The Danpodcast - Cherry On BOA Austin 2018

[Danpod]

Help me put a cherry on the 2018 BOA Austin Regional!!  Find out about how CTJ keeps winning, how Cedar Park jumped several places in a few hours, and the rise of the Vista Ridge band.  Thank you all so much for listening!!!  

 

 

[LeanderMomma]

good stuff as always! Thanks for weathering the storm with us here in Austin.

[Danpod]

  On 10/1/2018 at 2:32 AM, LeanderMomma said:

good stuff as always! Thanks for weathering the storm with us here in Austin.

 

Thank you for the candy!!  I'm almost done with it!!

[LeanderMomma]

  On 10/1/2018 at 2:41 AM, Danpod said:

Thank you for the candy!! I'm almost done with it!!

I still can’t believe peanut butter m&ms is a thing.

[SewTallSoprano]

I love to see all the Texas bands keep getting better and better. BUT, I was so disappointed to hear, or rather be subjected to, the AWFUL use of microphones by a couple of the finalists. Not only does it give the message that the director of that band does not believe in its students abilities to perform, but it horrendously distorted the music and created a huge imbalance in the musical performance. And, it was VERY PAINFUL to the audience trying to enjoy the bands' performance.

 

BOA needs to set limits on the use of mic-ing to create a fair marching band experience for all the bands as well as the audience.

[CTJBandPops]

  On 10/1/2018 at 3:54 PM, SewTallSoprano said:

I love to see all the Texas bands keep getting better and better. BUT, I was so disappointed to hear, or rather be subjected to, the AWFUL use of microphones by a couple of the finalists. Not only does it give the message that the director of that band does not believe in its students abilities to perform, but it horrendously distorted the music and created a huge imbalance in the musical performance. And, it was VERY PAINFUL to the audience trying to enjoy the bands' performance.

 

BOA needs to set limits on the use of mic-ing to create a fair marching band experience for all the bands as well as the audience.

this has been a growing trend for the past 3-4 years - not sure how it is unfair if everyone has the ability to use them but choose not to do so. I doubt this will change any time soon.

[herbaflerb]

  On 10/1/2018 at 3:54 PM, SewTallSoprano said:

I love to see all the Texas bands keep getting better and better. BUT, I was so disappointed to hear, or rather be subjected to, the AWFUL use of microphones by a couple of the finalists. Not only does it give the message that the director of that band does not believe in its students abilities to perform, but it horrendously distorted the music and created a huge imbalance in the musical performance. And, it was VERY PAINFUL to the audience trying to enjoy the bands' performance.

 

BOA needs to set limits on the use of mic-ing to create a fair marching band experience for all the bands as well as the audience.

 

The amount of mics used Saturday were crazy. I mean I like when it's used tastefully, but it can just get out of hand. Take Round Rock for example. A fantastic bari sax ensemble, but mics were so overpowering. It was distracting how loud they were. I'm a fan of advancement in band tech, but let's click it down a few notches.

 

While I'm talking about electronics, some synth yesterday was ridiculous.  My seat was literally shaking due to how loud the ""supporting"" electronics were. John Paul Stevens was a bad offender of this. They have a great and well-balanced sound, but synth at the hits made it sound so fake.

 

These things are both awesome if bands just used them with a little more discretion.

[Nny14]

  On 10/1/2018 at 4:09 PM, banddad84 said:

 

this has been a growing trend for the past 3-4 years - not sure how it is unfair if everyone has the ability to use them but choose not to do so. I doubt this will change any time soon.

Everyone does NOT have that ability. Top of the line equipment is expensive and adds even more advantage to affluent groups. I know it's a reality of the world some schools have more money than others, but we shouldn't let wealth dictate something for bands that isn't even necessary in the first place. If you want to play loud, learn how to play loud.

[Rudedog34]

Mics and electronics are the paradigm. I don't see this changing. It's still early in the season and like all the other aspects of a show, the bugs are being worked out.

I feel that it is great that students are given the opportunity to learn these techniques. Managing a mixing board with multiple field mics, pit mics, solo mics, recordings and electronic instruments is a skill in and of itself. Kuddos to the mix masters and set up crews, for they too are part of the programs we see today.

It's up to the programs themselves to determine if this technology is used, it's complexity and what it brings to their particular show.

Remember too that these techniques (electronic/digital) can be an asset or detrimental to a show. When it's done right it can really enhance a movement, but a simple trip, faulty generator, wire or connection could kill that movement.

Either way it is what it is today and surely the future.

[herbaflerb]

  On 10/1/2018 at 5:36 PM, Rudedog34 said:

Mics and electronics are the paradigm. I don't see this changing. It's still early in the season and like all the other aspects of a show, the bugs are being worked out.

I feel that it is great that students are given the opportunity to learn these techniques. Managing a mixing board with multiple field mics, pit mics, solo mics, recordings and electronic instruments is a skill in and of itself. Kuddos to the mix masters and set up crews, for they too are part of the programs we see today.

It's up to the programs themselves to determine if this technology is used, it's complexity and what it brings to their particular show.

Remember too that these techniques (electronic/digital) can be an asset or detrimental to a show. When it's done right it can really enhance a movement, but a simple trip, faulty generator, wire or connection could kill that movement.

Either way it is what it is today and surely the future.

 

See a lot of bands on Saturday. Quite a few bands had electronic failures (Cedar Park in prelims, Leander in finals). In Leander's case, they still made their way to second place. Relying to heavily on them could turn your show into a trainwreck when they fail.

[Nny14]

  On 10/1/2018 at 6:09 PM, herbaflerb said:

 

See a lot of bands on Saturday. Quite a few bands had electronic failures (Cedar Park in prelims, Leander in finals). In Leander's case, they still made their way to second place. Relying to heavily on them could turn your show into a trainwreck when they fail.

Yup. Electronic failure caused us to start too early and receive the penalty in 2015 that cost us the regional. It's frustrating as a performer to be heavily affected by something you have no control of.

[Dog885]

  On 10/1/2018 at 6:09 PM, herbaflerb said:

See a lot of bands on Saturday. Quite a few bands had electronic failures (Cedar Park in prelims, Leander in finals). In Leander's case, they still made their way to second place. Relying to heavily on them could turn your show into a trainwreck when they fail.

Yeah, the rain messed up our sound for prelims at Cap City, so it was a disaster.

[Danpod]

- Microphone all the things.  The possibilities are endless and can actually influence the visual design of the show since you don't have to have soloists in the front.

- There is/has always been an inherent risk with electronics in this activity.  Set up of electronics on the field, including cable organization, is practiced over and over again.

- If the balance of "shot-gunned" mics is off, the judges should absolutely account for that in the sheets/scoring.  These microphones are fairly new to a large number of groups so there is definitely some learning curve of how to adjust if programs are not balancing the sound properly.  DCI is struggling with the same situation.  How much do you "deduct" if amplification is not balanced?
- Common misconception is that Loud = All The Points.  The judges aren't looking for "loud".  They are looking for consistent, clear tone.  Amplification can really hurt your program if the repertoire cannot be played in tune.   

[LeanderMomma]

  On 10/1/2018 at 3:54 PM, SewTallSoprano said:

I love to see all the Texas bands keep getting better and better. BUT, I was so disappointed to hear, or rather be subjected to, the AWFUL use of microphones by a couple of the finalists. Not only does it give the message that the director of that band does not believe in its students abilities to perform, but it horrendously distorted the music and created a huge imbalance in the musical performance. And, it was VERY PAINFUL to the audience trying to enjoy the bands' performance.

 

BOA needs to set limits on the use of mic-ing to create a fair marching band experience for all the bands as well as the audience.

I don't remember hearing anything awful or painful in finals.

[Nny14]

  On 10/1/2018 at 8:09 PM, LeanderMomma said:

 

I don't remember hearing anything awful or painful in finals.

[Rudedog34]

Henny's soloist' mic cut in and out at the beginning.

I don't think Leander's issue was a problem. They were amazing without it.

[vistaridgefan42069]

Vandy was loudest and they had no shotguns

 

Leander sounded amazing

 

Anyone saying that Round Rock's bari saxes were too loud really needs to listen to their Too Many Zooz source music before proclaiming such heresy

[JeremiahW]

  On 10/1/2018 at 3:54 AM, LeanderMomma said:

I still can’t believe peanut butter m&ms is a thing.

 

They are the greatest! Thank you so much! I ate all 10 servings in one day, oops  

[inmysights31]

To give credit where I think credit is due, I really thought that the performance of the mics was pretty good. Cedar Ridge had one shotgun mike and used it to great effect, and on the large part even the groups which straight up put 5 mikes on the front sideline (I’m looking at you Winston Churchill...) were still able to create a good mix of miced sound and real sound. So to be completely honest I was ok with the use of the mics. However I have heard much worse, expecially from DCI finalists who get this sound where you can here both the sound captured by the mics laid over the top of the corps and it sounds incredibly distracting.

[Rudedog34]

  On 10/1/2018 at 8:55 PM, Nny14 said:

 

Leander had a sound in prelims that legitimately hurt my ears. I'm not sure if it was intentional or just feedback.

[Rudedog34]

That's the sound of static electricity and plays into the show.

[LeanderMomma]

  On 10/2/2018 at 12:11 AM, JeremiahW said:

They are the greatest! Thank you so much! I ate all 10 servings in one day, oops

Actually I think you ate the entire jumbo sized bag in less than an hour!

[Danpod]

  On 10/2/2018 at 10:22 AM, LeanderMomma said:

Actually I think you ate the entire jumbo sized bag in less than an hour!

 

I shared a bunch of it so that makes me nice and not insane.

[LeanderMomma]

  On 10/2/2018 at 1:43 PM, Danpod said:

I shared a bunch of it so that makes me nice and not insane.

 

So that makes Jeremiah not nice and insane?    

[principalagent]

  On 10/2/2018 at 4:27 PM, LeanderMomma said:

So that makes Jeremiah not nice and insane?    

That's what I've been trying to suggest this whole time!!