Gig Volume?

[deadpool_25]

Everyone talks about dialing in tones at gig volume. What do you consider gig volume in terms of db?

 

[ian_dissonance]

I’ve never bothered to check. I turn up my monitor until it’s loud enough to hear along with the drums and work from there.

 

[sleewell]

Hardcore so yea it's fucking loud. Yall aren't going to be doing karate and getting violent if you can talk over it haha.


I love that Ron Swanson quote at the diner. Give me all of the eggs and bacon you have. Hold on son I'm not sure you understood; I don't want a lot of bacon and eggs. Please give me all of the bacon and eggs you have.

Me when the sound guy asks how I want my monitor: please give me all of the vocals and kick that you have lololol


I'm generally not stupid loud. Haven't been asked to turn down yet. I just wanna be at same level as a loud drummer.

 

[JasonE]

For me, it is the volume I need to match the drums. This can vary with drummers. It also varies if I have the misfortune to end up next to the bass player if it is a two guitar player scenario. I know where I end up on my volume knob on my amp but I have never measured the volume. If I had to guess it is probably around 95db to maybe 100db. Now I am curious. I may have to dig my DB meter out and test it.

When I dialed my digital units in, I had my amp in the same room set to where I typically run it. I then ran the digital units one at a time through a PA cabinet on a stand at around the same level as perceived in the room while running them.

 

[Orvillain]

I like it loud.

 

[la szum]

Every drummer playing acoustic drums is different. I have played with crisp
and tight drummers who are punchy and don't hit hard. I have played with
heavy-handed drummers who are loud as hell and have ZERO dynamics. I have
played with timid drummers who are constantly dragging and the entire
band has no drive as a result.

For me, it is always the drummer that determines gig/stage volume. No exceptions.

We are currently playing louder than we have at any time in the past 10
years. Very good drummer. Great kit. Knows his shit. Drives the band.
But he is not the MOST dynamic driver I have ever played with. Gonna
work on that with him in 2024. Even if it makes him a little crabby.

I need to take my dB meter and check this week. I am guessing we are
over 100dBat peak. One reason why I always use hearing protection.

 

[Byrdman]

One reason why I always use hearing protection.

What do you use?

 

[la szum]

What do you use?

Marlboro Cigarette Filters. I tried Hearos and even some custom molded pieces and they
just attenuated the high-end too much. Everything was always dark and muffled sounding.

I stumbled on the Cigarette Filter trick at a Judas Priest concert in 1986 out of desperation. God damn were
they loud.... like painful nausea inducing loud. My Buddy passed out on the floor it was so bad. I smoked
and ripped off a filter from the cigarette, took the paper off, ripped the filter in half, and then rolled up each
half and stuck them in my ears. It worked back then and it works now.

Man, it is not scientific, but it works. I have been going back to this method over and over again.

 

[deadpool_25]

 

[metropolis_4]

Gig volume in my situation tends to be between 85-115db

Depending on how close I am to the horn section

 

[adam]

Marlboro Cigarette Filters. I tried Hearos and even some custom molded pieces and they
just attenuated the high-end too much. Everything was always dark and muffled sounding.

I stumbled on the Cigarette Filter trick at a Judas Priest concert in 1986 out of desperation. God damn were
they loud.... like painful nausea inducing loud. My Buddy passed out on the floor it was so bad. I smoked
and ripped off a filter from the cigarette, took the paper off, ripped the filter in half, and then rolled up each
half and stuck them in my ears. It worked back then and it works now.

Man, it is not scientific, but it works. I have been going back to this method over and over again.

I left mine at home when I attended a carcass gig last summer, so I stuffed some toilet paper in my ears. It worked a treat

 

[dronerstone]

I left mine at home when I attended a carcass gig last summer, so I stuffed some toilet paper in my ears. It worked a treat

Old school.

 

[HotRats]

I'd say around 100dB 2 mt (6.5 ft) in front of the cab is a good starting point.

Not that I measure it but I've mesured my usual loud @ home volume out of curiosity.

It's the exact volume I use at rehearsal because my master volume is left there when I come home.

 

[la szum]

I left mine at home when I attended a carcass gig last summer, so I stuffed some toilet paper in my ears. It worked a treat

Haha! I have done that in a pinch as well.

#alwaysuseprotection

 

[TSJMajesty]

I just wanna be at same level as a loud drummer.

Exactly.

 

[Achilles]

LOUD.

 

[la szum]

Gig volume in my situation tends to be between 85-115db

Depending on how close I am to the horn section

Wow! 115dB and blood pours outta my ears.

 

[Achilles]

blood pours outta my ears.

Too close to home man!

 

[DrewJD82]

I’d guess the average is somewhere between 95dB and 105dB in most bands I’ve been in. I’d really love to go back in time to the band I sang in to put a dB meter in that practice space. That’s the band where one of the guitarists had a JCM2000 full stack w/ a Powerbrake but the Powerbrake ended up on 10 within about 5 minutes of playing, with a drummer that had legit anger issues he took out on the drums. If you asked that dude to do a snare roll from quiet to loud, it’d be all rimshots from the first hit to the last. Bass player had an Ampeg 8x10 that moved your fillings if you walked in front of it and our perfectly sane, other guitarist had a Mark IV halfstack he didn’t WANT to crank but had to.

But man, that band sounded badass live. Just a wall of sound coming off the stage, regardless of the PA. That whole experience is 99% of the reason I wanted a tube power section for gigging again.

 

[Mongillo19]

That’s the band where one of the guitarists had a JCM2000

Off topic but I got offered a JCM2000 DSL 50 for my EVH 5150 III 50W EL34. Any thoughts