Random Daily Banter

[briantrumpet]

If you've ever sat in front of a properly trained operatic voice singing at full blast, you'd know why they don't need a microphone. Jeepers.

 

[Pross]

If you've ever sat in front of a properly trained operatic voice singing at full blast, you'd know why they don't need a microphone. Jeepers.

My sister gets insulted if offered a microphone for a concert. Some venues have shite acoustics though, especially typical theatres. Incidentally, I did a choir tour to Germany last month and the first church we sung in was absolutely incredible acoustically. The sound in the middle of the church was louder than where we were singing. The concert hall we sang at the same evening was also brilliant, it was only a small city with a population of less than 50,000 but the concert hall was incredible and has so many events held there.

 

[C R]

If you've ever sat in front of a properly trained operatic voice singing at full blast, you'd know why they don't need a microphone. Jeepers.

I still remember the first time I heard a choir in a church and how loud it was. I couldn't see the choir from where I was, and I thought there must be a lot of singers to be that loud without amplification. I was really surprised when I saw it was only six of them.

 

[briantrumpet]

My sister gets insulted if offered a microphone for a concert. Some venues have shite acoustics though, especially typical theatres. Incidentally, I did a choir tour to Germany last month and the first church we sung in was absolutely incredible acoustically. The sound in the middle of the church was louder than where we were singing. The concert hall we sang at the same evening was also brilliant, it was only a small city with a population of less than 50,000 but the concert hall was incredible and has so many events held there.

Indeed - theatres and a lot of other venues all too often put acoustics at the bottom of the list of criteria (if at all). When they do get it right, it's quite extraordinary the difference it makes.

 

[Ian H]

If you've ever sat in front of a properly trained operatic voice singing at full blast, you'd know why they don't need a microphone. Jeepers.

I thought the orchestra was supposed to be behind.

 

[briantrumpet]

OTOH, when you hear some (amateur) singers without a microphone, you realise that their sound is only just getting as far as where the microphone would be. The best singers can do molto blasto if needs be, but also know how to use a microphone... just watch Sinatra in this, and what he does with the mic near the end on the high note...


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgOzJCJhT5A

 

[Ian H]

Indeed - theatres and a lot of other venues all too often put acoustics at the bottom of the list of criteria (if at all). When they do get it right, it's quite extraordinary the difference it makes.

I remember the furore about the Royal Festival Hall when they decided to put an assistive sound system in - I think the reason was because the acoustics were awful.

 

[briantrumpet]

I thought the orchestra was supposed to be behind.

Deep ends. I've done at least one where the soloists were in between the orchestra and choir. Not nice.

Actually, in a nopera house, the orchestra would be below and in front.

 

[briantrumpet]

I remember the furore about the Royal Festival Hall when they decided to put an assistive sound system in - I think the reason was because the acoustics were awful.

The fan shape is a disaster, as the sound of the orchestra disperses sideways, but was based on audience proximity and sight-lines. All the best orchestral concert halls are the classic shoebox shape, with parallel sides and lots of disruptive details that makes the frequencies bounce around without an echo, and that also gives the orchestra direct feedback from the side walls on at least two sides of the stage.

Vienna:

 

[briantrumpet]

And possibly my favourite of the whole lot, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. All the sound is projected forwards with nowhere at the sides to escape.

We've not got many like that in the UK, though Victoria Hall, Hanley, (Stoke on Trent) is one of the classics

 

[Ian H]

And possibly my favourite of the whole lot, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. All the sound is projected forwards with nowhere at the sides to escape.

View attachment 11164

We've not got many like that in the UK, though Victoria Hall, Hanley, (Stoke on Trent) is one of the classics

View attachment 11165

Then there's the Albert Hall where, before the flying saucers, it was said to be extremely good value because you heard every concert twice.

 

[Pross]

This made for a hard sing. I had a sore throat in the lead up and we were then told in rehearsal by the German MD that we were too quiet and to sing louder. I don't think it was a surprise that my voice gave up for the concert I had to do with an octet the next day, I was supposed to have a bit of a solo but there was no way anything meaningful was coming out.

 

[Pross]

Then there's the Albert Hall where, before the flying saucers, it was said to be extremely good value because you heard every concert twice.

Singing there in June for the first time. I played there in a brass band national final in the mid 80s which is the only time I've ever been there.

 

[briantrumpet]

Singing there in June for the first time. I played there in a brass band national final in the mid 80s which is the only time I've ever been there.

I've never played there, but was there last week (that's the senior one of our two youth Devon big bands on stage). It is an impressive place. It costs £50k to hire for one night, with sound and lighting on top of that.

But it isn't the easiest acoustic, as it fails on the shoebox test of having direct feedback for the musicians from walls either side.

FWIW, I was reading about the sound engineering for the BBC Proms broadcasts, and every single concert has its own set-up, from scratch. It's an extraordinary feat.

 

[Ian H]

On a different subject, we seem to be in for a cold spell, and the gritters have been out on Dartmoor.