"turn it down"

[FuNkShUi]

I havent got an issue being asked to turn down. We play for the venue/function/party, so if they ask you to turn down, you turn down.
Where i have an issue is when we have an hour to soundcheck before the function starts and we wont have another chance to get levels right until we play, and the manager comes to tell us we need to turn down, alot, 5 minutes before soundcheck finishes.
We'd been playing for 40 minutes, fine tuning the mix levels, and 5 mins before the end of our soundcheck he tells us this.
Usually it would just be a case of taking everything down in equal amounts. But the problem here was we were already quiet! My amp was already at the lowest volume output, before no volume was coming out. I had to set it to as quiet as possible, then cut the volume some more onboard my bass!
We aren't a rock band so being loud as hell isn't a problem, but we were asked to play so quietly our brass section didnt bother with mics.
This wasn't a small party either. It was in a function hall with 250 guests.
Sent us in to a small panic to be honest.
It all worked out well in the end though. Had a good gig, got a few good bookings from it.
But we were asked multiple times to turn up. So should this venue state no bands when they take bookings? They didn't seem keen to have one.

[casapete]

Boils down to who you listen to - the booker or the venue manager.
When this used to happen in my old band, we would suggest the two parties thrashed it out,leaving us
to concentrate on our job of entertaining the punters. Inevitably the person paying for the event won any
dispute, although you had to sympathise with venue managers if there had previously been noise issues
that threatened their business / licence etc.
Personally I used to quite enjoy there being a limit on levels, gave me a break from the usual drum / guitard
thrash that so often got out of hand. And even without mics, brass sections can be heard very well.....

[JTUK]

I wouldn't be that sympathetic with the venue manager if I thought he was clueless and would take direction from the client
but would also point out to the client the perceived interference from the venue manager.

[FuNkShUi]

We aren't a loud band anyway, so i was surprised we were asked to turn down in the first place.
Yeh, we let the organisers know that the level of volume was down to the manager, and not our preference.

[throwoff]

Once got asked to turn the drums down when I was running the FOH for a local pub that was trying to get involved in having bands on.

Suffice to say they didn't do many more after that.

[FuNkShUi]

Our drummer was probably the most effected by it.
He said he resorted to almost letting the sticks drop onto the drums rather than hitting them.

[JTUK]

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1429521182' post='2752121']
Our drummer was probably the most effected by it.
He said he resorted to almost letting the sticks drop onto the drums rather than hitting them.
[/quote]

Horns blowing acoustic is one thing as they can get pretty loud anyway, but I would have a big problem with the drum issue
as this would impact on the whole performance and evening so I'd dump the whole thing onto the venue manager
who insisted on this approach..and let the client and him come to a compromise...all the while making out the band
is willing to do what those two come up with...

[uncle psychosis]

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1429521182' post='2752121']
Our drummer was probably the most effected by it.
He said he resorted to almost letting the sticks drop onto the drums rather than hitting them.
[/quote]

Hotrods or brushes can help in this scenario, although thats still not an enjoyable compromise for the drummer.

[FuNkShUi]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1429521482' post='2752125']
all the while making out the band
is willing to do what those two come up with...
[/quote]

This is pretty much what we did. Explained the situation to the event organiser, and said to speak to the manager if they'd like the volume turned up.
[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1429521914' post='2752133']
Hotrods or brushes can help in this scenario, although thats still not an enjoyable compromise for the drummer.
[/quote]

Yeh he had brushes. But disco/funk/motown didnt sound right with them at all

[dannybuoy]

What amp are you using where the lowest volume setting is too loud for a venue?

I've never had any trouble using various amps for quiet practice at home, I found it surprising that you had to resort to turning it down on the bass itself!

[JTUK]

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1429522565' post='2752147']
This is pretty much what we did. Explained the situation to the event organiser, and said to speak to the manager if they'd like the volume turned up.


Yeh he had brushes. But disco/funk/motown didnt sound right with them at all
[/quote]

Yep... thought you'd have done that but those sort of gigs send alarm bells to me...
and would not be keen to go back there if that was the approach.

I do sometimes wonder about venues who want the money from putting on these events
but fail to consider that their venue and a few local authority constraints plus any on their own
make it totally wrong for the purpose..??

Edited April 20, 2015 by JTUK

[uncle psychosis]

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1429522565' post='2752147']

Yeh he had brushes. But disco/funk/motown didnt sound right with them at all
[/quote]

Lol, no that wouldn't work. Hotrods might have been acceptable though---I actually really like the sound of hotrods, more drummers should use them anyway

[FuNkShUi]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1429523991' post='2752167']
Yep... thought you'd have done that but those sort of gigs send alarm bells to me...
and would not be keen to go back there if that was the approach.

I do sometimes wonder about venues who want the money from putting on these events
but fail to consider that their venue and a few local authority constraints plus any on their own
make it totally wrong for the purpose..??
[/quote]

Well this is really my main issue. I don't think the venue should be allowed to advertise as being open to bands, if they have this volume constraint.
Whether it be their own or not!


[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1429522721' post='2752153']
What amp are you using where the lowest volume setting is too loud for a venue?

I've never had any trouble using various amps for quiet practice at home, I found it surprising that you had to resort to turning it down on the bass itself!
[/quote]

Aguilar TH500 with 2 X TKS 112s
I would say though, we have never been asked to play this quietly before.
We've played functions for the National Autistic Society before, so are well aware of how to set up to be suited to the guests.
This was waaayyyyyyy quieter than we would usually have it for them.

[FuNkShUi]

Never heard Hotrods before. I'll suggest these to the drummist

[uncle psychosis]

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1429524615' post='2752176']
Never heard Hotrods before. I'll suggest these to the drummist
[/quote]

They're like a whole bunch of thinner rods taped together. Give a more mellow, quieter sound than traditional sticks but are much harder than brushes.

[Count Bassy]

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1429529637' post='2752247']
They're like a whole bunch of thinner rods taped together. Give a more mellow, quieter sound than traditional sticks but are much harder than brushes.
[/quote]
Also known as "Root Rods" I believe.

[mep]

What gets me is a request from the landlord or landloady AFTER the souncheck to turn it down. Which part of cound CHECK didn't they inderstand. When this happens we normally don't bother / pretend to tuen down or just make a very minimal effort. Not easy when not everything is through the PA.

[FuNkShUi]

Yeh this was what we were most p*ssed off with on the night!
They let us carry on for 40 minutes.
Then when there's only 5 minutes before guests come the manager comes in and tell us we have to turn down. Alot.
Couldnt have told us that 30 minutes ago when you were in the room talking to the bar staff could you??

[chris_b]

I don't mind turning down. I've been playing long enough to balance my sound on the fly.

I'd actually prefer to start quieter in the first pace, but I'm playing with 2 stone deaf guitarists at the moment who don't seem to understand the word balance.

[blue]

Goes with the territory.

When asked to turn down by a venue owner you turn down. It's not worth it to put to much thought into it and take the fun out of the gig.

Blue

[JTUK]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1429548095' post='2752492']
Goes with the territory.

When asked to turn down by a venue owner you turn down. [b]It's not worth it to put to much thought into it [/b]and take the fun out of the gig.

Blue
[/quote]

It actually is worth it, IMO, as there is turning down to reasonable levels and then there is stupid reasoning as appears to be the case from the description from the OP
They don't pay me enough to pander to ruining the gig ( for us as much as anyone else ) and I'm not desperate to want any repeat business from a venue that will gladly take the money but not be willing or able to be good on its delivery.

In this case, I'll make sure the client is happy over and above the venue manager. In the event of noise management devices at venues, we've refused to play them if we know the to have unreasonable expectations to the volumes of a live band.
As it happens, quite a few of these places are wedding venues... so they want the lucrative wedding market and then risk the
outcome of the big day with a noise meter set at 85db or thereof... I think this is warped thinking on behalf of the venue and we want no part of it.
Get another band...

[Maude]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1429546557' post='2752475']
I'm playing with 2 stone deaf guitarists.
[/quote]

Maybe the manager was concerned for your guitarists welfare.
Any louder and they'd have been blown away, 2 stone is no weight at all.


Ah, is that my coat.

[xgsjx]

Did the manager realise that when e venue fills up, the band will sound a lot quieter?

If the person can make or break gigs for you, work with them, if they can't, then do as you please.

I played a beer festival several years ago where we were the only band (well, there was 2 bands, but I was the bassist in both).
A woman & her 2 kids sat right at the front, about 8 foot from the front of my rig.
First song & she said "you're way too loud, can you turn it down". I explained that she was sat right in front of the speakers & moving to a different table would be much quieter. She wasn't happy, so I turned down a little.
Another song in & the organisers came over and asked us to turn up, a lot.
She wasn't happy & complained to the organisers who then gave her a nice seat at the back.

At the end of the first break, she came over & complimented the band.

[spacey]

One rule is never ask the bar staff manager if it is too loud,
The answer is always Yes and you end up with someone who has no idea dictating how it sounds.
Never ever ask, your the artists and this is the show, you sell the beer.

[lurksalot]

Our last gig rhythm guitar asked if we we too loud, too quiet , too talented with a few giggles but not much else , so he picked on a guy who was nodding his head and made him the 'sound' guy . Anyway as it was a lunch time gig with lots of young kids, the client asked us to turn down a bit , so the 'sound' guy got the blame for the rest of the afternoon , It was funny and helped make the show.