Music Directors and the first note of a piece of music

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The discussion centers on the methods conductors use to cue musicians at the start of a performance. It highlights that different conductors have unique styles, which musicians must adapt to. Visual cues, such as nods or flourishes, are essential for synchronizing the ensemble, especially when the first note is long, allowing for slight timing discrepancies. In smaller groups, the lead musician often takes on the conductor's role. The conversation also touches on the importance of visual commands and multitasking among musicians to maintain synchronization, particularly during rehearsals or when a conductor focuses on a soloist. Additionally, it humorously notes a misconception about conductors merely shouting commands.
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When I watch videos of directors beginning a musical performance, I usually cannot tell how they designate a particular instant of time when the musicians are supposed to start playing. Perhaps each conductor has his own habits and the musicians must get used to them? Or perhaps the director is saying something to the musicians that the audience can't hear?

Another thought is that the first note of a piece of music is often a relatively long note so it isn't noticeable if the musicians begin playing it at slightly different times. If the first note was something like a sixteenth note followed by a quarter note rest, I think it would be hard to synchronize a big group of musicians who were looking for a visual signal when to start. According to that theory, music for a marching band would tend to begin with a long note or peharps with only the instruments in the formation played by musicians who can see the conductor.
 
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The conductor provides the cue, usually a nod. in a smaller group without a conductor, one player will take the role, like the 1st violin in a string quartet
 
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When I played horn in college orchestra, we relied on visual commands from the conductor to begin playing the score. As you say, each conductor provided visual cues according to their different styles.

At the beginning of a piece the conductor waited until the players 'settled' then visually gathered everyone together with a dramatic upward flourish. We attacked in unison on the down swing. After the beginning measures, the conductor signaled each section such as brass, woodwinds, percussion and choir via head nods and body language while keeping time with wand, arm and hand motions.

Within each section we followed the lead instrument as mentioned above; splitting attention among the conductor, section lead, and the written score while synchronizing our tapping foot with the percussion section. This multitasking served well to keep the orchestra synced during times when the conductor concentrated on a soloist or when playing without a conductor, particularly during rehearsal.

In my limited experience with marching band we synchronized on the tall staff of the drum major ahead and the guide at the leftmost position of each rank.
 
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I thought the job of the conductor was to scream at the orchestra in German?
 
Historian seeks recognition for first English king https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9d07w50e15o Somewhere I have a list of Anglo-Saxon, Wessex and English kings. Well there is nothing new there. Parts of Britain experienced tribal rivalries/conflicts as well as invasions by the Romans, Vikings/Norsemen, Angles, Saxons and Jutes, then Normans, and various monarchs/emperors declared war on other monarchs/emperors. Seems that behavior has not ceased.
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