comments sought on tsimbl orchestration

[r l reid <ro...>]

I ran into an interesting aethestic question the other day.  I
was sitting in with a fairly large band - including a full drum set,
a couple of reeds, a couple of violins, a couple of accordians.

Of course, the tsimbl could not be heard, unless there was an 
intentional softening of the overall wall of sound specifically
for the tsimbl to solo.

A suggestion was made that the tsimbl should be amplified so it could be
heard along with the other instruments.  This struck me as a bad
idea.

It would be strange to have a tsimbl as loud as a saxaphone or
a crash cymbal.  My feeling was that in a band of that size, the 
only way to use a tsimbl was more as an occaisional novelty - 
perhaps while the louder instruments take a break.

The idea of a large loud "electric tsimbl" just seems wierd to me.

This weekend I'll be playing with just a wooden flute player (the
flute is wooden, not the player - he is warm, soft and fun).
That's going to make sense.

-- 
r l reid        ro (at) rreid(dot)net


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