How Loud is Too Loud? 

My tech director and I often focus more on harsher tones / sounds when getting the mix right. It's often distortion in guitars, synth, tracks, or a ringing snare that bothers people than overall volume. We do pay attention to SPL too, but if you are just trying to keep things under a certain level you'll often kill the energy of a mix.

Good word! When I was in a Marine Corps field band, we averaged 110 dB at about the point blank area in the front of the band with 135 dB spikes. I learned how to manipulate those little bones in my ear to protect my hearing (kind of like when your hearing bugs out as you yawn), so I left the Marines with little to no hearing loss (although I have a touch of tinitis at my age). At church, I have a standard that fits within a nice pocket. If I measure about 82 dB at the sound board, that ensures I'm filling the room with sound and still allowing the congregation to hear each other sing. That's a sweet spot that allows the music to encourage worship without taking away the encouragement that comes from hearing people around you sing. I get compliments on that from young and old alike, and I take it as a compliment when the pastor says that he loves the way our congregation sings, even when we have choir, praise team, rhythm section, small orchestra, digital pipe organ, all going at once. So that 82 decibels is the magic number for my room.

I would like some numbers to compare though. I did use a-weighted slow but somehow it didn't really work. Now I just use the standard setting of c-weighted fast because that's how the spl meter is when I fire it up and that makes it more attractive to use instead of first having to fiddle with it during a performance. For me it's more of a reference to previous services. I know where I should start and end up to have a nice build-up. But it doesn't feel like it has anything to do with ear protection. I like to mix as quiet as the drummer will allow. So that's the bottleneck anyway. Not the fader.

Thanks James. I really appreciate your clear explanation of how to use a SPL meter. I know there's variation in sound levels between churches, a general rule of thumb for me is that regardless of SPL, it is too loud if you can't hear yourself or the congregation sing. Worship is first and foremost a congregational event.

I also use a drum kit to determine overall sound levels. I'm building a good mix around drum kit. Especially around snare, because that's usually the loudest natural instrument. And if needed, I can go louder. This method works best in smaller venues tho. I often use mutes to check how much I'm boosting guitars, snare etc. Logic tictates that loud instruments doesnt need much boosting. If anything at all. I usually try to mix as soft as I can but it gotta have some bass and energy going on. Kinda loud in the front, chill in the back.

For about 10 years, I mixed for a choral and brass band concert in a school cafeteria for a Spring and December concerts. The band would be typically 85 dB while the choral group would be typically 75 dB. (Checked with a calibrated sound meter.) It was interesting when the band and chorus would perform songs together - especially when initially, the band was on stage behind the chorus. I mix for community events that have various performers under a tent. The tent's acoustics would reflect the sound within the tent. As the sound level increases of 85 dB, people would start to leave the tent area. I learned to treat the tent as "the stage" and placed the FOH speakers outside of the tent. I spent several years working for my Uncle Sam in the early '70s listening to single sideband radio for 8-hour duty shifts. Plus all of the other noises, my hearing has prematurely reached its genetic limits. Tinnitus since 1996 and loss of frequencies above 4 kHz. Fortunately present level of hearing aid technology restores the higher frequencies. My audiologist knows that I run sound for local community events and helps to fine tune the hearing aids to my needs. But the tinnitus does not go away. So protect your ears today!

You are the best teacher thank you so much sir.

Thank you.

I usually mix peaking around 86dB. It helps to have an older congregation who doesn’t mind having it quieter. I was at a Line dancing and bar tonight. It was 108dB when i left 😬

I have 2 Usher's guarding my booth for volume complaints 🤣

Thanks for your helpful video.

I am guilty of mocking. So much so that I keep earplugs for my HOW. Great info and very caring approach. Thanks for the perfectly timed video. 🙏

How do you know when your in-ears is to loud? Also is there a way to protect it to go to loud in your ears? We use the Behringer X32

I did measure the level of a singer without microphone in a distance of about 2 or 3 meters, he did a level of 90 dB

Hey I love woodworking!!!!!

One phenomenon is, when the sound isn't good or people dislike the music, it can be too loud at moderate levels. So one could buy a bad and cheap speaker system, people complain, it's too loud and one could say, it would be loud enough. On the other hand you may cause an unhealthy sound level and people won't notice, because the sound is perfectly.

sir plz explain which mixer is best in live sound in indea

older concert from the 70s 80s 90s had a wide range from front row to last row....140db - 90db, today 2023 line array speakers is more equaly balanced but a very lame boring 90-100db :( RAVE E.D.M. CONCERTS are extremely wide range 155db - 90db!!!❤❤❤

Rock concerts are about 105 to 115

No one teach good as you people just try to get like on their video. But after i saw your compressor video i really see the different.

Too loud is when you are too old :)