Grateful Dead Music Forum

Is it me, or does Mattson need to be way louder??? Solo's usually are at an "ehhhh" volume, and any licks during verses or choruses go pretty much unheard unless you're just watching and listening for him.

Doesn't seem to be a problem when I listen on the Archive, only when I'm there live

I agree but I think its because of the in ear monitors. They hear what sounds great to them onstage. I could be wrong in fact Im not sure JM even uses them. I just suspect that when I see them I want the whole band to be louder but thats me.

Just a note, I felt this way about the GD too!!!!

In venues the size they play it always depends on how much reinforcement the instruments need and where you are standing.

Last I saw them he had an SMS + 400 watts poweramp + a pair K's.

If he's cranking that volume and pointed towards the soundboard he isn't gonna get much reinforcement and you won't hear him clearly unless you are in a good line of sight.

ah, so if he's loud, the sound guy is just lowering his house volume?

dleonard wrote:ah, so if he's loud, the sound guy is just lowering his house volume?

More or less. The term is "sound reinforcement" and it implies only putting instruments "into the mains" that actually need reinforcement.

This is why many of us opt for smaller amps and less speakers. Not only does it please soundguys for not blasting off the front of the stage but it also allows them to put more of you into the mains and therefore every member of the band is represented thru the mains and everything sounds much better in all corners of the room.

When 1 guy or 2 is blasting away from the stage the soundguy will only put the other instruments thru the mains or maybe just a smidge or the loud dudes. This will sound fine at the SBD, fine on stage, fine, to the folks between the SBD and stage. But everyone else will hear off-levels which is what I theorize is happening here.

That's why I stopped wasting my time with DSO. Mattson is semi-quiet, but it has to do more with the Bobby guy (can't think of his name at the moment) just being way to fucking loud. It wouldn't be a problem if they played big places, but they don't. They play small clubs, where the actual PA volume isn't louder than the stage sound.

DSO Bobby= Rob Eaton
Personally I think he ROCKS. By far the best "bobby" out there.

Since this has been brought around again....JK had the same amount of power on stage, yet his volume or presence was always good. You have to really pay attention now to hear Mattson.

Agree, Eaton has a Mesa power amp. Both of there current rigs shouldnt be too far off volume wise. Mattson just needs to turn up. You cant deny his playing he is fantastic and has been on the scene for more than 25 years. I just saying its not like he doesnt know. Must have to be Band dynamics.

for sure...he's great, but I just wish I could hear him better.

I went to DSO last night (Denver) and I thought the sound/mix was just fine... It my first time seeing them. I really enjoyed it.

I'm pissed that Portland got bogarted on the Mattson O. Now we have to wait til friggin' April.

jdsmodulus wrote:DSO Bobby= Rob Eaton
Personally I think he ROCKS. By far the best "bobby" out there.

+1

jdsmodulus wrote:Agree, Eaton has a Mesa power amp. Both of there current rigs shouldnt be too far off volume wise. Mattson just needs to turn up. You cant deny his playing he is fantastic and has been on the scene for more than 25 years. I just saying its not like he doesnt know. Must have to be Band dynamics.

Sometimes the best way to get someone to turn down in the band, is for others to play quieter. maybe he(MATT) has a mission for stage volume overall and refuses to play volume wars. but on the other hand, If it is hard to hear in the crowd middle rows/back rows, that's the FOH guys screwing up. I know I have had conversations with bandmates about turning down, and by the end of the next song its back up again. I have found personally, when I turn down or refuse to turn up to compensate, the others seem to realize the volume increase and bring it down naturally since the lead is supposed to be out front in the mix a lot. that's Just a random thought.... I think its more the FOH guy at that level performance though.... Do they use in ear monitoring?

just saw a vid of DSO. It had some nice camera angles of the band. I noticed a few things thought we could discuss.
1- JM has a "new" master volume/output rack box? Mystery here...looks homeade. Sarno?
2- All 3 guitar rigs have been moved out of the way of the drummers. Cabs are in pretty much the same place. (JM HT cab has been upside down on this tour?)
3- There seems to be some egg crate baffles added behid both RE and JM HT cab stacks? Recording Live maybe? New approach?
4- Lisa has removed those God Awful headphones...maybe they are trying to let her hear better?

In the end they sound better than ever Im starting to hear KR (Bass) more and more each show. I saw 3 shows on the last tour and I must say they took the ball back!