Late night thoughts: Amplification & Electronics from the Judging standpoint

[HockeyDad]

26 minutes ago, MikeN said:

Slippery slope.  Why can a violin double a brass part but a synthesizer cannot?  Basically, a synth can't play any of the same music as brass?  What about using the synth not as a "tone", but a piano?  Do they get the same restrictions?  So Rach Star, with it's piano concerto, couldn't happen because the brass and piano wouldn't be allowed to play the same notes? 

Mike

 

Mike, you're right, it's too hard. Better to ban synthesizers entirely. 

[Ghost]

3 minutes ago, Fred Windish said:

With instances as you describe that require the vocal come from someone moving too far away from a corded mic, I'd be OK if that person has his/her voice prerecorded and used as an overlay. 

Recently there was a poster who implied that the BAC singer had her singing pre recorded which brought forth a quick reply by others that other than when her last singing part was recorded so they could fade out her voice, every show she was singing live.  I for one believe a singer/speaker should be live and the judging should reflect that favorably compared to recorded speech and singing.

[BRASSO]

 It seems to me that if Judges are going to reward points for the effective use of electronics, they'll have to figure out a way to unreward points when the electronics has a major hiccup during a show. I see the rewards coming in when its working, but am not seeing the proportional unreward when the electronics gizmos goes south, and as a result, the music becomes a pretty obvious music performance execution mess for both judges and audiences alike.

Edited August 22, 2017 by BRASSO

[Ediker]

2 hours ago, Fred Windish said:

If vocal is to be amplified by artificial means, the amplification device must be hardwired. 

I see no reason why the outstanding vocalist for Carolina Crown (just for one example) could not have been integrated from a position much closer to the front sideline. A loudspeaker supplied by DCI for every corps' use (if needed) could be made available. 

I'm indifferent to how a vocalist is connected to an amplifier, as long as it works.  CC's wireless mic problem at semis and finals was an unfortunate, unnecessary, and epic f-up for the ages.  The relevant judges (I would guess GE Music and Music Analysis) were merciful by not completely panning them for it.  

[ShortAndFast]

I think the OP is right that you need a rule change to make a difference, maybe not about the specific rule changes proposed.

I'm not sure why this is a problem for the MA/GE judges to solve, though. The MA and GE judges should judge the ensemble that they hear in the box, not try to deconstruct what's producing that ensemble sound. I don't think they're really in the right position to try to figure out if it's live or memorex and award points based on the answer.

Suppose, hypothetically, that a corps features 40 performers with saxophones the way BD featured trumpets this past year. If the GE judge thinks the music is excellent, and it's part of a great visual moment, and the performers are really selling it, and it's exciting for the audience, and it produces an effect like nothing else in the show, she should reward it - because all of those things are on the GE sheet. It's someone else's job (the T&P judge? Perhaps the chief judge?) to figure whether the corps is disqualified, because saxophones are not a permitted instrument, or that the saxophones are merely props and the feature is actually being played on a keyboard.

Edited August 22, 2017 by ShortAndFast

[Jeff Ream]

the problem with judging a singer at field level is....physics. Unless the judge can get right in their face, they have to rely on being in front of the speaker to hear it, which also has other stuff going through.i've heard intonation, phrasing etc mentioned on the upstairs tapes when it comes to vocalists.but you cant talk balance from the field

[MikeD]

The job of a music-oriented judge is to evaluate the music being presented, both the book and the performance.

For example, if there are issues with a mic (Crown at finals), then that should be part of their score and noted on the tape. The sound of the musicians in that case is not up to the expected level. 

 

 

 

[Jeff Ream]

3 hours ago, cixelsyd said:

That is odd.  When Jim Mason wanted trombones for a show already under design, his proposal mushroomed to "any brass", was approved unanimously, and took immediate effect for the upcoming season.  So it is not bureaucracy that would prevent a change effective in 2018.

some proposals sadly take time to figure out. when A&E first passed, it was December 02, and didnt go into effect until 04

[Jeff Ream]

2 hours ago, Fred Windish said:

With instances as you describe that require the vocal come from someone moving too far away from a corded mic, I'd be OK if that person has his/her voice prerecorded and used as an overlay. 

yet Boston had no issues. So if anything, maybe Crown shouldnt have been getting 95 and above in those captions

[Jeff Ream]

1 hour ago, BRASSO said:

 It seems to me that if Judges are going to reward points for the effective use of electronics, they'll have to figure out a way to unreward points when the electronics has a major hiccup during a show. I see the rewards coming in when its working, but am not seeing the proportional unreward when the electronics gizmos goes south, and as a result, the music becomes a pretty obvious music performance execution mess for both judges and audiences alike.

they can...they just dont. No one wants to be that guy