Klarinet Archive - Posting 000447.txt from 2004/07

From: "Benjamin Maas" <benmaas@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Amplification of music (somewhat OT)-LONG REPLY
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2004 19:27:29 -0400


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Karl Krelove [mailto:karlkrelove@-----.net]=20
>=20
> But, Ben, Richard Rodgers (or Robert Russell Bennett) didn't=20
> use synths=20
> or electric guitars (bass or lead).

That was my point. Music, whether you like it or not, is becoming more =
and
more influenced by popular music- ie rock. Heck, even looking at =
classical
music, there is a whole generation of composers that grew up on Rock- =
some
of these have done quite well. Rock doesn't balance on its own. It =
must
have further electronic processing for it to work.

As I wrote earlier- sometimes you do not have a choice as to whether or =
not
to amplify things that "shouldn't need amplification." I used the =
example
of a drum set with a big band. If the entire band is amplified, except =
for
the set, you end up with differing perspectives and that sounds strange. =
As
a result, I will often put a touch of the kit in the system to make it =
all
sound like it belongs. You'll run into the same issues with amplifying =
only
the voices and not the pit. Things in the pit just won't belong in the
sound. To make it even more complicated, some things in the pit are =
louder
than others. Do you think an english horn can balance a drum set? Or =
rather
in terms other than volume, do you think an english horn will project as
well as a drum set? =20

Sound is not a black and white thing and like much of the rest of music,
there are no set hard and fast rules. You need to work with what you =
are
given to make a show work... Now that being said, because of most
engineer's rock backgrounds, the volume tends to be rather high... That =
is
also what many audiences tend to expect these days and if they don't get =
it,
they complain.

>=20
> Am I wrong in assuming that there's a house engineer running=20
> the sound=20
> in a major city theater when traveling productions (theater=20
> or concert)=20
> come in? I'm sure the company brings its own sound crew as well, but=20
> doesn't the house tech have some control if they're using the=20
> house system?
>=20
> Karl

Yup... You are wrong. The house engineer serves as a liaison to make =
sure
they get set up. The mix and production sound is always left to the
traveling engineer. =20

As a house engineer, we may suggest things to make the production work
better, but in the end, it is not our show to call. Also, most =
traveling
companies will bring their own sound system including console, =
amplifiers,
speakers, rigging, etc... When you are traveling, it is better to make =
sure
you have a system that you know and you know will work than to trust the
local system. There are some really crappy systems out there... (some =
are
even in really good halls)

--Ben

Benjamin Maas
Freelance Clarinetist and Recording Engineer
Los Angeles, CA
http://www.fifthcircle.com

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