JLNorthGA
Active Member
The perennial problem for the musical. The singers are too soft, the musicians too loud.
We're a community theatre. We take what actors show up for auditions and hope we get reasonable actors (and singers). This production, not so much. The lead is good. She can sing well. So can several of the others. Two of the actors are a bit weak - one has good tone, but can't project and the other swallows his words.
We set up the Clavinova and the two other keyboards so they weren't coming out of the FOH speakers. The sound is coming from four monitor speakers - two in back of the proscenium arch and two pointed towards the stage from the light coves. The actors still complain that they can't hear the music (I'm back stage and on the stage for a bit role and I hear fine).
Anyway - several of the audience members have mentioned that they can't hear some of the singers clearly. Part of that I understand (see above).
When we were using the upright acoustic piano, we didn't have a problem with the actors hearing the music. Now, with the keyboards and monitor speakers they do.
We have problems w/ the acoustics of the auditorium. The back wall is slightly concave and it's focal point is roughly the center of the proscenium arch on the apron. The walls of the auditorium are cinder block. The ceiling slopes down and the seats are terraced up.
My thoughts were to hire an acoustical firm - got an estimate from two firms - definitely beyond our budget.
The echo in the room (particularly if you are in the back) can be annoying. I am certain that the acoustics are responsible for the complaints from the cast and the patrons.
What to do? One thought is to hang sound blankets (we have several in inventory) on the back wall and see if that improves things during a rehearsal. If it does, then we can look into sound panels on the back wall.
Any other thoughts? The ceilings are vinyl covered ceiling tile.
We're a community theatre. We take what actors show up for auditions and hope we get reasonable actors (and singers). This production, not so much. The lead is good. She can sing well. So can several of the others. Two of the actors are a bit weak - one has good tone, but can't project and the other swallows his words.
We set up the Clavinova and the two other keyboards so they weren't coming out of the FOH speakers. The sound is coming from four monitor speakers - two in back of the proscenium arch and two pointed towards the stage from the light coves. The actors still complain that they can't hear the music (I'm back stage and on the stage for a bit role and I hear fine).
Anyway - several of the audience members have mentioned that they can't hear some of the singers clearly. Part of that I understand (see above).
When we were using the upright acoustic piano, we didn't have a problem with the actors hearing the music. Now, with the keyboards and monitor speakers they do.
We have problems w/ the acoustics of the auditorium. The back wall is slightly concave and it's focal point is roughly the center of the proscenium arch on the apron. The walls of the auditorium are cinder block. The ceiling slopes down and the seats are terraced up.
My thoughts were to hire an acoustical firm - got an estimate from two firms - definitely beyond our budget.
The echo in the room (particularly if you are in the back) can be annoying. I am certain that the acoustics are responsible for the complaints from the cast and the patrons.
What to do? One thought is to hang sound blankets (we have several in inventory) on the back wall and see if that improves things during a rehearsal. If it does, then we can look into sound panels on the back wall.
Any other thoughts? The ceilings are vinyl covered ceiling tile.