I haven't played this loud since 1972...

[AnthonyD]

... said my lead guitarist as we rocked a local rehearsal studio last night trying out our new drummer!

Between this guy's kick drum and my Bongo (played through a SVT-3Pro on a 4x10 and 1x15), there was enough chest-thumping power to knock you over.

What does this mean to EBMM? Me and my Bongo are planning to get out more often - the Band is expanding our horizons. We're going from the Spring/Summer "season" of only playing outdoors to playing year-round where ever we're asked to provide the backdrop to a rock-n-roll dance party!

We're expecting to go from 5 gigs a year to playing about once a month and hoping to get hooked into corporate events in the future. We've got 50 songs in our catalog and looking for that number to be up near 75 by year end.

So why am I telling you this? 'Cause the wife is all "ho-hum" about it and I am so friggin' excited!





So, in all seriousness - what kind of ear protection should I be looking at?

 

[Spectre]

...
- what kind of ear protection should I be looking at?

WHAT!!!!

First, congrats on your band ramping up.

I personally keep some foams in my gig bag.

 

[phatduckk]

my band plays loud as hell. i should look into those ear plug things some day

 

[Psycho Ward]

Be Loud! Be Proud! *in my best drunken Irish accent*

Anthony, I'll dig you up some info on the ER-25's, that's what I use.

 

[Aussie Mark]

So, in all seriousness - what kind of ear protection should I be looking at?

None, if all band members address the stage volume issue with the right attitude

 

[MingusBASS]

None, if all band members address the stage volume issue with the right attitude

There's nothing that says rock 'n roll like the right attitude and a reasonable stage volume.

 

[oddjob]

Emtech 15s (they make a 25 version too) like them much better than foamies - things don't sound muffled... now if I would just remember to put them in

 

[oddjob]

... said my lead guitarist as we rocked a local rehearsal studio last night trying out our new drummer!

Between this guy's kick drum and my Bongo (played through a SVT-3Pro on a 4x10 and 1x15), there was enough chest-thumping power to knock you over.

What does this mean to EBMM? Me and my Bongo are planning to get out more often - the Band is expanding our horizons. We're going from the Spring/Summer "season" of only playing outdoors to playing year-round where ever we're asked to provide the backdrop to a rock-n-roll dance party!

We're expecting to go from 5 gigs a year to playing about once a month and hoping to get hooked into corporate events in the future. We've got 50 songs in our catalog and looking for that number to be up near 75 by year end.

So why am I telling you this? 'Cause the wife is all "ho-hum" about it and I am so friggin' excited!





So, in all seriousness - what kind of ear protection should I be looking at?

BTW, ear plugs aside, congrats on the move forward. Wives sometimes don't understand how big a deal this is... she'll learn. Good stuff though!

 

[AnthonyD]

Thanks guys...

I'm a "high-volume" fan - I like to feel a bit of sound pressure when we're rocking.

But in a small rehearsal room for three hours it gets to be too much!

The drummer we're working with is excellent - might even say he's phenomenal. He's handled the variety of our catalog very well and his timing is excellent. Believe me, we've tried a few and I've got no patience for a guy with shifty timing after working with a drum machine for so long. This guy, though, is right on.

But he is so damn loud - you'd never know to look at him. Smallish, slight, plays really relaxed, but every hit is like a friggin' explosion. His kick drum is like a canon shot. You'd think he was 6'4", 275lbs of animal behind the kit. He barely broke a sweat.

Loud or not, we're liking this guys playing and we'll know for sure in the coming weeks if he's the right fit.

And I could definitely use some hearing protection for the studio.

 

[oddjob]

The drums won't kill your ears... the cymbals will - anything to take the sizzle of of them

 

[roburado]

These are what I wear for concert-going.

http://www.westone.com/index.php?load=catalog&page=ety&group_id=ETYM

I suppose they would be a good place to start.

 

[phatduckk]

long and loud session do kill. an old band of mine was just ungodly loud and we'd practice 3 hrs 4 times a week. after just about every session we'd all feel like we were sick. quieter sessions never made me feel that way.

also re: the wife thing. well, im stoked for you buddy! i know how it is. im not married but my sisters and most friends are "over it" and no matter what my band's accomplisged they dont bother. ive been in bands long enough where they just dont care

 

[oli@bass]

But he is so damn loud - you'd never know to look at him. Smallish, slight, plays really relaxed, but every hit is like a friggin' explosion. His kick drum is like a canon shot. You'd think he was 6'4", 275lbs of animal behind the kit. He barely broke a sweat.

Seems he has a great technique. Congratulations on the drummer!!!

And about that hearing protection... I wonder myself...

 

[AnthonyD]

lalso re: the wife thing. well, im stoked for you buddy! i know how it is. im not married but my sisters and most friends are "over it" and no matter what my band's accomplisged they dont bother. ive been in bands long enough where they just dont care

Thanks man. My wife is my biggest fan and very supportive of my "obsessions" - she just can't handle my over-the-top excitement with some of this stuff.

And thanks for the info/links re: ear plugs - will definitely be checking them out!

 

[tkarter]

Yeah, with hearing protection you can really let the Bongo go!!

tk

 

[Dr Stankface]

If you guys are running a PA or playing smaller venues, drum shields are amazing.

 

[AnthonyD]

None, if all band members address the stage volume issue with the right attitude

If you guys are running a PA or playing smaller venues, drum shields are amazing.

Our biggest crowds are 200-300 for now and our PA is primarily vocals. For now we're running old school, so the stage volume is the house volume.

We're slowly working our way into bigger opportunities and adding a drummer is a step in that direction. We'll be looking for keys next (6 months?) and then we're really cooking!

I'd love to get to the point where we're regularly using a full-on "house" PA - drum shield recommendation noted!