Orchestral enhancement

Last updated April 29, 2019

Orchestral enhancement is the technique of using orchestration techniques, architectural modifications, or electronic technologies to modify the sound, complexity, or color of a musical theatre, ballet or opera pit orchestra. Orchestral enhancements are used both to create new sounds and to add capabilities to existing orchestral ensembles.

Musical theatre work that combines songs, music, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance

Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an integrated whole. Although musical theatre overlaps with other theatrical forms like opera and dance, it may be distinguished by the equal importance given to the music as compared with the dialogue, movement and other elements. Since the early 20th century, musical theatre stage works have generally been called, simply, musicals.

Ballet is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread, highly technical form of dance with its own vocabulary based on French terminology. It has been globally influential and has defined the foundational techniques used in many other dance genres and cultures. Ballet has been taught in various schools around the world, which have historically incorporated their own cultures and as a result, the art has evolved in a number of distinct ways. See glossary of ballet.

Opera is a form of theatre in which music has a leading role and the parts are taken by singers, but is distinct from musical theater. Such a "work" is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librettist and incorporates a number of the performing arts, such as acting, scenery, costume, and sometimes dance or ballet. The performance is typically given in an opera house, accompanied by an orchestra or smaller musical ensemble, which since the early 19th century has been led by a conductor.

Adding additional instruments to a pit orchestra is a long-practiced technique used to obtain a fuller, richer sound. Starting in the 1970s, instruments in musical theatre were amplified with sound reinforcement systems. In the 1980s, the introduction of electronic synthesizers, sequencers and prerecorded music tracks was initially greeted with fear by musicians' unions and performers. However, rather than entirely replacing traditional orchestra pit instruments, these technologies are often used alongside the "live" violin players, wind instrumentalists, and rhythm section members.

A sound reinforcement system is the combination of microphones, signal processors, amplifiers, and loudspeakers in enclosures all controlled by a mixing console that makes live or pre-recorded sounds louder and may also distribute those sounds to a larger or more distant audience. In many situations, a sound reinforcement system is also used to enhance or alter the sound of the sources on the stage, typically by using electronic effects, such as reverb, as opposed to simply amplifying the sources unaltered.

Role

Orchestral enhancement systems should be able to realistically simulate the sound of the missing instruments by using prerecorded, sampled, synthesized, or sequenced sounds, store multiple productions in some sort of score format, such as a sequencer file or computer program, and vary the tempo.

As well, orchestral enhancement systems need to be able to make "live" adjustments to deal with forgotten lines or onstage mishaps, and transpose the key of the piece or its subsections. The system should also allow the conductor to make changes to the mix or levels of the different instrument sounds in real time.

Approaches

Adding instruments

Adding additional instruments is a long-practiced orchestral enhancement technique. The simplest type of adding additional instruments is to add performers of an instrument which already exists in the score. For example, a musical theatre conductor may add violins to obtain a "lusher" or fuller string tone. Similarly, a conductor may add rhythm section instruments, such as additional chordal instruments (e.g., Hammond organ, synthesizer, acoustic guitar) or, for a piece scored for drumset, additional percussionists could be used.

Rhythm section group of musicians within a music ensemble or band who provide the underlying rhythm, harmony and beat for the rest of the band

A rhythm section is a group of musicians within a music ensemble or band who provide the underlying rhythm, harmony and pulse of the accompaniment, providing a rhythmic and harmonic reference and "beat" for the rest of the band.

A more complex form of adding instruments is to add instruments which are not specified in the score, which requires an orchestrator or arranger to score the parts. For example, if a music director wished to add a blues-style horn section of saxophones and trumpet to a music theatre pit orchestra, a jazz or blues arranger would have to arrange idiomatically appropriate parts for the section.

A horn section is a group of musicians playing horns. In an orchestra or concert band, it refers to the musicians who play the "French" horn, and in a British-style brass band it is the tenor horn players. In many popular music genres the term is applied loosely to any group of woodwind or brass instruments, or a combination of woodwinds and brass.

Architectural modifications

The sound of a pit orchestra can also be modified by making architectural modifications. Some architectural modifications such as the addition of drapery or plush fabric bunting are used to reduce unwanted reverberation in the hall. Other modifications, such as the installation of acrylic glass screens, can be used to reduce the volume of loud instruments such as trumpets, cymbals, a drum set, or an electric guitar amplifier.

In some cases, architectural modifications are used to strengthen the tone of the orchestra. The double basses may be placed on hollow wooden risers, so that the low vibrations of the instruments will be able to better resonate, or a dropped ceiling may be installed over some instrument sections, to better direct the sound outwards towards the audience. In other cases, an overhanging proscenium arch or drape, which is "trapping" sound, may be removed.

In some older music theatres, though, it may be difficult to make permanent architectural modifications, because the theatre has been designated a historical site. While this may make the removal of proscenium arches or wood panelling impossible, the use of semi-permanent additions (e.g., acrylic glass) may still be permitted.

Sound reinforcement

Standard amplification

Since the 1960s, music theatre companies have reinforced the sound of the orchestra by placing microphones on instruments and amplifying them through a public address system. While this results in a louder sound, it may not correctly reproduce the ensemble sound and instrument tone. Without the use of high-quality microphones and equalization by skilled audio engineers, amplified orchestral instruments may not sound natural when they are amplified. Without high-quality condenser microphones and correct placement, violins can sound "scratchy" and thin, and double reed wind instruments may sound excessively nasal.

One of the problems with the use of standard public address systems in music theatre is that the front-of-house and monitor speakers may obstruct audience sight lines and interfere with the stage appearance. In some cases, this problem can be solved by hiding large speakers behind set constructions or drapes. In productions with little or no onstage set structures, such as a minimalist modern piece, sound engineers may opt to use higher-cost low-profile speakers, which are slimmer. Alternatively, sound engineers may decide to "fly" the speakers by attaching them securely to the rigging above the stage using steel cables.

Acoustic enhancement

Since the 1980s, some opera companies have been experimenting with acoustic enhancement, a subtle type of sound reinforcement system. Acoustic enhancement systems help to give a more even sound in the concert hall and prevent "dead spots" in the audience seating area. Acoustic enhancement systems use "...an array of microphones connected to a computer" which processes the sound and directs it to an array of amplifiers and loudspeakers spread out in the concert hall. The computer processor is designed to augment the natural acoustics in the hall and prevent "dead spots." However, as concertgoers have become aware of the use of these systems, debates have arisen, because "...purists maintain that the natural acoustic sound of [Classical] voices [or] instruments in a given hall should not be altered."^[1]

Pre-recorded music

As a budget-saving measure, some musical theatre companies use prerecorded music tracks called click tracks. Although these recordings are able to provide a warm, convincing sound, the tempo is fixed, and the musical director must follow the prerecorded music's tempo.

Since the 1990s, prerecorded music tracks have often been replaced by electronic sequencing devices. There are many computer programs which are designed to take advantage of the MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) specifications to control multiple synthesizer parts. In effect, these devices can store "performances" and then play back these performances. Sequencers are powerful tools which are capable of realistic simulations of the orchestra. However, these devices were designed for and mostly used in the studio environment.

The first Broadway musical to use a pre-recorded soundtrack with a few live musicians accompanying it was Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in May 2011; the producer claimed to be seeking a synthetic, cheesy sound.^[2]

Synthesizers

Synthesizers are used in many musical theatre productions, either to create new, modern synthesizer tones, or to simulate orchestral instruments with sampled or synthesized tones. The most common solution used has been to place one or more synthesizer players in the orchestra, each covering multiple parts.

Although the use of synthesizer performers to substitute for orchestral instruments is a more flexible approach than using prerecorded music (in that the synthesizer players can follow the tempo of the conductor), high-quality synthesizers and samples must be used to obtain a fairly convincing tone. With an inexpensive synthesizer, the orchestral instrument sounds are often thin-sounding and artificial.

Even with a high-quality digital sampler, the resulting sounds will not contain the complex nuances of a live orchestral performer. To obtain more authentic articulations and nuances from sampled or synthesized brass or woodwind sounds, these sounds can be performed using MIDI wind controllers rather than piano-style keyboards. Wind controllers can sense a musicians' embouchure, breath pressure, and other factors, and then this input can be "translated" by the synthesizer into the nuances that are expected in a traditional woodwind or brass instrument.

Other electronic instruments include software-based instruments, which are used with computerized music systems, and custom-made MIDI controllers which respond to movements by the onstage performers. The latter technologies have been used by some experimental modern dance companies to control both synthesizers and lighting effects, so that sounds and light will be triggered by the movements of the onstage dancers.

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An electric guitar is a guitar that uses one or more pickups to convert the vibration of its strings into electrical signals. The vibration occurs when a guitar player strums, plucks, fingerpicks, slaps or taps the strings. The pickup generally uses electromagnetic induction to create this signal, which being relatively weak is fed into a guitar amplifier before being sent to the speaker(s), which converts it into audible sound.

An orchestra is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families, including bowed string instruments such as the violin, viola, cello, and double bass, brass instruments such as the horn, trumpet, trombone and tuba, woodwinds such as the flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon, and percussion instruments such as the timpani, bass drum, triangle, snare drum and cymbals, each grouped in sections. Other instruments such as the piano and celesta may sometimes appear in a fifth keyboard section or may stand alone, as may the concert harp and, for performances of some modern compositions, electronic instruments.

String instruments, stringed instruments, or chordophones are musical instruments that produce sound from vibrating strings when the performer plays or sounds the strings in some manner.

In music, timbre is the perceived sound quality of a musical note, sound or tone. Timbre distinguishes different types of sound production, such as choir voices and musical instruments, such as string instruments, wind instruments, and percussion instruments. It also enables listeners to distinguish different instruments in the same category.

Recording studio facility for sound recording

A recording studio is a specialized facility for sound recording, mixing, and audio production of instrumental or vocal musical performances, spoken words, and other sounds. They range in size from a small in-home project studio large enough to record a single singer-guitarist, to a large building with space for a full orchestra of 100 or more musicians. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician or audio engineer to achieve optimum acoustic properties.

An electric piano is an electric musical instrument which produces sounds when a performer presses the keys of the piano-style musical keyboard. Pressing keys causes mechanical hammers to strike metal strings, metal reeds or wire tines, leading to vibrations which are converted into electrical signals by magnetic pickups, which are then connected to an instrument amplifier and loudspeaker to make a sound loud enough for the performer and audience to hear. Unlike a synthesizer, the electric piano is not an electronic instrument. Instead, it is an electro-mechanical instrument. Some early electric pianos used lengths of wire to produce the tone, like a traditional piano. Smaller electric pianos used short slivers of steel to produce the tone. The earliest electric pianos were invented in the late 1920s; the 1929 Neo-Bechstein electric grand piano was among the first. Probably the earliest stringless model was Lloyd Loar's Vivi-Tone Clavier. A few other noteworthy producers of electric pianos include Baldwin Piano and Organ Company and the Wurlitzer Company.

An instrument amplifier is an electronic device that converts the often barely audible or purely electronic signal of a musical instrument into a larger electronic signal to feed to a loudspeaker. An instrument amplifier is used with musical instruments such as an electric guitar, an electric bass, electric organ, synthesizers and drum machine to convert the signal from the pickup or other sound source into an electronic signal that has enough power, due to being routed through a power amplifier, capable of driving one or more loudspeaker that can be heard by the performers and audience.

Electronic keyboard electronic keyboard instrument

An electronic keyboard or digital keyboard is an electronic musical instrument, an electronic or digital derivative of keyboard instruments. Broadly speaking, the term electronic keyboard or just a keyboard can refer to any type of digital or electronic keyboard instrument. These include synthesizers, digital pianos, stage pianos, electronic organs and digital audio workstations. However, an electronic keyboard is more specifically a synthesizer with a built-in low-wattage power amplifier and small loudspeakers.

A pit orchestra is a type of orchestra that accompanies performers in musicals, operas, ballets, and other shows involving music. The terms was also used for orchestras accompanying silent movies when more than a piano was used. In performances of operas and ballets, the pit orchestra is typically similar in size to a symphony orchestra, though it may contain smaller string and brass sections, depending upon the piece. Such orchestras may vary in size from approximately 30 musicians to as many as 90–100 musicians. However, because of financial, space, and volume concerns, the musical theatre pit orchestra in the 2000s is considerably smaller.

An orchestra pit is the area in a theater in which musicians perform. Orchestral pits are utilized in forms of theatre that require music or in cases when incidental music is required. The conductor is typically positioned at the front of the orchestral pit facing the stage.

A rehearsal is an activity in the performing arts that occurs as preparation for a performance in music, theatre, dance and related arts, such as opera, musical theatre and film production. It is undertaken as a form of practising, to ensure that all details of the subsequent performance are adequately prepared and coordinated. The term "rehearsal" typically refers to ensemble activities undertaken by a group of people. For example, when a musician is preparing a piano concerto in their music studio, this is called "practicing", but when they practice the concerto with an orchestra, this is called a "rehearsal". The music rehearsal takes place in a music rehearsal space.

Live sound mixing is the blending of multiple sound sources by an audio engineer using a mixing console or software. Sounds that are mixed include those from instruments and voices which are picked up by microphones and pre-recorded material, such as songs on CD or a digital audio player. Individual sources are typically equalised to adjust the bass and treble response and routed to effect processors to ultimately be amplified and reproduced via a loudspeaker system. The live sound engineer listens and balances the various audio sources in a way that best suits the needs of the event.

Acoustic enhancement is a subtle type of sound reinforcement system used to augment direct, reflected, or reverberant sound. While sound reinforcement systems are usually used to increase the sound level of the sound source, acoustic enhancement systems are typically used to increase the acoustic energy in the venue in a manner that is not noticed by the audience. The correctly installed systems replicate the desired acoustics of early reflections and reverberation from a room that is properly designed for Acoustic Music. An additional benefit of these systems is that the room acoustics can be changed or adjusted to be matched to the type of performance. The use of Acoustic Enhancement as Electronic Architecture offers a good solution for multi-use performance halls that need to be "dead" for amplified music, and are used occasionally for acoustic performances. These systems are often associated with acoustic sound sources like a chamber orchestra, symphony orchestra, or opera, but have also found acceptance in a variety of applications and venues that include rehearsal rooms, recording facilities conference rooms, sound stages, sports arenas, and outdoor venues.

A stage monitor system is performer-facing loudspeakers known as monitor speakers or stage monitors on stage during live music performances in which a PA system or sound reinforcement system is used to amplify the performers' singing, music, speech and other sounds for the audience. In Britain the term foldback is often used to describe the system. Monitor speakers are useful when amplified instruments are used with acoustic instruments and voice. Monitor speakers often include a single full-range loudspeaker and a horn in a cabinet. Monitor speakers have numerous features which facilitate their transportation and protection, including handles, metal corner protectors, sturdy felt covering or paint and a metal grille to protect the speaker. There are two types of monitors: passive monitors consist of a loudspeaker and horn in a cabinet ; active monitors have a loudspeaker, horn and a power amplifier in a single cabinet, which means the signal from the mixing board can be plugged straight into the monitor speaker.

An audition is a sample performance by an actor, singer, musician, dancer or other performer. It typically involves the performer displaying their talent through a previously memorized and rehearsed solo piece or by performing a work or piece given to the performer at the audition or shortly before. In some cases, such as with a model or acrobat, the individual may be asked to demonstrate a range of professional skills. Actors may be asked to present a monologue. Singers will perform a song in a popular music context or an aria in a Classical context. A dancer will present a routine in a specific style, such as ballet, tap dance or hip-hop, or show his or her ability to quickly learn a choreographed dance piece.

This is a list of jazz and popular music terms that are likely to be encountered in printed popular music songbooks, fake books and vocal scores, big band scores, jazz, and rock concert reviews, and album liner notes. This glossary includes terms for musical instruments, playing or singing techniques, amplifiers, effects units, sound reinforcement equipment, and recording gear and techniques which are widely used in jazz and popular music. Most of the terms are in English, but in some cases, terms from other languages are encountered.

A keyboard amplifier is a powered electronic amplifier and loudspeaker in a wooden speaker cabinet used for amplification of electronic keyboard instruments. Keyboard amplifiers are distinct from other types of amplification systems such as guitar amplifiers due to the particular challenges associated with making keyboards sound louder on stage; namely, to provide solid low-frequency sound reproduction for the deep basslines which keyboards can play and crisp high-frequency sound for the high-register notes. Another difference between keyboard amplifiers and guitar/bass amplifiers is that keyboard amps are usually designed with a relatively flat frequency response and low distortion. In contrast, many guitar and bass amp designers purposely make their amplifiers modify the frequency response, typically to "roll off" very high frequencies, and most rock and blues guitar amps, and since the 1980s and 1990s, even many bass amps are designed to add distortion or overdrive to the instrument tone.

Offstage musicians and singers are performers who play instruments and/or sing backstage, out of sight of the audience, during a live popular music concert at which the main band is visible playing and singing onstage. The sound from the offstage musicians or singers is captured by a microphone or from the output of their instrument, and this signal is mixed in with the singing and playing of the onstage performers using an audio console and a sound reinforcement system. Offstage backup singers are also used in some Broadway musicals, as have offstage instrumentalists, in cases where an onstage actor needs to appear to play an instrument.

References

↑ Sound Systems- Why?!
↑ Lunden, Jeff (May 22, 2011). "'Priscilla' Plays Canned Music; Union Claims Desertion". Weekend Edition Sunday. National Public Radio. Retrieved October 14, 2011.

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[1] Sound Systems- Why?!

[2] Lunden, Jeff (May 22, 2011). "'Priscilla' Plays Canned Music; Union Claims Desertion". Weekend Edition Sunday. National Public Radio. Retrieved October 14, 2011.