why are the headline acts always louder?

dj superflat · Post by **dj superflat** » Tue May 30, 2006 4:41 pm

for real shows, the opening act generally isn't going through the same board as the headliners (so they don't have all the superduper compression and what all that gives the impression of loudness), let alone the same sound system (often using little more than stage monitors), and often have little by way of sound check (so the engineer is fiddling with the sound through at least the beginning of the set).

djadonis206 · Post by **djadonis206** » Tue May 30, 2006 5:09 pm

subterFUSE wrote:The obvious reason is that the headliner DJs typically turn up the volume themselves, or turn up the gains on their records/CDs.

An opening DJ should not be playing super-loud. They are there to set the mood, not blow the roof off too early. The night should have a clear progression, so having an opener blast everyone away makes no sense.

Agree and disagree - as a promoter I want it banging from beginning to end - only the head strong survive and those who stick around from 9 to 6 are rewarded but...

I agree that the dj's (god forbid it be me) usually know a thing or two more about sound than someone opening say...

they have been doing it in different clubs all over the world for an extended amount of time so they step up to the mixer and know what to do

if you're local and really good and play the same places the sound guys get to know you - how else could Donald show up to Naf ever weekend at 5am turn the mains and all eq's up to the max and still sound super clean - cause they know him and what to expect

then you roll in to close and try that shit and it just sounds aweful

but you can

do this

if you're opening or are worried about the sound, have a chat with the sound guy before hand and let him know what you want to do...easy

while you're at it ask the lighting guy to do this or that - I always tell 'em to turn the lights off for my set - so I can stay hidden like a ninja

pearsonart.com · Post by **pearsonart.com** » Tue May 30, 2006 7:04 pm

Most shows I've seen have the opening acts play through the mains without subs or merely part of the main cabs. Other shows may limit the number of instruments from the opener that are reinforced by the room p.a. Sometimes this is a physical limitation but more often, it's showbiz.

The headliner isn't just louder, but bigger as well. The additional main cabs and subs extend frequencies and push more air.

I ran sound years ago at a half dozen different clubs around Nashville before playing in a quircky xtc meets adrian belew band....always running sound for or playing as the opener.

The same rule appies to lights too. I've been to many shows where less than half the lights were on during the opener.

delicious · Post by **delicious** » Wed May 31, 2006 4:09 am

Sorry guys but I have to put this in....
I saw this on discovery channel weeks back and I thought it was fascinating.

When volumes get louder ...... and I mean REALLY loud a small bone type thingy in your head called the 'saculum' (I think that is the right spelling) starts to vibrate. When this little thingy starts to vibrate humans sense a feeling of joy and pleasure - in fact the same joy and pleasure you achieve during freefall and other full on activities like that.
So at concerts / raves the sound techs slowly lift the levels until this state is achieved..... allowing you to enjoy the main act more (or run away with bleeding ears)

Sorry bout the scientific approach to this question, but it had to be said.

SubFunk · Post by **SubFunk** » Wed May 31, 2006 8:54 am

tokyojoe69 wrote:

Might also be that when a room is empty, there is a lot more accoustic, so they keep volume down untill it fills up a little. I went out yesterday and noticed this, the sound did progressively get louder, but once the room was full it had a distinctly different sound to when i walked in.

Cheers
Emil

this is true and one of the main reasons. also your hearing adapts to levels over time, and in order to keep it "kicking", good clubs or engineers for that matter raise volumes over longer time periods. and last but not least. any good main act, plays with his head above the music, so to make an impact, you push the faders. who wants to be assosiated with the warmup?, as the music all to often pretty much stays the same, or how often starting atcs have been musical and performance wise kicked ass compared to boring "headliners" ?? but headliners (mainly) know more about the aspect of showbusiness, so they rock. and volume is one helping hand to stay apart from the crowd.

SubFunk · Post by **SubFunk** » Wed May 31, 2006 9:12 am

djadonis wrote:

as a promoter I want it banging from beginning to end

if this is true, then i consider your nights as senseless, boring, typical (in our days!!!) techno nights where people fall asleep out of boredom.

especially techno was about variety, progression, changes that was what was keeping it so alive compared to other electronic music styles. bangin' is easy and primitive. (see british hardhouse, there is no music in it)

sorry, just my 2cents

and i grow up on techno in the berliner tresor, (i used to run a project (be responsible) with dimitri hegeman, owner of the tresor berlin in the early years called 'tagesangebot') and met about every name in person who is resonsible for majorly building that scene (techno), it had all sense and dynamic which died after 94' 95' because of: "I want it banging from beginning to end"
to much speed, no music anymore, sad, sad... i say.

snowtires · Post by **snowtires** » Wed May 31, 2006 12:57 pm

louder music sounds better to moderm music listeners' ears.