Playing the saxophone Playing In Extremely High Volume Situations

[Ivan]

They are very odd looking ear plugs!

These are solid blockers which are less good than well designed fitted earplugs

Blockers muffle the sound

Good ear plugs have a membrane and internal tube that transmit sound at a uniformly reduced Db at all frequencies (give or take)

Nothing's gonna sound as clear as nothing in your ears but good earplugs are the next best

 

[Jazzaferri]

My friend Simon Fisk at Plunge audio makes very reasonably priced custom Ear Plugs and IEMonitors.
For those not in his area he will arrange for a local hearing specialist to take the moulds and then get you to ship them to him.

I use a dual driver IEM and have my won headphone amp that I take a lead from the vocal monitor or front of house mix if no separate vocal monitor mix.

They provide a lot of sound attenuation (nearly 40 db if memory serves) and I can hear well enough with the sound coming through bone transfer if the sound person has me buried deep in the mix. During sound check I usually play fairly softly so that I can usually correct up as guitar volume creep sets in.

 

[Zugzwang]

EARPLUGS EVERY TIME! Sorry if I'm shouting, it's my tinnitus…
Also, IEM needs you to trust the engineer with your eardrums… just saying.
Good to practice with mouldable wax earplugs, so you get used to and accept the curious sounds you seem to be making.

 

[Veggie Dave]

During sound check I usually play fairly softly so that I can usually correct up as guitar volume creep sets in.

Heh. 😀

I did actually do that, too. Obviously not enough, though.

Also, IEM needs you to trust the engineer with your eardrums… just saying.

That advice is becoming something of a trend in the answers I've had here and elsewhere. It is a little worrying.

 

[Jazzaferri]

That's why I use my own headphone amp with a feed off one of the mixes. That way my ears are protected from idiot induced transients.

Bit of a pain having all the extra gear but after a few ear burning incidents, I wanted to be master of my own fate.

 

[Ivan]

During sound check I usually play fairly softly so that I can usually correct up as guitar volume creep sets in

Doesn't work for me

Our sound assassin plays with the faders irrespective of what level he sets at soundcheck. I'm switched low to off for any numbers he thinks I don't need to be heard

 

[Jules]

My main gigging for many years has been in this environment. First tip- always stand on the same side as the bass player, not the guitarist. Earplugs in regardless of that. I've got some pretty good ones which balance sound to the extent I can forget I've got them in. As Rhys flagged- those soundback reflectors are excellent, better still, in my case, my DPA-4099 mic which is massively feedback resistant- far more so than an SM58.

 

[Ivan]

, better still, in my case, my DPA-4099 mic which is massively feedback resistant

That's what I use

Come to think of it; you sold it to me @Jules . Was it a spare or did you go and get another?

 

[Veggie Dave]

First tip- always stand on the same side as the bass player, not the guitarist.

Good idea. Not an option in this case but excellent advice for the future.

Earplugs in regardless of that. I've got some pretty good ones which balance sound to the extent I can forget I've got them in.

I hadn't realised so many people use plugs these days.

 

[Ivan]

I hadn't realised so many people use plugs these days

To the point of being a no - brainer

Let the guitarists go deaf on their own

 

[Jazzaferri]

Our sound assassin plays with the faders irrespective of what level he sets at soundcheck. I'm switched low to off for any numbers he thinks I don't need to be heard

Wondering why he still works for you. Hopefully at least you get paid.

I use a DPA 4099 as well Great mic

 

[Ivan]

Wondering why he still works for you

Not my choice, apparently

The guy in charge of the band owns the sound equipment and decides who operates the faders and pots. I and other band members rattle his cage but he won't budge

It's a work in progress

 

[Tenor Viol]

The sound engineer friend of mine has recently completed a masters degree in sound engineering. From what he's told me and from experence of some local pubs with sound systems, there are many 'desk jockeys' who have no real idea about what they're doing, particularly when it comes to balance, real bass production (not the amorphous 'thud thud'), volume etc

 

[brianr]

there are many 'desk jockeys' who have no real idea about what they're doing,

Ron, well they say its a small world, but amazingly, Ive met all of those very same guys.

Whats the odds on that, I wonder.

 

[Veggie Dave]

From what he's told me and from experence of some local pubs with sound systems, there are many 'desk jockeys' who have no real idea about what they're doing

If you know where to push the cable thingy in and how to stop the speakers squeaking you can be a pub engineer. 😉

To be fair, that's probably still more proficiency than many pub bands require. 😉

This thread has brought something else out into the open - just how many people here play in bands and, judging from comments about volume, play in bands that aren't jazz or classical orientated. But to the best of my memory, few if any of you have posted videos or recordings, yet I, and I'm sure many others, would absolutely love to hear you playing. And that includes all you jazz members, too, obviously.

So, come on, blow your own horn and let's see/hear your bands.

 

[altissimo]

yet I, and I'm sure many others, would absolutely love to hear you playing

the size of some audiences on my recent tour would suggest otherwise - shame on you Bristol and Nottingham..

 

[Jeanette]

the size of some audiences on my recent tour would suggest otherwise - shame on you Bristol and Nottingham..

You should advertise them on the noticeboard, our members might attend 🙂

Jx

 

[Halfers]

So, come on, blow your own horn and let's see/hear your bands.

Here's my Band. There's a few dodgy phone recordings of songs as you scroll down the page!
The Descendants

Some Sound Cloud Audio from an outdoor gig we did a Year or so ago. Straight out of the desk so it's scrappy quality.

https://soundcloud.com/user-115505169%2Fsets%2Flive-crestfest

View: https://soundcloud.com/user-115505169/sets/live-crestfest

 

[Jules]

The sound engineer friend of mine has recently completed a masters degree in sound engineering. From what he's told me and from experence of some local pubs with sound systems, there are many 'desk jockeys' who have no real idea about what they're doing, particularly when it comes to balance, real bass production (not the amorphous 'thud thud'), volume etc

I've been informed by one of my (very good) sound engineer friends

the size of some audiences on my recent tour would suggest otherwise - shame on you Bristol and Nottingham..

Come back to Brighton sir!

 

[Ivan]

It's sadly comic to see the useless geezer stand in front of us, cocking his head as though he's actually judging the balance. I've stepped out during a sound check to hear what he's up to: Guitar? Tick. Vocals? Distorted. Keys? Inaudible

But it makes it all the more special when you have a decent sound guy

I played with The Hellfire Club (different band) on the streets of Glasgow at the Merchants Festival a few weeks ago and the man on the desk knew his stuff... vocals? Tick. Geetar? Tick. Bass and fiddle? Tick. Sax? You betcha