Jump to content

Synth Doubling Brass****


  

131 members have voted

  1. 1. How do you feel about Synth doubling brass?



Recommended Posts

surely an electronic tuba sound doesn't sound better than an actual tuba... ?

They don't make electric tuba sounds, it's synth bass that's more like a tuning fork than an instrument. I won't defend the actual sound of the synths in this case, but I just feel like hornlines, especially the lower end, even though as skywhopper pointed out, more than just the low end is supplemented, will be encouraged to make better sounds if there's even the tiniest bit of help for them in volume.

Naturally though, this belief I have is too rosy, and it ends up that the synth just doesn't blend right a lot of the time, and ends up covering the sounds of the lower end instead of supplementing them. If I had my way, synths would sound like they do, but they'd just add a certain level of depth to the bass sound that even the best tuba lines may struggle to attain.

At the same time, I always give massive props to a line that can go without their synth and still sound great in the low end. Troopers this year have fit that bill especially well.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't mind some tasteful bass synth. But most corps these days have it a couple dynamic levels too high for the hornline.

If it's doubling anything else (and it's not piano or something that would never be construed as brass sound) then it's unacceptable.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sooo... just how did those corps of yore manage to fill the stadiums with sound, using fewer players?

:tongue: /tease :lookaround:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

SCV and Regiment were big offenders tonight at TOC in Allentown. At points I couldn't hear the contra lines at all... :satisfied:/>

Phantom is the biggest offender in DCI when it comes to abusing low-end synth this year. When they chose to go amp-free in Jackson, NJ a month ago it was easy to see why. Their tuba line was exposed big time. Never heard a note they played that night. Cadets have been too when I've seen them, though it was less of an issue Friday night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Funny story: There was this corps in 2011 who were notorious for their overuse of sub frequencies in a part of their show. I once saw a judge walk past the corps' subs during a sustained chord, point at the speakers, and say something into his tape recorder. So if anyone was wondering about this being judged, it very possibly was at that show in 2011.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sometimes I think it's needed to "help" out the brass section but its not needed all of the time. For example, there is this one baritone lick in the bluecoats show this year and its over-powered by a synth because they needed "help" projecting it. I wouldn't mind as much if the synth wasn't over-powering the baritones at that part

Link to comment
Share on other sites

it's terrible.

first it just sounds bad. second, you have 72/80 horns on the field. You don't need someone to add extra oopmh by pushing a button. Ridiculous.

and lastly, it irks me that when it is atrociously bad, it doesn't seem to be reflected in the scores.

Couldn't agree more. Plus the timing of letting this sprout when DCI moved championships and its two biggest regionals into indoor venues just further cheapened what was once the much better effect of pure brass and percussion sound.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think if its used tastefully and blended well it can be a nice effect. The problem is that it often isn't. Another issue is that they set levels for these synths from the box, so it may sound badly blended if your sitting on the 30 yard line 3 rows up but actually sounds pretty blended from the box.

Seems like a lot of corps have been fielding smaller tuba lines recently because of this addition. I remember a few years ago when crown was touting 20 tuba players. Now the most we see is around 12-13. Seems like they are having one player (synth) cover the parts of a few people so they can add membership in other sections of the corps.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...