Biggest single problem live….. Acoustic instruments

maltingsaudio

Drums too loud
Acoustic guitars can’t compete
Woodwind too quiet to get decent volume befor feedback
Brass see drums!

Jalapeno

maltingsaudio said:

Drums too loud
Acoustic guitars can’t compete
Woodwind too quiet to get decent volume befor feedback
Brass see drums!

Brass drowned out !?  Must be some lame-assed trumpeter, them things are very loud !

Biggest single problem is loud drummers IMNSHO !

PolarityMan

I think the biggest problem is that a drum kit actually doesn't sound like a drum kit. What I mean by that is that we have become accustomed to hearing hugely hyped bass drums and snares with virtually no cymbals in mixes (for good reason) and even the most balanced drummer will struggle to reproduce that unless theyre basically tickling the snare. 

Unless your playing like blast beats or something its not not the kick and snare that trampling all over everything its the ridiculous wash from all the cymbals being played on every single subdivision. 

Musicwolf

I’m lucky in that, in both of my bands, the drummer’s can control their volume (and one of them can also play in time, which is nice).  I’ve tried to work with some loud drummers in the past and, in my opinion, it’s a pointless task.

There are a few things that you can do to help them.  If you turn down and make sure that the amps / pa are pointed away from the drummer they should naturally reduce their volume so that they can hear the rest of the band (doesn’t work with the worst offenders as they are oblivious to the rest of the band).  You may try confiscating their ear plugs for the same reason.

ICBM

A loud drum kit does at least have one advantage, unlike an overly loud guitar amp.

It's completely non-directional - so it's too loud everywhere, instead of ear-bleeding right in line with the speaker and only mildly intrusive elsewhere.