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Retreat on how our amped corps sounded in LOS


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The word review has a different meaning now so I thought a retreat on this whole amped sound debate was appropriate. 

Location, Location, Location seems to be in the spotlight these days. 25, 30 or 35 yard lines are locations for these amps/speakers amongst the different corps.

Technology, Technology, Technology.

Double Line Arrays

Multipal Line Arrays - Bloo's extra soundboard

Mixed 2 Line Arrays & Conventual Amps/Speakers - Blue Devils

Conventional Amps/Speakers

We had it all in our face this year.

Maybe even a Dolby 5 or 7.1 rendering?

Bloo appears to be a corps capable of muxing more than two line arrays. To me they acheived amplication without sacrificing  eye/ear synchronization. Maintaining the traditional focus on the fifty as did SCV.

There were lots of folks way ahead of me at LOS this year. Wearing plastic ear shields like they cupped their hands around the ears. That went away with the G-Valves (but knew when to cup, then), . Now we have a new use but don't get any clues when to cup so they need to be worn, a dog scratch shield would be better.

Being in array sound checks back in the 80's. The bands were/are configuring them so all seats receive the optimum stereo affect no madder where they are. To me this is what Bloo is accomplishing in drum corps and SCV is centering on the fifty. Both corps have pleasing affects.

BD has a different approach mixing 2 Line Arrays & Convential Amps/Speakers and three subwoffers. There is no consideration in seat location and need the cupped ears to ward off the affect of turning your head to the line array closest to you where ever the amped horns (miked soloists and multiple ensembles kick in). Ensambles standing on the Nighthawk counter top from the deep far left hits me from the line array placed on the far right 25 yard line. Lots of folks including myself look there for the visual.

SCV, It's not obivious from afar what technology they employ but it works.

It could be a Dolby Labs dot one (sub woffer) metrology. A few years ago Dolby informed the service providers they were going from Dolby 5.1 to 7.1 but provision for 13.1 for the gamers. The gamming industry wanted 13 speakers placed around the gamming screen to enable sound in aiding eye & hand cordination. A perfect fit for channeling sounds from football field segments for drum corps.

With everything there are tradeoffs. Amps/Speakers can enhance the affect of centering the sound on the fifity. Or where the amps/speakers creates a "Where's Wlado Game" in resolving the sound to visual experience? 

Point is there is a lot of head turning going on looking into empty spaces around the line arrays, distracting.

 

Edited by Bluzes
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I have been critical of the over amplification of corps. However, after sitting in sec 641 for the Finals, you could not hear many of the solo moments even when amped. 

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9 hours ago, woodchuck said:

Short version: too many amps

Short version how about no amps at all, but not reality today.

Point is amps can be used and the focus on the fifty can still be maintained, some corps seem to have that in mind others don't. The crowd tells all, hear a solo and heads turn and focus on the empty space around a speaker?

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6 hours ago, Rileydog said:

I have been critical of the over amplification of corps. However, after sitting in sec 641 for the Finals, you could not hear many of the solo moments even when amped. 

I agree here.  Sitting in the 400 section between the 40s, the most amped up groups who were receiving the most complaints (Colts and BD), sounded the best inside Lucas Oil Stadium.  Those shows were designed well for the indoor setting but I can see how that upset people throughout the various tour stops.  

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18 hours ago, Bluzes said:

The word review has a different meaning now so I thought a retreat on this whole amped sound debate was appropriate. 

Location, Location, Location seems to be in the spotlight these days. 25, 30 or 35 yard lines are locations for these amps/speakers amongst the different corps.

Technology, Technology, Technology.

Double Line Arrays

Multipal Line Arrays - Bloo's extra soundboard

Mixed 2 Line Arrays & Conventual Amps/Speakers - Blue Devils

Conventional Amps/Speakers

We had it all in our face this year.

Maybe even a Dolby 5 or 7.1 rendering?

Bloo appears to be a corps capable of muxing more than two line arrays. To me they acheived amplication without sacrificing  eye/ear synchronization. Maintaining the traditional focus on the fifty as did SCV.

There were lots of folks way ahead of me at LOS this year. Wearing plastic ear shields like they cupped their hands around the ears. That went away with the G-Valves (but knew when to cup, then), . Now we have a new use but don't get any clues when to cup so they need to be worn, a dog scratch shield would be better.

Being in array sound checks back in the 80's. The bands were/are configuring them so all seats receive the optimum stereo affect no madder where they are. To me this is what Bloo is accomplishing in drum corps and SCV is centering on the fifty. Both corps have pleasing affects.

BD has a different approach mixing 2 Line Arrays & Convential Amps/Speakers and three subwoffers. There is no consideration in seat location and need the cupped ears to ward off the affect of turning your head to the line array closest to you where ever the amped horns (miked soloists and multiple ensembles kick in). Ensambles standing on the Nighthawk counter top from the deep far left hits me from the line array placed on the far right 25 yard line. Lots of folks including myself look there for the visual.

SCV, It's not obivious from afar what technology they employ but it works.

It could be a Dolby Labs dot one (sub woffer) metrology. A few years ago Dolby informed the service providers they were going from Dolby 5.1 to 7.1 but provision for 13.1 for the gamers. The gamming industry wanted 13 speakers placed around the gamming screen to enable sound in aiding eye & hand cordination. A perfect fit for channeling sounds from football field segments for drum corps.

With everything there are tradeoffs. Amps/Speakers can enhance the affect of centering the sound on the fifity. Or where the amps/speakers creates a "Where's Wlado Game" in resolving the sound to visual experience? 

Point is there is a lot of head turning going on looking into empty spaces around the line arrays, distracting.

 

Why does amplification need to be used anyway?  Is today’s DCI crowd that hard of hearing compared to just 8-10 years ago?

I remember a time, not so long ago, when hearing the hornline from anywhere in a stadium wasn’t a problem.  If you couldn’t, that was a sign of a weak hornline and they deserved a low score as a result.  But, I guess I’m old school, when playing brass was cool and very very demanding and we didn’t need amplifiers or played backup to synthesizers.  

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