Members Sgt. Rock Posted September 20, 2011 Members Share Posted September 20, 2011 How many time have you been told to turn down? Once for me, I've very concientious about my volume. So many different elements in playing in restaurants; waitress's voice, customer's voices, some have strong/loud voices other are softspoken. The customers have to hear the "specials" and the waitresses have to hear the orders. People must be able to carry on a normal conversation. Sometimes the people are louder than I am. It's a constant struggle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Howie22 Posted September 20, 2011 Members Share Posted September 20, 2011 I recently played a gig where there was an older couple in the restaurant and kept asking the owner to get me to turn it down. I had it so low at one point that my monitor was louder than the main. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members donkey 12 Posted September 20, 2011 Members Share Posted September 20, 2011 We have not been told to turn down. I do not like loud music, so I am careful about how loud I turn us up, and we do not generally play restaurants or other venues where we are background music. I don't think our music is suitable for most restaurants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RupertB Posted September 20, 2011 Members Share Posted September 20, 2011 I think it happened a couple of years ago but generally, we're good at guaging the right volume for the rooms we play. I recently played a gig where there was an older couple in the restaurant and kept asking the owner to get me to turn it down. I had it so low at one point that my monitor was louder than the main. At one of our regular restaurant gigs, monitors being louder than FOH is typical for the first set. When we're pitching a new venue, we usually get asked "can you play at low volume?" We tell them "Yes, any volume you want." Many times I've heard of solos & duos not getting invited back to a place because they "wouldn't turn down." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EightString Posted September 20, 2011 Members Share Posted September 20, 2011 I've never had volume complaints as a solo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members leftyjay Posted September 20, 2011 Members Share Posted September 20, 2011 once in a blue moon do i get someone telling me i'm too loud. usually its the 90 year old sitting in front of the speaker. i usually turn the speaker about 6 inches and they're happy. i do carry a bag of cotton balls with me just incase i'm feeling sarcastic. i just drop a few in the middle of the table and say "that should take care of the volume issues" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members saturn1 Posted September 20, 2011 Members Share Posted September 20, 2011 Haven't had that experience as a duo. In fact, once or twice we have been asked to turn it up a notch. We gladly oblige. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members richardmac Posted September 20, 2011 Members Share Posted September 20, 2011 I think I'm fairly good at judging my volume, too. But I've been asked to turn down once, and I've been asked to turn up once. Not too bad. And I would much rather ask to be turned up than down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted September 20, 2011 Members Share Posted September 20, 2011 Even though I play very quietly, I've been asked to turn down a few times. But usually because something different is happening in the room - a special celebration or something. I play a place regulary where I use one side of a powered mixer with just under 100 watts power, coupled with one 10" speaker. The waitresses are about ten feet from me, and I have to play very quietly. There's also a table right behind me, where I could reach out and touch them. sometimes I'll get asked to turn down because that table is having speeches or.... OTOH I just started playing this room where they had two NX55P's set up in a sort of bass trap. The manager kept telling me to turn up. Not until I got distortion out of the speakers was she happy with the volume. Funny thing, they eventualy died because she kept telling everyone to turn up. They replaced them with Mackie 350's and they blew up too. They went back to NX55P's but they don't tell us to turn up anymore - I still push them to just before they crap out, 'cause I don't want to get "you're too quiet". Unfortunately because I'm usnig tracks I can't engage the HPF on those speakers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chemikool Posted September 21, 2011 Members Share Posted September 21, 2011 The private party that I played Sunday (pictures in the other thread) was kind of interesting. The tables (4 or 5) in front of me kept asking me to turn it up...but there was a guy in the back sitting by himself. I noticed he had hearing aids in...and he asked me to turn it down. I asked over the mic..the 4 or 5 tables said to turn up, but the other guy said turn it down. I left it alone. And the solo dude left. The person that booked me came up and said it was no big deal, so I notched it up a bit after the guy left. As a rule I try to play as quietly as possible...99 times out of a 100 the listeners will say to turn it up...but if you start too loud it can be hard to go backwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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