re: Playing Loud Is Fun--How was your gig?
Gunnar Jonny Online   content
Senior Member

Registered: 04/01/01
Posts: 4333
Loc: Norway
Hi Don

Just some words related to the heading of this topic.
Playing loud is fun, playing louder might be much
more funny, but now I getting the punishment for
the stupid things done in younger days, a high
frequency whistle sound going on in my ears about
all the time, that's not so funny !
Just hoping that no other have to learn to know
about ho it is.
GJ
_________________________
Cheers 🥂
GJ
_______________________________________________
"Success is not counted by how high you have climbed
but by how many you brought with you." (Wil Rose)

Top
#113055 - 01/19/02 09:38 AM Re: Playing Loud Is Fun--How was your gig?
DonM Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 06/25/99
Posts: 16735
Loc: Benton, LA, USA
Wise words. Rest assured I sit BEHIND the mains.
Don
_________________________
DonM

Top
#113056 - 01/19/02 10:24 AM Re: Playing Loud Is Fun--How was your gig?
Uncle Dave Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/01/99
Posts: 12800
Loc: Penn Yan, NY
Hey Elvis! Isn't that song called "Love me" ?????
_________________________
No longer monitoring this forum. Please visit www.daveboydmusic.com for contact info

Top
#113057 - 01/19/02 11:01 AM Re: Playing Loud Is Fun--How was your gig?
DonM Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 06/25/99
Posts: 16735
Loc: Benton, LA, USA
You're right of course Dave. It's one of my favorites. Also like "I Was The One".
I hear you and Donny had a good time too.
Don
_________________________
DonM

Top
#113058 - 01/19/02 11:23 AM Re: Playing Loud Is Fun--How was your gig?
Eric, B Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/15/99
Posts: 2028
Loc: Ventura, Ca, USA
I haven't played real loud in a loooooooong time, but it sounds like a lot of fun.

Eric
_________________________
Genos, PSR-S970, TC Helicon VoiceLive3, Mackie 802-VLZ3 Mixer, 2 Bose L1 Pro16, Electro-Voice ZXA1 Subwoofer

Top
#113059 - 01/19/02 04:47 PM Re: Playing Loud Is Fun--How was your gig?
Uncle Dave Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/01/99
Posts: 12800
Loc: Penn Yan, NY
For what it's worth,
Loud bass is the real key to "feeling" the music - not loud volume. Also, the bass frequencys are not directional, so they are less damaging to the ears.
I'm sure this is not news to many of you, but this is another good justification for bi-amping a sound rig. When a dedicated amp is powering just the looooooow frequencies, you can add "punch" to the mix without increasing the overall volume. The end result is a fuller, more powerful sound that "appears" to be louder, when in fact ... only the bass is louder. It's a much smoother approach to adding guts, than simply turning up the volume.
I was never a fan of real loud music, but I understand the "impact" of moving air. Volume is tolerated differently, depending on the instrument. For example - I can listen to a blaring horn section all day, but a lead guitar ...... NO way! The "edge" cuts through my skull, and I loose the attraction for the music. Lots of DJ's play too loud because there is no "feel" from the source - they depend on the moving air to get the crowd pumped. It's the essence of Rock & Roll. It's all about the energy, but after many years ........... I've made it all about longevity. If I get loud - I am never in direct line with the speakers. It's not healthy. Too many of my friends have "ringing ears" because they didn't follow that rule.
I'm glad you learned the secret Don - that's why you're still at it........I said THAT'S WHY YOU'RE STILL AT IT !!!
_________________________
No longer monitoring this forum. Please visit www.daveboydmusic.com for contact info

Top
#113060 - 01/19/02 05:11 PM Re: Playing Loud Is Fun--How was your gig?
Gunnar Jonny Online   content
Senior Member

Registered: 04/01/01
Posts: 4333
Loc: Norway
UD, I guess you knew this 35 years ago too,
when we played Stones and Beatles, and even
Elvis, as loud as we possably could?
Back then it was important to play loud, and
also to stay right in front of the speakers!!
Anyway, try to tell it to the young ones who
are stepping the discofloor all night long.
Again it's the same thing, that those who live
long enough, is the ones to learn.
GJ
_________________________
Cheers 🥂
GJ
_______________________________________________
"Success is not counted by how high you have climbed
but by how many you brought with you." (Wil Rose)

Top
#113061 - 01/19/02 05:18 PM Re: Playing Loud Is Fun--How was your gig?
ChicoBrasil Offline
Member

Registered: 06/09/01
Posts: 993
Loc: Belo Horizonte,Minas Gerais,Br...
Last december a made a small modification in my sound package.
1-The main sound syst. still is a Peavey powered mixer,two JBL speakers and a small Yamaha MS60S for feed back (with a loop system developed by UD)
2-Then I introduced more one amp(100W) with a small crossover connected in a Bazooka(Sub woofer 12'')only for very low frequency.
Now I can set my mixer with a treble ajustment and still have a nice loud sound.
Chico

Top
#113062 - 01/19/02 06:50 PM Re: Playing Loud Is Fun--How was your gig?
Uncle Dave Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/01/99
Posts: 12800
Loc: Penn Yan, NY
GJ,
I really NEVER did the "loud as we could" thing. I always had individual stage monitors, and never had the mains in a damaging position. The only real thing the dancers need is BASS. That what drives the feeling in your gut - you can "feel" it. Make the bass and drums dominant, make the vocal sing out clear ABOVE the rest, and they'll dance. The've been doing it with me since 1969, and I have no "ringing" or deadening of high end.
Speaking of th4e Beatles - look at any pictures of their early concerts - there are NO pa speakers or monitors in sight - just those low powered Vox amps at the back of the stage. I don't know HOW they did it, with all the screaming in the house.
_________________________
No longer monitoring this forum. Please visit www.daveboydmusic.com for contact info

Top
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 >

Moderator:  Admin, Diki, Kerry 



Help keep Synth Zone Online