Too loud, too long and too many guitars. Is this possible?

Ok, first an introduction since few here really know me.

I am a huge music fan. I loved to go to concerts when I was younger (I think it was 1970 something......) And I still really enjoy taking in a good live performance.

I am interested in and study the evolution of American music, and find the story that comes together with the melting of folk, country, cowboy, delta and peidmont blues fascinating. The effects of immigration, migration, cultures, war and stand out performers intrigues me.

Ok, so I am already digressing.

Yesterday I went to an "event" billed as a blues festival. Now I accept and understand this probably means southern rock, country rock, whatever. It was after all a "motorcyclist" centric event anyway. Five bands listed, no schedule, little description, go check it out right?

The steady flow of traffic into the site early meant it was going to be a big gathering. Now theres this caveat. I have grown to hate crowds, people can be so stupid. And in that area I wasnt let down. But I came for some music, I am determined to hang in there.

As we got some lunch the first band started. They were very talented, played tight and I was excited to see a harp player accompanying a guy on guitar and whats that? A slide on his left hand! My heart races, this might be good!

But wait, somethings wrong here. Most of the people who had gathered in that area seemed to be wandering off. I felt the overwhelming urge to move on myself. This band, or the sound crew running the PA anyway, seemed to think they were playing to an arena of 15 thousand instead of a parking lot of under 100 casual onlookers. I mean the legendary Kiss wall of speakers could not possibly have been this loud! I am talking Painful! I walked off to the other end of the event and surprise, the majority of people were hanging out there already. HERES YOUR SIGN!

I used to do some sound support jobs years ago and learned then its hard to fill a small club with a good mix, and drummers frequently pound too hard, and bass players cant hear themselves 'cause they are too close to the amp, and probably half deaf, and tube guitar amps sound best cranked up too loud, and so forth. But this was a whole new level of stupid. I couldnt even stay for one full song no matter how bad I wanted to. Oh and by the way I have some significant hearing loss as well myself from a lifetime of work and recreation related noise levels, and simply my age.

So this re-raised some pet peaves of mine.

When did every band feel the need to become a jam band performing songs that seem to go on and on for an eternity? I liked it better in the days of 45's (and before that 78's) when it was mandatory for a song to be presented in under 3 minutes or so. Do your thing, got it done and do another man! Every song cant be a grand finale or some kind of rock opera!

Then theres the trend of putting 7 guitars on stage trying to out pose each other. 2 can be one too many some of the time, more than 2 and you risk losing any tasteful attempt at composition.

And guitar leads? Now I truly appreciate a show of mastery of the fretboard. But sometimes its a matter of taste, show your stuff and get back to the hook!

Hint, if you are playing some shrill notes on frets 18 through 22 for what seems like........ the time it should take to play the whole song..............

Interesting piece Mark, I go to fewer gigs these days as large venues with expensive tickets, poor seating arrangements and poor acoustics and sound levels such as the 02 seem to be becoming the norm these days, i liked the Apollo sized venues where you felt part of the band rather than a distant observer, though well-biased tube amps do sound better when cranked the sound does not have to be overwhelming.

I attended many pub open mic events where everyone was trying to "cut through" and be louder than everyone else, tiny amps cranked up to 11 and gave everybody ringing ear syndrome for the next two days... "can't get enough" seemed like an ironic joke always played at these things, and when are guitarists going to realise shredding is really actually very boring...? As you say, people want to hear 3 or 4 minute songs with maybe the odd squeal thrown in (-:

Then there is always the Hendrix effects box dive bomber freaks...even more tedious and boring.

One place which gained a lot of criticism over the years for poor sound in UK was the Wembley Arena, which was surprising as i'd always enjoyed the sounds bands made here, especially Dream Theater a few years ago where their set was almost hifi-crystal quality!

I would recommend the use of industrial ear plugs to any future events like the one you describe, and a few eggs and rotten fruit to throw at those long jams and solos, they'll soon get the message! (-;

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Comments

norman moody June 10, 2011 at 7:47pm

Hey now! I got your comments and say thanks from the heart. I played keys for twenty- five? Years and one day Dr told me I will go down one day; not getting back up. Hands are going too. I would gladly post a vid with some of the basic stuff I borryed ...T Bone plays up toward the neck a bit. That's called choking. A lot of the tone is from stuffing a little back into the soundhole. You can see it. A studied player, I went for the three chords. Then found a way to play them in a jazz/Blues context. You can get the chord forms from YouTube a vid called Ukulele Jazz Chords. I can't reach the first chord. Too much bend in my hyper-mobile joints. The second two...both are basic movable ninth chords. One fret barred and three on the second fret leaving the top, or low string played by the barred fret. My fingers have to turn sideways to reach it. This makes watching me a trick until you realize that one thumb over the top and you got the one chord played as a simple thirteenth. It doesn't do well as the normal sixth chord. I use fills to keep the movement feel. Simple it out. I overplay a lot. My earlier bids. My PC is fried so I can't make videos fly with this Droid 2 yet.it keeps needing a hotspot.and its almost old now....thanks. I hope this helped a bit. Email or msg me with any questions I might be able to answer. Keep Playin The Blues
Bad Finger (Eric) June 3, 2011 at 12:56pm

I hate people. I mean, you guys are OK, but I hate people. There is one group that ranks above the over loud, over played and over dressed scene described in this post (and I shouldn't digress from the topic at hand, but I will) and those are the self-important moms yacking with each other and facebooking during the kindergarten chorus. Just stay home. Either them or me. :)

CBGs, with a few notable exceptions, are small crowd, small venue, huge appreciation instruments, in my humble estimation. Keep rockin'.
Uncle John June 2, 2011 at 10:34pm

I think I am with you guys. Keep the sound level below 'broken eardrums', don't play on and on (my mind wanders), keep it simple, keep it good, try not to pose, don't keep people wating -- and a hat is a good thing.
JonBouye May 30, 2011 at 6:03pm

Hi Mark. I think you, Steve and I all belong to the same club. I gave up on "concerts" a long time ago. And I'm amazed at some of the great times I've had with an encounter with a couple of pickers playing acoustic guitar in the park, at the lake or the beach. I was brought up with the belief that weird strange sounds that are usually considered noise when amplified to raise the roof is still considered noise.

I remember in the late 60's how impressed I was as an audiophile with an album Bobby Christensen did where he took such pains to have a 6' oblong gong specially constructed and rolled a silver dollar down it to produce and capture a particular sound he wanted on one of his compositions: The Mt Fujiama Suite. I loved being able to use a graphic equallizer to shape the sound and listen to a sax player doing riffs in the background to enhance a piece instead of an audio man thinking it was an additional volume control.

Ok, so I've had my say. But Steve if we went to the concert and threw eggs we would probably just be thrown out and/or arrested and bad mouthed about un-cool we were. Some will never know what they missed.
Slowpaw Steve T May 30, 2011 at 3:22am

Interesting piece Mark, I go to fewer gigs these days as large venues with expensive tickets, poor seating arrangements and poor acoustics and sound levels such as the 02 seem to be becoming the norm these days, i liked the Apollo sized venues where you felt part of the band rather than a distant observer, though well-biased tube amps do sound better when cranked the sound does not have to be overwhelming.

I attended many pub open mic events where everyone was trying to "cut through" and be louder than everyone else, tiny amps cranked up to 11 and gave everybody ringing ear syndrome for the next two days... "can't get enough" seemed like an ironic joke always played at these things, and when are guitarists going to realise shredding is really actually very boring...? As you say, people want to hear 3 or 4 minute songs with maybe the odd squeal thrown in (-:

Then there is always the Hendrix effects box dive bomber freaks...even more tedious and boring.

One place which gained a lot of criticism over the years for poor sound in UK was the Wembley Arena, which was surprising as i'd always enjoyed the sounds bands made here, especially Dream Theater a few years ago where their set was almost hifi-crystal quality!

I would recommend the use of industrial ear plugs to any future events like the one you describe, and a few eggs and rotten fruit to throw at those long jams and solos, they'll soon get the message! (-;

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