Advice to band at a gig regading FOH

paulphoenix

On a rare date night with Mrs Phoenix last Friday night,  we eagerly consumed a fine curry at our favourite restaurant before heading into town to watch a good local band that we'd previously both enjoyed at the same venue. 

During the first set it was clear that the FOH sound was imbalanced in favour of the bass and vocals, so I casually told the guitarist in between songs that he would benefit from turning up (or rather if the bass went down). 

Come half time, no changes had been made to the PA, so I struck up a conversation with the guitarist about his Kemper (which i'm sure sounded excellent to him on stage) and again told him I couldn't hear the guitar (as well as other parts of the mix) sufficiently, I validated my experience by telling them I ran the PA for my band and we'd played there the week before, and the discussion spilled over into talking with several other members of the band about the situation but it still fell on deaf ears.

We left not long after they started their second set. 

Do you/should you listen to punters' opinions/feedback about FOH at a gig regardless of their credentials? 

Or should I have said nothing?

PolarityMan

Regardless if you were right or not or your credentials I think they did what I would expect from a professional act. 

CarpeDiem

I think you were right to mention it. Since they are a local band, I'm assuming that they aren't pro/semi pro, so I'd have expected them to ask someone they knew in the audience for a second opinion.

Mark1960

I think you were right to offer your opinion, what they decide to do with it is up to them.

kennedydream1980

I always welcome this kind of feedback in my band from people in the audience. So I would agree that you were right to offer your opinion.

ICBM

I always welcome that sort of feedback too, and will act on it - especially from *non* musicians. This often applies to guitarists being too loud, but also to not being able to hear instruments or vocals.

Because if someone who knows nothing about mixing a band but is familiar with listening to recorded music - which is basically everyone - can spot that something is that wrong with the mix... IT IS.

Musicwolf

As someone who has to 'mix from the stage', and often plays venues where a meaningful sound check isn't possible, I find audience feedback invaluable.  As with any kind of advice there are many factors that will influence your decision as to whether or not you act upon it.  I've played in bands where I'm more likely to trust the judgement of a random punter than a member of the band (I can think of no circumstances whatsoever where I would trust any bass player's judgement regarding a mix balance - none!).

p90fool

I'll happily take on board what audience members say, though I prefer it from non musicians. 

If someone with no technical insight whatsoever tells me they can't hear the vocals properly or it's all too bassy I will do something to compensate, but I'm always being told by fellow guitarists that my guitar is not loud enough, when I know they're wrong and they appreciate guitar more than they appreciate my role on the majority of our songs. 

I have bucketloads of headroom to spare at solo time, but what I'm generally listening for when mixing from the stage is a powerful, detailed mix of instruments under a crisp, clean vocal, not an ego-driven guitar wankfest. 

lukedlb

I saw a hendrix tribute band last night with the guitar not prominent in the mix. However, it turned out that the tinny wasp coming out of the orange lunchbox amp was the actual sound and not the foh problem. Once the Octavia was pressed, it only got worse.

maltingsaudio

Re read the op befor I had a go! I think it’s fine to give general advice or pass a comment to a band who is mixing themselves from stage, if they act on it or not is up to them.
What gets right up my nose is “dadagers” or students doing a college course coming up telling me how to mix!

ESBlonde

The only time I temper such off stage critique is when the guitarists girlfriend/mum/drinking buddy tells me thay can't hear the guitar. It's usually because they are used to hearing only guitar. Substitute guitar for appropriate instrument.

These days the advent of radio links makes on stage mixing less of a chore, as long as everyone leaves there bleedin volume controls alone!!!!

LuttiS

You sure it was the guitarist you spoke to? What sort of self respecting guitarist wouldn't turn up the volume when the opportunity is given!?

Cols

Unless there’s actually someone already out front in charge of sorting out the mix, we always listen to audience feedback on the sound balance.  Ultimately we’re there to entertain the audience - if things don’t sound right to them we’re not doing our job properly.

PhilM

I love feedback like this, but I always ask where they were standing before taking anything on-board. I once had someone who had been stood 2 feet away from my amp and sort-of behind the stage right PA speaker tell me he couldn't hear the sax player (on the opposite side of the stage) very well because the guitar was too loud!

Both myself and the bass player are wireless and we use a digital desk with tablet mixing so our sound is usually bang-on for an average listening position. Of course, most pubs aren't designed with live music in mind... 

FarleyUK

Absolutely the right thing to do.

It really, REALLY annoys me when - at the end of a 2 set gig - someone comes up and says to me "Great gig, but I couldn't hear the guitar / vocals....". FFS, why didn't you say something earlier??

As I'm the only person capable to manage the PA (due to everyone else being lazy), I'm conscious of trying to get a decent FoH sound - so any feedback from listeners is very welcome.

If the band didn't make any changes, they're the ones with the issue.

Danny1969

I've always thought having someone out front mixing it was really important and even on small pub gigs we have someone out front with an iPad. Even then though you get people in the audience who have a different idea of what a good mix is .... some people like a karaoke vocal that's over the mix rather than in it .... some people can't hear treble very well so don't think it's bright enough. People at the front think it's too loud, people at the back not loud enough. You can't please everyone. 

The trouble with setting a static mix is it won't work for every style of music and every song. A 3 piece blues band can pretty much mix them selves but when you got 3 guitars and keys and 5 backing vocals someone needs to be mixing it really. In my view the guy mixing it is as important as a band member.