so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

[aleclee]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

For me:

Bedroom volume IMO is moderate TV volume, probably 65-70 dB. Louder than that and it can interrupt naps.

Individual practice volume is when I start firing up glowing bottles. Below 80 dB and things are kind of muffled, but I try to keep it below 85 dB.

My band's rehearsals are around 90-95 dB and that's when the hearing protection goes in.

 

[The Golden Boy]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

Oh so your the guy who's playing across the street from me at 11pm every night.

Oh, you mean the kid who used to have a 100w full stack...

 

[jeremy]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

at home i use a modded musicmaster bass amp at about 2 or 3, you can talk above it and it doesnt piss the neighbors off too bad and works for almost anything i need to do at home which is basically just learn songs or work out parts.

on stage loud is my bassman, channels jumped, both channels cranked up to
10. thats as loud as anyone should ever need to be, loud enough to play medium sized outdoor shows with the sound guy never needing to bring me up in the mains.
most of the time i cant be that loud in clubs so i use smaller amps

 

[WhoFan]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

After using my stacks in small clubs i went back to small combos.. The combos are no where near the same as having a 4x12 behind ya... But at the same time the sound guy can controll the whole bands volume and i can be unpacked and packed up to leave in minutes... My Classic 30's volume when i have the ext cab hooked up has never been above half way.... mostly it's on 4... Sometimes i will just use the combo without the ext cab and use an amp stand that tilts the combo back like a monitor.... I like that.... It helps also to get a little bit of that magic that happens between a guitar and loud amp only at a lower volume. The amp is pointed at the guitar so at certian moments i can turn and get a bit of that feedback, or the volume driving the strings..... The whole Hendrix thing helps if you have the amp and guitar feeding off each other.... It's harder to get in a small club and a small combo but it can be done.

WhoFan

 

[MikeS]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

Loud is when the windows rattle.

When I think of bedroom volumes, I try to keep it so that my playing is not disruptive to others in my apartment or my neighbors. I wouldn’t want somebody above my to be playing cranked and rattling my cage, so I tend to hold that kind of respect for them as well. Like others, I’d probably say that bedroom volumes are a little bit louder than typical conversation.

The loudest I’ve ever had my DSL50 unattenuated was with the MV at 5 in a 14 x 10 room. We were recording a tune and I needed to get a little sparkle in the power tubes. I have no idea what the measurable volume would have been, but I do know that my ears were ringing for a while. Live and learn. We generally keep practice volumes lower than that, thanks in part to our room not being large enough to a real drum kit, so we can keep the volume turned down on the monitors when playing the electric drum kit.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

For a bedroom amp I tend to go right around the typical volume of a television; a little louder than a conversation.

For the typical 100-150 person seater bars I typically play my Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue is almost too much some times. I like to get it to where it's breaking up if I lean on it a bit and use overdrive pedals to push it if needed.

In the situation where I've played bigger places there's always been a PA which can accomodate micing the amp.

 

[nahfuten]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

when i am playing my marshall, 11 is too loud.
i only go to 11 if I need that extra push over the cliff

:laugh2:

 

[Simon_F]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

In my experience "too loud" is when I think it's about right.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

In my experience "too loud" is when I think it's about right.

Excellent!
:laugh2: you too?

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

My idea of LOUD is 6 Marshall Majors (200W) all daisy chained together, on top of 12 4-12's! :jester: :beerchug:

Nah, I agree with you. The volume level should be no more or no less than what it takes for your amp to be sitting in a mix with the kind of drummer you have.
A lot of it depends on how hard your drummer hits, and what quality his drumset is.

I love the sound of a 4-12 more than any other setup, and anytime I use my 2-12, it feels like I just neutered my tone by 50%. If it's a rock gig, it's gotta be a 4-12. If it's blues, roots, pop, I'll use anything from a small combo to a head/2-12. But normally those kinds of drummers don't hit as hard, so you've got to be appropriate with your rig.

 

[ErikH]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

Good way to look at it GJ. I used to play with a guy that had high dollar Pearl drums. Very loud kit. I had to turn up to 5-6 just to be heard. My bro-in-law's set is a lot quieter so 3-4 is perfect. This is with the same cab, same amp.

 

[Loserchief]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

Bedroom level: a bit louder than normal conversation but still nothing serious. Somewhere between 2.5-4 on my spider II

Loud: my Engl powerball fully cranked running thorugh my full stack. Pure fun and seriously rattling things off shelves and workbenches(allready happened)

 

[B2D]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

That's not too loud, that's too much gain. When I play gigs, sometimes I have my amp CRANKED and I never have uncontrollable feedback or amp noise.

Just curious... what kind of amp do you have?

I have a Carvin Legacy and that amp is quite possibly the loudest amp I've ever heard with the exception of a Marshall 100W Plexi. I always use an attentuator with it cuz I mostly play medium-sized clubs.

And I should have clarified... for me if you have to turn the gain down then that's controlled and then it's OK. I have gotten the amp up to the point where I was getting uncontrolled feedback on the CLEAN channel. THAT was insane.

And I'd also like to add that usually soundmen's definition of "too loud" is just above "bedroom level".

 

[flank]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

i actually don't like to be loud. I hate lots of bass, it just bothers me cause i like playing rhythm guitar and i think it sounds messy when its too loud and theres too much bass projection

i used to have a Hiwatt DR103, and that was entirely too loud, ate my twin reverb for lunch ......that and an old Ampeg V4, just insane loud.......waaaayyyy to much volume

 

[Tux789]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

blow out your eardrums

 

[Stevo]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

I am a utilitarian, making myself and my neighbor happy at the same time :13: I recently insulated and double-drywalled my back bedroom.. so my "bedroom" volume is probably a little louder than some others :laugh2: I like to play and "feel" it at the same time.

I don't like it when stage volume gets too loud, mainly because I have been a vocalist in many bands - if I can't hear my vocal monitor, I get pissed bigtime :angryfire

I have always played with loud drummers. You have to hear yourself over the drummer.. that's been my point of reference I guess.:33:

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

There are some good posts on this thread; interesting topic.

First off, I think that you should always use some kind of hearing protection when you encounter loud sounds, regardless of whether they are musical or not.

What is "loud" to me?

The subway platform on Union Square for the number 4,5, and 6 trains, as they take the turn coming into the station ... +90dB of screeching metal on metal! It's enough to drive you insane! Very, very loud, and it WILL cause permanent hearing damage.

A live band can be very loud; depends on the size of the room, how far you are from the band, and whether they are using sound reinforcement.

I like Gearjonser's analysis of getting the guitars to about where the snare drum is hitting when the drummer gets going when you're rehearsing; that will give you a really nice balance, overall. The overall volume is then dictated by the drummer, not the guitarist. For my band, this is L O U D!! Earplugs are a must, imo, for this.

When I'm playing at home, getting the "perfect" tone is secondary to being able to hear myself properly and respect my family & neighbours. 90% of my practice at home is through a Korg Pandora PXR4. When rehearsing for a show, I may use the same setup, but will play standing up instead of sitting. This, more times than not, is done playing through headphones.

At rehearsal I play as loud as I need to in order to be heard ... I use a half stack usually, with no attenuation.

 

[tfb1990]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

my mom thinks a 30w will blow the windows out:bs2:

 

[marvar]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

my mom thinks a 30w will blow the windows out:bs2:

She could be right- I have a 20 watt amp that will rattle the windows when the master is on 4! But I don't practice that loud. I usually use a headphone amp when in the bedroom.

 

[tfb1990]

Re: so what exactly is your idea of "loud"....

yea but i never turn it up too loud.. she always points out the like 30w whenever shes at the store.... and its so hot down here i cant go out in the garage or anything