Dynamics!

I learned about dynamics in school band. I thought about dynamics a lot when I was young, applying the techniques I learned on the saxophone with the guidance of a great band director.

When playing now, I seldom think about dynamics, I just feel them while I'm playing, it's almost like someone else is taking care of that part of my performance.

Insights and incites by Notes

listening to music, i guess

How did you learn about "dyamics" in a song? You know... when you change your part based on the emotional level of each section of the song...

My best lesson in dynamics was 1974 marching band practice when my band director spear chucked my brand new drum major's baton 80 YARDS because Kathy S. couldn't figger 'em out. Then Kathy got chucked from marching band.

When I had a little bass run that relied on the guitar easing back to stand out and some jughead guitarist who didn't know about dynamics steamrolled right over me. :D

Here's a band that gets it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFPhYoR9Ebs

On the subject of dynamics, many modern pop recordings are made with way too much compression. That destroys the dynamics the musicians used to express themselves, and basically makes it boring to listen to.

On the subject of dynamics, many modern pop recordings are made with way too much compression. That destroys the dynamics the musicians used to express themselves, and basically makes it boring to listen to.

You ain't kidding, Notes. You can hear the compressors "pumping" (clamp and release) on a lot of newer releases. To an old-school guy like me it sounds horrid.

rhcp is a band that's both over-compressed and very dynamic.

I agree with the comments that new albums are too compressed. That's why I almost exclusively listen to live shows now. You get to hear the dyanmics! Its so much more exciting.

A friend of mine recommended this exercise to me. Play 10 consecutive notes at the same tempo and same pitch. Each note should be exactly the same amount louder than the previous so that you go from as soft as you can play, to as loud as you can play in 10 equal steps. Then do the opposite from loudest to softest. That should help you get control of dynamics as you play the guitar!

10 notes was not a random number. There are typically 10 dynamic markings in music, though the two on the ends are rarely used. These are, from softest to loudest: pppp, ppp, pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff, fff, ffff.

I found it very difficult at first, but it has gotten easier over time and has totally helped my dynamic control.

As a wind instrument player in school band we learned a lot about dynamics. From extra soft (ppp) to extra loud (fff) to accents to crescendos (gradually getting louder) to diminuendos (gradually getting softer) to sforzandos followed by crescendos (attack loud, get soft quickly, then gradually get louder) and dozens of other dynamic devices to get more expression out of the music.

It's a lot like speaking. Try talking to someone and making every syllable of every word the same volume. Do it as if you are scolding someone. Do it as if you are talking love to someone. That's extreme compression. It does the same thing to your music.

Insights and incites by Notes