Silas Stingy Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 Hi all My first post, I've been lurking for a while but finally joined up. Basically I need help with a gig, has anyone played this venue, Tythe Barn Oxfordshire? We have a potential wedding gig there but I've been told by the client that they have a sound limiter installed that shuts down the power. The usual trick of finding another power source isn't possible. Has anyone played this venue? Is it impossible to perform here with a reasonably rockish band? (Guitar, Bass, Drums playing Killers, etc) Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakester Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 If it's here: [url="http://www.thetythebarn.co.uk/home.html"]http://www.thetythebarn.co.uk/home.html[/url] Not played it, but been as a guest with a fairly loud disco, and that seemed okay. I would just take a very long reel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='Jakester' post='1233584' date='May 16 2011, 08:39 PM']If it's here: [url="http://www.thetythebarn.co.uk/home.html"]http://www.thetythebarn.co.uk/home.html[/url] Not played it, but been as a guest with a fairly loud disco, and that seemed okay. I would just take a very long reel![/quote] Disco's always get to be louder, due to the compression on the tracks taking out all the peaks, which are what get you in trouble. I knocked out the power with just me and a guitar at a very low volume, not in this venue I hasten to add, but I have a very loud voice. And a peak or two will knacker everything. Just keep an eye on the lights, if it goes yellow, back off a bit, hit the drummer with your headstock while kicking the guitar player in the nads, and nutting the vocalist. Hopefully they will understand after the 3rd go round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Hi I've played there a few times..... Just make it very clear to the Bride and Groom [u][b]before[/b][/u] the event that it's beyond your control. You'll just have to play within it's limits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silas Stingy Posted May 17, 2011 Author Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='crez5150' post='1234023' date='May 17 2011, 10:14 AM']Hi I've played there a few times..... Just make it very clear to the Bride and Groom [u][b]before[/b][/u] the event that it's beyond your control. You'll just have to play within it's limits.[/quote] Cheers guys, very helpful. You never know what frequencies these boxes most respond to. I've done these type of gigs before and sometimes turned down so low that there is little point in being there as a bass player. Might persuade the drummer to go on the dreaded v-drums for this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machinehead Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Stick some duct tape over the limiters microphone. Works for me. Frank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wulf Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 How many restarts are you allowed? I once did a wedding gig at the Barbican in London which had a three strikes and you're out for good rule. It really puts the dampers on; clapping and cheering at the end of a song can push you towards the danger zone even if you resist the typical "everybody hits everything loudly" endings. Whoever thought it was a good idea to build a major metropolitan entertainment and then spice it with residential accomodation really should have had their head examined! While I am not a fan of overly loud music, it is very hard to live up to the expectation of being the band powering the party when you are constantly having to watch the dB meter. If the bride and groom really want a live band, any chance of finding a nearby venue that could accomodate that part of the evening without the restriction (or seeing if the owners of the barn would agree with a compromise like disconnecting the automatic shut off part for a couple of hours during the evening)? Wulf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='wulf' post='1234211' date='May 17 2011, 12:51 PM']It really puts the dampers on; clapping and cheering at the end of a song can push you towards the danger zone even if you resist the typical "everybody hits everything loudly" endings.[/quote] Forgot that, we did a function back in February with one of them things, after we blew it the first time, it took the bar staff ages to fire it up again. As soon as the lights fired up, everyone cheered, and guess what happened? Yep, it blew again. Can't make the audience turn down their enthusiasm can you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigAlonBass Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [b]/Rant mode on/[/b] I (the Band as well) have flatly refused to work anywhere that has one of these installed. In more than one Venue, we have proved the point to the Management, by one guitar strumming along quietly, which puts it in the yellow, then the Drummer hits his snare loudly ONCE, and it goes off. Why should we put up with the damage to our equipment that can happen when these things cut the power to it mid-gig? There is absolutely NO way that I am spending any more money on repair costs after being subject to this kind of stupidity. Let the Venue demand that the Local Council come back and get it PROPERLY calibrated, which they hardly ever are*, or tell them to employ a disco. * In conversations with a few chaps who actually fit and calibrate these for a living, they are told to leave it on the 'default' setting by most of the Venues, who are too money-hungry to pay the extra cost of calibration, or too thick to realise that a Live Band plays at slightly more than a conversational level. As you can probably tell, I am not a happy chappy when it comes to the subject of Sound Limiters. [b]/Rant mode off/[/b] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Sound limiters murdered my parents, and ate my kids! Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='crez5150' post='1234023' date='May 17 2011, 10:14 AM']Hi I've played there a few times..... Just make it very clear to the Bride and Groom [u][b]before[/b][/u] the event that it's beyond your control. You'll just have to play within it's limits.[/quote] This. It's not your fault that the venue book a function (an important day of someone's life) and allow them to spend money on a band without actually having the infrastructure in place to cope with it. IME they think it's the bands' fault, even though they can't cope with the volume of an un-mic'd kit. [quote name='BigAlonBass' post='1234287' date='May 17 2011, 01:50 PM']Why should we put up with the damage to our equipment that can happen when these things cut the power to it mid-gig? There is absolutely NO way that I am spending any more money on repair costs after being subject to this kind of stupidity. [/quote] Totally agree. Although venue management/owners really don't give two sh1ts about bands' equipment. At a venue we refused to play because of this issue we had the owner storming on stage and pulling all the mixer sliders down. Our singer gave him a right bollocking on stage in front of a whole wedding crowd! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markstuk Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Really? If so, top tip :-) Mark [quote name='machinehead' post='1234189' date='May 17 2011, 12:37 PM']Stick some duct tape over the limiters microphone. Works for me. Frank.[/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakester Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Actually, it occurs to me a good way round it might be to get the couple to agree to sign an indemnity to pay for any damage to your gear, and when they ask why, explain the limiter cutting out can damage equipment, and it's entirely out of your control, but within the venue's. If the couple ask a few pointed questions of the venue, it might prove more flexible.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 The problem with sound limiters is that they're rarely calibrated properly and therefore get set off way below the required level, or sometimes not at all. Bass guitar sets the overly sensitive ones off very quickly so be weary. We've now stipulated in our contract that if you must have a venue that has a limiter then it's not our concern should be set them off... and we're not an overly loud band either by any means. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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