How loud do pros set the masters on their amps live?

rabies

New member
The manager at the studio I practice at in Burbank says that I play louder than anybody else in that studio (I'm not in a band I typically play along with iPhone/PA).

I set the master on my 120 watt Rivera to 3 and the master on my 40 watt Marshall to 2-3. 212 plus a combo. So 3 total 12's.

How loud do the pros crank live? Tube amps need to be at least around 2 in my experience to sound half-decent...
 
rabies":1p33hbw0 said:
The manager at the studio I practice at in Burbank says that I play louder than anybody else in that studio (I'm not in a band I typically play along with iPhone/PA).

I set the master on my 120 watt Rivera to 3 and the master on my 40 watt Marshall to 2-3. 212 plus a combo. So 3 total 12's.

How loud do the pros crank live? Tube amps need to be at least around 2 in my experience to sound half-decent...

What does "2" or "3" mean? 2:00 as in two o'clock? Or 2 as in... 2 out of 10?
 
FourT6and2":6ol9u4cw said:
rabies":6ol9u4cw said:
The manager at the studio I practice at in Burbank says that I play louder than anybody else in that studio (I'm not in a band I typically play along with iPhone/PA).

I set the master on my 120 watt Rivera to 3 and the master on my 40 watt Marshall to 2-3. 212 plus a combo. So 3 total 12's.

How loud do the pros crank live? Tube amps need to be at least around 2 in my experience to sound half-decent...

What does "2" or "3" mean? 2:00 as in two o'clock? Or 2 as in... 2 out of 10?

2 out of 10.
 
FourT6and2":2kggrzhw said:
What does "2" or "3" mean? 2:00 as in two o'clock? Or 2 as in... 2 out of 10?

this ... although either way on the rivera is still loud as hell :LOL: :LOL:

I remember reading zakk wylde say once that ozzy threw water on the desk during a show so the PA went out (and monitors) so all you could hear was the backline and he said you could almost here a pin drop on stage....so I take it not wickedly loud..unless you're tony iommi back in the day, then its was VERY LOUD :LOL: :LOL:
 
rabies":3av0gkt8 said:


Don't tell me @ 3:48 it's not very loud on stage. This song is heavy as shit.

Great vid, I really enjoyed that. That said, doesn't really provide any context to the question in the thread because what you are hearing there is coming out of the monitors. For all you know he has one randall set to 2 back stage in an iso cab ....
 
sytharnia1560":kggmi3ss said:
I remember reading zakk wylde say once that ozzy threw water on the desk during a show so the PA went out (and monitors) so all you could hear was the backline and he said you could almost here a pin drop on stage....so I take it not wickedly loud..unless you're tony iommi back in the day, then its was VERY LOUD :LOL: :LOL:

So what's the story about ZW repeatedly blowing out speakers and needing to switch to 300w EVs?
I never believed that BS anyway
 
It's all bullshit because we know the basics of live mixes is that you want to be able to control all the instruments. No way you'd have these guys cranking 3 amps on stage if you had your way as a sound guy.
 
I also saw a STP interview where they all stated they play too damn loud and tried to turn down to no avail in the past....
 
the band i used to play in mic'd the vocals and drums to raise the levels on bass and guitars and compete volume-wise. so is this how these guys rehearse or just quietly? I can't imagine hard rock and metal acts rehears quietly, seems too dork.
 
Well bands that use old non-marshall volume amps like JMPs and such have to crank 'em to give up the goods. I don't know about bands that play small clubs and bars. But stadiums and huge arenas... I don't see it being a problem.
 
I believe that some of the big guys have 4x12's inside isolation box's, I'm no expert but I assume that you can have it as loud as you want that way

I run the masters on my 150 watt mesa/120 watt VHT at 12 o'clock at home :LOL: :LOL: :rock:
 
RACKSYSTEMS":galntqe0 said:
Well Steve Stevens master is at about 6. Most guys I have delt with are around 4 to 6.
I'm guessing he controls his vol w/the channel volumes?
 
i'm no pro.. but i did wind up getting a dsl 40c after a couple of gigs with my dsl 100. couldn't get the masters past 2 1/2 on the 100 with a 4x12 without blowing the rest of the guys off the stage and pissing off the club owners. the 1960 b cab is beamy as well. a long throw cab in a small club didn't work real well for me. i like to run the masters at about 4-6 and make the power section work. can't stand the sound of an amp with the pre-amp dimed and the power section on idle. :thumbsdown: :LOL: :LOL:
i could have done a lot of different things to even out the volume.. spin the cab around.. put it off to one side.. use a different cab.. attenuator.. pull tubes.. etc.. but wound up choosing a lower wattage and an open back cab. i can still add extensions if i want.. and i'm sure it will be better for club gigs. pissed off club owners aren't good for business. :)
 
RACKSYSTEMS":4npbjji0 said:
Well Steve Stevens master is at about 6. Most guys I have delt with are around 4 to 6.

what size venues are you referring to in general for that comment? that's how loud (or louder!) I used to crank a TSL100 + 412 and it was stupid loud with EMGs in the back of a tattoo shop...
 
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