Too darn loud...

[Bob Womack]

I took my lady to my nearby Mexican place last Saturday. She was exhausted after work - completely played-out after nine hours of customer service, and I wanted to give her a nice, quiet night. The restaurant is a nice little family-owned place with good salsa and nice service. It turned out that a guitar/vocal guy I like was playing for Saturday night. He was set up at the other end of the restaurant, which has a sort of semi-open-plan setting with a sunken "plaza" in the center. His PA felt WAY too loud. He was playing DJ and spinning recorded songs up to warm up the crowd. The booth seat I was sitting on was sympathetically vibrating pretty strongly and my wife and I were having trouble hearing each other. She suffers from chronic migraines and had begun to squint and hold her head. When the waiter came over and we couldn't understand anything he said without repetition - and he didn't have an accent. I had begun to think were just going to have to leave but before I did that I went over to the manger, who recognizes us, and asked her nicely if they could get the performer to turn down a little. He did, and then sneaked it back up. Eventually the manager checked in and could tell that he'd sneaked it back up and my wife was uncomfortable so she went over and made him turn down. This time it stayed down.



All this is uncomfortable because I actually like this guy and his show. I think he recognized me from previous engagements. He really knows how to work the audience, always has a big smile, and just cheers things up. He went on to do a good show and we turned around in our booth and cheered him on after each song. Despite probably knowing we had asked him to turn down, when I went over and dropped a tip in his jar we both smiled and he said, "Gracias!" and took my hand for a minute so I guess all is well that ends well.


I know we all moan about folks who complain about the levels but there are good reasons to keep 'em in check.



Bob

[bluesfreek]

Yep, I totally agree. If the folks are eating and talking keep the volume low. Sometimes it's not "about you" (the performer).

I once played a solid 2 hr set at an art exhibit held in a small pub. I was hired as back round music and did the job, got paid, made some tips and a couple of free beers. No one complained about the volume because I know the routine.

[elmcmeen]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

I took my lady to my nearby Mexican place last Saturday. She was exhausted after work - completely played-out after nine hours of customer service, and I wanted to give her a nice, quiet night. The restaurant is a nice little family-owned place with good salsa and nice service. It turned out that a guitar/vocal guy I like was playing for Saturday night. He was set up at the other end of the restaurant, which has a sort of semi-open-plan setting with a sunken "plaza" in the center. His PA felt WAY too loud. He was playing DJ and spinning recorded songs up to warm up the crowd. The booth seat I was sitting on was sympathetically vibrating pretty strongly and my wife and I were having trouble hearing each other. She suffers from chronic migraines and had begun to squint and hold her head. When the waiter came over and we couldn't understand anything he said without repetition - and he didn't have an accent. I had begun to think were just going to have to leave but before I did that I went over to the manger, who recognizes us, and asked her nicely if they could get the performer to turn down a little. He did, and then sneaked it back up. Eventually the manager checked in and could tell that he'd sneaked it back up and my wife was uncomfortable so she went over and made him turn down. This time it stayed down.



All this is uncomfortable because I actually like this guy and his show. I think he recognized me from previous engagements. He really knows how to work the audience, always has a big smile, and just cheers things up. He went on to do a good show and we turned around in our booth and cheered him on after each song. Despite probably knowing we had asked him to turn down, when I went over and dropped a tip in his jar we both smiled and he said, "Gracias!" and took my hand for a minute so I guess all is well that ends well.


I know we all moan about folks who complain about the levels but there are good reasons to keep 'em in check.



Bob

I can't stand loud music either. Dangerous and intrusive. And I don't like the fact that the guy turned it up after being asked to turn it down.

[rmp]

There is a line with volume and a dinner crowd.

we went to a fairly high end place for an anniversary dinner last fall. They had a guy in the lounge with a loud box mini and an acoustic.

There were some folks in the bar, but not a lot. The selection of music was definitely more targeted for a bar crowd than a restaurant, and he was IMO a bit too loud for the "whole" setting.

He was good tho, had a very good voice and was a fine player.

I enjoyed what he was doing, but at the same time, it just wasn't the "right" setting for the ppl in the dining room.

Turns out, they only had this for their "happy" hour. by 7:00 he was packing up. The remaining time we were there, was quiet like we had hoped for.

I didn't mention anything since my wife and I were able to hear conversation just fine. But yea, I hear ya 100%

[roylor4]

Bob,

Could I pick your brain a bit on the subject of volume?

There have been a few threads about speakers, volume levels and such lately. For me, I really enjoy the sound of a tube amp cranked with a bit of saturation. Loud to me may be over the top for others.

During practice last night, I busted out a DB meter I downloaded on my phone. My amp was peaking out between 85-92 dbs from about 6 ft away. That was using my Orange head through a 112 cab with compression and distortion engaged. Without that, it was around 80 give or take. The Orange was at about 20-25%% of it's volume capacity. It seemed like a good level without going berserk. I also simply sang at close to my peak (no mic, just me) and it hit 90 DB's. This was at home in my 200 sq ft living room.

What is your (and other more experienced folks) take on what a max DB level should be?

Not trying to derail your thread. Just trying to educate myself. I don't want to lose gigs for being too loud.

Thanks, Roy

[Arch Stanton]

No acoustic by itself is really too loud, but amplification can really blow you out. I hate loud ear-piercing, pounding music. Even when I was in my 20's, it was never fun if you couldn't hold a simple conversation and end up with ringing ears. I don't know why DJ's today THINK people like it loud. Background music is great, that's why it's background. I love listening to classical guitar, so pleasing to the ear's.

[Silly Moustache]

I've just written to a friend to apologise for my comments last night when attempting to play at a Jam (that I would normally avoid).

I have suffered obvious hearing loss and tinnitus for many years but, it seems that my cancer treatment in 2017 is now affecting both my balance and my hearing.

My trebles are all but gone, and my hyperacusis became problematic sitting next to a rather intrusive rhythm on his cheap guitar with old strings.

I cannot stand restaurants in "hard" rooms, and my wife knows where not to consider.

I booked two appointment for hearing tests next week, ad when I return to ENT for my quarterly check up, I aim to inform them of the damage.

Hearing aids just seem to make things louder rather than cleaner.

I would no longer consider performing for a non listening audience, I determined that some years ago, as I'm not into playing background music, but the way to do it, I long ago decided, was to perform at a lower level than to a listening audience in the hopes that some might actually attempt to listen.

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by rmp

There is a line with volume and a dinner crowd.

Easy fix: download a decibel meter on your smartphone. Call the manager over and show him your reading. As a general rule, anything over 85 dB is considered harmful.

And please consider posting critiques of noisy restaurants in such venues as Yelp.

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

I have suffered obvious hearing loss and tinnitus for many years but, it seems that my cancer treatment in 2017 is now affecting both my balance and my hearing.

Same here except for the year. (I went through radiation treatments in 2018, and am still going through hormone therapy for prostate cancer.)

Thank you for bringing this up. I don't think many restauranteurs are aware of the effects of loud noise on people with health problems.

[Big Band Guitar]

A better way would be to tell the manager "We are leaving because the music is too loud" then leave. We did just that once in a large chain restaurant.

[redir]

I hate that too. My wife and I probably would have just left the place. Sometimes you go to a small restaurant and they are setting up a PA system that could reach the back of a stadium when really they don't even need an amp for a room that size.

As a performer in my band it's the first thing I tell the sound guy, don't make us too loud!

[El Conquistador]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

I know we all moan about folks who complain about the levels but there are good reasons to keep 'em in check.

Bob

Easier said then done.

My little trio pays very close attention to our volume level's for the very reasons you cite. However, just last night at a local church's fellowship group's St. Paddy's celebration, we had people coming up to us asking us to turn down a little followed by people asking us to turn up a little. This went on all night.

Oh well, I guess on average, we were perfect. : )

Steve

[stephenT]

I do quite a few duo restaurant dates, first order of the gig is to not irritate the clientele.

You're background music, adjust!!!

[J Patrick]

Originally Posted by Big Band Guitar

A better way would be to tell the manager "We are leaving because the music is too loud" then leave. We did just that once in a large chain restaurant.

...how is that “better” than the way the OP handled the situation?...why walk away angry when an amicable solution is a real possibility?..I totally get leaving because the music is too loud...i’ve done it...it just seems like Bob and his wife’s practical approach to the situation was a win win and hopefully the performer learned a little something about volume control..

[Goat Mick]

Sometimes it's very difficult to balance performance volume to a venue. I play a lot of really quite rooms and the issue I have is getting the volume to where I can hear myself and stay on key, and still not overpower the room. I have noticed that I have a much more difficult time balancing this with my Fishman Performer than I do my Bose L1c. Now if I know it's going to be a really quiet room I always take the Bose.