Theatre BAND too LOUD?

Having cruised onboard Oriana I can safely say the sound in the theatre most definately was not too loud. If anything it must have been too quiet because a vast number of passengers managed to sleep right through the performances every night!!! :')

Oh no, that's my husband.:D

On each ship in the fleet we have sailed on, we have found the BAND not backing the artists but fronting them. So bad is the balance set, that often one cannot hear the solo or group singers clearly.

Indeed, a recent successful court case where a member of an orchestra sitting near the percussion section suffered hearing loss, has resulted in precautions being taken on the ships. Look for the transparent screen now placed in front of the drummer and trombone player.

Most solo singers offer dvd's for sale, none have the same accompanying loud, over brassed sound.

I have spoken to the sound technicians and they say, they cannot alter it, as it is set by "fleet" in Soton.

The artists say, as part of their contract they have to bring with them music for the seven part BAND, and can have one or two items without all seven band members.

The notion that the present set-up is what guests want, I suggest is what hearing damaged young folk in the 'fleet office' want to hear.

However, on our cruises, mostly out of season with other greypounders, many of whom have some hearing loss, we have mostly heard the criticism that the BAND IS TOO LOUD.

If you agree, then make you opinion known.

Note: This is not a criticism of the excellent, sight reading members of the band.

Ex-Decca

I couldn’t agree more, I have been asking for a very long time if the mindless music played on the open decks could be lowered. I am continually told “it is what the passengers want. Has anybody ever been asked?

Agree with that too. Don't want all this music played. Much prefer the sound of the sea!

Agree, just come off Aurora... sat outside the buffet, for breakfast, in Flam, and “Sex bomb” was blasting out... not what I wanted to hear! (Nor probably the residents of a Flam!) the continual (usually inappropriate) music outside was far more noticeable on this last cruise :(

I complained on their ‘First Impressions’ form about the sound levels.  The production Manager actually rang me in my cabin and told me that “some of the young technicians are inclined to crank up the sound and that if it happened again, I was to contact him.   There was an improvement.   I think we really must make ourselves heard as moaning silently to one another achieves nothing.    Come on all you folk who are having their theatre experiences spoilt.  COMPLAIN TO THE PURSER or the PRODUCTION MANAGER.  it is our cruise holiday and our money we are spending.  THEY are getting paid.

Why won’t they listen to the PAYING passengers.

On 6/15/2018 at 12:48 PM, Otter18 said:

Too loud, I agree, made the same comment several times on different ships.

We do the same.  We carry ear plugs for the shows in the theater if She Who Must Be Obeyed absolutely needs to see the show.  

I also ask in my comments if they are trying to mask mediocre singers by turning the volume up to the point of distortion.

For those who can sit through a too loud performance without being bothered, get your hearing checked while you still have some left.

I now wear earplugs and in May I actually saw somebody wearing small ear defenders. The hosts must know that the volume is distressing some of the passengers, do they just ignore it?

I suggest that most of those who post on this site are of a certain age and have some degree of hearing impairment, hence the comments about hearing aids. 

Consider for a moment what P&O's  marketing slogan FAMILY  FRIENDLY indicates. Yes, young persons! Next time your family's young persons visit you, please try this experiment.

Switch on the TV with the sound turned right down. Then slowly increase the volume to a level that the children can hear the programme. Can you hear it? Increase the level until you can. What sort of difference, if any, is there? Most likely for the majority there is.

One can therefore conclude that taking children to shows on so-called family friendly ships COULD HARM THEIR HEARING.

My sister and I are in our 30’s and have no hearing impediment.  Surprising really that we are both able to hear the lecturers and the personnel who give talks on shore excursions.    I now wear earplugs to the theatre.  In May I actually saw somebody wearing small ear defenders. The hosts must know that the volume is distressing some of the passengers, do they just ignore it?

It is very hard to please best part of 1000 people every time and the occasional person that moans about it being too loud is unrealistic to turn it down just to suit one person or at most a few. The only way they will do it if they have loads of complaints and I dont think that happens. I have never had any complaints about the sound in any of the shows.

5 hours ago, joro44 said:

Switch on the TV with the sound turned right down. Then slowly increase the volume to a level that the children can hear the programme. Can you hear it? Increase the level until you can. What sort of difference, if any, is there? Most likely for the majority there is.

One can therefore conclude that taking children to shows on so-called family friendly ships COULD HARM THEIR HEARING.

 

A tiny bit off topic, but still related. On a recent visit to the theatre (not on a ship) to see Grease, my six year old granddaughter was sat with her hands over here ears as she said it was too loud.

With the greatest respect and not wishing to offend anyone  can I suggest another reason why some people find the entertainment too loud and others don’t ?

Hyperacusis is a type of reduced sound tolerance and increased sensitivity for sound. People with Hyperacusis often find ordinary noises can be too loud and unfortunately for them loud noises such as in a theatre can often be uncomfortable or even painful.

Exposure to loud noise can in the short term increase sensitivity to noise and worsen tinnitus ( buzzing, whistling and ringing in the ears.) It can also cause a popping sensation.

The condition is very often caused by aging of the structures in the inner ear and can often be associated with hearing loss. 

There is is usually no cure for Hyperacusis once the sensitivity has started because it is often due to natural aging. However there other disorders of the inner ear which can cause similar symptoms which can be treated. Therefore getting a prompt ear assessment is important.

ref betterhealth.org.au

It also has a lot to do with the speakers and they way they are tuned. In the past ships used to use higher quality equipment, now they use cheaper alternatives which themselves are using cheaper and cheaper components. When you add in the fact that the systems are not now professionally tuned, the result harsh sound. It's not necessarily the level which is always to blame, just the quality.

11 hours ago, Tablelamp said:

My sister and I are in our 30’s and have no hearing impediment.  Surprising really that we are both able to hear the lecturers and the personnel who give talks on shore excursions.    I now wear earplugs to the theatre.  In May I actually saw somebody wearing small ear defenders. The hosts must know that the volume is distressing some of the passengers, do they just ignore it?

If you need to wear ear plugs and ear defenders in the theatre, why not go somewhere quieter, leaving more seats in the theatre for those who would like to see the show and cannot get a seat? 

I thoroughly enjoy watching the shows, wearing earplugs simply increases my enjoyment as they cut out some of the unwanted volume.

Last year on another cruise line we walked past the theatre a number of times and kept walking ----the sound coming from the shows was just terrible. The lead female singers sounded like they were being strangled, the singing was out of tune and it was cringe worthy. Like P&O the music / backing was just too loud. Perhaps Whitney would have been able to hold her own but it hardly seems fair on these singers who often trying to dance at the same time !!

If people are having to wear ear defenders and ear plugs that is ridiculous.

Will stick to the sound of a tinkling piano if they have one !!

(Not grey yet !)

I just can't get over the fact that some people don't think the shows in the theatre, the band/singers at the pool and along the promenade (on RC ships) are not loud. I must have very sensitive ears (um, my DH says I can hear everything:), but I have learned to just put kleenex or ear plugs in my ears so that I can hear it more "normally" and enjoy the shows. I even have my DH doing the same especially since he developed tinitus..poor guy! All of my suggestions on the surveys and complaints to all of the cruise lines that we have been on, have been placed on deaf ears.

41 minutes ago, ptf2009 said:

I just can't get over the fact that some people don't think the shows in the theatre, the band/singers at the pool and along the promenade (on RC ships) are not loud. I must have very sensitive ears (um, my DH says I can hear everything:), but I have learned to just put kleenex or ear plugs in my ears so that I can hear it more "normally" and enjoy the shows. I even have my DH doing the same especially since he developed tinitus..poor guy! All of my suggestions on the surveys and complaints to all of the cruise lines that we have been on, have been placed on deaf ears.

I would agree with you and moreover the tendency to over-egg the volume almost always introduces distortion which makes it even worse. A case of quantity (sound level) over quality.

We recently saw an Elton John tribute act.  He was very good but the snare drum beat (insistent left hand with unvarying tempo) almost drowned out the melody and was very intrusive such that it became very hard to ignore.  It wasn't just me - my dh said exactly the same thing, then blow me, we sat in the Crow's Nest and the couple we got into conversation with made exactly the same comment unprompted by us.  That was a mixing issue. 

Having said that,  on Aurora in July, we experienced very acceptable sound levels in the shows.  They were very enjoyable too.

23 hours ago, ptf2009 said:

I just can't get over the fact that some people don't think the shows in the theatre, the band/singers at the pool and along the promenade (on RC ships) are not loud. I must have very sensitive ears (um, my DH says I can hear everything:), but I have learned to just put kleenex or ear plugs in my ears so that I can hear it more "normally" and enjoy the shows. I even have my DH doing the same especially since he developed tinitus..poor guy! All of my suggestions on the surveys and complaints to all of the cruise lines that we have been on, have been placed on deaf ears.

Neither can I.  I am 72 and have very good hearing.  I find it absolutely deafening sometimes, but not others so it must depend on who is operating the sound.

I must be in the minority but never been on a ship on any part of the ship where the music is too loud.

3 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

I must be in the minority but never been on a ship on any part of the ship where the music is too loud.

You are either very young, were / are a heavy rock fan or you are the guy we see on ships wearing ear muffs throughout the day

Well I am 60 and dont wear ear muffs.

17 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Well I am 60 and dont wear ear muffs.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh heavy rock fan then ----------- ;-)

May I suggest that MAJORTOM10 tries my experiment mentioned several days ago, in order to rate his hearing.