wateroftyne

Here's a little Q4n clip from a dep I did last night. The camera is behind the PA, so you're just getting backline and the backside of the monitors.

Hello! When is it? I used it last night at a dep gig, which was P-and-flats all the way. It's SO SOLID AND FAT.

Ibanez Promethean P5110... if you can find one. Amazing little things.

Not tediously boring at all. Very enlightening, thank you.

Yeah - I've read a lot of comments about them, mostly from people saying they just use them at rehearsals. I'm intrigued as to how common they are during concerts.

There’s such a fundamental relationship between the musician, their peers, the room acoustics and the mood the conductor is in, I’m amazed even the lightest attenuation doesn’t strip too much of it away.

Wow - I’m genuinely suprised at that.

Ear protectors surprises me. Are they worn, do you know? Just during rehearsals, or for the performances, too?

I'm quite surprised I seem to be alone in this. Orchestras rely on individual dynamics for nuance. There's no-one in FOH to tweak the balance. How on earth is an orchestral player supposed to nail dynamics whilst wearing ear protection?

OK...

You can't see what's impractical about an viola player performing in an orchestra with ear protection? Seriously?

It's so impractical as to suggest it's not worth them even showing up.

...or the furniture is rearranged so no-one is sitting immediately in front of the brass.

Of course not. Nor is it practical to wear earplugs. The inference being that there has to be a third way...

To be blunt, you’re going to have to suck it up and move on.

I can't see a problem with the ruling. Is it even practical to wear earplugs in an orchestra..?

God... it's fugly, too.

Yeah.... unfortunately we don't live in Utopia. Or North Korea :-D

Is the suggestion here that BC shouldn't allow any criticism / joshing? How about if none of us are acquainted with the subject (personally, or via social media), is that allowable?

The practical answer to that is ‘If you don’t like any sort of criticism, don’t perform in public, and don’t post anything on social media.’ It comes with the territory.

This would be assuming all band members are equal. Now there’s a question...

To be fair, he’s put himself out there, so he should probably expect a bit of joshing as well as the good stuff.

I believe they are passed on! No more! Have ceased to be! Expired and gone to meet their maker! Stiff! Bereft of life! Resting in peace! Pushing up the daisies! Their metabolic processes are now history! They're off the twig! Kicked the bucket! Shuffled off their mortal coil! Run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisible!! THEY ARE EX-MESSAGES!!