Pretty bad gig

Billy Murdoch · Post by **Billy Murdoch** » 1 Jun 2009 12:31 am

Had a bad gig on Friday and have been trying to evaluate.
The day started at 5.30 AM,quick shower,coffee and pack the gear in the car.Meet Two other band members and transfer gear to one vehicle.Travel for about 5 hours, arrive at venue set up gear, tune up and and do all the sound stuff,First bad thing is that the drummer owns the mixing desk and thinks He can operate it from His playing position.
At the same time as We were setting up there was a duo setting their gear up too.
It was a 200 seat or so hall,British Legion.
We were booked to provide backing for a visiting singer,nice guy,worked with Him before.
We continued with trial runs,sorting out the play list etc until about 5.30 pm.Then went for some food and a wash up.We returned to the hall at about 7.30 and our first set was 30 min cabaret,just before the last number the commitee chief said "We cant hear the Steel"
when we went off stage the bandleader was pretty miffed at me and told me to put my foot to the floor on the Vol Ped.By the way,I always play with a mic in front of My amp and go thru the P.A. and when We soundcheck We have the same argument I play steel as I think most players do,using the vol pedal at about 75%max,the leader always says "put Your foot down".
It then transpired that the audience could not make out the singer when singing or speaking.It turned out that we played the first set on the two small monitors only,the main P.A. was off.The drummer said the desk was faulty.He got the front P.A.on ok
This however did not stop the leader from wanting more volume and as the next two sets progressed We increased in volume,I was hating it.Everything was annoying Me,the drummer was doing those BIG finsh slams on every song,He stopped loving He rtoday finished wit Him battering every piece of equipment in sight.The lead guitar and My self were playing on top of one another,the bass player had not done any practise beforehand and turned up about ten minutes before We started.I was blowing My head off with the volume and I was beginning to make mistakes.The drums sounded like cardboard boxes.
At the end of the night,as I was flopping into bed I thought seriously about quitting.
I had been on the go for around 20 hours without a break so I assumed it was all down to tiredness.
Next day we travelled to another gig,I complained all the way about being too loud and got shouted down.When We did the set up and check I had My settings as they were on the previous night and as We did our first soundcheck everyone said I was waaay to loud,point proved.
We went on to play a great set and the steel was sounding great I got many compliments and there was a steelie friend in the audience who said it sounded good.
Was I just tired
Or What.
Have You had something like this happen.

Best regards
Billy

Brendan Mitchell · Post by **Brendan Mitchell** » 1 Jun 2009 12:56 am

Oh yeah , too many times .

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 1 Jun 2009 1:48 am

Billy - an independant sound crew who know what they are doing and are prepared to work within time constrains with the act is invaluable. A drummer in control of a live mixing desk that he owns from his drum throne? I would have moved on to another band ages ago.

Paul King · Post by **Paul King** » 1 Jun 2009 3:08 am

I remember a few years ago doing a gig where the drummer run the sound for all the groups singing. When I went back and watched the tape, you guessed it, the drums were too hot in the mix. Too many times the man mixing the sound will run the instrument he plays hotter in the mix even if another group is playing.

Ellis Miller · Post by **Ellis Miller** » 1 Jun 2009 3:36 am

This sounds like a prime example of the "Everybody is a sound man" and "everything louder than everything else" syndromes.

Billy Murdoch · Post by **Billy Murdoch** » 1 Jun 2009 4:24 am

Ken,
I take Your point but there are no other bands around My area who need a steel guitar.I either confine Myself to the bedroom or continue.We do'nt get enough ££ to be able to add a soundman to our lineup.
Having said all the things I did in My earlier post,not all gigs are like that.
Our band members live quite far apart and with day jobs etc., We never practise,We just turn up early at the gigs and try to get any new stuff down.
I have been on the lookout for something nearer home,
The country music scene up here is not terribly good.You'll find that most of the local musos are playing in several bands.
Perhaps I should just move to Nashville

Greg Wisecup · Post by **Greg Wisecup** » 1 Jun 2009 6:32 am

..........other than that how did it go?

Billy Murdoch · Post by **Billy Murdoch** » 1 Jun 2009 7:07 am

Greg,
The toilet breaks were great

Bob Cox · Post by **Bob Cox** » 1 Jun 2009 7:21 am

We had tornado warnings at the show I played Fri, and to rally end the evening,I ran into a bib White tailed deer on the way home and tore the suv all to $$$$

Bob Cox · Post by **Bob Cox** » 1 Jun 2009 7:21 am

We had tornado warnings at the show I played Fri, and to realy end the evening,I ran into a big white tailed deer on the way home, and tore the suv all to $$$$

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 1 Jun 2009 11:42 am

but at least we all made $50!!

Skip Cole · Post by **Skip Cole** » 1 Jun 2009 12:49 pm

I'm not what you'd call an accomplished musician , but over the years i've been taught that the bandstand is the WORST place for the sound to be mixed. At least that's my worthless opinion.

Oh , and , the bass and the drums aren't too loud unless the folks in the front two rows of the audience succumb due to concussion shock.

Ah heck , jusplait !! $:\$

Skip

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 1 Jun 2009 3:39 pm

You'll never be happy as long as you worry about sound systems. Once you give up and let someone else worry about it, you'll gain inner peace. Then you can play and enjoy it.

There's too many different opinions about how the sound should be. Let those that are interested fight it out, and you just play and get the sound you want in your own ears.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 1 Jun 2009 6:11 pm

Well said, Rick!

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 1 Jun 2009 7:19 pm

Really. Great point Rick. We have a new guy that plays with us and he is so obsessed with the tempo being correct that he measured a song on a Tama rhythm machine that the sheet music lists as 84 bpm, and we we were playing it at approx. 79 bpm he became a little upset.

It just ain't worth it.

Billy, I enjoyed the use of caps in your initial post for the word "Him."

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 1 Jun 2009 7:24 pm

Mark Eaton wrote:Really. Great point Rick. We have a new guy that plays with us and he is so obsessed with the tempo being correct that he measured a song on a Tama rhythm machine that the sheet music lists as 84 bpm, and we we were playing it at approx. 79 bpm he became a little upset.

Shame on you!

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 1 Jun 2009 7:45 pm

Rick is right,don't worry about it,I'm not a singer so know nothing about PA'S,I just set my guitar up,tune it,make sure my stomp boxes work,then take a break till it's time to start.We are lucky,Our drummer sets up the PA,and he's pretty good at it,Don't have many problems. DYKBC.

Robbie Crabtree · Post by **Robbie Crabtree** » 1 Jun 2009 7:46 pm

Been there Done that, I would find out which channel I was pluged into and go take the effects off and the volume up a notch, I can control it with my pedal. It sucks to have somebody on the sound board that does not know what they are doing, Hang in there and try to work it out.

Paddy Long · Post by **Paddy Long** » 1 Jun 2009 8:33 pm

A drummer -- in charge of the PA !!! There is your problem right there Billy

Billy Murdoch · Post by **Billy Murdoch** » 2 Jun 2009 1:33 am

Further to My opening post,
This "Bad Gig" is not a regular happening.
the drummer has a mixing desk which We use for gigs in the northern area of Scotland and the Singer has a desk We use for gigs in the south.
I take nothing to do with setting up anything other than My own equipment.When setting the P.A. sound We set the mic's and the instruments (all controls flat for steel)then do a couple of test numbers during which the drummer has a walk out front and indicates His findings as to individual volumes.
The drums are not mic'ed.the settings are left that way for the duration of the gig.
The "Bad Gig" on Friday was probably due to several things happening at once.
On reflection it would have been a good one if...the P.A. had been on during the first set.....If the gig had been a bit closer to home with less travel and set up time.
As mentioned our Saturday night gig was set up in exactly the same way and it turned out good.
However I have enjoyed the all the posts from You Guys and have, as always,learned from Your advice.
Thanks
Billy

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 2 Jun 2009 1:26 pm

Billy - you need to take Ann to your gigs and have her stand out front to listen to the balance. She would have a better idea than your drummer.

Billy Murdoch · Post by **Billy Murdoch** » 2 Jun 2009 11:24 pm

Ken,
Ann is a much better drummer too

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 3 Jun 2009 6:30 am

A drummer -- in charge of the PA !!! There is your problem right there Billy

Somebody had to say it. Thank you, Paddy!

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 3 Jun 2009 9:33 am

Once you give up and let someone else worry about it, you'll gain inner peace.

We can't control everything. Let it go.

Des Hetherington · Post by **Des Hetherington** » 3 Jun 2009 10:01 pm

Paddy Long wrote:A drummer -- in charge of the PA !!! There is your problem right there Billy

What do you throw the Drummer if he is drowning? (A) his kit