Members summit111 Posted October 20, 2012 Members Share Posted October 20, 2012 My Brothers, Attended a wedding as a guest last night in a really cool jazz venue in New Orleans. The Band was set up in an adjoining room prior to the ceremony. I noticed some heavy duty JBL speakers, (4) 18" subs, and (2) 15" tops and wondered why so much for a dinner reception. Well, after the ceremony, buddy, they cranked up. All instruments running thru sound system. Guitar, bass, keys, drums. Checked the sound level with my IPhone db app, and it was over 105db. Guests couldn't hear each other at all, folks walking out to adjoining rooms and patio. My question is why didn't the venue management control this? Why do bands do this? The event was very classy, except for this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ChiroVette Posted October 20, 2012 Members Share Posted October 20, 2012 Could be that is precisely what the people who hired them instructed the band to do. I seriously doubt that the maitra d of a classy catering hall would simply allow a band to play at ear-busting volumes unless that is what they were told to do. Even if the guests hated it, the bride and/or groom may have wanted it that way for reasons passing understanding. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted October 20, 2012 Members Share Posted October 20, 2012 I've done a wedding reception with just a pair of B208D's behind the band - no subs or monitors. The couple were in their 30's though and it was an eight piece classic rock band not "modern" or "hard" rock. What you experienced was just stoopid loud for that kind of event unless the bride, groom, and guests were all hardcore metalheads . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaBender Posted October 20, 2012 Members Share Posted October 20, 2012 Paging Wynn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mogwix Posted October 20, 2012 Members Share Posted October 20, 2012 My band played a wedding reception once. Two heavy rock bands and dV-DOSC? BEST WEDDING EVER. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Coaster Posted October 20, 2012 Members Share Posted October 20, 2012 i Dj'ed a wedding dance two weeks ago with my HDH rig (hee hee hee). of course i never once even came close to hitting zero on my mixer (in fact for the dinner music i saw no green lights at all....thought mixer was broken for a while) no one complained it was too loud or too quiet during the dance part (except the band upstairs came down and cried about the low end). you could talk in front of the speakers. it sounded killer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarman3001 Posted October 20, 2012 Members Share Posted October 20, 2012 Man, I wish my band had a PA like that. Last night we played a gig and they actually asked us to turn up louder. Our poor PA couldn't do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members summit111 Posted October 21, 2012 Author Members Share Posted October 21, 2012 My Brothers, The bride and groom were in their mid 30's. Very few guests were dancing. Don't think anyone in the wedding party requested they play that loud. I've found in situations like this, folks are hesitant about asking the band to lower the volume because no one wants to take responsibility for doing so. That's where the band and sound man should take responsibility and get that issue resolved BEFORE the performance. Last night we played for a reception at a major hotel downtown New Orleans. During sound check we had the hotel's sales manager and client both give their input and approval to sound levels. We also monitored the guests reactions during the performance and were ready to make any required adjustments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kmart Posted October 21, 2012 Members Share Posted October 21, 2012 Originally Posted by summit111 My Brothers,The bride and groom were in their mid 30's. Very few guests were dancing. Don't think anyone in the wedding party requested they play that loud. I've found in situations like this, folks are hesitant about asking the band to lower the volume because no one wants to take responsibility for doing so.That's where the band and sound man should take responsibility and get that issue resolved BEFORE the performance. Last night we played for a reception at a major hotel downtown New Orleans. During sound check we had the hotel's sales manager and client both give their input and approval to sound levels. We also monitored the guests reactions during the performance and were ready to make any required adjustments. Again, assuming that the band wasn't asked specifically to play at that kind of level...If the bride/groom, wedding coordinator and/or event or venue staff didn't say anything to the band, then that's on all of them as well...Even more so, IMO.You just mentioned the hotel management and client signing off on your gig volume, right?If few/nobody was dancing, then THAT'S on the band to figure out and react to, sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mogwix Posted October 21, 2012 Members Share Posted October 21, 2012 The honest truth is that there is an alarmingly large percentage of the population who simply have no idea what they're doing. Perhaps this band is arrogant to the point of thinking THEY'RE the show, maybe they've played weddings before where it was acceptable and required to perform at such volume (mine and other examples), or maybe they've just never been told and are just doing what they think they're being paid to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vinny D Posted October 21, 2012 Members Share Posted October 21, 2012 Originally Posted by summit111 Checked the sound level with my IPhone db app, and it was over 105db. Guests couldn't hear each other at all, folks walking out to adjoining rooms and patio. That number on it's own doesn't give enough info...Was it *A* or *C* weighted (big difference)How far away was the measurement taken?Not saying that the band wasn't to loud for the the venue and situation they were playing in....but I wish I could live in a world where the volume level was only 105dba....which for my ears, I don't consider too loud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Coaster Posted October 21, 2012 Members Share Posted October 21, 2012 i sat at someone elses foh location (actually behind it) once that had a db meter on it and it read 106. i dont know the weighting but i had to put in plugs after two songs. it was just absolutely painful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vinny D Posted October 21, 2012 Members Share Posted October 21, 2012 Originally Posted by Coaster i sat at someone elses foh location (actually behind it) once that had a db meter on it and it read 106. i dont know the weighting but i had to put in plugs after two songs. it was just absolutely painful. It also matters if the band is any good!Bands that have a great sound even though loud are still more enjoyable to listen to then ones that just suck *ss, a bad band that has a bad sound....is just bad all the way around! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Coaster Posted October 21, 2012 Members Share Posted October 21, 2012 band was awesome! there were around 38 boxes of vertec per side and 4 point source clusters 4 to 6 stacks each of ??? on the ground. around 75 Itech amps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crownman Posted October 21, 2012 Members Share Posted October 21, 2012 Originally Posted by guitarman3001 Man, I wish my band had a PA like that. Last night we played a gig and they actually asked us to turn up louder. Our poor PA couldn't do it. This is exactly why I always take the full pa even if its overkill for the room. I can always turn it down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted October 21, 2012 Members Share Posted October 21, 2012 Originally Posted by Crownman This is exactly why I always take the full pa even if its overkill for the room. I can always turn it down. Us too. Full rig. That doesn't mean we crank it. It just means we will have enough headroom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members abzurd Posted October 21, 2012 Members Share Posted October 21, 2012 Originally Posted by Mogwix The honest truth is that there is an alarmingly large percentage of the population who simply have no idea what they're doing..... This pretty much sums it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rbts Posted October 22, 2012 Members Share Posted October 22, 2012 I agree. A lot of people have said a lot of things - and I agree with just about all of them. Why ask Why? (LOL.) The band was just doing what they do. It's a great question though - why do bands play "too loud". (Yea - where's Wynn??) I was at a club the other nght - where the band was actually pretty good (but way too loud) and I asked the club owner what he thought would happen if they just turned down? He was like - yea some nights I go home and my ears a just fricken ringing - I said do people LIKE this - he says - different people "like" different things. Maybe the band "likes" to be "too loud" ( and usually IS - and "hence" thinks they are "supposed to be" ) or maybe they think "the people" "want" them to be "too loud". Anyhow - at the wedding - if it turns out that the band is "too loud" - it is pretty much because that is what they "think" they are "supposed" to do (one way or another). Now "somebody" has a "contract" with the band (whoever is paying for it). THEY are the ones who need to "do something" about it - if - for whatever reason - the band is too loud. It IS "their" "business". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted October 22, 2012 CMS Author Share Posted October 22, 2012 I no longer complain when this sort of thing happens (volume inappropriate for the gig). I leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Axisplayer Posted October 22, 2012 Members Share Posted October 22, 2012 Unless it is a pattern with a particular band, you can't know why. Maybe the BE has a cold. Maybe the spot FOH was directed to be set up in is the wrong place to mix from. You can think of a lot of possibilities for a single night. Whether any one patron likes it or not, the till tells the tale. If the venue makes money at every show the band plays, they are doing it right. If the venue loses money, the band fails. Successful bands learn what THEIR following wants, and then gives it to them. I prefer guitar players that can actually play, and singers that can hold pitch and actually sing, but the Rolling Stones still sells tickets, although I don't know how. Someone MUST like it...just not me. Sales numbers are the truest form of democracy. Vote by dollars. No single opinion matters (except the guy writing the check at the end of the night.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gonzobassman Posted October 22, 2012 Members Share Posted October 22, 2012 Had a just the opposite experience saturday night.I belive the system was a Bag End system.There were no badges or identifying markings on the front of any of the boxes.The boxes were two dual 18s (possibly 15s just based on box size could have been either),with three dual 10 (?) clustered (trap shaped boxes that clustered very nicely) per side.While you could feel the thump of the kick drum,and hear every detail of the bass,guitar,and vocals,you didn't have to yell to "talk" or order a beer.The FOH position was just off the stage (stage right),and behind the left side (as viewed from customer seating) stack.I knew the soundman (have known him a long time) so I went up to him to speak after the show.On the back of the mid=high boxes the word "Crystal" was all I saw in the way of any identification.the subs were ground stacked,and the tops were flown.The top component in the FOH rack was a Mixwiz3.Didn't really check out the rest.Told my friend what a great job he had done on sound,and asked how he did it from where he was sitting! We had a good laugh and went on our way. Really loungy feel but very high quality sound. The band (The Spazmatics) dressed like a bunch of dorks (4-piece),but talent wise they were really anything but. I even danced with my old lady a little bit!!! Lol Good experience as I'm quite sure that rig could have given us heart trouble,and deafness from where we were sitting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unalaska Posted October 22, 2012 Members Share Posted October 22, 2012 That's funny, I do a lot of spazmatics shows in the Seattle area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nchangin Posted October 22, 2012 Members Share Posted October 22, 2012 Or I see it go the other way, bigger group bigger PA and the place is packed wall to wall, granted this is more for commercial applicationslocations however it does sometimes bring the essence to the show. There is good loud and bad loud which is ultimately subjective in nature anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WynnD Posted October 22, 2012 Members Share Posted October 22, 2012 Paging Wynn. I'm here. And in a lot of cases, the band will think they aren't too loud. After all, there are a lot of bands louder than that. (And there are.) That's about my band's stage volume. I'm hoping the audience gets more like 95 dbc when we play. That's where I like to hear it. I would think that a comment from the Mother of the Bride would put a stop to that. (I've always assumed that the Mother of the Bride was even more important to please than the Bride herself. Wonder if that's true?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WynnD Posted October 22, 2012 Members Share Posted October 22, 2012 Man, I wish my band had a PA like that. Last night we played a gig and they actually asked us to turn up louder. Our poor PA couldn't do it. Who asked you to turn up? I always ignore the drunks. (They seem to be the ones most interested in drowning themselves in sound.) And you could always ignore the fact that the PA couldn't handle it and just crank the guitars. (That would probably sound like crap.) It's always better to go for the good mix and not worry. If someone really needs the band loud, they can park at the singer's feet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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