Theatre BAND too LOUD?

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

Absolutely agree and it ruins the show.

Also agree and is probably a factor in the female singers belting it out to the point of being harsh and raucous. When singing at less volume they may be very good but it becomes uncomfortable listening when they go for the high notes.

Yes the band is frequently too loud, the mixing way off in terms of being able to hear the singers properly and dominated by what seems to be a belief that it all sounds better like that. In these days with the technology to mix and get a proper balance in terms of the orchestra/band/singers I cannot understand why they do it. I always assumed it was the sound engineers' choice and perhaps as younger people more likely to want the high volume - but apparently according to the OP that's not the case.

Given the demographic on some sailings and the frequent comments made by passengers about it being 'too loud' I wonder why they don't vary it according to the likely audience preference. (I find the same thing often at the cinema. If they don't think we're all a bit deaf they're going the right way to fulfil that presumption!)

Absolutely agree...it happens on every ship on every line we’ve been on. I write the complaint in our survey but it seems to be going to “deaf” ears...forgive the pun, but it never gets better. I actually put Kleenex in my ears to help drown out the sound and it helps a little....other wise my ears and head hurts! I am packing earplugs from now on...the bright orange ones!

It was much better on Oriana this time until we had a different sound man one night and it was awful. I spoke to 2 of the Headliners as we joined the choir and they were leading us. They agree, but say it's to do with who is on sound?

Whatever is a "Greypounder"?

Whatever is a "Greypounder"?

Older people with the money to spend?

Despite targeting the new cruiser, younger perhaps with families, in my experience especially out of school holidays, the older passenger represents a very high proportion of the passenger complement. Some sailings - no-fly, longer duration or type of itinerary can have very few passengers who aren't retired. It's a shame if there isn't some sort of acknowledgement that. It's a pity that they don't respond to that especially if as mentioned) it's probably reflected in customer feed back.

Perhaps those who agree ought to collar the CD whenever we spot him and ask about why the volume is so deafening. Might get so fed up with it that the sound engineer gets a memo! We can only hope! We enjoy the shows - except for this.

Could this have anything to do with where you sit? I always thought it was down the sound man to get this right. Not had an issue myself but I tend to sit right at the back.

Agree that the sound mix quality is often very poor on the ships but it's a feeble excuse to say that the sound is set from Soton. Unless there's been some phenomenal change in mixing decks recently I don't know of any that have remote management capability. The mix is down to the onboard Sound engineer and they need to get out of their booth and get into the theatre when the show is on so they can actually hear what the passengers hear. Setting up in an empty room during soundchecks isn't the same and if they've been properly trained they should know this.

Definitely agree, all too often the background band drowns out the performer. On our last Aurora cruise we saw the magnificent Graffiti Classics group and they performed without any backing band. They were the best act we've seen on P&O since we started cruising in 2003 and they had no backing to drown them.

Could this have anything to do with where you sit? I always thought it was down the sound man to get this right. Not had an issue myself but I tend to sit right at the back.

We also have no issue with the sound level, at least not on our favourite ship Ventura, but we sit right at the front because we prefer that wheelchair location.

So it must be the middle that has the problem?

I have to say that from where I sit I have never had any issues with the band being too loud at all.

BTW I sit in the casino.

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Our choice of seat tends to be at the back - often in front of the sound booth. I can assure you the sound is too loud there too!

The show which had been commissioned from Ruthie Henshall's production company (was it first done on Aurora or Oriana last Autumn?) was a refreshing change as sound levels were excellent. In fact for the first time during the cruise I thought the female singers were good (no straining /shouting/harsh sounds) as we could appreciate their voices. Confirmed our suspicions that the sound levels are what spoils it. I thought perhaps the production company had had an input on the sound with guidance to the sound engineers (and singers) which explained the marked difference.

But just goes to show - same showteam, same engineers and same equipment but infinitely better experience. Shows it can be done!

I can't remember the name of the artists, but there were 3 singers - two men and a woman. The first time they were fine, the second, it wasn't just loud, it was deafening. We just couldn't sit there and to see something with your fingers in your ears is just no good. We have tried talking to the CD - they tell me it comes as a package! err no it doesn't

Never had a problem with sound in any show in theatres and with 750+ in every show very hard to please everybody.

I'm not being rude MajorTom, but do you have a deaf aid? I have met so many people who tell me they just turn their deaf aid down? Well that's fine if you have one!! It's not always the Theatre band, it happens with the Headliners, although on Oriana last time, it was fine in the theatre but deafening in the Pacific Lounge which in my opinion isn't big enough for them with a low ceiling.

I'm not being rude MajorTom, but do you have a deaf aid? I have met so many people who tell me they just turn their deaf aid down? Well that's fine if you have one!! It's not always the Theatre band, it happens with the Headliners, although on Oriana last time, it was fine in the theatre but deafening in the Pacific Lounge which in my opinion isn't big enough for them with a low ceiling.

Sorry but no I havent got a deaf aid and you speak to everyone who attends the theatre on every P&O cruise that you do. I very much doubt it just the usual moaners who will moan about anything and even then it probably on account for less than 5% of those who attend.

I had often wondered why glass screens were often in front of drummers nowadays. Now I know!

Can’t say that I’ve noticed shows being too loud as a rule, but we have had some poor bands and very poor singers.

The two biggest things that spoil shows for me concern fellow passengers, namely those who arrive late and insist on disturbing others to get to a seat and also those (often the same people) who feel the need to talk throughout the performance.

I had often wondered why glass screens were often in front of drummers nowadays. Now I know!

 

Can’t say that I’ve noticed shows being too loud as a rule, but we have had some poor bands and very poor singers.

 

The two biggest things that spoil shows for me concern fellow passengers, namely those who arrive late and insist on disturbing others to get to a seat and also those (often the same people) who feel the need to talk throughout the performance.

and also those that sit in the middle of rows and get up and leave during the show.......so ignorant.

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!!! :')

I have to say that from where I sit I have never had any issues with the band being too loud at all.

 

 

BTW I sit in the casino.

 

 

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:')

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!!! :')

I can manage to sleep through most of the shows, even when the music is loud! Only once do I recall my wife saying ‘It’s a shame you missed that, it was really good”!

They do seem to find it difficult to get the levels right at times. I have found the band too loud at times and last year, a Shirley Bassey-esque female vocalist was so over-amplified I thought my ear drums were going to burst!

Its not just P&O however. I sailed with Marella in January and had to leave a bar-lounge on three nights because the music was just so loud!

Not too bothered by the noise level - much more concerned about the strobe lights directed at the audience. This includes adult only ships where most of the pax are of a certain age. Many of us are increasingly less tolerant of bright lights, and I have resorted to wearing sunglasses - embarrassing if I forget to remove them when the house lights come on.

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