Sound Meter Readings

[Bluzes]

9 hours ago, DrumCorpsRadio said:

I used the application Decibel X Pro to capture sound output during the Hattiesburg, MS show on July 25, 2018

Interesting data, thanks I run the corps through Virtual DJ 7. It calculates beats per minute. The corps range from low 90s to around 136. Have not done this for a while. It was when Crowns drumline was in 5th & 6th. They seemed to top the beats per minute chart each year, don't know what that indicates but Crown was unexpected, not that I didn't like them.   

[Dcbae!23]

beats per minute, as in tempo? No way it's just confined to 90 and 136. Am I misinterpreting?

4 minutes ago, Bluzes said:

Interesting data, thanks I run the corps through Virtual DJ 7. It calculates beats per minute. The corps range from low 90s to around 136. Have not done this for a while. It was when Crowns drumline was in 5th & 6th. They seemed to top the beats per minute chart each year, don't know what that indicates but Crown was unexpected, not that I didn't like them.   

 

[Bluzes]

6 minutes ago, Dcbae!23 said:

beats per minute, as in tempo? No way it's just confined to 90 and 136. Am I misinterpreting?

No A.I. is. Or the software, it's a DJ program that picks songs from a playlist aligns so tempos do not vary much between tracks. The little box says BPM, FAQ says that means Beats For Minute? I can't even whistle or hum and would not know the difference between A.I. or reality. Lets hope this does not extend to life in general but we're on the way. 

[steelchops]

Great topic- I watched this year’s Whitewater show with Colts and was super excited with their volume- they really lit the field.  Also noticed the high mics on the sideline that were (I’m told by another non mic’ed Corp Director) running the field feed through the board.  In other words, pick the volume you want.

I love the colts show, but volume is one reason some of us come to these shows....we want the paint peeled.

in fairness, most judges are walking the field so they may not hear the volume we do in the stands.  However, if the Colts and Blue Devils generally have equal peak volume according to your data, what part is amplification playing and is this distorting scoring?

 

 

[DrumCorpsRadio]

17 hours ago, CrownBariDad said:

I was thinking the max would be an average, but that doesn't make sense either. A range would include the min and the max/peak. Maybe the max is a sustained period of sound over X seconds and the peak is instantaneous.

My meter gives me a average over the measuring period and the instantaneous peak measurement. 

This is exactly what the difference between max and peak are however I can't figure out what the X is for X seconds in the program. 

[CrownBariDad]

14 minutes ago, DrumCorpsRadio said:

This is exactly what the difference between max and peak are however I can't figure out what the X is for X seconds in the program. 

Maybe your program runs like my handheld meter -- as long as you are measuring, it's averaging.  If you measure the entire show, X = 12 mins. If you just do 10 secs, X = 10 secs. Just a hunch. 

[Blackgoldvet]

I was at the Hattiesburg show and the Colts had obnoxious synth-bass that was over-amplified. Your sound meter readings confirm what I was hearing.  

On a bigger note, I marched in 1991 but have been going to shows off and on since then. The amplification issue is really bothering me.  I'm not against everything in modern DCI and overall I always enjoy seeing drum corps. But overall volume used to be a factor that separated the best from the rest. Now amplification evens the playing feel in an unfair way. I'm ok with amplifying the pit and soloists, but they should have kept it there.  The synth-bass is the worst.  

[FTNK]

“Would it kill you to play soft?”