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marching band + midi + samples - recommendations?


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My sister-in-law is thinking about setting up her marching band with a midi controller (looks like a zylophone), a macbook, and a vst library so they can add ethnic percussion to their routines.

Anyone have recommendations for which software to use, and which sample library/vst, and also possibly controllers?

Would this be something they could do with triggers on their regular percussion instruments?

thanks for any advice!

Cheers

C>

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My sister-in-law is thinking about setting up her marching band with a midi controller (looks like a zylophone), a macbook, and a vst library so they can add ethnic percussion to their routines.

Anyone have recommendations for which software to use, and which sample library/vst, and also possibly controllers?

Would this be something they could do with triggers on their regular percussion instruments?

thanks for any advice!

Cheers

C>

 

 

Based on what you're describing, the only controller I can think of is the MalletKAT:

http://www.alternatemode.com/malletkat.shtml

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She actually mentioned that by name, and I couldn't remember it.

But yes, she is considering a malletkat, I was wondering if this is something you could also do with acoustic triggers on the acoustic drum instruments and wireless mic sends?

C>

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I've worked with kids and technology, and all things considered, you are better off going with real percussion rather than MIDI+tone generator. The technology is a bit much for most HS kids, IME.

 

And, traditionally those roles are covered by the pit, so there is already an established way of doing those sound that works well.

 

The MalletKat is one option if you are playing pitched percussion. Roland makes drum pad modules in a lot of flavors, and there is an 4x2 alesis product that is inexpensive by pitched percussion standards. These devices are still things that would work better in a pit than out on a drum line, even though there are now wireless midi options.

 

She'd be much, much better off with some kind of small midi module rather than a VST and laptop. There are quite a few inexpensive modules like the roland sound canvas which have a variety of sounds in a robust package.

 

Another question that presents itself is that she'll now also have to provide some sort of sound reinforcement for the audio outputs.

 

Music teachers like toys and everything, and it is fun to spend OPM for neat things, but all in all she's probably better off using real instruments in a marching band situation.

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I'm not sure about her sound reinforcement - she said it was adequate, but I would assume it is very, very portable...:facepalm:

Marching band is sure not what it was, when I played sousaphone.

Thanks again for any suggestions!

C>

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She actually mentioned that by name, and I couldn't remember it.

But yes, she is considering a malletkat, I was wondering if this is something you could also do with acoustic triggers on the acoustic drum instruments and wireless mic sends?

C>

 

In theory, yes, but considering the number of keys on a malletKat, you'd need a hell of a lot of bodies on the field to be able to cover the number of notes you could have on one patch of the mallet controller...

 

1 drum = 1 bar of the controller...

Now if they are marching 10-15 sets of quads you'd be getting in the ballpark of the malletKat...

;)

 

 

Also, I would assume the controller lived with the rest of the pit instruments as well.

As for sound reinforcement...my HS band was using electric bass and synth no later than '88-'89. I can't see that this would be too difficult to get into the mix as well.

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Wireless to a fixed or portable conventional system.

 

It would have to be portable...a stationary system and a marching band would create a timing chaos between mobile acoustic instruments and stationary samples.

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It would have to be portable...a stationary system and a marching band would create a timing chaos between mobile acoustic instruments and stationary samples.

 

 

Not at all if you're talking about your regular marching band performances/competitions (vs. marching in a parade, of course)....

 

They may be moving, but most performances cover only about 2/3-3/4 of the length of a football field, and as long as everyone, including the pit musicians, are taking tempo cues from the drum majors, there should be no timing issues.

 

Instruments on field AND amplification on the sidelines would be aiming at a fixed point on the stands, in general.

 

Now I'll add the proviso that I'm talking about a marching program that's got its act together, of course, not some no budget rag-tag effort that's putting the cart before the horse.

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??


Could you explain what you mean?

 

After reading kmarts reply, it could be that I know less than I thought about these compititions but as I see it, the sound from a stationary system will arrive at any point in the audience area at a fixed time. The sound from a band marching 200' down the field will arrive at any point in the audience area at a varying time depending where the band is on the field. Maybe I am missing something?

 

Dennis

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After reading kmarts reply, it could be that I know less than I thought about these compititions but as I see it, the sound from a stationary system will arrive at any point in the audience area at a fixed time. The sound from a band marching 200' down the field will arrive at any point in the audience area at a varying time depending where the band is on the field. Maybe I am missing something?


Dennis

 

 

You're likely thinking you'd need to overcompensate far more for the differences in location than is needed, but again, the time/tempo keeper is the drum major. You'll often see a few additional majors/majorettes spread across the sidelines keeping tempo (visually based off of the drum major's tempo) for the far reaches of the field.

 

Simply put...in these situations, marching bands largely keep tempo based on visual cues, not auditory ones.

 

Members in the pit keep their eyes on the drum major, players on the field keep their eyes on the drum major or asst. majors, etc. Everyone's on the same clock that way.

 

And again, you generally play towards a fixed point (often the judges boxes) as well.

 

 

 

Like I said, in my HS days, we had electric bass (ancient Peavy cab and head powered by car battery on a dolly), and then added synth along with the rest of the percussion pit (can't march a full marimba or tympani real easily) on the sidelines...8-10 people easy on the sides (plus ~180 musicians spread across the field).

One of the top bands we competed against did the Axel F theme from Beverly Hills Cop as part of their show: DX7 on the sidelines.

Never had or saw an issue.

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You're likely thinking you'd need to overcompensate far more for the differences in location than is needed, but again, the time/tempo keeper is the
drum major
. You'll often see a few additional majors/majorettes spread across the sidelines keeping tempo (
visually
based off of the drum major's tempo) for the far reaches of the field.


Simply put...in these situations, marching bands largely keep tempo based on visual cues, not auditory ones.


Members in the pit keep their eyes on the drum major, players on the field keep their eyes on the drum major or asst. majors, etc. Everyone's on the same clock that way.


And again, you generally play towards a fixed point (often the judges boxes) as well.




Like I said, in my HS days, we had electric bass (ancient Peavy cab and head powered by car battery on a dolly), and then added synth along with the rest of the percussion pit (can't march a full marimba or tympani real easily) on the sidelines...8-10 people easy on the sides (plus ~180 musicians spread across the field).

One of the top bands we competed against did the Axel F theme from Beverly Hills Cop as part of their show: DX7 on the sidelines.

Never had or saw an issue.

 

I stand corrected.

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