Volume issues - it's peeing me off

What's Hot
13»

Comments

  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31368
    Prob should have quoted ICBM but was really aimed at both of you (your first sentence) recommending drive pedals to get the dirt. More controllable, but less consistent volume wise. 
    Ah ok, tuatth why I suggested a volume pedal in the loop. 

    Basically there are a lot of ways to arrive at a similar place and none of them are wrong, but I do like to be able to self mix, hence my need for a clean power section and some sort of control over master volume. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • PolarityManPolarityMan Frets: 7273
    crunchman said:
    crunchman said:
    Prob should have quoted ICBM but was really aimed at both of you (your first sentence) recommending drive pedals to get the dirt. More controllable, but less consistent volume wise. 
    It's a matter of having the right pedals and setting the levels properly.

    I've never yet come across a channel switcher that sounds as good as a good single channel amp.  Most drive in channel switch amps sounds fizzy anyway.

    The ideal is to get a single channel amp on the edge of breakup, so when you do kick a pedal in, it's not just pedal drive.  It will be pushing the amnp over the edge as well.
    A lot of the signature drive tones from the last 30 years have been from channel switchers! I think you're stuck in the 70s!
    I've had channel switchers (at least 4 of them) and got rid of them.

    A good simple single channel amp seems to have a quality of tone that is missing from any channel switcher I have ever tried.
    Have you had a diezel there isn't anything that can touch Ch3 on a VH4? :D \m/
    ဈǝᴉʇsɐoʇǝsǝǝɥɔဪቌ
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    Just read some of this.  A volume control in the loop isn't going to solve your issues as that wouldn't solve the problem of the clean/dirty balance, it seems to me the issue is setting up stuff quietly at home and then being surprised it doesn't work at rehearsal.  The only solution is to get to know your gear and figure out how to set it up at gig volume to get the best out of it.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31368
    John_A said:
    Just read some of this.  A volume control in the loop isn't going to solve your issues as that wouldn't solve the problem of the clean/dirty balance, it seems to me the issue is setting up stuff quietly at home and then being surprised it doesn't work at rehearsal.  The only solution is to get to know your gear and figure out how to set it up at gig volume to get the best out of it.
    Well that depends on the type of band, there isn't a clean/dirty balance which would work for me for every song in our three hour set. 

    Sometimes I need a loud clean solo to ring out over the whole band, other times I need dirty power chords well beneath the vocals. 

    I don't think I've ever played in a band where clean was always x volume and dirty was always y volume, and other than something like a Dr Feelgood tribute I can't imagine many others do.  
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    ^ totally agree, but the OPs issue seems to be he steps on a dirt pedal and gets told he's too loud, even if you need to tweak levels for different songs, you need to learn how much you need to tweak by, and with a clean amp the difference between home and rehearsal volumes can be big
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31368
    Wis'd, it can be a minefield. I tend to run my preamp gain so it's just starting to break up, so there's a limit to how much extra volume an overdrive pedal can give, making its level control less sensitive. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • professorbenprofessorben Frets: 5105
    A horrible tone at any volume can be too loud. 
    Not suggesting the op has horrible tone, but I used to play with a guy who had the most ear splitting trebly Reverb soaked tone ever, I used to go home after rehearsal with a headache, but he felt it was just right. 

    Maybe the OP is a bit brighter than he realises, this can be doubly so when you are on top of your amp. 
    " Why does it smell of bum?" Mrs Professorben.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    A horrible tone at any volume can be too loud. 
    Not suggesting the op has horrible tone, but I used to play with a guy who had the most ear splitting trebly Reverb soaked tone ever, I used to go home after rehearsal with a headache, but he felt it was just right. 

    Maybe the OP is a bit brighter than he realises, this can be doubly so when you are on top of your amp. 
    He was in your band too ;)
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • Danny1969Danny1969 Frets: 10357
    The trouble is setting the amount of voltage gain at home and hearing the responding acoustic dB change won't translate to the right dB gain at all acoustic levels .... there is really no substitute for setting the voltage gain at the acoustic level it's going to be used at. In my experience though you always need less boost than you think. 

    A crafty solution for a clean volume boost from dirt pedals into amp is actually use a volume cut. This is basically a volume pot in a box with an in & out and a footswitch that's switchs the middle wiper to the end lug to bypass any attenuation. knock the pot back a bit and that's your normal sound. Hit the switch and that's your solo boost .... doesn't colour the sound, won't drive the input of the amp any harder and cost around £20 to build. 

    90% of the time I have an engineer turning me up and down but if I do set up a boost it's only subtle .... as I said you need less than you would think, especially if the band plays with sympathy to whoever is meant to be in the spotlight ... 90% of the time that's always the  lead vox but the band it's self can also ease off slightly to get the guitar solo heard better as well. As a engineer you find the more experienced the band the less mixing they need 
    www.2020studios.co.uk 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • professorbenprofessorben Frets: 5105
    John_A said:
    A horrible tone at any volume can be too loud. 
    Not suggesting the op has horrible tone, but I used to play with a guy who had the most ear splitting trebly Reverb soaked tone ever, I used to go home after rehearsal with a headache, but he felt it was just right. 

    Maybe the OP is a bit brighter than he realises, this can be doubly so when you are on top of your amp. 
    He was in your band too ;)
    Eh?
    speak up!!!!


    " Why does it smell of bum?" Mrs Professorben.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • professorbenprofessorben Frets: 5105

    Danny1969 said:
    The trouble is setting the amount of voltage gain at home and hearing the responding acoustic dB change won't translate to the right dB gain at all acoustic levels .... there is really no substitute for setting the voltage gain at the acoustic level it's going to be used at. In my experience though you always need less boost than you think. 

    A crafty solution for a clean volume boost from dirt pedals into amp is actually use a volume cut. This is basically a volume pot in a box with an in & out and a footswitch that's switchs the middle wiper to the end lug to bypass any attenuation. knock the pot back a bit and that's your normal sound. Hit the switch and that's your solo boost .... doesn't colour the sound, won't drive the input of the amp any harder and cost around £20 to build. 

    90% of the time I have an engineer turning me up and down but if I do set up a boost it's only subtle .... as I said you need less than you would think, especially if the band plays with sympathy to whoever is meant to be in the spotlight ... 90% of the time that's always the  lead vox but the band it's self can also ease off slightly to get the guitar solo heard better as well. As a engineer you find the more experienced the band the less mixing they need 
    Depends on the genre. 
    I play quite aggressive metal, so dynamically it just doesn’t work to back off for a solo, adaption of tone ( less low, more mids) and good old fashioned volume are the solo tones of choice.   
    " Why does it smell of bum?" Mrs Professorben.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11413
    crunchman said:
    crunchman said:
    Prob should have quoted ICBM but was really aimed at both of you (your first sentence) recommending drive pedals to get the dirt. More controllable, but less consistent volume wise. 
    It's a matter of having the right pedals and setting the levels properly.

    I've never yet come across a channel switcher that sounds as good as a good single channel amp.  Most drive in channel switch amps sounds fizzy anyway.

    The ideal is to get a single channel amp on the edge of breakup, so when you do kick a pedal in, it's not just pedal drive.  It will be pushing the amnp over the edge as well.
    A lot of the signature drive tones from the last 30 years have been from channel switchers! I think you're stuck in the 70s!
    I've had channel switchers (at least 4 of them) and got rid of them.

    A good simple single channel amp seems to have a quality of tone that is missing from any channel switcher I have ever tried.
    Have you had a diezel there isn't anything that can touch Ch3 on a VH4? :D \m/
    Wouldn't want to sound like that.  Might have 25 years ago, but that's what HM2 pedals are for. :)
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • professorbenprofessorben Frets: 5105
    crunchman said:
    crunchman said:
    crunchman said:
    Prob should have quoted ICBM but was really aimed at both of you (your first sentence) recommending drive pedals to get the dirt. More controllable, but less consistent volume wise. 
    It's a matter of having the right pedals and setting the levels properly.

    I've never yet come across a channel switcher that sounds as good as a good single channel amp.  Most drive in channel switch amps sounds fizzy anyway.

    The ideal is to get a single channel amp on the edge of breakup, so when you do kick a pedal in, it's not just pedal drive.  It will be pushing the amnp over the edge as well.
    A lot of the signature drive tones from the last 30 years have been from channel switchers! I think you're stuck in the 70s!
    I've had channel switchers (at least 4 of them) and got rid of them.

    A good simple single channel amp seems to have a quality of tone that is missing from any channel switcher I have ever tried.
    Have you had a diezel there isn't anything that can touch Ch3 on a VH4? :D \m/
    Wouldn't want to sound like that.  Might have 25 years ago, but that's what HM2 pedals are for. :)
    Ha ha, if you equate an HM-2 to a Diezel then you have a looooong way to go in the ‘recognising tone’ journey. 
    Its just different flavours, nothing is better or best, just 50 shades of gain. 


    " Why does it smell of bum?" Mrs Professorben.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • shaunmshaunm Frets: 1591
    crunchman said:
    crunchman said:
    crunchman said:
    Prob should have quoted ICBM but was really aimed at both of you (your first sentence) recommending drive pedals to get the dirt. More controllable, but less consistent volume wise. 
    It's a matter of having the right pedals and setting the levels properly.

    I've never yet come across a channel switcher that sounds as good as a good single channel amp.  Most drive in channel switch amps sounds fizzy anyway.

    The ideal is to get a single channel amp on the edge of breakup, so when you do kick a pedal in, it's not just pedal drive.  It will be pushing the amnp over the edge as well.
    A lot of the signature drive tones from the last 30 years have been from channel switchers! I think you're stuck in the 70s!
    I've had channel switchers (at least 4 of them) and got rid of them.

    A good simple single channel amp seems to have a quality of tone that is missing from any channel switcher I have ever tried.
    Have you had a diezel there isn't anything that can touch Ch3 on a VH4? :D \m/
    Wouldn't want to sound like that.  Might have 25 years ago, but that's what HM2 pedals are for. :)
    Ha ha, if you equate an HM-2 to a Diezel then you have a looooong way to go in the ‘recognising tone’ journey. 
    Its just different flavours, nothing is better or best, just 50 shades of gain. 


    Nah gainy amp, samey amps. 

    For a proper amp journey filled with snake oil and false superlatives you’ve got to play the blues on an amp that sounds like other amps it just costs three times as much. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • HattigolHattigol Frets: 8176
    Rocker said:
    The point is that you might be too loud. The function of the band is to support the lead vocalist. If he/she sounds loud and clear, the band adjust their volumes to suit. Faffing about with pedals is one way to get on everyone's wick due to loudness issued. Ask yourself do you really need to use every pedal on your board. If you do, then put in the hours balancing volume levels. When happy, write the settings down in case something gets accidentally moved. Check the settings against the sheet before every gig.
    I both agree and disagree. The band is there to balance and enrich the sound in equal measure, not just to support the lead vocalist - to supplement, complement, broaden and much more.
    +1 to that. We're musicians, not vocalist support.

    There's a great story about Charlie Watts. Mick sent a runner to his hotel room saying 'Mick wants his drummer'. Charlie puts his suit on, comes downstairs, punches Mick square on the nose and says 'I'm not your f**cking drummer, you're my f**cking singer', then goes back to bed.

    Which I think pretty much sums it up.
    "Anybody can play. The note is only 20%. The attitude of the motherf*cker who plays it is  80%" - Miles Davis
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • PolarityManPolarityMan Frets: 7273
    shaunm said:
    crunchman said:
    crunchman said:
    crunchman said:
    Prob should have quoted ICBM but was really aimed at both of you (your first sentence) recommending drive pedals to get the dirt. More controllable, but less consistent volume wise. 
    It's a matter of having the right pedals and setting the levels properly.

    I've never yet come across a channel switcher that sounds as good as a good single channel amp.  Most drive in channel switch amps sounds fizzy anyway.

    The ideal is to get a single channel amp on the edge of breakup, so when you do kick a pedal in, it's not just pedal drive.  It will be pushing the amnp over the edge as well.
    A lot of the signature drive tones from the last 30 years have been from channel switchers! I think you're stuck in the 70s!
    I've had channel switchers (at least 4 of them) and got rid of them.

    A good simple single channel amp seems to have a quality of tone that is missing from any channel switcher I have ever tried.
    Have you had a diezel there isn't anything that can touch Ch3 on a VH4? :D \m/
    Wouldn't want to sound like that.  Might have 25 years ago, but that's what HM2 pedals are for. :)
    Ha ha, if you equate an HM-2 to a Diezel then you have a looooong way to go in the ‘recognising tone’ journey. 
    Its just different flavours, nothing is better or best, just 50 shades of gain. 


    Nah gainy amp, samey amps. 

    For a proper amp journey filled with snake oil and false superlatives you’ve got to play the blues on an amp that sounds like other amps it just costs three times as much. 
    pfffttt, low gain just masks all your poor technique because you don't have to control the feedback, mute strings your not playing and avoid string noise.
    ဈǝᴉʇsɐoʇǝsǝǝɥɔဪቌ
    1reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.