Fender Rumble 60 at a rehearsal studio..... really??

[mrtcat]

I have walked away from bands that insist on rehearsing at full volume. It's what kids would do.

[Lozz196]

We rehearse at gig volumes, as our gig volume is that the amps match the volume of the drums, and the vocals are able to be heard above the backline. If we need to be louder then FOH handles that

[markdavid]

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1497325437' post='3317282']
go DI into the PA. That's what we all do, even the drummer ! yes, electric kit for ease of practice,real drums live.
[/quote]
Thats exactly what I plan to do with our next rehearsal, I will bring my DI box and go into the pa, wasn't prepared for it this time as I have used loads of rehearsal studios before and the bass amps have always been plenty powerful so wasn't expecting a 60w amp

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1497343983' post='3317373']
We rehearse at gig volumes, as our gig volume is that the amps match the volume of the drums, and the vocals are able to be heard above the backline. If we need to be louder then FOH handles that
[/quote]
And this is part of the issue, drums are a loud instrument by their nature and any band needs to play loud enough to match the drums so they do not overpower everything else

[tonyquipment]

Aw cute little 60w.

I go into the PA. I'm lazy when it comes to amps.

The loudness war is only really for me, keeping up with the drummer.

The TC 250w I got is wayyy too loud it's a 1x15 so it really hurts your chest if you hang on the same notes too much heh.

Anyway back to the subject: I've been in rooms and they have always been line 6 or peavy crappy carslbro combos and they've seen better days. I remember one of the earlier experiences in an early teenage loud band having to chain a few 50w combos together to get any sort of gutsy bass into the mix. Especially when you have to compete with 2 screaming guitars or mashing of chords. This was ground breaking stuff for a teenager hah

Now it's all class D and subs etc. Very efficient. Although muchly abused in a live setting.

[matski]

[quote name='LewisK1975' timestamp='1497282536' post='3317007']
IMHO - a 60 watt amp should be OK for rehearsals. It's not a gig, and shouldn't be done at gig volumes.
[/quote]

A few years ago, the band I was playing with was asked to perform at a quite prestigious gig which was to take place on an outdoor stage in the main square of a city in Poland. I asked if I needed to bring my own amp, but was repeatedly told it wasn't necessary as the back line would be provided. Anyways, we arrive and check the back line on stage and sure enough there is an Ampeg half stack so I'm thinking all is well.

We were told our soundcheck would be a quick 5 minutes immediately before our set, so imagine my surprise when I take to the stage and find that the Ampeg rig has disappeared and has been replaced by a tiny Hartke 50w combo! Bollocks! Luckily I was just about able to hear my bass DI'ed through the monitors or I would have been in major trouble.

Edited June 13, 2017 by matski

[oldbass]

Your in a confined room with no bodies to soak up the volume plus surely the idea is to interact and sort things out etc so 60 watts is plenty if the guitars do the right thing and max the pre's and lower their master vol's.
Also this idea that you have to keep up with the "loud" drummer is a bit amateurish imo. Our drummer simply plays a bit quieter in rehearsal and he still sounds crisp and on the money.
Your ears will thank you for it in 30 yrs time.

Edited June 13, 2017 by oldbass

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='oldbass' timestamp='1497349033' post='3317416']
Your in a confined room with no bodies to soak up the volume plus surely the idea is to interact and sort things out etc so 60 watts is plenty if the guitars do the right thing and max the pre's and lower their master vol's.
Also this idea that you have to keep up with the "loud" drummer is a bit amateurish imo. Our drummer simply plays a bit quieter in rehearsal and he still sounds crisp and on the money.
Your ears will thank you for it in 30 yrs time.
[/quote]the only time our drummer plays is at rehearsals and gigs (that's why we practice so often tbh) he could play quieter but it wouldn't have so much fun for him and we're all in it to enjoy ourselves aren't we? pass the earplugs please :-)

Edited June 13, 2017 by PaulWarning

[musicbassman]

I expect many of you already know this, but increases in perceived loudness to the listener (Db) only increase on a logarithmic scale compared to multiples of amplifier wattage. So, a 300 watt amp will not be 10 times louder than a 30 watt amp, only about twice as loud.
Plenty of info on the web about this, Google is your friend.

[thebigyin]

Used 50w Sound City amp a few times nothing major just general rehearsal and it sounds fab with my Fender Precision quite punchy. Obviously gigging would use a decent 100w plus combo.

[mcnach]

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1497302183' post='3317212']
We always rehearse at low volume. Its easier to spot errors and easier to call a halt to sort them out If you can hear exactly what the whole band is doing, more so when working up new songs.
[/quote]

+1

if you can't clearly hear everything that's going on, how does it help anybody?

I was *briefly* in a band that played really really loud. You could not make out what was going on. I recorded it and listening back it was easy to pick a few places where the second guitar was playing stuff that clashed with the rest... but at the volumes they were playing you would not notice. Utterly pointless.

[The59Sound]

Do quiet rehearsal bands play quietly at gigs too?

No reason to knock someone else's rehearsal style. My band is better than your band etc.

[mcnach]

[quote name='matski' timestamp='1497348778' post='3317415']
A few years ago, the band I was playing with was asked to perform at a quite prestigious gig which was to take place on an outdoor stage in the main square of a city in Poland. I asked if I needed to bring my own amp, but was repeatedly told it wasn't necessary as the back line would be provided. Anyways, we arrive and check the back line on stage and sure enough there is an Ampeg half stack so I'm thinking all is well.

We were told our soundcheck would be a quick 5 minutes immediately before our set, so imagine my surprise when I take to the stage and find that the Ampeg rig has disappeared and has been replaced by a tiny Hartke 50w combo! Bollocks! Luckily I was just about able to hear my bass DI'ed through the monitors or I would have been in major trouble.
[/quote]

Ha! Luxury! You had monitors!!!

Outdoor gig I did a few years ago... everything provided, yes. Out in the field it sounded good. The bass was strong and clear, no problem there. Our turn comes to come onstage (just brief linechecks) and I look around for the bass amp. Then... I see a tiny 30W Gorilla practice amp with a cable plugged into the line out at the back.

I put it on a couple of crates and even if it was cranked and pointing at me I could barely hear anything. There was no bass on the monitors. Oh joy. That was an experience...

[LewisK1975]

[quote name='The59Sound' timestamp='1497352812' post='3317445']
Do quiet rehearsal bands play quietly at gigs too?

No reason to knock someone else's rehearsal style. My band is better than your band etc.
[/quote]

I didn't suggest it meant my band was better.

True, it's up to the band how they want to rehearse. All my point was suggesting is that having been in bands which rehearse loud, and in bands which rehearse at lower volumes, I have found that better results are achieved by rehearsing at lower volume.

Rehearsal is just that, rehearsal. It's for getting the songs nailed. And IMHO, it's easier to do that if everything is at a level where it's easier to spot mistakes / opportunities for improvement....

I take the point that Drummers don't tend to have a volume control, but in my experience most of them have the ability to play a bit quieter, heck that even happens in songs, right? lots of songs have quiet passages, therefore drummers can play quieter when needed.

As always with my posts - YMMV!

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='The59Sound' timestamp='1497352812' post='3317445']
Do quiet rehearsal bands play quietly at gigs too?

No reason to knock someone else's rehearsal style. My band is better than your band etc.
[/quote]

The louder the band play live the quieter they rehearse in most cases, almost all really loud bands you'll be seeing at huge venues will be wearing in ears so they could be practicing in the tour bus, live at Wembley and everything in between and the volume in the players ears will be the same.


I used to play in a band with electric drums and synth guitar as I played electric upright bass, the onstage volume was lower than I'd have my car radio on, the PA system could then raise that level to whatever was required.


I used to do exactly the same as you, small room with a loud drummer, Marshall guitar stack and a trace Elliott bass amp all at full gig volume, but we were 12 years old at the time

Edited June 13, 2017 by stingrayPete1977

[markdavid]

Something just occurred to me, everybody (apart from me)in the band sings at least one song so everyone has a microphone near them, this means that the drums and guitar are likely being further boosted in volume from the close proximity of the microphones , after all if you put a microphone near the drummer so that he can sing the chances are his drumming is also being picked up the microphone. This may go some way to explaining my bass being drowned out , I think a 60w 1x12" combo plus mics everywhere except the bass is a recipe for being buried in the mix.

[The59Sound]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1497355159' post='3317474']
II used to do exactly the same as you, small room with a loud drummer, Marshall guitar stack and a trace Elliott bass amp all at full gig volume, but we were 12 years old at the time
[/quote]
What is your point? Maybe you should come to one of our gigs and actually see us live.

[TimR]

[quote name='musicbassman' timestamp='1497350911' post='3317429']
I expect many of you already know this, but increases in perceived loudness to the listener (Db) only increase on a logarithmic scale compared to multiples of amplifier wattage. So, a 300 watt amp will not be 10 times louder than a 30 watt amp, only about twice as loud.
Plenty of info on the web about this, Google is your friend.
[/quote]

Yes. But you don't turn a 300W amp up to the max and there's no standard so whether a 300w and is twice as loud as a 30w depends on a number of factors. Speaker cabs etc. It's not absolute volume you need, you might only need 50w but a 30w turned up to full is just going to distort and still not get you anywhere near what you're after.

Edited June 13, 2017 by TimR

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1497355159' post='3317474']



I used to do exactly the same as you, small room with a loud drummer, Marshall guitar stack and a trace Elliott bass amp all at full gig volume, but we were 12 years old at the time
[/quote]bloody hell you must have had a hell of a paper round to afford that sort of gear as a 12 year old

[KevB]

I might be having a jam/audition with some guys next week but I probably won't take my Rumble 100 with me. I tried it at a gig once as an experiment for a not particularly loud functions/party type band in an average sized pub room and it struggled. It will have to be the Trace, though I will probably leave the ext cab at home.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1497363964' post='3317552']
bloody hell you must have had a hell of a paper round to afford that sort of gear as a 12 year old
[/quote]

Standard rehearsal room kit where I live.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='The59Sound' timestamp='1497360461' post='3317520']

What is your point? Maybe you should come to one of our gigs and actually see us live.
[/quote]

Got any band links, youtube, website etc?

As others have pointed out a practice is to learn the parts and fix any issues none of which can be done at high volumes.

I've got a mate that plays in a loud band (I'd be amazed if your band isn't too loud live if you rehearse at that volume) and the last time I watched them I told them to turn down, they said "it's rock, it's got to be loud!" , maybe but I could see the people holding they're ears before leaving after a few songs, there's nothing wrong with the band either.

You've obviously decided that it works for you and aren't going to take any constructive criticism or advice from anyone here so I'll leave you to it.

[mikel]

[quote name='The59Sound' timestamp='1497352812' post='3317445']
Do quiet rehearsal bands play quietly at gigs too?

No reason to knock someone else's rehearsal style. My band is better than your band etc.
[/quote]


Nothing to do with knocking how others rehearse. We rehearse to get the structure and dynamics of the songs correct, or to iron out problems. We feel that playing at a lower volume, so we can hear exactly what is going on, is the most efficient way to do it. We can then play gigs at the appropriate volume knowing all is ok out front. Others may rehearse for different reasons.

[TimR]

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1497367625' post='3317595']



Nothing to do with knocking how others rehearse. We rehearse to get the structure and dynamics of the songs correct, or to iron out problems. We feel that playing at a lower volume, so we can hear exactly what is going on, is the most efficient way to do it. We can then play gigs at the appropriate volume knowing all is ok out front. Others may rehearse for different reasons.
[/quote]

Definitions seem to vary.

Personal practice: done at home on your own to learn the parts.
Band practice: done at low volumes, working on individual sections and arrangements.
Rehearsal: playing through tunes that you've already practiced to ensure you've got them all right. May include fine adjustments and slight refinements.

Then if you're in the theatre you have full and dress rehearsals, and technical walk and run throughs.

[stingrayPete1977]

We hire an empty room once a year where we test everything at gig volume and I PAT test all the kit first, if we iron out any musical problems during that it's seen as a bonus.

Each to their own at the end of the day, personally I wouldn't play in a band that practices at front of house gig volume as the norm.

[lowhand_mike]

we dont rehearse particularly loud but loud enough to be with the drummer, tbh the comments on playing quiter are only valid if your drummer can then play significantly quieter for those passages that require it and ive yet to meet one that can really tone it back and hold the feel.
so yeah we play fairly loud but then also our rehr=earsal room is a large hall so volume is required, when i joined the band they had a 90w combo which was no way near enough, now i have plenty and use a third of it stays nice and clean.
play to what ever volume suits the band theres no right or wrong, if it works it works