Dynamics

Dynamic are an effective way to help people to listen, both in music and English. We often think we need to speak up or play loud to be heard. Often the opposite is more effective. When we speak or play softer, people tend to lean forward and make more of an effort to listen. When we scream or play loud, people often tend to back off. When we scream or play loud all the time, people tune us out and stop listening altogether.

Ex1 - Dynamics as Scales

This is a technical and listening exercise as well an exercise in developing dynamics. The goal is to be aware of your dynamic range.

Approach

Play a note as softly as possible, then repeat it, increasing in volume. Count how many times you can repeat the note at increasing volume before hitting max volume. Repeat decreasing in volume.

Tips and Warnings

Go slow. You might want to record your efforts, so you know that you are increasing/decreasing in volume and not cheating. Watch out for sudden changes in volume.

Next Steps

If you play an wind instrument, play through your dynamic range on a single note. Work on maintaining a steady tone throughout the note. One approach would be to start soft, grow to a peak, then taper off. See how long you can hold the note with this approach before running out of air.

Ex2 - Dynamic Phrasing

This exercise helps you to incorporate dynamics into a spontaneous jam.

Approach

This is like soloing over a scale, except that you are also changing dynamics as well as changing pitch. Play over a track and improvise over the top. Create phrases and repeat them at different volume levels. Observe the emotional effect.

Ex3 - The Yardstick of Volume

This exercise helps you to develop a baseline for how loud you play. This is especially effective for amplified plucked instruments, such as the electric bass.

Approach

First of all, be sure that you are comfortable with exercise one, and are aware of your dynamic range. Now, think about where your normal range is. Let's say you have 10 levels of volume, where level 10 is sustainable only in short bursts, level nine is sacrificing tone for volume, and level eight is the max you can play with a steady tone. Where do you normally play? If it's six or seven, you are not leaving yourself room for increasing in volume. You should be shooting for about level four or five. Level four leaves room for three steps down and four steps up before sacrificing tone for volume.

Tips and Warnings

Make sure you are hyper-aware of the other players. If you set your amp expecting to play at level four, and actually play at level seven, you are going to drown out others.

If you can't hear everyone else, you are probably too loud.