[Harp-L] Loud

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

This thread about loudness is intriguing. For every one of the 1330  
members, you will get 1330 responses. Many different angles will  
appear. Here are MY angles:

 Volume depends on a lot of scaps. Including (but not limited TO):
1. Type of venue (rest., bar, supper club)
2. Size of venue
3. Type music being played
4. Shape of venue
5. Age of crowd
6. Financial standing of crowd
7. Blah blah blah

Examples: Bert's Bar, Matlache, Fla. This place is rather small and  
intimate. It is an over the water bar on a pier with a relaxed  
fishing village feel. Jason Ricci has played there and was NOT too  
loud. Carrying on a conversation was easy. Almost everyone else who  
has played there IS loud. The place will fit 52 people (on the jam),  
and can overflow out onto the dock to add another 25 or so. It is  
shaped square and the sound gets absorbed by the wooden construction.  
Age of crowd is 36 avg. They are mostly blue collar. The music is  
'HOT blues'. The place was PACKED full.

Port Sanibel Marina (the Lighthouse), Sanibel, Fla. This place is an  
up-scale restaurant with a seating capacity of 115-120 dining room  
and 25 attached bar. (Outer deck will seat another 75-80). I have  
played there and we are SUBTLE. Age of crowd is 49 avg and they are  
mostly multi-income swells. They would prefer to be able to eat and  
talk without having to yell. The music is gentle jazz.

Recently played on a river boat in Europe. 158 pass, 53 crew. I  
played almost every evening. The forward lounge was 30 ft wide by 90  
ft long, so volume had to be kept down. There was a keyboard & guitar  
player (and sometimes me). The crowd was 64 avg and everyone but  
'mama Cass' and I were wealthy. They would have preferred to be able  
to talk over their 28-42 Euro ($40-60) bottles of wine. The music was  
American and European pop.

Blues Blow Off, Denver Colo. The bar was fairly large and square  
shaped. The music was 'Hot blues'. The crowd was 49 avg. Mostly blue  
collar. The volume was EXACTLY what was required. Not tame by any  
stretch but not too loud either. I am sensitive to loudness and I  
thought it was fine.

I DO have to agree with Frosty the Iceman in that outrageously loud  
volumes are for those who do not feel secure in their own position in  
the food chain and therefore have to make up for shortcomings by  
blasting the hell out of everyones auditory senses.

Loud is 'Loudsy'

smokey-joe