I'm playing dobro with an un-plugged group that includes guitar, banjo and mando (and sometimes a base).

So they are all sitting/standing with instruments that face the audience, while I have an instrument that faces heaven. They are complaining that my volume is way too low (even with solid picking.)

Is this a common problem? And is there a common solution?

Posted - 02/07/2010 :  18:34:22      

I assume you are not using a mic in this situation. I play standing up and angle the guitar out toward the audience and away from the "facing heaven" position. I do not have the problem you have. Although the banjo is usually a bit louder, I am probably the second loudest instrument. My instruments have good volume and I do pick hard. Tell us a bit more about what you are playing and the situation.

Dave

Posted - 02/07/2010 :  21:09:10      

Right now, we're mostly sitting and trying to record our sessions so as to improve them. I'm not using a pickup. When we're all the same distance from the mike, my volume is much lower than the others.

Posted - 02/08/2010 :  05:35:07      

Try a separate mic on the dobro for recording. Other things you might try are picking harder, improving the volume characteristics of your instrument (setup) or a pickup. Good luck!

Dave

Posted - 02/08/2010 :  06:30:43        

Its probably your reso, what do you play? A good setup from a pro like Bobby Wright would probably do wonders for your guitar. I have nocticed that after a year or so they need a anouther setup/tuneup to keep the tone and sound to stand up in a jam with banjo's etc.
Bob

Posted - 02/08/2010 :  14:53:24        

We record our practices with a zoom box digital recording device then burn them to cds. It is good to do that, I sometimes have a similar problem, because the zoom is like a "one" mic situation. I sometimes sit on a stool closer to the box. In a live situation individual mics take care of the problem.

Posted - 02/08/2010 :  18:10:10      

Thanks for the advice. I'm playing a Regal Black Lightning. It was well set-up when I bought it in Australia; but here in Hong Kong there is no professional support for folk musical instruments. I'll look in to pick-ups. In the meantime I have to resort to a lap steel, but I don't like the tone.

Posted - 02/09/2010 :  07:39:17    

Stephen,
My guess is that they are toto loud. If they can't hear the dobro then they are not listening and are probably playing too loud. This is a syndrome I've been fighting for almost 40 years. If you have to play too hard to be heard your tone will suffer. Good luck.

Posted - 02/09/2010 :  19:24:30      

Thanks, Dan. But I'm afraid of being like the Momma at the Polish passing-out parade, saying, "Why's my little Woycek the only one in the platoon marching in time?"

Posted - 02/10/2010 :  10:41:17    

I can definitely relate to your problem. In fact, I have a new dobro coming in a few days (modern post / baffle) design that I hope will remedy the situation. My Hound Dog, even with upgrades of cone and saddle, is still pretty quiet. I actually prefer playing mic'd up because it keeps me from having to attack it so hard. The harder I have to play the more I lose accuracy and tone. Playing in a small jam group is not too bad, but when the group gets too large - ugh...

Posted - 02/10/2010 :  10:56:18      

it could be also a matter of string gauges, heavy strings have more sound, I use ghs 16 to 56: saturday I played with my band (including drums) completely unplugged (no pick up, no mike) and evrything was ok!
best