To amplify, or not to amplify?

I’m so glad you’ve joined me on the blog for this very important question!  First of all, what is amplification Basically, we attach pickups onto our acoustic instruments, which feed into a speaker system and amplify the sound of the instruments so it’s louder!

How much louder? Well, that depends on what we set the volume to. Just like a speaker you have at home, our volume can be adjusted to very quiet or extremely loud!  How do we know what to set the volume to? We make that adjustment when we are in the room and listening to the acoustics of the space. This is part of what we do in a “sound check”. We have someone listen from different parts of the room while we test the sound to make sure it’s the perfect volume from all angles.

What are some factors to consider when deciding to book the amplification package? The biggest factors are the square footage of your space, and how many guests you will be having. A small, indoor space with less than 50 guests will not require amplification. However, a large indoor space with closer to 100 guests will require amplification. Any event outdoors will benefit from amplification. This is due to the fact that the acoustics are better indoors than outdoors, and lots of people chatting will drown out the musicians without amplification. And you don’t want to spend all of that money hiring live music if they can’t be heard!

Next, how many musicians did you hire? The volume of a string quartet is going to be naturally louder than a violin soloist, just due to the fact that there are more musicians playing.

Finally, make sure to consider your budget! Our amplification package is a flat fee of $250. So this price is the same whether you hire a solo violinist or a string quartet. My advice is that if you have it in your budget, go for the amplification package; you won’t regret it!