Prog Power X - The sound engineering was seriously bad :(

[TychoCelchu]

For some years I have thought that heavy metal bands needing to sound overly heavy onstage is a misconception. It must be extremely hard to make a band sound really heavy but not muddy. But live, it doesn't need to be that way IMO. You can back off on the low frequencies more than might seem prudent, and instead of a band sounding weak and timid, you get increased clarity and sharpness which results in a great, comprehensible and enjoyable sound. It's okay to be a little less heavy for an overall improved result IMO. I've seen a lot of bands rendered virtually unlistenable because the sound guy thinks a metal band should have the bass frequencies cranked.
(Not a huge issue for me at Progpower, just a general thought)

 

[Spiderpact]

Both myself and the friend that accompanied me noticed the high bass volume throughout. Even with the earplugs in...

 

[Wherewolf]

look at all the sound engineers in the house! Sounds like you all needed some butt plugs as well, haha!

 

[OrbWeaver]

I thought the sound was fairly good, but then I wore my earplugs every time there was a band playing. I guess I was just too pleased at being able to actually hear the keyboards when a band with a keyboard player was actually on stage. Usually at shows in Chicago, if there is a keyboard player, you can't hear him/her at all.

 

[AeonicSlumber]

I get these. They are amazing

 

[General Zod]

Having studied sound engineering and music production, I can say that some sets do sounded great and some other didn't.

I haven't studied engineering, so I could be wrong about this. However, wouldn't the idea that some sets sounded great and others didn't, still be completely subjective?

I did wear earplugs, but form time to time took them off and at one point, during Circus Maximus, in one of the guitar clean arpeggios parts, couldn't hear them at all because the keyboard and bass was drowning the sound!! Yes next year...just hire me.....kidding of course...

I did notice the guitar was a little low in the mix at times. The other two sound issues I noticed, were the keys were a bit loud for Pagan's Mind and the vocals a bit low for Brainstorm.

Zod

 

[Corsair]

I didn't have any real big issues with the sound this year, but then again, my first was LAST year and that was a freaking disaster.

 

[lunatic fan]

Pagans Mind was terrible...Their keys were too loud and then after about 5 songs the bass got too loud...What the fu??? It was sad b/c they are one of my favorite bands...They did not bring their A game for whatever reason Saturday night....Fates and Circus sounds made up for the rest

lunatic

 

[KingsGene]

Anybody who complains about the sound and does not sit/stand by the sound board really needs to try to do so. It makes an amazing difference. Especially regards bass overtones and certain other things. I noticed the difference when I sat in the seats on the sides, or when I was only a couple rows from the stage as opposed to being back by the board.

I thought overall this year was an improvement over past years. Fates' definitely were using their own sound engineer, I think Pagan's Mind were also...not sure of the rest.

 

[edgeofthorns]

I am so glad I don't really pay much attention to this kind of stuff. I never once had a problem with the sound. I think the key is to wear earplugs, stand on the floor, and drink a lot of beer. I was on the left side, right side, and in the center at times .. never had a problem.


Britt

I agree with you Britt. I don't even have to drink beer and still don't have a problem with the sound. I honestly think some people have to bitch to be bitching.

~Brian~

 

[Mr. Zane of HW]

I found the sound enjoyable. I wore earplugs, because it's a rock concert. Rock concerts ,historically speaking, are loud. I don't go to hear a CD replicated, i go to see a show. I got what i paid for and then some. I have yet to attend a concert where the sound was perfect(this includes orchestral, opera, and broadway style shows as well). So having said that, some of you who have your criticisms( and i'm not contesting your right to have them), please consider that a live show is just that.

 

[Kaosaur]

Yeah i just want to state again that I thought this years sound was the best of any of the ProgPowers I'd been to. For most sets, I wouldn't even say I really needed earplugs and there were a few times I took them out for a few songs before putting em back in. Issues (like CM guitars being low in the mix to start) were resolved quickly.

Pagan's Mind keyboards are ALWAYS loud in the mix here, btw.

 

[TheLongshot]

I sat with Locust most of the night and he told me that he felt it was one of the better years for sound. Normally he has issues, but he had none this year. Course, we were both wearing crappy foam earplugs, so our opinion might not mean much.

 

[Purveyor Of Evil]

Pagans Mind was terrible...Their keys were too loud and then after about 5 songs the bass got too loud...What the fu??? It was sad b/c they are one of my favorite bands...They did not bring their A game for whatever reason Saturday night....Fates and Circus sounds made up for the rest

lunatic

Up in the seats I thought PM sounded just fine. I posted my thoughts about BRAINSTORM's sound and was slammed.

 

[madFive]

haha - I get the impression OP doesn't go to a lot of metal shows. PP X was in no way shape or form "overly loud" by any metal standards. In fact this was the first concert I've been to in quite some time where I didn't feel a need to wear the earplugs I brought (including previous PP's). Most of the shows I go to are truely painful to listen to without the plugs; and once they're in, the show sounds pretty good - a sure sign that the guys at the booth are also wearing plugs... seems like it could be a bad idea for some, but hey this is metal! If ears aren't bleeding, something is wrong! \m/

As for the overall mix and SQ, I was fairly impressed. The highs on some vocals and lead instruments were a hair on the peircing side; and a lot of the bass guitars were too loud, muddling the punch of the kick drums; but other than that, it seemed like everything was well mixed and all the details were easy to make out - all well within acceptable proportions.

 

[SharkBlack]

*opens mouth, but nothing's coming out*

 

[imaskinbeater]

Pagans Mind was terrible...Their keys were too loud and then after about 5 songs the bass got too loud...What the fu??? It was sad b/c they are one of my favorite bands...They did not bring their A game for whatever reason Saturday night....Fates and Circus sounds made up for the rest

lunatic

I don't know where you were sitting but where I was everything was perfect :Smug: Not one instrument was drowned out by another. Jorn's guitar sound is to die for

 

[sccaldwell]

I wear something like these from Etymotics Research. They are a very nice plug (around $17 o 18). You can kind of control how much you want to jam into your ears.

These are what I use, as well, and I recommend them enthusiastically. I wish I'd had some like them 20 years ago. The cheap foam ones filter out the sound unevenly, making everything sound muddy, but with these, it's almost like you simply turned down the volume, so the sound is "correct"....just not painfully loud anymore. I often completely forget I'm even wearing earplugs.

Yes, they're expensive as earplugs go (vs. the cheap foam ones), but they're *WELL* worth the price. I was so happy with them that I bought a second pair as spares.

They also sell custom-molded "musician's earplugs," but they're over $150/pair. I bought mine for $12/pair here:

http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er20.aspx

The key, however, is to put them in properly...be sure to actually read the instructions on how to use them.

Craig

 

[sccaldwell]

Why is it that even though *most* people complain about concerts being too loud (hence the reason the smart people all wear earplugs to keep from having permanent hearing loss), and yet concerts continue to be that loud.

Are the live sound engineers not listening, or is there actually a reason/benefit for having it that loud? I can't think of one, but I'm not an expert....anyone know?

Craig

 

[AprilSuspyre]

I think Rich and Rich did their best and an awesome job with sound. In a perfect world, the engineers would be familiar with every single song of every single band to get the perfect mix. Unfortunately, this isn't a perfect world and there is a complex interplay between each band member's personal volume control and that of the engineers. Plus, during sound check, we test levels in an empty room versus a room with over 800 not-so-silent people.

But that's a good point, though. Taking down the overall volume a couple of notches would definitely make it possible to appreciate and pick up on the nuances that each band/song has to offer.