These baffles (clear plastic? glass?) are also used to deflect sound from behind, especially when the brass parts are particularly loud. Many players in the BSO have them, especially if they are seated toward the rear of the stage, close to the brass (and percussion). I notice now that many musicians also use ear plugs.
What I have never understood is why it seems that so many violists are hard of hearing in their old age. Could it be the range of their instrument that makes their ears more suseptical to loud brass chords? ------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ed Durbrow" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "gary digman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "LuteNet list" <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, July 30, 2006 10:50 AM Subject: [LUTE] Re: Historical Amplification > What did you make the baffle/reflector out of? Wood, I > assume, but > how thick and how large? Studios use something similar > to limit > leakage but they are usually made to absorb sound. > > On Jul 30, 2006, at 7:12 PM, gary digman wrote: > >> I saw a cellist in an orchestra use a baffle made >> from a three >> panel folding glass screen. She sat in the middle >> with the screen >> behind her. I play double bass as well as lute and >> sometimes am >> called upon to play with jazz groups in clubs and >> restaurants that >> do not allow amplification. This can be problematic >> as the sound of >> the double bass is easily drowned out by the drums >> and the piano, >> not to mention saxophones, trumpets and trombones, >> requiring the >> bassist to "dig in" and work very hard just to be >> heard. So, I made >> a small baffle like the one I saw the cellist use and >> found that it >> significantly increased the presence of the bass, I'd >> say by as >> much as 25-40%. My fellow musicians have expressed >> astonishment at >> how much of difference the baffle makes. I haven't >> tried te baffle >> with my lute yet, but will at my next concert. >> >> Gary >> -- >> >> To get on or off this list see list information at >> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > > Ed Durbrow > Saitama, Japan > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://www9.plala.or.jp/edurbrow/ > > > >
