# Would the Blues Jr be loud enough for my church band?



## lelouch (Jul 30, 2013)

In my search for other musicians to play with, I've completely forgotten about my church band. I've contacted my pastor about me joining, and I am awaiting a response. 

The band has about 2 or 3 acoustic guitarists, one electric guitarists with like a 40 watt tube Traynor, one heavy handed drummer, and a bassist with a Rumble 100 or 150, probably 100. There are about 4 singers. Would the Blues Jr cut through without a mic? I have an eq pedal so that I can boost the mids and treble, if that helps.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Should be. The Jr can get pretty loud, but won't have much headroom, so if you're looking to boost for solos, that may not work. Though you could potentially use the EQ to cut better for leads. I used to use a Jr in a pretty loud rock band without too many issues.


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## bluesguitar1972 (Jul 16, 2011)

Blues Jr can be decently loud - really, louder than you'd want the stage volume to be. you're better off running a mic and keep the stage volume sane. There's no reason to be deafening on stage.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

Agreed. I know a guy that's used one at his church band as well. I imagine most church's aren't conducive to Marshall stacks anyways.


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## GTmaker (Apr 24, 2006)

dcole said:


> Agreed. I know a guy that's used one at his church band as well. I imagine most church's aren't conducive to Marshall stacks anyways.


Have to disagree...
get the marshall stack for sure.
"If god cant hear it, then its not worth playing it." (a quote by a very insightfull person)

G.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

First off, get that drummer on an electric set!

Guys that I'd jammed with, the drummer usually used electric drums and my 150 bass amp kepted up easily.
The same drummer, on an acoustic set, the amp could barely keep up, too loud!

The fifteen watter should be good, but as mentioned, how much clean headroom will you need?

My Traynor YGL is a 15 watt combo that's plenty loud, unproven in a band setting with me though.
I find a big difference between that amp alone, than plugged into a 1x12 extention cab. 
The combo and cab are a much fuller sound, where the combo on it's own was a bit boxy.


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## elliottmoose (Aug 20, 2012)

I have to agree with the above. It's not a high power amp by any means, but certainly loud enough for church purposes. I run a Maz18NR running through an attenuator and I barely get the volume above 9:00 before someone comments. You'll do just fine with a Blues Jr. and a few pedals depending on what you're playing. 


I strongly recommend a mic on any amp at church, so that you've got the headroom for clean but still driving tones as needed. Try it both ways, but our sound tech is always happier to mic up and put more through monitors and the house so the folks in the front row don't get blasted. 


Hope to hear back about how this ends up.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

From what my friend says, it's always the silver hairs in front and they don't like getting blasted!


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

To avoid blasting the folks close to where you are playing, tilt the amp upwards using some sort of wedge so the cab points upward.


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## Krelf (Jul 3, 2012)

dcole said:


> From what my friend says, it's always the silver hairs in front and they don't like getting blasted!



It doesn't seem like the kind of church service elderly people would attend anyway. Many churches have more than one service, and they hold a quieter traditional one for older parishioners. If they don't, the older members will leave and cash flow will diminish drastically!


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## doriangrey (Mar 29, 2011)

GTmaker said:


> "If god cant hear it, then its not worth playing it.".


Love it ;o)


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## brimc76 (Feb 14, 2008)

Like this?
View attachment 3951


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

^^^^Ha!^^^^


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## elliottmoose (Aug 20, 2012)

Genius. I love that comic! Our organist does almost exactly this but she's on keys with in-ear monitors to block out my 'racket'...


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## lelouch (Jul 30, 2013)

I like that comic!

And about clean headroom, I don't really play clean at all. I always play compressed and overdriven, so headroom shouldn't be an issue. But from what I could tell yesterday...our drummer is REALLY loud. Like, he drowns out the 40 or so watt Traynor! I might put the amp up on a stand or chair so that it could be heard better. And we don't really mic our amps at church...although we could. (We actually did once, with a Line 6 Spider 15.)


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## rev156 (Mar 2, 2008)

I use a modded 5w Black Heart and can never get anywhere near "11" as it's way too loud. I'm using a crate 1x12 mic'd. We use enough volume for stage level and mic. I've used different cabs and have turned them backwards, then mik'd, covered with a heavy moving blanket mic'd etc. If we ran w/o mics I'm sure I would be loud enough; good thing the front rows are always empty!
Mark


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## djmarcelca (Aug 2, 2012)

Have everyone chip in and buy the drummer an isolation divider.:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ClearSonic-MiniMega-Drum-Isolation-Booth-/200645057025

Ok seriously,
TALK to your drummer, get him to ease up. I know that's hard to, do drummers find their "Hit" and stay with it until forced to change. 

Then best solution has already been mentioned, An electronic kit. 

Failing that you could D.I. your amp with a Guitar specific D.I. box such as this:
http://www.long-mcquade.com/product.../Radial/JDX_Reactor_Guitar_Amp_Direct_Box.htm

or Use a multi-effects modeling unit to go direct to the mixer and go ampless (I do this very often)
The Fender Mustang Floor is an Excellent sounding unit.

You would be as loud as you need to be. 

You can even direct monitor yourself before the sound went to the mixer with one of these on a mic stand near of you:
http://www.long-mcquade.com/product...ts/Mackie/SRM150_Compact_Active_PA_System.htm

You run your line out to the monitor/p.a. unit and send it's line out to the main mixer or stage snake. 
You can have any sound your device/modeler/amp can give and still not be the "Guy who plays too damned loud"

Good luck.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

As has been said, reducing the volume from the drum kit is the solution.

Electronic kits are much loved by sound men, at least with me and with a few other FOH mixers I have spoken to.

They get luke warm reviews from most drummers.

A great alternative is a three sided plexi glass enclosure with soft plastic joints. That does two things. It blocks a lot of the sound coming from the kit, and it INCREASES the volume of the kit from the drummers perspective.

Drummers usually adjust to them quickly and it has a big positive impact on the overall mix, both out front and on stage.


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## brimc76 (Feb 14, 2008)

I've seen a few of these 3 sided plexi glass enclosures in use and they seem to work very well as far as blocking a lot of the sound coming from the drums.




Milkman said:


> As has been said, reducing the volume from the drum kit is the solution.
> 
> Electronic kits are much loved by sound men, at least with me and with a few other FOH mixers I have spoken to.
> 
> ...


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Does the drummer have enough monitor?


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

brimc76 said:


> I've seen a few of these 3 sided plexi glass enclosures in use and they seem to work very well as far as blocking a lot of the sound coming from the drums.


They also tend to make the drummer play more quietly.


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## elliottmoose (Aug 20, 2012)

shoretyus said:


> Does the drummer have enough monitor?


This is the only drawback to the shields from my seat: isolation. We use these and we even have the acoustic foam and a lid on one of them. But the drummer often needs some kind of monitor in it, though they should have a monitor anyway?


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

elliottmoose said:


> This is the only drawback to the shields from my seat: isolation. We use these and we even have the acoustic foam and a lid on one of them. But the drummer often needs some kind of monitor in it, though they should have a monitor anyway?


Some adjustment is required. The drummer will need a monitor but that need is greatly reduced once he learns that you don't need to pound to get energy from the kit.


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## djmarcelca (Aug 2, 2012)

@ The O.P....

What did you end up doing?


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