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The Judge's Box |
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Question: I would like to know how you judge
music when a band uses an electric keyboard, microphone, and large
speakers compared to bands that do not, especially when the keyboard
and other mic’d band members play half the show while the rest of
the band works on the visual effect of the show? |
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Answer: Visually, the only time it would affect
my score would be when I have two groups who are extremely close in
score. If I have a group that consistently plays when they are
moving vs. a group who only play as an ensemble standing still and
moves when the soloists are playing, I’d be more likely to give the
nod to the group that is displaying more simultaneous
responsibilities. Again, this would be used as a sort of
“tie-breaker” as I would be evaluating the entire program.
Musically, let’s talk about performance first. The mic’d soloists
are more exposed so they better be at the top of their game. If you
frack a note while on a loudspeaker, it’s probably going to be much
more noticeable vs. if the entire ensemble is playing and the
“guilty party” is located on the back hash 25 yard line.
Effect-wise, those bands that choose to use the electronics
sometimes live and die by them. If they work, great – if they
don’t, you run the risk of loosing musical nuance and the flow of
the show. Some bands may choose to highlight a soloist frequently
because that is a definitive strength of the program. In addition,
variety is a hallmark of both visual and music effect. If the only
thing you hear is the same soloist or keyboard over and over, that
definitely limits the range of the program. |
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