Live Performance:
Live performance is key to any musical career. It is used to promote a musician and their music, to entertain an audience and even just as background music for things such as sporting events or musical theatre. Different genres of music require different forms of staging. For example, an orchestra requires a concert hall but a rock band would require a stage in somewhere like an arena.
This also applies to lighting and sound. During every performance, the choice of lighting can change the way an audience feels about the music. For example if it is brightly lit across the whole stage, the audience are more likely to feel happy as the song and lighting is probably going to reflect that feeling. However if it is more dark and serious the audience’s reaction will be completely different. Similarly, the use of spotlights enable people to know what they need to focus on. If a musician has a solo, this would be a good time to use spotlights or if a singer has a backing band but they do not need to be seen. Depending on genre, the lighting could be anywhere between subtle to colourful and full of movement.
In a large venue, the PA system must be larger and include things such as monitors to boost the sound levels in order for the music to be heard and also so that the musicians themselves can hear other members of the band, whilst on stage. But in a small venue, the PA system only needs to be small so that it can be heard by both the audience and the musicians.
Another important aspect of live sound is staging. A set on a stage can help to tell a story and emphasise the lyrics of a song. This is often different to listening to a studio recording because the visuals create a better understanding of what is going on and allow for a completely new experience for members of the audience.
POP Genre:
In this Performance, Ariana Grande’s band use synthesisers, drum pads and various other technologies to recreate the original song. Her backing vocalists and band members are wearing all black to blend into the background and not take away from Ariana’s stage presence which although she is also wearing a black jumper, she stands out because of her choice to wear blue jeans and light coloured boots. This draws the audience’s attention to her. The audience are both listeners of BBC Radio 1 and the people who are watching this video but they are not performing in front of a physical audience because they are in a recording studio. However the venue still has a lighting set up and positions Ariana in the centre to emphasise her importance over the rest of the musicians.
Jazz Genre:
This performance takes place in a bar so the audience is likely to be the customers or staff members there. The band play instruments such as drums, piano and double bass which is typical of Jazz music and the singer (Becki Biggins) is also a saxophonist as seen at 3:50. She is able to portray the feeling of each song by the way she moves in time with the music. The more upbeat the song, the more she moves. Their choice to wear smart clothing gives off a professional image and makes people take them more seriously. The lighting is very soft and helps maintain a professional image.
Classical Genre:
Haydn is a famous classical composer and in this video, the orchestra are preforming symphony no. 101 movement 2 in andante. It was nicknamed “The Clock” due to the ticking effect cause by continuous quavers played using staccato. This piece would usually be preformed in an auditorium however this version looks to be in a music hall. Each person in the ensemble is wearing a suit because most classical performances are performed in formal settings. The typical audience would be that of the older generation. Each musician works well together, communicating with and through the conductor. An orchestral set up often places the conductor in the centre so that each member of the ensemble is able to see him and maintain their tempo as well as know their cues. This is also why they are split into sections. Each instrument or family of instruments go together so that they are aware of when their part needs to be played. This genre doesn’t typically need to use colourful lighting because it is usually more serious or relaxed. However any lighting used is normally soft and subtle and changes along with the tonality of the music.