First Gig with DL1608 - Pointers Anyone?

[Sanchinguy]

Well now...

Went to the venue tonight to check on a couple last minute details with the owners.  It went something like this:

"Oh, hi.  We meant to call you.  The (insert local university basketball team here) is playing tomorrow night at the same time we committed to you.  We don't want our customers to miss the game so we want to move you back to a midnight start and have you play until close. We'll still pay you what we agreed."

To make a long story short, we're not playing tomorrow and have a promise to reschedule "soon".  I tried to make it clear that we did a lot of promo based on their commitment and couldn't guarantee that we'd be as effective the next time.  He shrugged.

Yeah, I've done this a long time and have had lots of these experiences, but damn it's still frustrating every time...

[Wynnd]

Bummer!   Been there, done that.  On the other hand, at least they aren't canceling outright.  Places to play do need to be treated with enough flexibility just so they don't stop having bands. 

[RoadRanger]

Kinda related - the biggest local venue now has DJ's on Friday nights and had a couple people stabbed last night .

[Sanchinguy]

I hear ya.  Same sort of thing happens here all over the place.  Lots of DJ work, but if you want to gig regularly in this town you'd better be a metal band playing one set shows with several other bands or a blues band playing Mustang Sally.  There's a couple of places near the college that do the indie singer songwriter emo thing and that's about it.

[Wynnd]

If I never play Mustang Sally again, it will be too soon.  I was complaining about playing it to bandmates a number of years ago before going back to W.Va for Christmas.  While I was in Morgantown, I stopped to see a few bands and ended up seeing two bands play Mustang Sally.  I've really had enough of that song. 

[RoadRanger]

If I never play Mustang Sally again[...]

I actually learned that just a month ago and Brown Eyed Girl last fall so I have a ways to go before I'm sick of them . I've historically played only with female singers and stopped playing for 25 years back in the early 80's so never played "classic rock" until recently - it was all new back then LOL.

[Wynnd]

I played classic rock when they were still on Billboard's top 100 charts.  There is an advantage to not having played them too much already, but I'm betting you don't go 2 years without getting tired of them.  (Especially true if you play them every single gig and play out quite a bit.)

[Sanchinguy]

When we last left our errant old farts rock band, we were learning that our gig was cancelled...  Since then, things have become even more... um, interesting...

On the positive side, the venue called us back in a couple of days and offered to reschedule, which was nice.  Then I had the devils own time getting my bandmates to agree on a date.  That finally got done and we confirmed the new date. So at this point things seemed pretty cool.

Alas, that proved to be a false sense of security.  At our next rehearsal, our drummer announces that he's going to go in for major orthopedic surgery to have his (really awful) ankles rebuilt.  We all recognized his difficulties and were supportive.  Then, he tells us he's going to have the surgery before the gig and will be unable to play for the next 6 to 12 months.  Oh....

We've managed to find a sub (a great player) for the gig, but he's made it abundantly clear that he will only play this one gig.  I gave him our set lists and some reference recordings last Friday and he nailed the first two sets at rehearsal on Wednesday, getting all of our arrangements right.  Like I said, he's good.  He plays a high end Roland e-drum kit so volume is easily managed.

So, we're set for the gig, but also facing the challenge of finding another drummer who will fit into this admittedly odd situation.  Sigh...

A question for anybody still reading - I originally planned to leave the sub home given the volume limitations for this gig, but I'm now wondering if that's wise.  Thoughts?

Thanks,

Sanchinguy

[seventhson]

With an acoustic kit you could have probably left it home but with the e-drums I'd say you should bring it, if only to put the kick through it. 

[Jerrylee]

Sanchi you could leave the sub at home but then what will you do about drums? Not using drums could help with the volume. (Let's see who get this)

In regards to a subwoofer I would bring it. Subs don't make things louder, turning up the volume does. Adding a sub can make the overall sound better. Whenever I have a new gig I always bring a sub. (Except strictly acoustic gigs) I get a warmer all around tone. Once the gig is secured I might not bring a sub if I don't think I really need it.

[sam.spoons]

+1 for a sub, the volume control works both ways. I often find myself turning the sub down but just a little can add some depth to the overall sound. It also reduces the load on the tops by taking the energy heavy lowest frequencies leaving the top's low/mid amp with a bit more headroom.

I even use mine on acoustic gigs but the drummer does have a cajon and a stopmer 

[Sting]

You are going in with a very good attitude.  I'm sure you'll do fine.  Just one note.  It's much easier for a quiet band to sound good at that level than for a loud band to drop their volume and sound good.  (That was so clumsy, I'll try to say it again.)  Bands that usually play at low volumes and sound good, can change volumes and still sound good.  Bands that are usually loud and sound good, have a hellish time turning down and still sounding good.  (Better to start low and get louder than to start loud and attempt to get lower.)   It sounds like I'm just stumbling over my own words.  Oh well.  Knock them dead.  (And don't forget to have some fun while doing it.)

Stumbling over your words or not you are still correct. In other words: it's easy to turn up, but harder to turn down.

I tell every drummer I work with, that uses an acoustic kit, that I need to be able to rehearse with them with no amp or mic. Just me and an acoustic. If I can do that then they are in. I love it when bar owners/managers complain that a band was too loud. I tell them it's usually because of a loud drummer. Loud drummers=loud bands. The majority of them are beaters. And of course bands turn up around the loudest source. I hate loud drummers. I play a several outdoor venues with noise restrictions. I went to one once after leaving something there. Had to pick it up the next night. The band was playing and all I could here was drums. I asked what the heck was going on. I was told that the band was too loud and they asked them to turn down. So they did. All you heard now was the stage noise. That noise would be the drummer. Now the band was playing but almost nothing was in the mains and they still asked them to turn down. Bar staff doesn't understand that stuff.

And a lot of times guitar players too get whiney. Whah, I can't hear myself. I had one of those two weeks ago. Kept trying to turn up his amp. It was a Mesa combo and he was standing over it. It was hitting his calves. So all I did was lean back the cabinet. Wow, that took a genius to figure out.

One time I had a bar owner actually tell me he was going to ask a solo act to not plug in his guitar because it was too loud. He thought he would just play his acoustic unplugged and vocals mic'd. Huh? I pointed out to the owner how bad that would sound, and not work. I had to explain that it's a solo act and nothing is coming from the stage, and he needs to tell the guy to turn down the volume. It was a total duh moment.

Point is Wynnd is correct that it's easier to turn up then down. I spent 6 years with a guy who played an electric kit at a lot of our venues. We had a lot of happy bar owners. And on a rare, yes rare, occasion we were actually asked to turn up. That's unheard of! Lol. The good thing about my drummer was that he knew how to play the acoustic kit quietly too. But at a small venue even some of the most quiet drummers are still too much.

Wow does that hit home.  I suffered with a loud drummer for years.  I almost quit several times.  I tried drum shields but what a royal pain in the ass to lug around, set up and take down.  Then he bought an e kit.  I can't tell you how much better we sound.  That along with the DL is fantastic. I have one guitar player who is still fighting going digital.  He harbors serious prejudice against anything digital :-/.  I would really like some advice on how to convince this guy. 

[Jerrylee]

By digital I am assuming you are referring to the guitarists pedal board. The only reason I would ever go digital is if I had way to many pedals. Something like a line 6 hd500 is an amazing piece of kit. M13s are great too. All depends on what sounds and effects he is looking for.

[Sting]

No sorry I meant going from an anolog mixer to the DL and from acoustic drums to electronic.

[Wynnd]

I can't hear a difference between my MixWiz and the DL as far as quality of sound.  The DL has a lot of tools that the MixWiz doesn't and in spite of being much smaller, it's a better tool.  (As long as everything is working.  I haven't been having problems, but some owners are having trouble.)  That said, the MixWiz was a great workhorse and never did anything bad.  (Most people's experience.  Mine too.)   I suppose that if you had perfect 18 year old undamaged hearing, you might be able to tell the difference.  (Just guessing here, but I honestly can't tell the difference.)   Or maybe not.  Don't know what else to say to your band skeptic outside of waiting for my Hartke to get back from the shop.