[Dixielandjazz] Parades amplification - afterthought

[David Richoux]

I have been marching  with (and/or leading) the Los Trancos Woods  
Community Marching Band in many hundreds of parades since 1977. Most  
always we are not amplified and we do just fine. Sometimes we can  
adjust our position in the parade if we find ourselves near fire  
trucks, louder bands or things like that. (It is not easy to do this  
with some parade organizers - sometimes their "parade order" is set  
in stone regardless of how it looks and sounds to the audience.)

Steve - I was watching a bit of the "Mummers Parade" on cable TV   
yesterday but it was all just the stationary performances. It would  
be interesting to see the "string bands" actually march down the  
street!  For those who don't know about this parade, the bands are  
masses of saxophones, banjos, string basses and accordions. The  
musicians wear elaborate costumes (some are similar to, and pre-date  
the Mardi Gras Indian costumes)  and usually play medleys of popular  
tunes on some theme or other.  (check http://www.mummers.com/ for  
pictures and stuff - one of the more unusual parades in the world...)

Dave Richoux




On Jan 2, 2006, at 1:28 PM, Steve barbone wrote:

> Just a quick note about under amplifying. You sometimes have to  
> compete with
> all sorts of extraneous noise from both within the parade and along  
> the
> route. So, a word to the wise is BE PREPARED to ramp up your sound.
>
> Examples:
>
> 1) One year we had fire trucks behind us. Besides having LOUD  
> engines, they
> would blast the siren every minute or so to the delight of the  
> crowd. Fire
> trucks are common in 4th of July parades.
>
> 2) Another time we had a one hundred piece band in front of us.  
> Once again,
> we had to ramp up sound to compete.
>
> 3) And there is always a sidewalk vendor or event, or two along the  
> route
> making noise.
>
> So, it doesn't hurt to be prepared. Otherwise, you just blow your  
> brains out
> to no avail.
>
> And, in this day and age . . . except for us old farts, THE  
> AUDIENCE WANTS
> YOU TO BE LOUD BECAUSE THEY ARE USED TO LOUD MUSIC AND HALF  
> DEAF. :-) VBG.
>
> Motto? "Whatever it takes to be heard by the folks in the back  
> row." And
> outdoors, those folks can easily be 50 yards away. Acoustic just  
> ain't gonna
> cut it unless you have a real brass band like Wiggins.
>
> Cheers,
> Steve