Textures and Acoustic Environment

Track 1: Pitt Stare Marching Band - Gangnam Style

Q1: are the stands having any impact on the music/sound? if so what?

A1: Yes the stands have an impact on the music/sound because when the marching band move about and the way the marching band are positioned the sound from their instruments hits the stands of the stadium and bounces back to the air so basically no where, that shows there is no reverbation because of the environment they are in because their environment is in a stadium and in the open air, there is not much reverb, but because there is stands there the sound travels to the stands and bounces back off into the air, so that is the only reverb there is. Also the body absorbs the music/sound, by the way they move around with their body and point the instruments to left and right and upwards.

Q2: why do marching bands have so many instruments and loud ones?

A2: the reason for marching bands to have so many instruments and loud ones is because they are usually known to perform out in the open air, in middle of a big stadium, according to the size of the stadium is how many instruments need to be used. Because they are performing in the stadium in open air if they used a small amount of instruments the sound would be very quite and people would struggle to hear, also the audience are there to support the band and cheer for them, so if they would have a small amount of instruments and the audience is screaming and shouting and maybe singing along to what they are playing, the sound would be very hard to hear. So that is why the marching band need very loud instruments and loads of them so they can create a very loud and strong sound going through the stadium and even with the audience cheering they would still be able to hear the sound because there is so many of them. Another reason why they need so many instruments is because some of the players stop playing and start to dance so there is a good amount of people playing instruments to keep that loud sound going through the stadium while the people who stop playing are dancing.

Q3: is this music suitable for the acoustic environment? why?

A3: Yes this music is suitable for the acoustic environment because:

1. they are a marching band and there is a lot of them so the stadium is big enough to fit them all.

2. the music they are playing is up lifting, they are in a stadium so the mood is happy and energetic so the music the marching band are playing is energising and up lifting and also the amount of instruments being used gives a very loud strong sound so that gives a very strong up lifting feel.

3. because there is so many loud instruments playing if they would perform inside it would be hugely loud for the audience and would give off to much reverb and too much echoing effects. so because they are in a stadium outside all the sound goes into the air and blends in well with the environment.

Track 2: Phoenix - Lisztomania

Q1: can you hear any reverberation. Do you think that comes from the room or might there be some digital reverb? give reasons for your answer.

A1: Yes there is digital reverberation because they all are recording with earphones on, there is loads of wires in the video and all those wires are connected to the microphones, guitars and keyboard. This shows it is a digital reverb because it is not natural, it is all recorded with either a mixing desk or a computer that has all the equipment connected to it. But there can also be a natural reverberation because they are performing on a hard surface with a window and wood objects and a wooden floor. The singer and the guitar on the left from the 2 guitars have natural reverberation because they both are used naturally but being recorded with a mic but on the other hand the keyboard is fully digital because it is connected to a wire and he has earphones on. Another reason why the singer and the guitars have a natural reverberation because the singers voice travels through the room and same with the sound of the guitar, there is a reverb because the sound echoes from the hard surfaces such as the wooden floor, window and the wooden objects.

Q2: do you think the guitars are recorded through a mic or down a line?

A2: they both are recorded with a mic but one of them is recorded down the line as well. The smaller guitar is recorded down the line because if both guitars record down the microphone the bigger guitar would over power the small guitar so the small guitar is recorded down the line so its clearer and has more focus on it.

Q3: describe the texture of the music. does the acoustic environment suit the music?

A3: the texture of the music is monophonic because there is one voice singing then there is a 2 basic acoustic guitar with a keyboard, the smaller guitar is doing basic chords and the bigger guitar is doing harmonic riffs, while the keyboard does basic chord in a higher tone to the guitars, the singer follows the keyboard because the keyboard is the most important instrument in this song. But the guitars put the music to life because there is both of them and both of them playing together gives a very strong sound and harmonise with each other.

The acoustic environment suits the music because they are in some sort of rehersal room with windows and wooden objects and hard wooden surface and the size of the room that gives good reverberation. The music they are playing suits the environment because of the style and the instruments they are playing, the amount of people in the room playing suits the environment because if there was to many people and too many instruments playing the sound would be very tight and stuffed. Because they are recording down the line and with microphones the environment they are in suits them because they would not be able to record it that way in a stadium or on a stage, they wanted to make it simple and record it in a simple, comfortable room where they can connect all the wires and have the right reverberation.

Track 3: Allegri - Miserere - choir of st paul's cathedral.

Q1: describe the texture of the music (it is not the same throughout so mention where it changes)

A1: this music is acoustic, sung by a big choir, there is use of polyphonic and homophonic. The start of the music the texture of the music is homophonic because there is a group of people singing all different harmonies and different tones and pitches, then the texture of the music changes to polyphonic because there is 2 people singing together then the texture goes back to homophonic because there is all different people singing different harmonies and in unison. Basically the texture keeps going from homophonic to polyphonic texture. 

Q2: is the music suitable for the space/ is the space suitable for the music?

A2: yes the music is suitable for the space because the space is in some kind of church or hall the space is very big and gives a lot of echoes so because this kind of quire is singing acoustic and in unison with high pitched notes and different harmonies the reverberation of the space works really well because space is so wide the sound naturally echoes after they sing and because there is so many of them the reverberation is so strong and echoes very softly. Also the space is suitable for the music because it sounds like a church quire and like church music so the space and music works well together because of the amount of people singing together in the choir to give a strong reverberation and gives the space a holy sound and feel.