Brass Ensemble Amplification

[Hook'emCavies]

1 minute ago, BlueStainGlass said:

we want 20

That's a decent start

[oldbandguy]

IF you're going to do it...do it well!  These guys know how to do it well.

 

[Hook'emCavies]

20 minutes ago, oldbandguy said:

IF you're going to do it...do it well!  These guys know how to do it well.

 

No argument here lol

[Ashontheinternet]

thinking you shouldn't mic soloists is just silly to me. if your solo needs to be clean and smooth and lower register, it is hard to project that over a huge hornline. playing extremely loud to get your solo heard is not usually what the music calls for. i dont think micing non soloists is necessary or fair, but shotgun mics i understand, you can get a bigger sound while maintaining good tone quality and articulations and pick out moving lines in lower voices. 

[2000Cadet]

3 hours ago, cixelsyd said:

Yes it is.  It cheats brass performers out of the educational experiences and tangible accomplishments of refining and balancing a large ensemble.  And it cheats spectators out of the chance to hear pure quality brasslines.

No it's not. Because you want it to be different doesn't a cheat make. The rules apparently allow it. Reminds me when people accused us of "cheating" when we went to "any key" instruments in 2000. THE RULES ALLOW IT! 

Edited July 22, 2023 by 2000Cadet

[2000Cadet]

5 hours ago, DAvery said:

It may not be cheating, but amplifying only the strong players in an ensemble is dishonest and deceitful. 

I can agree with this. 

[valjean]

5 hours ago, billj said:

Are you familiar w Crown's ballad last yr or Cavies closer this year, when the soloist is playing during a full brass impact? 

Maybe just don't write parts like that then. You *need* it mic'd because somebody decided to write it that way.

[valjean]

57 minutes ago, Ashontheinternet said:

playing extremely loud to get your solo heard is not usually what the music calls for.

Such selections weren't the repertoire du jour before micing. Maybe it's cool that electronics have allowed for sultry, low register, comfortable dynamic soloing, but I (and no doubt many others) would argue it stops sounding like "drum corps" when you make room for that.

[Ashontheinternet]

8 minutes ago, valjean said:

Such selections weren't the repertoire du jour before micing. Maybe it's cool that electronics have allowed for sultry, low register, comfortable dynamic soloing, but I (and no doubt many others) would argue it stops sounding like "drum corps" when you make room for that.

why limit yourself to selections that must be able to be heard clearly without mics when you can get more symphonic and sultry moments though? personally i find the most sultry and restrained moments in shows to be the most impactful. 

[valjean]

1 minute ago, Ashontheinternet said:

why limit yourself to selections that must be able to be heard clearly without mics when you can get more symphonic and sultry moments though? personally i find the most sultry and restrained moments in shows to be the most impactful. 

well back in the day it's because those were the limits of the activity, lol. 

for the record you can still have sultry restrained moments without mics. what you want is something very specific. that's fine, we're all entitled to our preferences, but the vast options afforded to designers with all this tech ironically stifles creativity. What is the saying, necessity is the mother of invention?