A SOUND EAR II - Association of British Orchestras

A SOUND EAR II
standing up and/or playing bells up
Where high risers are not an option, the risks to both the players producing the noise and the folk in front of them
may be reduced by standing up during critical passages. Players need to be able to raise the music stands as they get
up. It is both showy and effective.
Where standing up is not appropriate, brass players (and others) may pay some attention to the output of their
instrument in relation to their neighbours. This will reduce pain and obliteration (being unable to hear your own
instrument because of the volume of noise from neighbours) experienced by neighbours, and also reduce the degree
of force required to produce the sound.
improving forward projection from the horns
American orchestras have used baffles, angled at 45º to the horizontal, behind the horns so as to deflect more of
their sound forward.
sacrifice income to extend the stage, giving more space for clear soundlines,
or to accommodate risers etc.
Some ensembles have given up considerable box-office to create enough space for the orchestra: others pay to
restore the extended stage to normal at the end of their run.
Adjust playing stance
• Play bells up
• Keep your head straight - fiddles and violas can reduce exposures and musculo-skeletal risks by modifying their posture.
Share the noise dose amongst two or more players
This is a very expensive option, for a modest reduction in daily personal noise exposure (a 3dB reduction for a
halving in the period of exposure).
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Move people around, so they share The misery of sitting
in noisy positions
Neighbour noise does not dominate, but it can almost double your dose, and for many players the stress and pain
of exposure from neighbours may be their major concern. Some orchestras have found this to be successful in
reducing noise exposures and stress: others found that those who usually sat in noise hot spots were accustomed to
it, while those who swapped-in were less able to tolerate the experience.
Mark the score
To a degree players can brace against a burst of loud noise from neighbours. They may have time to insert earplugs
or fingers, or may at least prepare psychologically.
Single rank the brass
The brass are usually the most highly exposed, and the worst daily exposures came from the front of two rows.
Within a programme or schedule, balance noisy pieces
with something quieter
Put noisy players somewhere else and mike them in
Orchestras that tried this suffered from tiny but significant time delays introduced by the electronics