I have recently discovered a solution that has opened a new way of experiencing live music and has made live performances within a band environment, much more enjoyable. I know many now use this system, but it's new for me and I'd like to share what I've discovered. Many friends I have spoken with who tour with major acts, have shared their opinions that they are also caught up in the cross fire of sound sources on stage penetrating their sound signal, and that they constantly compete to be heard. I too experience this. During live performances, we find as steel players, that we are always increasing our volume to compete on stage. At some point, the soundman, or other members of the band are going to say, "your playing to loud". I decided to research this, in order to seek a solution to this if it was possible.
For reference, I am talking about really great players, singers, and engineer's who are competent in their respective fields, but I feel this would apply to almost anyone. Pro engineers, in big league situations, who travel day to day with the act, control this very well for the most part...because they will tell you and others, "Your playing to &^%@ loud" and because they are very familiar with the music. But for other situations, this is my take on a solution that has worked for me.
These are the facts as I see them:
1. Live performance sound checks when spending time on the dialing in of instruments usually goes this way: Drums and bass, usually average 10-15 minutes per instrument, many times longer. Electric guitars average around 5 minutes during the sound check. The steel gets about 2 minutes at most. That priority usually continues into the actual live performance. I've kept it to myself, but I often think, "they only checked to make sure the mic on my amp is working".
2. When the performance begins, the on stage amplifiers and stage monitors produce an overwhelming amount of volume and sound pressure. Each performer is producing "a competing sound source" whether it's produced from a stage monitor or instrument amp and these "sound sources" cross into others sound paths and space.
3. As one individual increases his "needed volume" thru his amp or stage monitor, others around that area react, and adjust accordingly, and it usually only results in more stage volume. Very rarely does someone say, "Lets all turn down" and enforce it.
The bottom line of this usually ends one of two ways: The steel player continues to increase his volume, or he just totally gives up, and in general quits fighting it. Either way, it ends up as an un-enjoyable experience. I know there are bands that have this figured out and their sound presentation and quality of music shows this. But I find this to be less then the normal situation in most cases.
The figure below, illustrates other sound sources penetrating
my sound space with just a simple stage set-up. The yellow shows where it
crosses into my sound space. The Purple line is my sound space area. Add the
other instruments and stage monitors, and you can see why this happens.
Figure A:
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My solution:
As a guitar/steel player, I am usually near at least one vocal monitor wedge cabinet, and many times 2 or 3, and because our ears are lower in height on stage then those players standing, it projects volume into our individual signal/sound path. I try to set my amp on my road case, which is about 24" in height, and no more then 6-8 feet directly behind me. However, the electric guitar or bass amplifier is often setting close to me in proximity, and this creates an additional "sound competitor" that crosses into my sound/signal path. Finally, the drums also create an additional sound competitor on stage. When I try to balance with these levels around me, I get a reaction from the surrounding players because I'm now entering their individual signal/sound path. They're thinking I'm playing to loud, and in contrast, I'm thinking there playing to loud. A never ending no win battle at best.
Also, musicians don't always understand the fact of just how much their amps at this discussed stage volume, are projecting on stage and into the audience. Many times the house sound due to economics, is run from stage by a band member. This fact alone can cause "false reads" on what's really going on with sound and volume in the audience from the stage perspective. What I mean by this is just because the board meter on the players channel is barley showing on the board, the amp is still projecting way out and into the audience. Obviously, the more instrument amps and stage monitors on stage, the more this happens and contributes to the problem. An interesting note is the time the house sound was not on, and no one in the band noticed it because the monitors on stage were so hot. When all of this is combined with the house sound level, it becomes an utter nightmare.
So, when I was trying to common sense my way through this and find a solution that I could control, it became obvious to me that I must somehow 1st eliminate sound sources crossing my "direct amp to ear path sound". You can't ask players to stop playing. This system could eliminate the need to try and fight other players surrounding me without having any discussion with them. Next, I felt that I needed to take direct control of what volume I wanted to hear, and not put anymore control on the sound engineer then needed. Please understand, this is not a poke at sound engineers or other musicians. It's just the way I believe it to be in most cases. Contracted sound companies talent varies from venue to venue, and often they don't understand steel guitar and it's placement into the mix. I play a lot of pads and rhythmic parts, much in line as a rhythm part (not lead part volume) and they are always riding me and God forbid when I do play a solo part what happens. This in itself is not the way it should be and creates "volume wars". I feel I'm a disciplined player, and that I know the correct time to raise my level in the mix at the needed times, and so if I'm doing my job, it should be a "set and forget" for the most part.
I originally purchased a set of Shure E3 in ear monitors. I am now using M-Audio ear monitors because they are more adaptive to the wear and tear of daily usage. I connect a wireless monitor system into a dedicated mixing board that provides me a band mix. I use the direct out from my amp to monitor my amp signal. I get a simple mix of vocals and band mix in my right ear monitor from the board. I can increase or decrease as much of my steel signal as needed in my ear monitors on the left ear. The usual stage volume takes care of hearing other instruments due to the slight bleeding through my in ear mix from vocal mics even with suppression provided by quality ear monitors. . In fact, the first night I used this system, the band said they couldn't hear my amp for most of the first portion of the show. I adjusted the balance of what I was hearing of me in my ear monitors and what they heard on stage from the amp. I'm now playing with much less sound pressure level in my ears, and it allows me to have direct control of it from the stage. If I only used this system for the reason that I can hear only my amp in one ear, it resolved many problems for me. However, using the other ear mix, keeps the sound pressure way down that my ears are being exposed to. The fidelity of this system and what I was hearing was much better then I expected.
Figure B:
The downside of this is it now totally depends on the house mix/sound engineer doing his job and getting me properly placed into the house mix. I've realized I can't fight and win the over all battle of convincing other players to be aware of their area of sound stage volume and what it is affecting around them. The common sense of "if you have a loud amp, why is it mic'd" is no longer a discussion I need to have. It doesn't totally eliminate my exposure of other players playing to loud on stage or engineer interpretations of sound levels needed on stage through monitors. What it does do, is that it shelters me from on stage volumes and competing with another sound sources entering my sound space...and I guess more importantly, will allow me to still be able to hear in 15 years.
This system is just my solution and opinion that I've found works for me, and if nothing else, it sure has made it a more enjoyable situation for me playing live.