[HANASHIR:14226] Re: sound system

[Andy Curry <acurry...>]

It appears that I need to clarify my remarks.

My Jewish band often gets asked to do pro bono gigs (AKA freebies) for the 
community.

COMMERCIAL ASIDE:  WE DO WEDDINGS.

Some, like the ones we do for the Jewish assisted-living and nursing-home 
center, are heimish and freilach and there is no question that we will do 
those with pleasure.  The residents are seated and ready to listen (and 
sometimes dance).  Everybody eats afterward.

Others are not so great, and we've not yet learned to be very careful about 
screening these!  In the past week we've done two, in Yom Haatzmaut 
observances.  What they end up being is situations in which people are 
selling t-shirts, jewelry, and chatchkes, there are games for the kids, and 
food is being sold and consumed.  We provide the [rather loud and probably 
annoying to many] background music.

So these events are, in reality, social and commercial activities.  People 
want to shmooze, and there's nothing wrong with that.  The problem is that 
what we do isn't really conducive to shmoozing.  They have to talk louder 
than normal, and we have to play at a certain level to deal with that noise 
and the size of the room.  So the shmoozing is not conducive to good 
music.  And I believe that the OVERALL noise level turns a lot of people 
off to the music.

So, what's the solution?  I see a couple of possibilities:

1.  Situate the performers in a corner or partitioned area, with MINIMAL 
sound reinforcement, so that those who wish to listen can come close and do 
so, and those who wish to shmooze can move away and do so.  Think 
piano-player-in-the-hotel-lobby;

2.  Do the commercial and shmoozing activities first - and have an end to 
them - then have what is clearly a concert or dance, making it clear 
somehow that the shmoozing is over.  Rabbi Schachet, this is what I'd 
suggest for your barbeque event, if you really want to welcome and honor 
your new chazzan.

I don't want to be bitter.  But I wish people would learn from experience, 
as well as recognize when they are part of the problem.  Unfortunately, 
I've witnessed cases where our Jewish community has been rude to performers 
- in concerts - in that we just won't stop shmoozing, even in concert 
situations.

Andy Curry, Kansas City
acurry (at) lenexa(dot)sema(dot)slb(dot)com

------------------------ hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org -----------------------+