Amplified Marching Bands Now Allowed in the Big Ten?
So says Indiana AD Fred Glass:
"The Big Ten athletic directors passed a new rule that allows you to amplify the band sound, and we're going to take advantage of that,'' he said.
This gem is buried in this article outlining the changes to IU's Memorial Stadium that Glass hopes changes the normally sedate game day atmosphere. After facing Towson, Western Kentucky and Akron, the Hoosiers will clearly be primed to face Michigan on Oct 2.
Now to you MMB members - what are you hearing about this, if anything? Yes, those of us in the south end zone do want to hear you play during the game.
August 18th, 2010 at 11:16 PM ^
Considering its 11:15 pm (EST), i don't think the band has heard anything from the directors yet (damn it they should read mgoblog as well as EVERYONE)
seriously though, i am all in favor for it just please no negative band threads because we know where those always head to...
If it helps Michigan, why not?
August 18th, 2010 at 11:17 PM ^
I'm not in the band, but I've heard there are those that believe they should pursue excellence and those that believe they should focus on volume. Now they don't have to choose. This is great!
August 18th, 2010 at 11:57 PM ^
The "pursue excellence" versus "play loud" factions are like the Tastes Great/Less Filling debates of the tv past.
August 19th, 2010 at 8:46 AM ^
am i the only one who remembers the fountain commercial?
August 18th, 2010 at 11:19 PM ^
I read somewhere it would be difficult to get it so it didn't sound like the band played each note 4 times. Can't say I have a link but does anyone know if this true? Or if I am dumb.
August 18th, 2010 at 11:28 PM ^
Thanks to the clear echo. Dunno about 4 times, but the acoustic reveberation between the press boxes would be an issue. On the other hand, we know they have an acoustic model of the place before and after the renovations. Hand an acoustics prof from the ME dept enough $$$ and he might be able to build an active system that fixes the problem. (He could also probably amplify the crowd noise on the visitor side while cancelling it on the press box side of the field...just sayin')
August 18th, 2010 at 11:39 PM ^
I actually know the head acoustics professor in the ME department. I'll get him on it.
August 18th, 2010 at 11:49 PM ^
To make sure the system is strong enough to do anything, but robust enough to not do the feedback screech thing is an expensive and tricky problem.
August 18th, 2010 at 11:27 PM ^
if they can find a solution to the reverb and find a quality mixing level for each mic so the band doesn't sound like shit, then I am all for it.
August 18th, 2010 at 11:31 PM ^
Starts next week if I have the scheduling right in my head. Not sure when this rule might have been passed, but if it's true, it will probably be discussed during the coming weeks. I don't get the feeling this is something that the stadium would run with at light speed though. If it happens, I bet it doesn't happen for another year or two.
August 19th, 2010 at 11:34 AM ^
yeah band week starts the 25th so if we hear anything, we'll spread the information sometime during that week
August 18th, 2010 at 11:52 PM ^
We need a grant to study this and make it work. I believe we could call it the MORE DAMN SOUND grant and we would all be thrilled. I love this news and I hope the MMB and the Athletic Department can find a way to make it work.
August 19th, 2010 at 2:11 PM ^
Then we could name the speaker system, "The George Cavendar Memorial Auditory Enhancement System."
August 18th, 2010 at 11:59 PM ^
So now there's no excuse for Shout and Bob Seger, right?
Right?
August 19th, 2010 at 12:02 AM ^
...a minute. I still like that old time rock and roll.
August 19th, 2010 at 8:45 AM ^
just soothes the soul
August 19th, 2010 at 11:43 AM ^
...you make me want to shout.
August 19th, 2010 at 11:50 AM ^
little bit louder now
LITTLE BIT LOUDER NOW
LITTLE BIT LOUDER NOW
LITTLE BIT LOUDER NOW
August 19th, 2010 at 11:52 AM ^
...you're making me reminisce about the days of old.
August 19th, 2010 at 2:31 AM ^
Seger was an Ann Arborite.
August 19th, 2010 at 8:50 AM ^
Hence him being one of the most overrated and overplayed artists in metro Detroit
August 19th, 2010 at 8:49 AM ^
thank god! Hopefully no Journey either
August 19th, 2010 at 11:31 AM ^
You shut your mouth when you're talking to me.
August 19th, 2010 at 12:08 AM ^
I always sit in the north end zone so I can hear the band just fine. But it's nice to know the rest of the stadium will eventually be able to do the same.
In the case of Indiana, I highly doubt an amplified marching band is really going to improve the atmosphere for competition like Towson, Western Kentucky and Akron.
August 19th, 2010 at 2:18 AM ^
This is a definite solution and I'm all for it.
August 19th, 2010 at 5:02 AM ^
Last year I went to the game vs EMU and for the first time I was sitting at the complete opposite end of the field from the band. I was frustrated that I couldnt hear the band very well, especially during the Victors. We need to find a way to get this done!
August 19th, 2010 at 8:54 AM ^
I"m telling you -- I've said it before and I'll say it again:
Speakers on each side of the 50 yard line behind the benches facing the crowd, behind the endzones facing the crowd and in each corner facing the crowd. Tennessee does the same thing (or similar if I remember correctly) and it's really impressive.
August 19th, 2010 at 8:55 AM ^
Not a lot of time to get what I assume are some pretty complicated acoustics right if they do indeed decide to mic the band up.
Would love to see it so that everyone can enjoy the band (and potentially a bit less RAWK music), but it might be a little tricky setting it up so that there aren't strange echoes going on that hurt the quality of what you hear.
Luckily, I'm assuming we've got some pretty smart folks ready to work on it!
August 19th, 2010 at 10:00 AM ^
Brian needs to make this a headline topic. What a magnificent development for the MMB!!
August 19th, 2010 at 10:22 AM ^
For some reason I thought they had always had a mic on them when they were in the stands. I guess not.
August 19th, 2010 at 10:30 AM ^
I remember seeing mics too, but they weren't broadcast throughout the speakers. I believe it was either for the TV audience or for recordings of the MMB
August 19th, 2010 at 10:38 AM ^
Even when I've traveled to away games though, other Big Ten marching bands have had mics. Oh well.
August 19th, 2010 at 10:51 AM ^
Yep, those are for the TV broadcasts. There are also microphones used at the 50 yard line at pregame, halftime, and postgame for MMBVideo's use.
August 19th, 2010 at 11:41 AM ^
...when they show the five seconds of the halftime performance, you get some random trumpet blaring away seemingly out of tune and time. TV just doesn't do band peformances like they used to. It's all about studio halftime shows now.
August 19th, 2010 at 12:23 PM ^
I would love for them to show the half time shows on tv. I thought networks were always trying to give the fan the "game day experience".
August 23rd, 2010 at 1:08 PM ^
Notre Dame has some clause in their contract with NBC which gets the band on TV... the ND band has at least one song on tv for almost every halftime. I've always wondered why other schools with great(er) bands, like Michigan, don't try to get something like this.
August 19th, 2010 at 7:30 PM ^
Is there time to get this in place for this season?