Problems with vocals being heard

Hi there!
I’m in a 4 peice named Oryan. www.oryantheband.com

We have a L1 MII with 2 BS modules and a T1.

We currently run my vocals and my acoustic guitar (occasionally the bass as well) through the L1.
Other guitar player uses a Soldano amp.

Our drummer is quite loud, so often we run into the problem of not being bale to get my vocals loud enough for bar gigs to be heard. I’ve read a lot on here and have taken a lot of suggestions.
I use a shure 58a for vocals, at about 6-9 feet away on average. Have the mic in a “reverse lemmy” position and angled off axis so not to point towards the L1. We usually have the T1 master at 2 o’clock to compete with the drummer.

We have a gig this weekend at the chance theater in poughkeepsie and will probably leave the L1 at home for that gig, seeing as it’s a decent sized venue and assume they have a decent enough PA.
But have used it in simlar situation before as a backline/monitor.

any suggestions would be great.

Does the drummer sit in the middle of the group? (I can’t tell from the photos on your web site.) If so, the number one suggestion by many bands is to put the drummer on one side of the band or the other – not in the middle. That helps everyone hear each other better.

re: ‘decent house system’ … not always a good assumption, particularly if the person running it is not the ‘best’. I’d take the L1 as your stage monitor, and let them use the house system to ‘fill’ as needed.

it depends on the venues. often we’re cramped with very little choice as to put the L1 so the whole band can hear it. but it’s always off to the side of the drummer and slightly back.

http://photos-a-3.ak.fbcdn.net…2457872_604064_n.jpg

http://photos-c-3.ak.fbcdn.net…457890_3859771_n.jpg

The one photo shows the drummer in the classic “in the middle” position – when you have room, try putting the drummer to the outside of the other three of you … and perhaps with the other guitar amp on the opposite side of the L1 (referring particularly to the 2nd picture you posted above). In other words, so that the drums are not directly behind the mic and the lead singer.

Is the drummer open to demonstrating he has the skill to play a bit quieter and still be quite “dynamic”?

quote:
Is the drummer open to demonstrating he has the skill to play a bit quieter and still by quite "dynamic"?

Thank you for finding the right way to ask that Dan.

ha! yeah it’s a bit of an ongoing battle. When I tell him I can’t turn the mic gain up more he grumps “I thought that thing was supposed to be feedback resistant”.

He’s a little young and has a bit of a “I have to rock out, my drums don’t sound right when I don’t hit them hard” mentality.

You also might suggest some of these:

Hot Rod Drumsticks

They will allow him to play with the same velocity while achieving a lower volume. And, there are a lot of “younger” drummers using them in unplugged type gigs. That may help him get past the “my drum god doesn’t use them,” which is a likely response. Wink

quote:
Originally posted by ryanmegan:
Hi there!
I'm in a 4 peice named Oryan. www.oryantheband.com

We have a L1 MII with 2 BS modules and a T1.

We currently run my vocals and my acoustic guitar (occasionally the bass as well) through the L1.
Other guitar player uses a Soldano amp.

Our drummer is quite loud, so often we run into the problem of not being bale to get my vocals loud enough for bar gigs to be heard. I've read a lot on here and have taken a lot of suggestions.
I use a shure 58a for vocals, at about 6-9 feet away on average. Have the mic in a "reverse lemmy" position and angled off axis so not to point towards the L1. We usually have the T1 master at 2 o'clock to compete with the drummer.

We have a gig this weekend at the chance theater in poughkeepsie and will probably leave the L1 at home for that gig, seeing as it's a decent sized venue and assume they have a decent enough PA.
But have used it in simlar situation before as a backline/monitor.

any suggestions would be great.


IMO, you need a microphone that is better at feedback rejection, yet gets super loud.

I've had the same mic as you. It's a sqealer, if you need loud ditch it.

I play in a rock/metal act and have gone through a few mics trying to find, "the one." I arrived at the, "EV 976," I think thats the name of it I can never remember, check some of my other posts on it.

IMO, the EV sounds better than the shure. A little different but better. It doesn't color the voice like the shure will.

The EV can get godawful loud and sounds great. I never have a problem getting loud enough, even when it isn't in an L1. If I cant bring my L1 I at least bring this mic and tell them to crank it.

When I can bring the L1's I've had my master at 3 AND my channel level at 3 with no feedback. That is super loud. Of course that is usually too loud for the vocals, but I have that headroom.

At practice in a garage, which is tigher and more prone to feedback our master level is at 11:30 and my vocal channel can again easily be up at 3 with no hint of feedback.
quote:
He's a little young and has a bit of a "I have to rock out, my drums don't sound right when I don't hit them hard" mentality.


Hi

Having been a percussionist for many years I can honestly tell you that most drummers are too hard on volume and too much "getting in the way" with fills. I think base players are in the same group as they "flood" the entire room and bury the groups mids and highs. It is amazing once dynamic's are forcefully imposed how much tighter and cleaner the group will sound. I know this is speaking to a deaf ear of most drummers. Buddy Rich once said that years ago when asked "how many musicians" are in your band the answer was' 15 musicians and a "drummer". Thank God that the years have raised "awareness of tasteful percussion. Hopefully the young drummer will "get it'.

AJ