Too Loud

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

Anyone with experience of playing a "Live" venue will have heard the phrase "You (The band) are too loud".
I refer mainly to bands who play clubs and pubs and the like. My thoughts are that after establishing a band lineup it takes a little time to get the balance correct,if setting the volume level from the stage(no soundman) it can often be a bit loud.
Having said that My present band have a decent balance of sound and level. We recently played a club which We visit two or three times a year,We,and several other bands are always informed that We are too loud. It is always the same group of ladies who complain. Our last visit to this club was no exception,We took extra pains to ensure that We were not "over loud" My amp gain was at 2 if that is any indication and our first set was very well balanced. The ubiquitous cry went up "Too Loud" I took particular note that the noise abatement society were the same group of Ladies and they chose to line dance about three feet from the stage in direct line with the lead guitar amp and also in very close proximity to the P.A. speaker ????
Like any accommodating band We did reduce our sound considerably and managed to keep the balance,the ladies were well pleased.
I felt that We were so low in volume that We lost a lot of dynamics and were (jokingly) like an acoustic outfit.
The venue is pretty big by club standards and the acoustics are really good,I always am happy with My own tone in this club.
On the way Home My good lady said that She enjoyed the evening but the band were awful quiet

[e9b6]

Many years ago we played at the Richmond hall (Surrey) of the Royal Legion Poppy appeal and they had a sound killer on their circuits. Play too loud and the circuit was cut, but then a few seconds later reinstated at full power - great for damaging amps. We were about to refuse to play when we found a socket round the back and with a long lead got round that.

More recently, after moving to Jersey we were playing at Wolfs Caves - a country and western club in a local pub, where the cry from the landlord was always that we were too loud. One night he came round from the back of the bar with a telephone and announced it was Alderney on the phone and they were complaining that we were too loud!!

Alderney is 35 miles north of Jersey