Having amps by your knees is a surefire way to not hear yourself. I used to always tilt my amp toward my head or raise it up onto a sturdy chair or table to ear level.
The strangest show experience I had wasn’t the sound, or lack thereof. I was playing a gig in a weird hippie/crusty venue in London, back in the 1990s. We were about halfway through our set … when the venue’s lighting guys switched on this industrial strength strobe light! Very surreal. I knew I was playing my bass (I could hear it), but I couldn’t see my hands moving. The strobe must have been on for about 20 seconds, but it felt like minutes.
Touring bassists of the 1970's and 80's often used big horn loaded cabinets (if playing big stages and having their own roadies) and found that they could barely hear themselves play but people in the audience several hundred feet away were getting clobbered by the bass.
@Terran.Marine.2 , Horns are designed to project sound, and because the wavelengths of bass frequencies are long, people don't realize from right next to the cabinet how much sound level and air pressure is coming out of the horn, but the people hundreds of feet away can hear and feel it.
Hey Fran. I’ve been playing guitar for 50 years, spent the 70’s 80’s playing in bars and clubs. The PA was always an issue. I also used two Ampeg V4 stacks in bars…….it was the 70’s!
Sound checks would be great IF you can do them. When you can't control all the equipment you are stuck. Plus once the room is full, acoustics change. In a small church choir, I can never hear myself even when there is a monitor so its cup the hand over the ear and try to stay on key with whatever everyone else is singing and playing which likely doesn't match the sheet music. Odd thing about that church was that they would live stream on FaceBook. The sound on that was flat and dead when I heard it. The acoustics made a HUGE difference in how everything sounded. Instead of pulling the audio off the mixer board, they should have just put a microphone in the sanctuary. Plus the priest would leave his wireless mike on and TRY to sing along but he couldn't carry a tune in a bucket!
Firstly, thank you for answering my question Fran, I never got to say thanks! Secondly, how cool to watch it a second time! And lastly, how cool was it for you to include the stock footage!! You rock Fran Blanche - you rock!
@@FranLab True. They're not wrong notes, only not necessarily in the right order 😊. Funny thing is that a large percentage of the audience will not notice when a "different than expected" note is being played. Even playing a piece in the wrong key (relative to the rest of the band) may go unnoticed by most of the crowd, until the band stops playing due to cascaded failure.
Great advice for gigs, Fran! When I get nervous I try to remind myself, "I won the audition. No one else here can do this but me." That usually restores my confidence.
You are still Rockin ,,Fran! Full steam ahead! Cheers!;-)! Back in the days ,,a! Lov it! ;-)! We used the Sidewash set up ..Amps on the left ,and right side of stage set up!;-)! ..No feedback ;-)!!
Guitar player playing too loud? Every sound engineer's biggest gripe!
When you got a Fender amp and playing live, it's easy to forget that it's the back of your legs are getting all the volume.
yes ☝️ i used to chuck a wedge or a block under the front edge. i didn't invent it ... learnt it in 'nam 🙏
Having amps by your knees is a surefire way to not hear yourself. I used to always tilt my amp toward my head or raise it up onto a sturdy chair or table to ear level.
Thanks for this information! I was curious to know what a possible solution would be.
Great performance clip! I’ve come to love in-ears and controlling my own mix.
The strangest show experience I had wasn’t the sound, or lack thereof. I was playing a gig in a weird hippie/crusty venue in London, back in the 1990s. We were about halfway through our set … when the venue’s lighting guys switched on this industrial strength strobe light! Very surreal. I knew I was playing my bass (I could hear it), but I couldn’t see my hands moving. The strobe must have been on for about 20 seconds, but it felt like minutes.
I listen to "The Mysterons - Hall of the Mountain King" every few months. Love the reverb.
It seems the bigger the stage the less you can hear yourself unless its an outdoor stage. IDK why but an outdoor stage helps
Touring bassists of the 1970's and 80's often used big horn loaded cabinets (if playing big stages and having their own roadies) and found that they could barely hear themselves play but people in the audience several hundred feet away were getting clobbered by the bass.
Huh.
@Terran.Marine.2 , Horns are designed to project sound, and because the wavelengths of bass frequencies are long, people don't realize from right next to the cabinet how much sound level and air pressure is coming out of the horn, but the people hundreds of feet away can hear and feel it.
I had the opposite situation. All I could ever really hear was my guitar haha.
Hey Fran. I’ve been playing guitar for 50 years, spent the 70’s 80’s playing in bars and clubs. The PA was always an issue. I also used two Ampeg V4 stacks in bars…….it was the 70’s!
Sound checks would be great IF you can do them. When you can't control all the equipment you are stuck. Plus once the room is full, acoustics change. In a small church choir, I can never hear myself even when there is a monitor so its cup the hand over the ear and try to stay on key with whatever everyone else is singing and playing which likely doesn't match the sheet music. Odd thing about that church was that they would live stream on FaceBook. The sound on that was flat and dead when I heard it. The acoustics made a HUGE difference in how everything sounded. Instead of pulling the audio off the mixer board, they should have just put a microphone in the sanctuary. Plus the priest would leave his wireless mike on and TRY to sing along but he couldn't carry a tune in a bucket!
I am so happy to report absolutely NOTHING has changed in the world of live performance 🤣🤣🤣
On stage you can't stop. Just wait for your spot to come back around.
Firstly, thank you for answering my question Fran, I never got to say thanks! Secondly, how cool to watch it a second time! And lastly, how cool was it for you to include the stock footage!! You rock Fran Blanche - you rock!
Really fun to see this edited version of what you were speaking about with the video footage!
Hey Fran! Thanks for the words of wisdom. I didn't know you were in a band.
Thanks!🎉
So you were really loud but no one complained about wrong notes being played? That's an amazing achievement!
There are no wrong notes... only notes.
@@FranLab True. They're not wrong notes, only not necessarily in the right order 😊.
Funny thing is that a large percentage of the audience will not notice when a "different than expected" note is being played. Even playing a piece in the wrong key (relative to the rest of the band) may go unnoticed by most of the crowd, until the band stops playing due to cascaded failure.
Damn, Young Fran was a stunning thing.
Though that part hasn't really gone away, just changed character.
Great advice for gigs, Fran! When I get nervous I try to remind myself, "I won the audition. No one else here can do this but me." That usually restores my confidence.
great advice 🙏 stay focised .. dont sweat the small stuff. i only just found your channel and like it. 👍
You are still Rockin ,,Fran! Full steam ahead! Cheers!;-)! Back in the days ,,a! Lov it! ;-)! We used the Sidewash set up ..Amps on the left ,and right side of stage set up!;-)! ..No feedback ;-)!!
Thanks for the wisdom.
Yes Fran, you are beginning to understand what the Algorithm wants from you....
❤️🔥FRAN❤️🔥
Good story, I appreciate what you do.
(7 word comment to keep you on my YT feed)👍🫡👍