MikeD Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 It's not so much instrumentation as it is touch. Since they practice with mics they don't have to rehearse playing extremely loud to be heard. Which is why you couldn't hear them when the mics were pulled. Plus mallet selection. Even the little band I work with went to softer mallets once we micced the marimba and vibes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frachel Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Ensemble balance is in the ear of the beholder. Not everyone enjoys the same balance so just try to get seats a bit further up if you prefer to not hear so much front ensemble. I was in the upper section at Allentown and almost all the pits were too loud (Cavies being the worst). When you can't hear ~30 trumpets over some mallet instruments and a synth, it's too loud, imo. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mello Dude Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 I'm sorry, did you not read his signature?! He marched drum corps in the 80's, LONG before mic'ing was an established rule/trend. I'm sure he's well used to hearing what non-amplified front ensemble sound like... Possibly. But considering the pit is now being used as a substitute pace maker (for quite some time now) for "us dinos" one can forget the subtle dynamics that used to be. Sometimes "soft" can be more effective, call me crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywhopper Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 This is a pretty common (and naive) misconception. If you don't think mallets players play with dynamics then you are really not paying any attention (or you're ignoring it to spew rhetoric). Or you're not perceptive enough to notice. Well done misreading what I wrote. Regardless of what dynamics the members play with, the staff controls the volume at which we hear their parts. I've had the misfortune of sitting next to a staffer who spent an entire show yelling into his radio at the mixing-board guy about how to adjust the volume for which mikes. The level of micromanagement was pretty amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Powell Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 odd question to put out there... What if you moved the pit? I'm just thinking it might be easier to balance if it were in the back - control sound in the front. It would mello the harshness of the amps. It might also kill the corps - I do nt know. Just thinking how stages orchestras and rock bands are setup - realize this stage is much bigger. I might be absolutely crazy and you can tell me. Like I said, I know it is an odd question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie1223 Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 odd question to put out there... What if you moved the pit? I'm just thinking it might be easier to balance if it were in the back - control sound in the front. It would mello the harshness of the amps. It might also kill the corps - I do nt know. Just thinking how stages orchestras and rock bands are setup - realize this stage is much bigger. I might be absolutely crazy and you can tell me. Like I said, I know it is an odd question. this not uncommon in high school marching bands. I can't remember the name off the top of my head but a top BOA band from Florida doesn't even have a battery and their rhythm section is on the back of the field i believe along with their speakers... not sure on the details but I've seen pits in the back of the field before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Powell Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 this not uncommon in high school marching bands. I can't remember the name off the top of my head but a top BOA band from Florida doesn't even have a battery and their rhythm section is on the back of the field i believe along with their speakers... not sure on the details but I've seen pits in the back of the field before. I was just thinking it could mute of soften the "amped" effect. The directional problems would not be as much of an issue because the cone of sound would be wider, front seats would be good again. You would hear brass again. Now the sound from the amps on the field might blow the horns and batteries heads off... And they might need hearing aids by end of summer. If I were running a zoo - I would play with it. I would probably experiment with electronics in the back and acoustics up front as well. Timing could be a bear but no worse than any show in a dome or a stadium with big concrete walls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 this not uncommon in high school marching bands. I can't remember the name off the top of my head but a top BOA band from Florida doesn't even have a battery and their rhythm section is on the back of the field i believe along with their speakers... not sure on the details but I've seen pits in the back of the field before. One year we did not have enough to field a battery so we placed the all-pit percussion on the field, somewhere around the front hash, but offset from midfield. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triple Forte Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 (edited) But if you are sitting within the angle of dispersion of the speakers, between the speakers and the box,, you could be in for a rough ride that they guy ten yards down would not be experiencing. Anyone else have any thoughts on this? Yup...as someone who loves to sit down low in the center (15 - 20 rows off field level) I have some thoughts. Who ever said the fans sitting between the speakers and box are in for a rough ride....let me ask them (and i think this has already been said) Why do some corps have far louder amplification and pits then other corps? Most corps setup the speakers in the same approx. position. MOST PITS ARE TO LOUD....period!!! Edited August 29, 2012 by Triple Forte 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actucker Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 Well done misreading what I wrote. Regardless of what dynamics the members play with, the staff controls the volume at which we hear their parts. I've had the misfortune of sitting next to a staffer who spent an entire show yelling into his radio at the mixing-board guy about how to adjust the volume for which mikes. The level of micromanagement was pretty amazing. Exactly what did he "misread"? Here's what you said - Except that the players no longer control the dynamics... - How else would you interpret that other than the front doesn't play dynamics, as the staff controls them instead. You insinuated that a guy at the sound board is doing all of the dynamic work, which is a) impossible as the dynamics being achieved in those sections are far to complex for one person to control across 17 to 18 players; and b) simply isn't being attempted. The staffer who was making adjustments via radio was likely making adjustments due to the venue. I find it hard to believe that he was inserting dynamics into the show considering what I know these kids to already be achieving. So no, I don't think anyone misread what you wrote. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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