How to deal with absurd loudness in clubs while performing?

General Chat // Music Discussion
Post Reply
User avatar
Constructs
Exampleless
Posts: 37
Joined: Sat Jan 16, 2016 1:23 am
How to deal with absurd loudness in clubs while performing?

Post by Constructs »

Question for those that are performing techno gigs, is it usually insanely loud in the booth? Do you wear hearing protection? DJ headphones on over your hearing protection?

My 2 favorite clubs in San Francisco, The Midway and F8 have Funktion 1 rigs, holy shit does it get loud in there. When I saw Ansome at F8 I was almost being pushed against a wall from the bass, same with the AYLI 7 year at The Midway, when Black Madonna played I felt like I'd go deaf in 5 seconds without my hearing protection. I haven't actually metered the DB levels at shows like this but my body tells me there is no way it's safe.

I can't imagine it's comfortable in the booth with levels this high, when I go to shows I always bring listening protection. In the future I plan on playing shows in places like this, I do not want to go deaf in the slightest, my job requires me to have good hearing.

User avatar
Lost to the Void
subsekt
subsekt
Posts: 13518
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:31 pm
Re: How to deal with absurd loudness in clubs while performi

Post by Lost to the Void »

I always turn booth monitors down\off and monitor from the soundsystem or via in ear monitors. And I always wear ear protection.
Mastering Engineer @ Black Monolith Studio
New Shit
Techno is dead. Long live Techno.

User avatar
Constructs
Exampleless
Posts: 37
Joined: Sat Jan 16, 2016 1:23 am
Re: How to deal with absurd loudness in clubs while performi

Post by Constructs »

Good to know, I'm using Traktor to DJ right now so I use headphones to listen to Cue. Seems like it might be kind of weird to wear headphones over my protection but as long as I can hear the PA mix and Cue mix clearly without my head exploding I'll be happy.

In some clubs like F8 I imagine it would just sound like rumbles in the booth without monitors. I feel bad for the attendees without protection, a lot of times the main act is uncomfortably loud. I suppose when I start playing I'll bring my meter the booth and adjust hearing protection to be at a sane DB level.

WTF is with clubs cranking it so loud, holy fucking wank m8.

User avatar
Lost to the Void
subsekt
subsekt
Posts: 13518
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:31 pm
Re: How to deal with absurd loudness in clubs while performi

Post by Lost to the Void »

I like it loud enough sonyour eyeballs vibrate on the dancefloor, it just has to be setup properly so it isn't harsh.
Which is rare in clubland.


When I use to DJ I did it entirely in headphones, never used monitors..
Mastering Engineer @ Black Monolith Studio
New Shit
Techno is dead. Long live Techno.

User avatar
[wesellboxes]
Q33 NY
Posts: 534
Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2017 1:29 pm
Contact:
Re: How to deal with absurd loudness in clubs while performi

Post by [wesellboxes] »

Constructs wrote:WTF is with clubs cranking it so loud, holy fucking wank m8.
Possibilities:
No thought put into sound quality by the venue owner
Sound system not fit for purpose
No or inexperienced engineer
People drink more when the music is louder
Amateur DJ - if you're not redlining, then you're not headlining

User avatar
Plyphon
endless
Posts: 652
Joined: Sat Nov 02, 2013 10:06 pm
Re: How to deal with absurd loudness in clubs while performi

Post by Plyphon »

Usually there is a booth control, turn it down my dude!

User avatar
WOLF!
Grand
Posts: 664
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2015 6:05 pm
Location: Belgium, Gent
Re: How to deal with absurd loudness in clubs while performi

Post by WOLF! »

Lost to the Void wrote:it just has to be setup properly so it isn't harsh.
Most harsh systems I've heard over here are F1... .

User avatar
Lost to the Void
subsekt
subsekt
Posts: 13518
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:31 pm
Re: How to deal with absurd loudness in clubs while performi

Post by Lost to the Void »

WOLF! wrote:
Lost to the Void wrote:it just has to be setup properly so it isn't harsh.
Most harsh systems I've heard over here are F1... .
No surprise there.
Mastering Engineer @ Black Monolith Studio
New Shit
Techno is dead. Long live Techno.

User avatar
Constructs
Exampleless
Posts: 37
Joined: Sat Jan 16, 2016 1:23 am
Re: How to deal with absurd loudness in clubs while performi

Post by Constructs »

I spoke briefly with The Black Madonna on this issue and she recommended Sensaphonics hearing protection, she typically DJs with turn tables and headphones, likely listens to main mix in her booth feed and cue in headphones.

I guess knowing my protections DB reduction and monitoring my booth with a DB meter is my best bet to avoid catastrophic head explosion from the nutcases running F1 systems in SF.

I've never metered a club before, would be interesting to see just how loud these cheeky cunts crank it, for all I know could be 110db and even 15db reduction plugs won't save me :(

User avatar
Mattias
subsekt
subsekt
Posts: 3413
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2012 4:19 pm
Location: Sweden
Contact:
Re: How to deal with absurd loudness in clubs while performi

Post by Mattias »

Yeah attenuating the monitoring system and proper earplugs.
It's so troublesome when playing turntable or CD when it's too loud. This summer I played at a nice venue where everything was super beside that the stage was placed in a corner.
The bass that built up there made it impossible to play. Had to trainwreck many mixes due to keeping my ears safe in my cans.
Music Page: http://www.facebook.com/Mattias.Fridell.Music
Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/fridell
Sample packs: http://mfsamples.bandcamp.com

Contention / 005

User avatar
ZenoSupreme
arsehole
Posts: 305
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 9:01 pm
Re: How to deal with absurd loudness in clubs while performi

Post by ZenoSupreme »

I also played at a gig where I was placed in the corner, it's a living hell out there for dj'ing. I had a mixer that could switch between que and master mix, so when mixing in the track I switched my headphones to master mix. This way I could hear on my headphones what was going on on the floor...

@OP: like it's said before; turn down volume of the boot out...


Post Reply