Why is the music always too loud at weddings and events.

[nicholab]

As someone who was taught sound by a pro why do dj and bands always have the music too loud? So talking so you have to shout and touching 100db. Has no one taught them to use a sound meter. Why don't they care that they are deafening people?

[Blue_Cookeh]

I thought it saved those of us who can't escape certain family members

 

hehe

[newpersn]

I'm one who likes my music loud.

 

Guessing you haven't been to any live music event?

[nicholab]

I have but think don't think that being in pain is enjoying music. I been to the thearte that is often loud but not normally painfull. Edited August 21, 2016 by nicholab

[elsiegee40]

Probably because the people setting it up

a) Don't meter the sound levels

b) Have already damaged their own hearing and set it for themselves

[pcstru]

Probably because the people setting it up

a) Don't meter the sound levels

b) Have already damaged their own hearing and set it for themselves

 

If you were going to meter sound levels, where would you do it and when?

 

It can be tricky to set levels in an empty room that will be OK when the room fills and is full of people who might be trying to make themselves heard over the music. You have to set levels to compete with the loudest peak of that. If you are mixing for a live band as well as balancing the mix you will likely have to balance opinions from the Band who always seem to think their particular instrument should be louder, even though they can't actually hear the mix out front. If you have a band with brass (I used to do sound for a 9 piece motown/soul band with trumpet, sax and trombone), that can set quite a loud minimum level as you need to keep vocals floating above that and even if you don't have brass, say hello to the drummer.

 

Personally, I avoid concerts and cinema because like @nicholab I find them uncomfortably loud. However the engineers are likely to be working within constraints that would make levels I'm comfortable with difficult to achieve.

[smurfomatic]

Wedding I was at last weekend was OK, the band were loud enough but the dance floor was slightly below and round the corner from where the tables were set out - meaning there was plenty of "quiet room". The worst part was people accusing me of being "hammered" on the dance floor when I was sober...must be my dancing!

[nicholab]

But also it is difficult to know who to speak to ask to review the level as it becomes a health and safety issue. Band can use in ear mointor to reduce the stage volume. The use of collum array speakers would produce more even coverage as they don't follow the inverse squared law. Also using taller speaker stands to fire over the head of participants would help.

[pcstru]

But also it is difficult to know who to speak to ask to review the level as it becomes a health and safety issue. Band can use in ear mointor to reduce the stage volume. The use of collum array speakers would produce more even coverage as they don't follow the inverse squared law. Also using taller speaker stands to fire over the head of participants would help.

Sure, there are ways that you can mitigate, but many bands struggle to provide a half decent PA that will cope with a small village hall. Asking an engineer to turn it down half way through a show would be a big ask; as I say I'm not a fan of loud music and I have tried to keep levels sane in venues but I'd not go off-piste in the middle of a show and try and re-mix to achieve a lower level. Perhaps a better solution would be to take ear plugs (or venues provide them).

[nicholab]

You don't need to remix just pull the masters a bit.

[Andrew_C]

Not if you are mixing against a loud acoustic instrument, like drums or brass. DJs? I'm with you there.

[nicholab]

That were the drummer need to listen to the sound person and play quiter when requested or use brushes.

[Andrew_C]

It's easier to nail jelly to a wall than get drummers, or for that matter guitarists, to turn down!

[smurfomatic]

Drummer? Quieter? Never going to happen. Until two years ago (when he left) the drummer in the staff band was the head...he was very enthusiastic but the music staff never got him to subdue his inner Animal.

[elsiegee40]

Friends of mine at uni decided to fork out for a drum machine after deciding that it was cheaper to run, less likely to turn up drunk and more likely to be in time than their band's drummer.

[speckytecky]

So with your sentiment @nicholab

 

Attended an evening 'do' last week and conversation (i need hearing aids when there's a lot of background noise) was completely out of the question. I didn't have my hearing aids plugged in and goodness knows as to what I smiled and nodded agreement to!

 

The music was great but as you say just too loud. I think the nail has been hit on the head here as well - the musicians performing have long since seen off their own hearing.

[witch]

As a musician, I hate it when the sound balance is all wrong. Every live gig I have been to in small venues (not the Wembley Arena type of place) has the drummer far too loud so that you can't hear the vocals or the guitar. Also the heavy beat gives you a headache.

Drives me nuts

[nicholab]

I worked with drummers and percussionist and the difference is a percussionist know what paino is!

 

Also guitarist use a practice amp and get it miked up.

Edited August 21, 2016 by nicholab

[stevejp]

I worked with drummers and percussionist and the difference is a percussionist know what paino is!

 

.... And we also know how to spell piano, as well!

 

(sorry , couldn't resist - the percussion section are so often the butt of the jokes, it's nice to be on the other side, for once!)

[pcstru]

That were the drummer need to listen to the sound person and play quiter when requested or use brushes.

Well, if you want to go and ask him that in the middle of a set, I'd be happy to give you an introduction (probably from a safe distance). You might have to argue with him about the trumpet. The girl can make that thing sound like anything from a fluttering schoolboy heart to someone getting their throat slit in a back alley but she does struggle to get such passion and intensity into her performance quietly. But mid set, you be my guest and go ask them.

 

Many bands are just amateur musicians, some very early on in their playing and they may or may not be able to help out with the overall level of the mix. Even if they are it is just another distraction and most seem to have forgotten it by the second number. Meanwhile someone will be the paying customer and mid set or any other time, they are the only person who I'd risk mucking about with the quality of the sound mid set and even if they did ask, that 3 piece brass section isn't going to give much room to manoeuvre.

 

For those - like me - who find loud music uncomfortable get yourself some ear plugs. That will solve the problem for you without any necessity to change the world when doing so might be anything from very difficult to impossible.

Edited August 22, 2016 by pcstru

[Domino]

I worked with drummers and percussionist and the difference is a percussionist know what paino is!

 

Also guitarist use a practice amp and get it miked up.

 

leave me out of this

[Lonix]

As someone who was taught sound by a pro why do dj and bands always have the music too loud? So talking so you have to shout and touching 100db. Has no one taught them to use a sound meter. Why don't they care that they are deafening people?

 

Probably because no one wants to talk to each other, at least it would be for my family who don't get on. Perhaps to hide/camouflage the backstabbing or a dog "name" comments.

[Davit2005]

Plus you can turn the Drum machine down

[denmyos]

yes, was at a wedding this saturday, to many people and to loud.

sunday i could feel my PTS slowly coming back.

 

But otherwise it was a nice wedding.

Edited August 24, 2016 by denmyos