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I sometimes operate media servers that deliver video for several classical pops concerts including Fantasia and a number of more modern Hollywood type movies. T

I sometimes operate media servers that deliver video for several classical pops concerts including Fantasia and a number of more modern Hollywood type movies. The conductor gets a special synchronized video feed with white dots flashing to indicate tempo, colored lines to show when changes are coming up and bar numbers, all superimposed over the movie. The conductor has to speed up and slow down the orchestra in order to match the music exactly (or as close as possible) to the original video. I never change the speed of the video. Some pieces seem to be harder and also require a click track. These are shows that obviously require very close attention to the conductor. I always wonder if all the orchestra was given a click and a copy of the modified video, if the conductor could just sit down and eat a sandwich. Of course, that is kind of like contrasting watching a DJ that selects mp3 tracks vs someone who can adeptly spin vinyl. Curiously, I can tell you from listening to the conductors speak candidly, they often consider this sort of conducting much harder despite these added tools. Even when they are playing very familiar pieces like the music from Fantasia, it is very difficult to match it so exactly to the original. They compare adjusting the speed of an orchestra to speeding or slowing a freight train. With professional orchestras, most only do 1-2 rehearsals before the shows I control video. It is amazing how fast the musicians take notes and adapt to the direction of the conductor. There is almost always a marked improvement between 1st and 2nd rehearsal and the actual show. I will say that having stood at the conductor's podium at many of the top theaters in the U.S. (while empty) - it is an incredibly intimidating thought. Every seat points straight at you. It is much more singularly focused than a dramatic stage. It definitely has given me (someone with very little musical understanding) a great deal of respect for their responsibilities.

Twirrim 12y ago
> With professional orchestras, most only do 1-2 rehearsals before the shows I control video. It is amazing how fast the musicians take notes and adapt to the direction of the conductor. There is almost always a marked improvement between 1st and 2nd rehearsal and the actual show. Orchestral musician train and practice a lot, across a wide variety of music types, and as such their sight reading abilities tend to be very good. When it comes to a performance piece they'll have been practicing it solo for a while before they even set foot on the stage, so they'll already know both the piece, the flow, and their role in it. Adapting to the conductors direction really should be just a couple of rehearsal task for them :)
kd0amg 12y ago
I always wonder if all the orchestra was given a click and a copy of the modified video, if the conductor could just sit down and eat a sandwich. Got to try a rehearsal like this with my high school band (Sorcerer's Apprentice, IIRC). There was still enough other information to get from the director (adjusting dynamics, etc.) that we probably would have sounded bad with just the video. they often consider this sort of conducting much harder despite these added tools I'm not sure it's an added tool so much as a more exacting spec.
JanezStupar 12y ago
Mixing MP3s is no less of an art than mixing vinils...
- malkuth23 12y ago
  I am sure that is true (I don't have a music background). I just think it is usually much more interesting to watch someone perform with vinyl. More showmanship or something.
louthy 12y ago
> Of course, that is kind of like contrasting watching a DJ that selects mp3 tracks vs someone who can adeptly spin vinyl. The selection process is the same. But there are various 'cheats' mp3 DJs can use which vinyl DJs can't whilst mixing. A lot of MP3 mixing hardware now comes with auto-beatmatch functionality. I see this being used quite a bit. It tends to sound pretty soulless, because there's no 'liveness' to it, it's very mechanical. Another is looping the bars at the end of a track to make it easier to mix, with vinyl if you run out of time you just get silence! Still, the main thing is playing the right music in the right order, if you can make it from one track to another without f*cking up then you'll have 95% of the room on your side. The other 5% will the trainspotters that take everything far too seriously anyway.

Twirrim 12y ago

> With professional orchestras, most only do 1-2 rehearsals before the shows I control video. It is amazing how fast the musicians take notes and adapt to the direction of the conductor. There is almost always a marked improvement between 1st and 2nd rehearsal and the actual show. Orchestral musician train and practice a lot, across a wide variety of music types, and as such their sight reading abilities tend to be very good. When it comes to a performance piece they'll have been practicing it solo for a while before they even set foot on the stage, so they'll already know both the piece, the flow, and their role in it. Adapting to the conductors direction really should be just a couple of rehearsal task for them :)

kd0amg 12y ago

I always wonder if all the orchestra was given a click and a copy of the modified video, if the conductor could just sit down and eat a sandwich. Got to try a rehearsal like this with my high school band (Sorcerer's Apprentice, IIRC). There was still enough other information to get from the director (adjusting dynamics, etc.) that we probably would have sounded bad with just the video. they often consider this sort of conducting much harder despite these added tools I'm not sure it's an added tool so much as a more exacting spec.

JanezStupar 12y ago

Mixing MP3s is no less of an art than mixing vinils...

malkuth23 12y ago
I am sure that is true (I don't have a music background). I just think it is usually much more interesting to watch someone perform with vinyl. More showmanship or something.

louthy 12y ago

> Of course, that is kind of like contrasting watching a DJ that selects mp3 tracks vs someone who can adeptly spin vinyl. The selection process is the same. But there are various 'cheats' mp3 DJs can use which vinyl DJs can't whilst mixing. A lot of MP3 mixing hardware now comes with auto-beatmatch functionality. I see this being used quite a bit. It tends to sound pretty soulless, because there's no 'liveness' to it, it's very mechanical. Another is looping the bars at the end of a track to make it easier to mix, with vinyl if you run out of time you just get silence! Still, the main thing is playing the right music in the right order, if you can make it from one track to another without f*cking up then you'll have 95% of the room on your side. The other 5% will the trainspotters that take everything far too seriously anyway.