[Wandatime]

My friends laugh at me because when the loud music starts I'm whipping out my ear plugs (or stuffing toilet paper in my ears because I forgot my earplugs). No big whoop.

[Jimturner]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

Those of us with acute hearing need to wear earplugs in movie theaters. I find the movie commercials especially loud.
I know there are many people who are hard of hearing, and I realize they need the volume higher so they can enjoy the movie.
I don't mind using ear plugs at all.

Yes yes yes. It would be very selfish to ask them to turn it down to your liking when most like music load and you can dampen the sound with ear plugs, but the rest have no way to turn it up. The few should adapt to the majority. Just sayin

[hulahips]

I do find at movie theaters, they blast the coming attractions. As if that will make you want to see the movie. Same on the TV. They blast some commercials as if that will make us purchase the product. It just backfires on them as we mute it or better yet tape it and then don't have to watch any commercials

Do understand the OP's frustration on bands. It is true often they are so loud you can't carry on conversation with others at your table. We have had to leave a few events because of volume. Putting in ear plugs won't help if trying to hear others at your table. At a concert they probably work better

[VApeople]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

Some people want to sit and have a conversation. They shouldn't go where there is live music.

I agree totally. If people are planning a function where they expect people to want to have a conversation (like our son's wedding reception or our 50-year high school reunion) they should not have live music.

Once the live music starts, I'm gone. I find earplugs very uncomfortable.

[bob47]

I appreciate the various observations on this issue, both on Talk Of The Villages and from our friends. We've got a few takeaways from this whole thing.

- Whenever we go to a live performance, we will be bringing foam ear plugs;
- In a social setting like a wedding reception, party, or restaurant, a lot of folks don't like music so loud that it impedes conversation;
- A surprising number of folks don't mind being exposed to music so loud that, were it an industrial setting, OSHA would require hearing protection;
- The Orange Blossom Opry is pleased to receive feedback from their patrons and wishes to provide an excellent experience;
- The recent performance by the New Horizon Band at the Savannah was performed without any amplification (except for the announcer) and received a lot of compliments, even though it was done "au natural";
- A number of folks have been to performances that they found too loud, but nobody remarked about a performance they found too soft;
- It is common that performers don't know how loud the performance is to the audience.

Again, thanks for your comments.

[Cisco Kid]

What ?

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by bob47

I appreciate the various observations on this issue, both on Talk Of The Villages and from our friends. We've got a few takeaways from this whole thing.

- Whenever we go to a live performance, we will be bringing foam ear plugs;
- In a social setting like a wedding reception, party, or restaurant, a lot of folks don't like music so loud that it impedes conversation;
- A surprising number of folks don't mind being exposed to music so loud that, were it an industrial setting, OSHA would require hearing protection;
- The Orange Blossom Opry is pleased to receive feedback from their patrons and wishes to provide an excellent experience;
- The recent performance by the New Horizon Band at the Savannah was performed without any amplification (except for the announcer) and received a lot of compliments, even though it was done "au natural";
- A number of folks have been to performances that they found too loud, but nobody remarked about a performance they found too soft;
- It is common that performers don't know how loud the performance is to the audience.

Again, thanks for your comments.

The problem with feedback is that you only hear the complaints. People who are happy with the volume are not going to tell you that.

I've played many gigs where 99% of the people are up dancing and having a good time and we get approached by the management because two or three people complained.

As a performer, I am very aware and concerned about the sound in the audience. That is why we have sound checks. That is why during the night we'll get the opinions of several people in various sections of the room. Most of the time we hear that it's perfect. Yet even after hearing from several people that the sound level is good, we'll get someone come up and complain that it's too loud. Should we adjust our sound for the small percentage of people that complain?

Ear plugs are an excellent idea. In fact they can in some instances block out the music and allow you to hear conversations better.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by VApeople

I agree totally. If people are planning a function where they expect people to want to have a conversation (like our son's wedding reception or our 50-year high school reunion) they should not have live music.

Once the live music starts, I'm gone. I find earplugs very uncomfortable.

And most of the time, these kinds of events have time for conversation and eating before the music starts. When the music starts people want to dance and have a good time. People need to realize that and shouldn't think that they are going to control the entire audience because of their overly sensitive hearing.

Sorry that ear plugs are uncomfortable for you. There are several different types available including soft foam. If it's a big issue for you, you can look into having custom fit earplugs made for you.

[Jimbobaby]

I am a musician and I play in a loud rock and roll band. What many people don't realize is that the band onstage does not hear the sound the same way as the audience does. We have some form of a monitor that allows us to hear the other members of the band without being too loud or deal with feedback from the instruments. If a band is too loud, it is because of the sound man that's running the show. He is the one that controls the volume that the audience hears. Complaining to the sound man doesn't stop the problem because he thinks that he's doing a great job and you don't know what you're talking about.

Let the manager or owner know that the PA is too loud. Many people will say the band is too loud or the drummer is too loud or the guitar is too loud. The fact is that all these instruments are going through the PA and it is the PA that is too loud.
Telling the owner that the band is too loud only hurts the hard working musicians. I always welcome constructive criticism but please be considerate and polite. It will go a lot further to resolve the problem. If you really want faster results try telling the band that the sound man should take it down a notch or two and then let the band tell the sound man what they want him to do. Any band that wants to gig will try to give the people what they want.
If you think that musicians have egos than you have never met a sound man. Oh and by the way, I am also a sound man when I don't have a gig to play.

[burky]

Right on bob47. I strongly disagree with the "stop trying to change the world to fit into your narrow parameters. Ggggeeeezzzz."comment which is not representative of the vast majority of people I know.

Unless one is almost totally deaf, softer music is still very enjoyable but on the flip side of the coin, no one should be subjected to ear damaging, or painful sound levels. Worse the high sound pressure levels distort the music. Where is the pleasure of that?

You have hit on the most often expressed comment I run across in music venues (unless you are a rock or heavy metal concert goer). Especially at restaurants. Trying to talk to others at your table when you have to practically yell is very irritating. The music should be in the back ground and not be the dominating presence.

Maybe more of us should complain to venue management. It seems to me that hard of hearing people should get hearing aids and OK hearing folks should not have to carry cotton balls in their pockets.

Just sayin'

[TandHSTAR@AOL.com]

Originally Posted by Jimturner

You can wear ear plugs to tone down music, but the vast majority of people that want it loud cannot turn up the music.
I would suggest carrying a set of ear plugs every where you go and stop trying to change the world to fit into your narrow parameters. Ggggeeeezzzz.

Narrow Parameter?? I took my 14 yr old grandson last summer to Savannah, even he thought it was loud to the point where he asked if we could leave because it was hurting his ears.

[IrisB52]

"The problem with feedback is that you only hear the complaints. People who are happy with the volume are not going to tell you that.

I've played many gigs where 99% of the people are up dancing and having a good time and we get approached by the management because two or three people complained. "

The truth be told, very few people complain because the rest feel there is no point. More people are bothered by the loudness than you realize, probably more than those who are pleased with the sound level.

My husband was always in a band and it was my job to be all around the room to hear the sound and adjust, if necessary. Rarely did the volume needed to be upped.

Back in the 60's/70's hubby and I went to the Fillmore to see/hear a Canned Heat and Iron Butterfly concert. It was so loud, it was just noise to me. Everything was distorted, it was no longer music. Don't ask me how I did it, but I managed to sleep through most of the concert.

[bluedog103]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

I play in a band and volume is always a concern. We often have someone complaining that we are too loud because they can't carry on a conversation while we are playing. To those people, I say that if you want to have conversations, don't go to places where there is live music unless it is a guy sitting in the corner with an acoustic guitar playing background music.

We had some people that were interested in hiring us come to a gig to hear us. One of them asked, "Do they always play this loud?". We heard that and asked many of the people who were at that gig what they thought and not one of them thought we were too loud.

Most people at our gigs like to dance and very few have ever complained about our volume.

We did do a few gigs at a country club where the owner or manager kept coming over and complaining that we were too loud. Of course it was one or two people who want to have a conversation. The thirty or so people that were up dancing loved it. We don't play that place any more because frankly we are not interested in being harassed while we are trying to entertain your clientele.

I frequently attend meetings of acoustic guitar clubs. I've seen a woman at several of them who has walked out because she thought it was too loud. I'm thinking that she must have incredibly sensitive ears because I can't imagine that a room full of acoustic guitars is too loud. At these clubs I basically can only hear myself because the sound of my guitar so close to me blots out all the rest of the guitars in the club.

Some people want to sit and have a conversation. They shouldn't go where there is live music. Some people have overly sensitive ears. They shouldn't go where there is live music. And yes, most musicians, especially those in our age group have some degree of hearing loss. That is why we have sound engineers who tell us what sounds good and what doesn't.

Having said that, I've been to a few concerts in large venues where the volume was just too much. But of the hundreds of concerts I've been to I can only remember one or two where the volume was uncomfortable.

Thanks Doc for a voice of experience. I find it extremely annoying when audience members attempt to carry on a conversation when I'm trying to listen to the performers onstage. It happened recently at a Rocky & Rollers show at the Savannah center when the couple behind us were shouting to each other during the music. I got them quieted down but it should not have happened.

[bluedog103]

Originally Posted by burky

Right on bob47. I strongly disagree with the "stop trying to change the world to fit into your narrow parameters. Ggggeeeezzzz."comment which is not representative of the vast majority of people I know.

Unless one is almost totally deaf, softer music is still very enjoyable but on the flip side of the coin, no one should be subjected to ear damaging, or painful sound levels. Worse the high sound pressure levels distort the music. Where is the pleasure of that?

You have hit on the most often expressed comment I run across in music venues (unless you are a rock or heavy metal concert goer). Especially at restaurants. Trying to talk to others at your table when you have to practically yell is very irritating. The music should be in the back ground and not be the dominating presence.

Maybe more of us should complain to venue management. It seems to me that hard of hearing people should get hearing aids and OK hearing folks should not have to carry cotton balls in their pockets.

Just sayin'

Really, you think the music I paid to hear should be in the background so you can have a conversation? I laid out my money to hear the musicians, not you. Chat before, after and during breaks, not during the performance.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Did a gig last night and while we were setting up, a woman came up to the stage and said, "I hope you guys aren't going to play too loud." I really wanted to fold up my stuff and leave.

Often when that's the first comment that you hear, you spend the rest of the night getting yelled at by someone because one to two people complained that the music is too loud. Fortunately that didn't happen last night. It was a great crowd. We played quietly while they were in line at the buffet and while they were eating. After the meal people started dancing and the volume went up a bit and everyone seemed to love it.

What was helpful is that we knew what to expect going in. Years ago I played drums in a classic country band. We had a regular gig at a small restaurant/bar. Our instruction were that the volume had to be such that the people sitting next to the band could carry on a conversation. I brought a 16" bass drum (standard is 22") a snare, and hit hat and I played with brushes. That was easy. But when you have a crowd that wants to dance and you've got a few people that want to sit at a table and have a conversation, you'll hear complaints all night from the small minority.

I played a country club a few years ago. Again, quiet dinner music during dinner and a bit louder for dancing after the meal. We got complaints all night long that the people in the next room were complaining about the music. There were thirty or forty people dancing and having a great time in front of us. During the break, I went into the room where the people were complaining. There were four people nursing beers. Why the manager was so concerned about those four people and didn't see that we were making the majority of his people happy is beyond me.