Mid-April Edition
April 13th, 2012 - Vol 3, Issue 22
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VISIT or FOLLOW US...
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| Greetings! |
I am absolutely blown away by how our staff has stepped up to the plate. With the expansion, extra gear and increased traffic flow, they've managed to maintain the level of service our customers have come to expect. I can't thank them enough for the great job they do every day. As a team, they are working well together to meet our customers' wants and needs.
When we decided to do the expansion, we were somewhat tentative. However it has been one of the best decisions we've made to enhance your experience in our store. We are very proud and humble at the same time. As I've said many times...without you, our friends, families and customers, there would be no us. We are VERY grateful for your patronage and are excited for the coming years. It's gonna be a whole lotta fun!!!
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| DATES AND EVENTS CALENDAR |
OSSAA State Concert Band Contest 5A @ Jenks April 10th
OSSAA State Concert Band Contest 6A @ Jenks April 13th
Pawnee Band Day @ Pawnee April 14th
Catoosa Concert Band Contest @ Catoosa April 20th
OSSAA State Jazz Contest April 24th-25th @ Oklahoma Christian College
Saturday, April 28 at the Beggs Middle School Gymatorium - 2nd Annual Beggs Band Extravaganza
The Music Store Band Director Lab Band Clinic @ TCC - July 16th, 2012
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| THE MUSIC STORE's BAND DIRECTOR LAB BAND CLINIC - July 16th, 2012 |
 Dr. Robert Carnochan of The University of Texas at Austin will conduct this year's Band Director Lab Band Clinic. This is going to be a wonderful clinic and we are excited to host this event at Tulsa Community College once again. If you are a band director, please check our website for the banner to register for participation in this wonderful event filled with performance, drawings, free food and bonus clinics on various subjects. This event fills up fast, so please register as soon as possible. We look forward to having Dr. Carnochan in Tulsa and seeing all of you as well.
As a sidebar, if you didn't receive a copy of last years CD, please reach out to Paris and let him know. He'll make sure he gets one to you straight away.
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| WE WELCOME PERCUSSION & DRUM INSTRUCTOR JEFF JONES TO THE MUSIC STORE. | 
In case you've not been by the store lately and visited the drum side of our store, we now have world-renowned drummer and educator, Jeff Jones teaching at The Music Store. We are excited to have Jeff join our family and community. He brings with him a vast array of knowledge and experience. Jeff has published several books and dvd's on a multitude of subjects while traveling the world as an instructor/educator for Remo Drumheads, Sabian Cymbals, Sonor Drums and Vater Sticks.
It's an exciting time on the drum side of The Music Store and we welcome Jeff, his family, friends and students into our family. Thanks so much Jeff; we're really glad to have you.
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| PARIS' POINTERS - "How Rehearsals Can Improve a Band" - Part 2 |
Most rehearsals should begin with some type of warm-up. You do not have time "not" to warm-up. Warm-ups usually include, scales, sound quality, blend, balance & intonation. Remember: Warm-ups are music!
Tuning is best improved by group effort, playing unisons & chords. Students should be encouraged to adjust pitch as they try to eliminate "beats." Sometimes the tuner might work well for checking individual problems, but don't waste time tuning every players concert B-Flat.
If you feel pressure building during a rehearsal, change the pace with a funny story, a joke, a simple stretching exercise or by walking off the podium to allow for some conversation. If concentration is low, it won't do any good to keep rehearsing.
Make sure that each student has a sharpened pencil with a good eraser. Changes occasionally must be marked on the pages of music. It is important to train students early to mark measures with unusual rhythms, accidentals, time changes etc.
Too many compliments can lead to lazy musicians; too few compliments can make some give up. Learn which students play better with extra pressure & those that need constant encouragement; learn to be a Psychologist on the Podium.
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| TECH TIP - From SHURE - Critical Distance and Microphone Placement |  A microphone is the first component in any speech recording or transmission system. Its function is to convert acoustic sound waves into an equivalent electrical signal. This signal can then be recorded, transmitted, amplified, or modified. However, a microphone cannot effectively sort out desired sound (direct speech) from undesired reverberation (reflected speech). Also, a microphone cannot improve the acoustic environment in which it is placed. What is Critical Distance? In every room, there is a distance (measured from the talker) where the direct speech and the reflected (or reverberant) speech are equal in intensity. In acoustics, this is known as the Critical Distance and is abbreviated Dc. Why is Dc important to microphone placement? If a microphone is placed at Dc or farther from a talker, the speech quality picked up will be very poor. This poor sound quality is often described as "echoey", reverberant, or "bottom of the barrel". The talker's words will also be hard to understand as the reflected speech overlaps and blurs the direct speech. How may Dc be estimated for a room? Tools required are a 25 foot tape measure, a Sound level meter and a Portable "boom box" with FM radio - Place the "boom box" in one end of the room in place of a talker. Tune the FM receiver between stations. This steady "white" noise will be used instead of a talker.
- Extend the tape measure from the "boom box" to the far side of the room. Lock the tape measure in place. It is the reference for distances.
- Set the sound level meter to "A" weighting, "slow" response, "90" dB range. Using the tape measure as a guide, place the sound level meter microphone one foot from the "boom box".
- Increase the "boom box" volume until the sound level meter needle points to "0", which is 90dB of sound pressure level (SPL).
- Move the sound level meter back to the two foot mark. The meter reading will drop 4 - 6 dB.
- Reset the meter to the "80" dB range. Move the meter to the four foot mark. The meter reading should again drop 4 - 6 dB.
- Continue to double the distance each time the meter is moved. When the distance is doubled, the meter should drop 4 - 6 dB if Dc has not been reached.
- During one the these meter moves, the meter reading will not drop the predicted 4 - 6dB, but will remain relatively constant in level over several feet. Note the distance where the meter reading first remains steady. This is Dc, the Critical Distance.
For excellent audio, where should a microphone be placed in relation to Dc? In general, an omnidirectional microphone should be placed no farther from the talker than 30% of Dc, e.g. if Dc is 10 feet, an omnidirectional may be placed up to 3 feet from the talker. A unidirectional microphone (cardioid, supercardioid, or shotgun) should be positioned no farther than 50% of Dc, e.g. if Dc is 10 feet, a unidirectional may be placed up to 5 feet from the talker. What if the microphone must be placed farther away than 50% of Dc? - Make the room less reflective via acoustical solutions. This will increase Dc. or...
- Accept the sub-standard audio provided with a >50% of Dc talker to mic distance.
Time to get back to planning the Band Director Lab Band Clinic; still so much to do. Have a great week and we'll see you soon. Graciously Signed, Larry York |
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