Re: What to do when it's too loud

[fjm <2738540@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Paralell threads here.  I use custom moulded ear plugs, the brand is
ER.  Mine employ snap in filters, I mostly use the 25's but it's tough
to play in a band with the 25's in.  For playing out I'll use 15 dB but
my prefffered solution is to get the band to turn down.

Regarding Spah Dallas, my subjective opinion was that more than a few
bands were way too loud and that was very different from anything I've
experienced at Buckeye.  When I play live I generally don't care what
the sound person does with the house sound unless it's so loud I'm aware
of it on stage.  House and stage sound are very different.  It's hard to
know if the band is demanding increased house volume but I doubt it.  My
band recently opened for a national act.  We were out of state and at
the mercy of the sound guy.  It was way too loud in the house and I had
absolutely no control over that.  

Regarding Danny's question about who travels to spah with hearing
protection?  Sadly, I do.  I won't get on an airplane with out it. 
Everything around us is loud, traffic, movies, televisions.  It's a
modern epidemic and not at all limited to harmonica conventions. 
Stephen Schneider attributes the rise of volume in live music with the
advent of the electric bass amplifier.  Almost immediately the guitar
amps shift voicings to get out of the mud the electric bass adds.  It's
an ever upward spiral. Drummers switch to baseball bats for sticks.  I
have a picture of a 10 piece band, horns and a piano with drums and
upright bass.  The only 2 things mic'd are the bass and the vocal.  15
watt tube P.A.  The drummer's using brushes.   fjm