GoodSoundClub - Romy the Cat's Audio Site

In the Forum: Musical Discussions
In the Thread: Too damn loud?

Post Subject: I feel no sympathy.Posted by Romy the Cat on: 9/30/2014

I hope you understand that regular concert goers would not feel any sympathy to musicians who are getting deaf sitting in orchestras. We, the consumers of orchestral events, are very frequently undeserved by dynamics and volumes during live events. While apparently Feds are trying to rule something to OSHAnise musicians (wish is understandably ridicules) but my personal complaint is in very opposite side: we the consumers have not enough volumes and not enough dynamic range.

For instance at BSO's Symphony Hall I would say that a good 85% of all near-located sits do compress sound very aggressively. If you go further from stage then you just do not get enough volumes and any deep fortissimos do not sound "impressive" enough. If we sit too close where orchestra can develop some auditable dynamic then the instruments and section are not mixed properly. So, he in Symphony Hall we effectively have couple of dozen sits where there is potential to get proper dynamic range. However, people compress sound. A fully filed Hall, particularly with a lot of women (they are acoustically fuzzier) and during cold time of year makes sound sluggish and dull. Much better result we get from K-M row distance and with Hall file at 40-50% of capacity. That is VERY seldom happens. I am not a huge fun of Symphony Hall. The industry people love to blab about it's phenomenal acoustics but they ether are ignorant or conditioned. The Worchester's' Mechanic Hall is much shittier Hall but order of magnetite better for orchestral sound then the Symphony Ha, at least for the person who is listener.

So, I have when musicians are trying elicit sonic sympathy I would propose to feel sympathy toward to concert goers who actually do not get during the concerts the sound that they shall.

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