Is a music conductor really necessary?!
Question: I know a conductor's job is to communicate to the band or orchestra with hand-signals the timing and dynamics of the song as well as cueing.
But if the orchestra has already practiced this so many times, is there really a need for a conductor?
Answers: I know a conductor's job is to communicate to the band or orchestra with hand-signals the timing and dynamics of the song as well as cueing.
But if the orchestra has already practiced this so many times, is there really a need for a conductor?
It seems there are no musicians answering this question. In a small 3 or 4 piece rock band, no a conductor isn't necessary. The drummer keeps the beat and the musicians can always hear each other. In an orchestra, large band, or choir, however, that is not the case. Just to be sure everyone starts at the same time, the conductor is necessary. Also, one section often cannot hear whether or not the are overpowering another section, as an example. The conductor can tell a section to increase or decrease volume. The conductor keeps the beat and indicates dynamic changes, timing changes, etc. All these people who are saying that the musicians never watch the conductor are, frankly, quite clueless. They're eyes are constantly flicking back and forth from their music to the conductor.
The last thing you said...i agree with that 100%. I told my fiancee years ago that they dont even look at the conductor.
no there job is very unnesecery
yep.
to keep the beat of the music.
Yes, because it is the conductors job to keep everybody in line with one another. He can also direct specific sections to quiet down if something doesn't sound right, or too loud for the building. He controls everything, and he hears how the music should sound, regardless how good the musician is.
I notice that all the time too. When i was younger i didn't even understand it at all, i thought the conductor was just waving his arms about in no particular pattern or direction. as i got older i realized that there are certain movements tthat indicate to the orchestra for them to play the music faster, softer, when to stop, when to start so they all start together( i think tha'ts really important because you have to have one person tell the whole group when to start so they start at the same time ) but other than that it just seems like they all look at their own music and never once look up at the conductor. but who knows, maybe they use their peripheral vision
The conductor just is for the audience to make it look more fancy. The music people never pay attention to him. It's kind of like a lead singer dancing in a rock band. This doesn't affect the music, it's just fun and it looks cool.
um obviously.
Depending on the particular situation the expressive gestures may or may not be that important. However, the conductor also has the very important job of keeping time. It is the natural tendency for musicians to speed up, especially in front of an audience. (Pretty much every rock band does this live.) Without someone keeping a steady beat the tempo an orchestra settled on would vary wildly.
Yes.
99% of the conductor's work is done in the rehearsals.
He guides the interpretation of the music and decides how it should be played. Verbal instructions are given to the various musicians at that time, tricky sections of the music are gone over, and the whole performance is fine-tuned. The individual musicians have their parts to think about. Someone has to be in charge of the overall ensemble and see the big picture. That's the conductor's job.
If it all goes smoothly at the performance, it is because the musicians and conductor did a good job in rehearsal.
peace
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