I have a wonderful band and everyone in it is a great player... the only issue we seem to have is that my guitar player is entirely too loud for most of the rooms we play in. Two issues tend to present themselves when I ask him to turn down...
A) He has trouble getting proper tone at low volume
and B) his amp tends to blast right at his feet and he can't hear what he's playing after it gets turned down to a certain point... which is still deafening to everyone else.
He plays through a 4x10 Fender DeVille... the tweed one.. it might be a Blues DeVille. I'd love for him to get a smaller amp but he only got that one because he got a really sweet deal on it and we're all pretty broke. We've tried an amp stand and that helped a lot but the DeVille is really heavy and the stand, while well made, still seemed kind of precarious.
Any further suggestions?
-marv
Andrew Delaney & The Horse You Rode In On ---> http://www.myspace.com/andrewdelaney
You can and should buy my album "Scoundrels!" in mp3 format on amazon.com or iTunes etc...
tone: a power soak (attenuator between the amp output and the speakers) will allow him to crank the amp up to a tone he likes, then dial back the amount of signal delivered to the speakers.
monitoring: sounds as if he needs an in-ear monitor to hear himself. the least expensive way would be wired -- maybe use a low cost 4-channel mixer to feed a set of in-ear buds. the source signals could come from the main mixing board and line signal from his amp. or use an ambient mic and a mic near his amp. lots of possibilities. might also consider a small "satellite" cab attached to the amp output and place at a convenient listening position.
-=tension & release=-
I thought about the in ears but they're so expensive... I'm looking into the power soak thing and the extra speaker... both great suggestions.
Andrew Delaney & The Horse You Rode In On ---> http://www.myspace.com/andrewdelaney
You can and should buy my album "Scoundrels!" in mp3 format on amazon.com or iTunes etc...
Yes, a power soak for the tone issue.
Have him tilt the amp so that it is angling up toward him. He will be able to hear himself much better with the speakers pointing at his head rather his feet. Also, is it possible to have the amp on the side of the stage facing in? This way the audience won't get blown away, and if it is angled up toward him he can keep the volume down so the rest of the band doesn't get blown away. The side stage thing is assuming that the amp is mic'd and running though the house PA.
I used to have a wedge style amp (Peavey) and I would keep it in front of me, right next to my vocal monitor. Because it was angled right at my head, I could keep the volume at a very comfortable level. I would at times have the drummer telling me to turn it up. We would just run the amp to his vocal monitor and all was solved.
Why do we have to get old...
I thought about the in ears but they're so expensive... I'm looking into the power soak thing and the extra speaker... both great suggestions.
good wireless in-ear are expensive. home brewed wired version could be done easily for under $100 -- but it would add another wire.
BTW, another option to a second, small cab is a low cost/used practice amp. we've occasionally used Roland Cube 30s for this purpose. something cheaper could work as well.
here's an info link on power soakers: http://www.amptone.com/powerattenuatorfaq.htm
note that some have line outs as well. that sort of output is perfect for driving a cheapo amp/monitor
-=tension & release=-
A) He has trouble getting proper tone at low volume
and B) his amp tends to blast right at his feet and he can't hear what he's playing after it gets turned down to a certain point... which is still deafening to everyone else.
A) Attenuator's are the best solution, but you said you're broke . . . put a plexiglass sound shield in front of the amp
B) Your ears are in your head, not your feet, dude! 8) Get that amp on a stand so it points directly at his head. I use one of these: http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Musicians-Gear-Deluxe-Tripod-Amp-Stand-?sku=483286
Playing guitar and never playing for others is like studying medicine and never working in a clinic.
