Stage Volume

arbshredder

A question regarding stage volume and miking:

Do you have better results miking everything (which requires everyone to pretty much play at bedroom volume and pushing everything through the mains (or else you get feedback issues) or do you get better results just miking the vocalists and letting the bassist / guitarist / drummer go unmiked.

Think small club, not an outdoor gig.

Skye

I always like everything mic'd and mixed if possible, but as long as the vocals are at the right level it can sound great with just the vocalists mic'd.

Agrippa

I need the bass drums and the vocals and slightly more guitar than bass.

maybeyes

i need to hear the vocals, drums & bass.  As i do more of this I understand why some acts use in ear monitors.  It makes it so much easier to get a good sound out front without monitor bleed.

Agrippa

[quote author=maybeyes link=topic=16316.msg247363#msg247363 date=1396670073]
i need to hear the vocals, drums & bass.  As i do more of this I understand why some acts use in ear monitors.  It makes it so much easier to get a good sound out front without monitor bleed.
[/quote]

The guys in Rush were asked, I believe it was in "beyond the lighted stage" what they considered the most crucial development in gear since the started. They said In Ear Monitors.

maybeyes

I think for me a big problem is that what I need to hear is different than what the other musicians need to hear in their mix.  Since it is so personal, it makes it more difficult onstage if you step out of your zone.

Vandenberg

For pretty much any venue I have always gone for mic'd up everything, to my mind it give you better overall control (get to know the sound man well! Unless doing it yourselves) also it keeps the volume down on stage so you are not bleeding from the ears due to extreme volume and the sound going out front is what is important. However there are caveats to this, such as, is the PA/rig that you are putting everything through man enough for the job, if its not you need to look at your mix more closely.

One of the things that I have found in my time is that a lot of players, often the lead guitar or the bass want a great onstage sound which is often to damn loud for the rest of the band. We tend to forget thats its the audience out front we want to give the best sound to, a great balanced sound that is maybe a tad low is better than a hellish wall of mush any day and will get you more gigs.

As for in ear monitors, have to agree with the Rush boys, certainly has helped me no end, well worth the investment if you are gigging a lot, of if you can afford them, just got for it. Rock on. 

Dinosaur David B

If it's a room that's used to handling rock music with an appropriate PA, I can run my low wattage, stereo two 1x12s pretty loud AND mic them and it sounds great.  I think this is pretty ideal for me for a club gig.

When I played a small comedy theater that really wasn't set up for rock music, they kept telling me to turn down. When I got to the point where I was turned down as low as I practically could, and it still wasn't enough, they took me out of the PA. And I turned the amps back up.

EugenicScum

Most clubs here have proper monitors and FOH, so it's better if a small 2x12 is cranked and mic'ed up. Lower the stage volume, the better the sound generally is. You're going to need a good sound guy though. We have an FOH guy now who knows all our songs and goes with us wherever we go.

jebbudda

My two cents :

First question : House PA or your own system ?

75% of the gigs I play we bring " speakers on a stick " . Sometimes we have powered speakers....it all depends on the room . We may mic the bass drum . Other than that VOCALS only .

The 25% " house system " gigs we do the soundman does whatever he needs to . Tonight I'm doin' a gig with a house system . I will play like I always do . The soundman won't tell me how to play . Most of the professional guys know that . On occasion we may rent sound for big rooms but speakers on a stick is the way to go .

Fuck playing at " bedroom " volume . Any soundman stupid enough to tell me I gotta play at 2 watts will not appreciate my reponse . We're not playin' Duran Duran or Jimmy Buffet . I guess if your playin' music written by pussies its ok . Or a wedding band . Or an old folks home . Play Rock n Roll like you mean it . People will be able to tell the difference .

arbshredder

Apparently a half-power modded Twin Reverb on 3 is too loud.  (The half power mod takes out 2 of the power tubes and disconnects one of the speakers).

It is speakers on a stick, with subs as well. Right now, I am taking my pedalboard straight into a Fender Champ. It is a passable tone, but it sucks that I spent so much time and effort coming up with my tone and I can't use it because the soundman claims he can't get a mix and push the vocals with my amp that loud.

jebbudda

Turn your amp toward the wall .

Ask the soundman ...." If Robin Trower came to play here "........  and see what he says .

If he gives you somekinda bullshit you'd matter of factly tell him Trower would have HIS OWN engineer . Somebody that knows how to deal with guitar players no doubt . My suggestion for working with soundguys that wanna tell you how to play ..... Bring your own guy and let the house guy " watch " .

Sorry dude . The nicer you can be the better .  I hate it when the sound guys are incompetent . His attitude will change when a REAL fuckin' soundman walks in a dials your band in the right way .

Joebuddha

Amen brother Jeb!!

I have done speakers on a stick as well. As long as I can hear the drummer and the singer I'm fine.
Sometimes depending on the situation to much of the other guys can be distracting.