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Music Association of Central Texas



Last Updated: 11/24/2009

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Status: Single
City: CENTRAL
State: Texas
Country: US
Signup Date: 6/10/2008

Who Gives Kudos:

Angie (1)
Gene Ballou (1)
Saturday, May 30, 2009 

Current mood:  enlightened
Category: Music
We have had a great response to our "Topic of the Month" - "Volume and Tone".  James Hurst did a fantastic discussion on this topic at our May meeting.  So many people have thanked James for discussing this touchy subject, I decided to post a blog about it.

We are so fortunate here in the Central Texas area - so many restaurants that support live music.  There are so many to choose from, that some of us "restaurant hop" during the week.  The key word in this section is "restaurant".  When people go to a restaurant, they go to eat and visit with the friends/family they went with...having live music is an added bonus!!  There could be a family with kiddos, a first date, grandma's 85th birthday party, a retirement party-all kinds of possibilities of who could be in the restaurant while you are playing.  They are all there to eat and to socialize.  If they can't talk to each other, chances are, they will not be going back.  Let's face it, the way a restaurant pays a band is by selling food and drinks.  If the waitresses can't hear to take an order, there just might be a problem.

Loud can be good if it's clear!  That goes for restaurants, bars, outdoor events, or whatever.  There is nothing worse that distortion due to being too loud!!  It doesn't matter if it is a solo act, or a full band, distortion is not good.  Vocals, guitar, bass-it doesn't matter-distortion is not music!!  So, you can't hear yourself on stage...maybe a monitor needs to be adjusted.  Cranking yourself up should not be an option.  When a full band is on stage, there are multiple players, but at that time, they are performing as a single unit.  If each individual keeps turning themselves up, both distortion and feedback is sure to follow.  Then, the idea of music is gone and all that is left is loud distorted noise.

This applies to all music.  From jazz to heavy metal - if distortion keeps the you from understanding the vocals, or being able to tell what specific instrument is being played, you're probably turned up too loud.  If one band member is over powering the rest of the band, get them to turn down.  If the band keeps trying to turn up to that one individaul's level, distortion is on the way.

James had a great idea...start the show off a little softer and build up during the night.  What a great compliment it would be to be asked to turn up for a change.
3:50 AM
 
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Gene Ballou

 
Good article!  Any sound tech will tell you "a quiet stage is better."  On the other hand, a rock guitar needs a certain volume in order to sound right, and some musicians need to "feel" the music in order to play their best.  Finding the balance between those two views is the challenge we all have to deal with.

One problem we face as a band is this - when you can't hear yourself, it's easier just to turn it up than ask someone else to turn it down.  One possible solution would be to MAKE TIME for a really good sound check.  But then...  who really has that kind of time?  I just don't know of a perfect answer...  But I enjoyed talking about it anyway!  :-)

Gene.
 
Posted by Gene Ballou on Sunday, May 31, 2009 - 12:52 PM
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