Monday, October 24, 2022
You love electronics on the field, right!?!? Of course you do; they are reliable, trustworthy, work every time, and are so simple to use...just kidding. In fact, electronics on the marching band field (in my experience) seems to be the most difficult and sometimes the most ineffable challenge for ensemble directors to overcome. Not only are there logistical challenges for on-field electronics, but there seems to be an endless list of manuals, forums, updates, and information one must have to take full advantage of the features and abilities of the equipment. I have heard electronics on the field described as a "can of worms" that, once opened, is never really controlled. I have found in my experience that many ensemble directors often don't want to explore new sounds or techniques because this puts them out of their comfort zone, and besides, they have enough to do already.
Today's top modern marching ensembles (DCI, WGI Percussion, WGI Winds, BOA Ensembles, even the United States Marine Drum & Bugle Corps) employ electronics to a level that, just ten years ago, would never be considered the norm. We have quickly moved from an era that relied on a few microphones for solos and maybe an electronic keyboard, to ensembles using channel counts well beyond 48 or even 64 inputs/outputs. Many of today's marching ensembles are using enormous line arrays with panning effects, center fills, outside fills, sub-mixes, in-ear wireless monitors, delay adjustment, on-field speakers for effects, samplers, live sound manipulation effects, and, in some cases, live sound recording with looping effects done live during the performance.
Logistically, we have left analog cabling (giant cumbersome snake bundles) in the dust and embraced setups strictly based on network audio protocols (Audio over Ethernet, AoE) such as Dante or AVB to simplify setup and tear down. With a few simple clicks of ethernet cables, setup has become simplified, more reliable, more consistent, and physically less strenuous because dozens of channels of audio can now be carried digitally through one ethernet cable. However, with more advanced gear comes the increased need for audio design that is thought-out, planned, and strategically implemented for an ensemble's needs, and built for expandability into the future. Competitively speaking, gone are the days where if the electronics don't work the show goes on. In fact, for many competitive ensembles today, if the electronics do not work, the show is stuck in standstill.
I say this not to add stress, but to simply point out the direction modern marching arts are moving towards. Technology is part of our daily lives, and how we choose to manage it and use its advantages can play a key role for the success of our competitive musical ensembles. At Palen Music, we can help you overcome the challenges of technology on the field, on the stage, in the rehearsal room, in worship, or in the gym. We have a fantastic team of experts that have experienced these challenges head-on and developed strategies that help ensembles become more successful implementing technology use in performance. Please take a moment and check out our recent video showcasing some of the work we have been doing.
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Born in Springfield, MO, Jordan Nimmo is a Southwest Missouri native. Jordan was the Associate Band Director at Kickapoo High School for 8 years (2013/14 – 2020/2021) and also served as Choir Assistant Director/Accompanist during the same time. Prior to full-time work at Kickapoo, Jordan was the lead percussion instructor since 2007 and continued as Percussion Director once joining the Kickapoo faculty. During this time, the indoor percussion program grew to be a nationally recognized competitive ensemble within the WGI circuit. The Kickapoo Indoor Percussion Ensemble was a WGI World Championships Finalist six times under the instruction of Mr. Nimmo and fellow retired KHS band director Mr. Troy Peterson. Under Jordan's instruction, the Indoor Percussion Ensemble was named MCCGA Percussion Gold Medalist Champions thirteen consecutive times (2009-2021). During a portion of his tenure as a faculty/staff member for Springfield Public Schools, Jordan served as percussion instructor at Central High School (2010-2013), under the direction of Mr. Chris Rohrbaugh, assisting with the Wind Ensemble's 2012 MMEA Convention performance. |
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