[Dixielandjazz] Too Loud?

[Dick Sleeman]

John said:

> Correct - but that is due to laziness and a poor technique.  

I used to play in a band that was always very loud. At one time a member of the audience came up to the stand and asked why. The trumpet player (hi Cees) answered: "Because we can!"

> Before the
> polytone ruined the sound of bass players, the instrumentalists had to make
> the notes sound. Blanton and Pops Foster are two examples of bassists of
> differing styles achieving this. The amplifier enabled the musician to lower
> his action and touch the strings instead of really hitting them.

Another example is a Dutch bassist. He plays VERY LOUD. Notwithstanding his being 80 years of age, he still plays as if he's only just discovered his abilities. Sadly his hearing is slowly deterioriating, so he uses a BIG amplifier. Can you imagine what happens?

> Bass  players in classical orchestras have no problem projection because 
> they have the chops to do it..

Yesterday I played basstrombone in a symphony orchestra. We played an operetta. The orchestra sat beneath the stage in the orchestra pit. There were not so many strings but brass and percussion were in full strength. And only ONE bass player. A friend of mine, who sat in the back seats of the hall, told me that she could hear the bass very well, including the wrong notes!

Dick Sleeman, Lelystad, Holland.

<d.sleeman at hccnet.nl>