Orchestra in a rock concert

ericyeoman


Some thoughts:

1. It removes the chance for error. In an orchestra of 80+ players, things can
get very messy very quickly if too many mistakes are made.

2. The players do not have the time to learn the peice by rote. They may have had
only 20 minutes or so to familiarise themselves with the peice.

3. Most players do learn most of the peice, if played often enough, but the score acts as a prompt.

4. A band will rehearse for many months to hone a 90 minute set, an orchestra will be expected
to play maybe several 90 minute different programs a week, there just isn't the time to learn all the notes.

So, in essence, I guess it's to do with the fact that an orchestra is expected to play a vastly greater
repertoire than the average band over a shorter amount of time.

Provided the dots are correct: The Trial of Ralph McTell

Searchfinger


First of all, I don't read music .  Yeah I know, I'm just your average musician who learns by listening and finding out for myself.  I haven't been to any music lessons of any kind.   The kind that teaches you how to read music sharps, flats, modes, scales and all those things.  Don't get me wrong, I know my sharps, flats and naturals enough to get by but I just don't read music. I envy my fellow musicians who do.

This is probably the reason why I don't understand why a violin section or a cello quartet or an orchestra playing behind a band in a concert can't memorize their lines and they need to have a copy of every note to play.   Is it really that hard to play such instruments in a concert that you absolutely cannot memorize your lines and when to play them that you need to be looking at your sheet?  I'm just confused really why.  

If the band can play an entire 10 minute song without looking at a lead sheet (much less jump around headbanging their heads) and finish it with a bang, why can't they?  Of course, it would be ridiculous for them to be headbanging their heads with the band while playing violin but aren't they good enough to play their instruments without looking at the notes?

I know I'm probably stupid for thinking about this, but I just want to know the reason why...  I don't want to enroll in a conservatory of music just to find out the reason.

So, will the wise ones in this forum tell me why?  The reason might be staring me at the face but I'm just not getting it...

bapu


Mooch. 

One word.
MIDI.

2. - 100 plus peice orchestra usually has very complicated music - with many harmonies - and counter melody parts - I've been in rock bands with the songs would have any where from 3-10 chords for the most part and 2-4 harmony parts - making it easy to memorize especially if the song is catchy and easy to keep in your head -- on the other hand -- a 100 or more piece orchestra with complicated chords- counter melodies - compicated song forum - is very difficult to have memorized and rehearsed with the style the conductor is calling for with out not only the written music notes -- but written notes in "normal language like ..... (play under the flutes here) - or more staccato at measure 40 ) -- or a dynamic crossed out and a new one written in at the conductors request) ... and you don't just have one 10 plus minute piece of music that has all that -- but say 6 or 7 ten plus minutes of tunes like that - The mclassical musician will also be playing notes rather than knowing what the chords are - to form a 3 note chord they would need 3 different notes assighned to at least three different musicians -so if you want a c hoord to an F chord - a guitar player would play a C chord - than an F chord - in orchestra music you would have 3 violin players - one violin plays a c note - the second plays an e note and the third play a g note - all three at the same time - make the c chord - then they go to an F chord - violin one plays an F - the second violin plays the A and the third violin plays the C -- so you have 100 plus musician doing all those different things forming chords and what not yeah - you thought learning 3 new songs in a I IV V rock band took a long time with out music -- try doing it the orchestra way with out music ... and well - it'd be hard

If you're a 100 piece orchestra doing a concerto, it would make sense but say if you're just cello quartet playing the bridge section of a song in a rock band it would look very snobish (i don't know a more appropriate word) if your using a sheet with all the notations. I mean, come on now, it's just the bridge, you can probably do it with your eyes closed.

you would rather hear Vivaldi on a computer sythn midi triggered piano than a world class orchestra  like CSO?  okaaaay then.

all the great orchestras and players that stood in the same spot

Mooch4056



You would rather hear Vivaldi on a computer sythn midi triggered piano than a world class orchestra  like CSO?  okaaaay then.

PS - I live in Chicago so that would be THE orchestra to go see where I live -- give me that over a midi performance over any classical composers of any time period any day

not to sound snobish WHAT!?