Have I lost my perception of what is LOUD?

[Guest MoJo]

Took my Peavey BAM210 to a gig with my function band tonight for the first time. I plugged in, switched on and selected a patch. I adjusted the volume to what I thought sat well with the drums and from where I stood (about 8 feet in front of the combo), I could hear everyone and thought the stage balance was pretty good. At the end of the gig, the vocalist claims that all he could hear out front was the throbbing wob wob wob of the bass and the keyboard player who stands behind me said the Peavey was making him feel physically sick and if I bring it to the next gig, he's going to set fire to it on the car park. I use the combo all the time with my rock covers band at a much higher volume level without a problem.
Anyone else experience this?

Edited April 19, 2014 by MoJo

[Weststarx]

From what you've said they sound like a massive divas, but surely its his fault for not putting what he wants to hear through a monitor?

Did they have a bad night and was looking for something to blame as well?

If neither of those things, was the bass amp in the corner of the room?

Edited April 20, 2014 by Weststarx

[Prime_BASS]

My guess is they usually don't her that much low end on the bass for whatever reason, and reacted in a typical fashion. What did the guitarist say?


Been in bands where the singer for whatever reason stood right in the line of my 8x10 stack and regardless of volume complained it was all her could hear.
People are dicks about stuff, but try and get a more balanced view on it before you disregard their comments.

[Guest MoJo]

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1397981486' post='2429092']
My guess is they usually don't her that much low end on the bass for whatever reason, and reacted in a typical fashion. What did the guitarist say?


Been in bands where the singer for whatever reason stood right in the line of my 8x10 stack and regardless of volume complained it was all her could hear.
People are dicks about stuff, but try and get a more balanced view on it before you disregard their comments.
[/quote]

Once we've set up we always run through a few bars to get a stage level. No one said a word about me being too loud.
The guitarist who is usually quite vocal didn't comment

[mikhay77]

Best get everyone to have a listen in future,check see if their happy,dont have this problem in my main band,I am the singer lol. Seriously though,I do like to hear the guitar too an bass sometimes can get some Wob wob frequencies in some rooms,may be a case of some eq or it may as stated earlier that the singer is a dick and the keyboard player needs to move from behind your amp.What did he expect,does he have a monitor amp or just monitor mix?

Going off subject,played last night with 2 bands on the bill we soundchecked no problem all levels great,the first band using all our gear had feedback issues and started moaning in soundcheck,singer kept putting his hands round the mic!!. We hadnt touched a thing ?? Anyways keyboard didnt have an amp,(doh) so Di'd into our mackie rig and set a level,fed a bit back through the monitors,seemed happy then when they started the set she wound up her keyboard volume and drowned everything out! One of their band groupies was picking fault,of course we sorted it but if they left stuff alone but oh no! Tried to explain about FOH mix and she ought to get a monitor amp etc all she had to ask for was more thru the monitor mix but it went over their heads.Sorry for the rant but I know what you mean, primadonnas!

Got another gig with em in 2 weeks also,lol

[merlin]

It took them till the end of the gig to tell you, If my guitarist thinks Im a bit boomy or over the top loud,I get told there and then. :mellow:Thinking they're a bit wierd not to mention it before twits me thinks...

[JTUK]

Funnily enough, had lots of excessive bass on our last gig and it certainly wasn't me.
We had a new gtr and keys had new cabs plus the playing area had low beams and ceilings
and we kept getting a bass trap. If it was down to the room, then ok, but I will be mightily
p*** *d if it continues. There is no reason for boom if you EQ the right rig, IMO.
So, dependng on who the source is...they need to address that.
I even had to slap lines to play soundthing that didn't add to the bass coming from everywhere else.
I also recorded the gig and the sound on tape was perfect and everyone else said the sound
out front was great...

More time spent on the sound check at real gig levels and more so if you have changed anything...
These things can happen once and be written off, possibly, but you need a consertive collective
brain-storm.

[essexbasscat]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1397985795' post='2429144']
Funnily enough, had lots of excessive bass on our last gig and it certainly wasn't me.
We had a new gtr and keys had new cabs plus the playing area had low beams and ceilings
and we kept getting a bass trap. If it was down to the room, then ok, but I will be mightily
p*** *d if it continues. There is no reason for boom if you EQ the right rig, IMO.
So, dependng on who the source is...they need to address that.
I even had to slap lines to play soundthing that didn't add to the bass coming from everywhere else.
I also recorded the gig and the sound on tape was perfect and everyone else said the sound
out front was great...

More time spent on the sound check at real gig levels and more so if you have changed anything...
These things can happen once and be written off, possibly, but you need a consertive collective
brain-storm.
[/quote]

A lot of what JT said. Also, when you checked levels against the drums, were you standing next to the kit ? Perhaps get a long lead and have a wander out front for your level check with the drums. Did anyone complain about the drums being too loud as well ?

[TimR]

Ha. Yes. The bass player always gets blamed for the bass frequencies. Could be anything. You probably need to speak to them and ask them to let you know as soon as it happens so you can adjust or at least work out if it's the keys that are causing it.

Edited April 20, 2014 by TimR

[Pinball]

Its what it sounds like from the audience perspective thats important.

I play bass in one band and guitar in another. I recently played a gig on guitar and both I and the drummer thought the bass player was way too loud but the bass player was insistant that it was turned down and maybe it was just where we were standing. Then after the gig I asked for some audience feedback from friends and guess what? They said the bass was way too loud and they couldn't hear the singer or guitar properly. My point? Get a neutral out front to give a listen.

and come to think of it he was using his new combo for the first time. Could there be that because the kit is new that your keen to hear it and had it higher than usual?

Edited April 20, 2014 by Pinball

[M@23]

So, your singer waited until after the gig to complain? Did the keyboard player not say anything during, or was he too nauseous to speak?!

[Guest MoJo]

[quote name='M@23' timestamp='1398018345' post='2429614']
So, your singer waited until after the gig to complain? Did the keyboard player not say anything during, or was he too nauseous to speak?!
[/quote]

I'm used to the singer complaining. I think it's a little bit personal with him but I respect the keyboard player's criticism. I just wish he'd said something during the gig.

[Lozz196]

I can`t remember where I saw this, but I read of something similar where the singer of a band was always complaining that the bass was too loud, so one day the bassist offered to turn down to appease him. No it`s still too loud was the response from the singer - until the bassist held out the end of his lead showing the bass wasn`t plugged in.


Some get a "bee in their bonnet" about things at times, Pinball is spot on, get a neutral point of view.

[Pinball]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1398023753' post='2429691']
I can`t remember where I saw this, but I read of something similar where the singer of a band was always complaining that the bass was too loud, so one day the bassist offered to turn down to appease him. No it`s still too loud was the response from the singer - until the bassist held out the end of his lead showing the bass wasn`t plugged in.
[/quote]
Haahaa love it

[leschirons]

What was the stage like? I've had this a few times in village halls with hollow wooden stages and ended up having to get the rig off the ground on chairs etc although people out front said it was fine. +1 to getting someone's opinion out front during a soundcheck and during first number.

[Guest MoJo]

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1398065826' post='2429920']
What was the stage like? I've had this a few times in village halls with hollow wooden stages and ended up having to get the rig off the ground on chairs etc although people out front said it was fine. +1 to getting someone's opinion out front during a soundcheck and during first number.
[/quote]

It was a raised wooden stage in a social club. May have been a contributing factor. Where I stood, there was no perceivable 'boominess'

[ezbass]

[quote name='MoJo' timestamp='1398068207' post='2429955']


It was a raised wooden stage in a social club. May have been a contributing factor. Where I stood, there was no perceivable 'boominess'
[/quote]Grammapad required maybe, although if your amp was way back it could also have been 'coupling' with the rear wall too.

[Guest MoJo]

[quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1398073933' post='2430050']
Grammapad required maybe, although if your amp was way back it could also have been 'coupling' with the rear wall too.
[/quote]

Quite possibly. It was close to the back wall. What weight can Grammapads take because this combo weighs as much as a small moon?

[spacey]

The main trick is get the cab off the floor, I find casters work well, you may get less resonant bass around the amp but as that is energy getting absorbed, lifting the cab, even on a crate throws more down the room than around it.
Other than this, keyboard player's are usually moaning knobs that think bass players are not real musco's .
Only had one scrap in a band, well I call it a scrap, ended with the keyboard player outside by the throat and in the canal to cool his mouth off

Every gig he would mouth off, turning a blind eye made it worse until one day he decided to throw his drink over me for been too loud on a stage about the size of a stamp, as the bass was not allowed through the PA, you do have to be heard...

Anyway, got the sack, but watching him swim was worth it.

Edited April 21, 2014 by spacey

[ezbass]

[quote name='MoJo' timestamp='1398079017' post='2430120']


Quite possibly. It was close to the back wall. What weight can Grammapads take because this combo weighs as much as a small moon?
[/quote]Depends on which one you get, but 200lbs/90kgs is the lowest weight limit.

[TimR]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1398023753' post='2429691']
I can`t remember where I saw this, but I read of something similar where the singer of a band was always complaining that the bass was too loud, so one day the bassist offered to turn down to appease him. No it`s still too loud was the response from the singer - until the bassist held out the end of his lead showing the bass wasn`t plugged in.


Some get a "bee in their bonnet" about things at times, Pinball is spot on, get a neutral point of view.
[/quote]

I was doing sound for my brother's band and the bass was awful. Or at least I thought it was until I realised he wasn't playing what I was hearing. Turned out to be some super chorus reverb effect thing that the lead guitarist was using.

[casapete]

May well be worth investing in a wireless system. Great for soundchecking as you can hear for yourself what is / is 'nt going on.
Samson Airline ones can be had s/h for around £60, useful bit of kit for the dosh IMO.

Edited April 22, 2014 by casapete

[PaulWarning]

bass frequencies change depending how full the room is too, sound check in an empty room, set everything, then when the crowd (hopefully) comes in in it all changes, especially bass, it can become boomy.
I had the drummer and the guitarist accusing me of turning up at the halfway stage at a gig recently, they were complaining all they could hear was bass after the interval, I hadn't touched a thing and left everything the same, when we came off everybody said it sounded fine all gig, go figure

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='MoJo' timestamp='1397951794' post='2429020']
....and the keyboard player who stands behind me said the Peavey was making him feel physically sick and if I bring it to the next gig, he's going to set fire to it on the car park...
[/quote]

I admire this sort of direct approach... too many people beat around the bush with their opinions. There can be no doubting the seriousness of a man who sets fire to your amp in the car park...

Edited April 22, 2014 by CamdenRob

[bertbass]

Once did a gig with a band that had a sax player, not just an ordinary sax player, oh no, but one that liked to make electronic gadgets. He made an octave generator for his sax. All the way through the gig I was constantly told to turn down as the bass was too loud. Getting well pissed off with this, I actually switched my amp off and pretended to play anything other than the song we were playing making it very obvious that the bass wasn't me. I was told to turn down again. After going to great lengths to explain that the bass wasn't too loud as the amp wasn't even switched on, they realised that the sax player was playing bass with his sax. They never apologised though.