Re: [Harp-L] Stupid volumes and egos

["Rick Dempster" <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

If it has to played at a painful volume level, then the content amounts
to nothing more than 'we're louder than everything else so you have to
listen to us'. This has as much to do with music as rape has to do with
sex.
I play in a little four piece that is notable for low volume levels.
The other night I had a bloke come up to me and said he couldn't hear
me. We've taped the band from all over the room on portable cassette
recorders, and it's all there.
The majority of people don't 'listen' to music much these days, in my
opinion. It has become wallpaper for the mind. If it's not right in
their face, they don't feel as if they're experiencing anything. I
suspect we often listen to music recorded fifty or more years ago at
louder volumes than it was recorded or played live at. A look at the
power of PAs used in the past, and onstage practices (did anyone put
their amp through the PA in 1956? I doubt it.)
Heavy rockgenerally  doesn't sound impressive at low volume; what does
that say?
RD

>>> "Dave R. Fertig" <drfertig@xxxxxxxxx> 12/06/2006 1:24 >>>
At 02:41 AM 6/11/2006, you wrote:
>half the guys up there playing were wearing ear plugs while they
played.

"With all due respect," that's just stupid.  Send these guys out 
hunting with Dick Cheney.   Darwin, do your stuff.

Was the host drunk-deaf?  Did anyone stop and beg "enuff!"?

I think the Volume Vampire is often alcohol-fueled, as it dulls the 
hearing.  And of course Vvlad (enter name of your favorite 
Marshall-stacked-plank-spanker/rock-drummer/screaming front-person 
here) has some culpability in egging on rock-hero-posers into 
fantasies of arena shows full of nubile groupies pawing at your feet 
. . . I digress, hmmm, wait a moment please . . .

BUT after all pleading and threats fail, there is a tack that's 
worked at jams which I co-host, such as Elmtree jams:  I simply 
unplug and say if ya can't hear me acoustic, turn down.  It works for 
a song or two, more if others unplug too.

And sometimes (when the drummer hasn't a soft touch?) I give the 
drummer a set of brushes,  even hide the sticks!   And just don't 
invite back the ear-impalers.

Hey, some of my best friends play rock n' roll . . .

-Dave Fertig 
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