Contra Lines

[jake_the_hydra]

To achieve balance it must be like so:

----/\ Trumpets

---/--\ Mellophone

--/----\ Baritones

-/____\ Tubas

The higher the instrument the softer it should play and listen to blend with the instrument below it, you will hear the higher voices carry over anyways so they should not be playing the loudest.

Now if you are listening to a string bass in a jazz ensemble.. you don't hear it projecting and controling the sound.. the same goes for bass voices in any ensemble when played correctly. Of course you technically can hear it, but it is described as a "feeling it" when it is less audible due to how low it is and how it just becomes a part of the music, unless of course you are listening to everyone else letting their tone spread to project.

I'm not sure I completely buy that, but I respect the concept and get what you're saying. In any case, I was speaking of balance in the regard that we must HEAR each part equally- not that they necessarily play equally (this would be assuming there is no dynamic demand to the music).

It seems that your triangle seems to diagram how they should play in order to be heard equally . . . and that, I more or less agree with.

[Schickmeister]

i know...he said he tried to put a chevron motif into the eiffel tower form

[aatlb25]

I'm not sure I completely buy that, but I respect the concept and get what you're saying. In any case, I was speaking of balance in the regard that we must HEAR each part equally- not that they necessarily play equally (this would be assuming there is no dynamic demand to the music).

It seems that your triangle seems to diagram how they should play in order to be heard equally . . . and that, I more or less agree with.

This is the pyramid. It is not technically the volumes you hear each section at, but what each section should play at according to their voicing to create perfect balance within the ensemble to hear everything as one according to their voicing (higher parts stick out, so they play softer). Some people flip the pyramid, others make squares, some people have huge bottoms to it. The corps that has done the greatest job achieving this is Star of Indiana, and it is just amazing, to me, the sound they got.

[Phantom&Phitch]

Erm..I think that is their corps symbol not the eifel tower

people kiss under the Eiffel Tower.... not a cheveron.

[markdewine]

Maybe it was an "Eiffel cheveron" ? b**bs

[DevTrev]

To achieve balance it must be like so:

----/\ Trumpets

---/--\ Mellophone

--/----\ Baritones

-/____\ Tubas

The higher the instrument the softer it should play and listen to blend with the instrument below it, you will hear the higher voices carry over anyways so they should not be playing the loudest.

Now if you are listening to a string bass in a jazz ensemble.. you don't hear it projecting and controling the sound.. the same goes for bass voices in any ensemble when played correctly. Of course you technically can hear it, but it is described as a "feeling it" when it is less audible due to how low it is and how it just becomes a part of the music, unless of course you are listening to everyone else letting their tone spread to project.

I completely disagree.

To achive balance it MUST be like so:

--|___| Trumpet

--|___| Mellophone

--|___| Baritone

--|___| Tuba

If you understand why, consider yourself enlightened.

[Phantom&Phitch]

I completely disagree.

To achive balance it MUST be like so:

--|___| Trumpet

--|___| Mellophone

--|___| Baritone

--|___| Tuba

If you understand why, consider yourself enlightened.

wrong. you need more low brass... if your "pyramid" were to hold true, then why is it that piccolos can be heard over almost anything? the ear has a natural tendency to pick up on higher regiseter sounds, despite the volume.

things you learn in speech pathology for 200$ alex?

Edited April 6, 2006 by Phantom&Phitch

[jake_the_hydra]

I completely disagree.

To achive balance it MUST be like so:

--|___| Trumpet

--|___| Mellophone

--|___| Baritone

--|___| Tuba

If you understand why, consider yourself enlightened.

That's what balance should sound like, at least. Obviously.

[aatlb25]

That's what balance should sound like, at least. Obviously.

Yeah that is how you hear it but to play it it needs to be the pyramid.

[JayM]

Yeah that is how you hear it but to play it it needs to be the pyramid.

Maybe it's just me, but, saying that this it how it is and the only way it should ever be is a little limiting.

Open your mind a little. You might be missing something.